Starting my first "real" server - suggestions?

[stringburka]

So, I'm soon starting my first more serious server that are not just for personal friends. I think I have a good base idea, but since it's my first server I'd like any aid on how to do stuff I can get.

About the server: It will be a steampunkish server with 5-10 people or so, maybe more if my RAM allows (have 6GB to dedicate). It will be whitelist only and only after a serious application for whitelisting. The server will be cooperatively minded, rather than competitive, and collectivity will be encouraged. The story will be a group of workers escaping a totalitarian industry/corporation-state, having to settle down to survive in the harsh wilderness while protecting themselves from their followers (the monsters are reskinned to steampunkish robots, as by Glimmar's texture pack).

The tech level will be medium, a stripped-down version of tekkit with no access to very modern stuff like nukes, mining lasers and so on and very little access to EE stuff. Mostly IC2, redpower, weapons mod, railcraft and I'm thinking of trying to squeeze some farming mod into it.

Now, the basic rules of the server will be (the short version):

- No unwanted personal insults and no racism, sexism etc

- No griefing/pvping/sabotaging unless agreed upon

- No trying to cheat, whether trying to find loopholes in server rules nor in the game.

- No hoarding - if you don't need it, it should go towards the collective.

- No arbitrary destruction of nature without a vote on it.

- No huge world-changing builds unless agreed upon by several members or a vote.

- Some laws may be added/changed/removed (except the three first) by voting on the server blog.

So now I want your suggestions. Are there any important rules I should have that aren't here? What items should I keep/what items should I block? What plugins should I get?

Are there any plugins that can spawn a mob "attack" where more mobs are spawned and go hunt for players/stuff to destroy? That would be really nice as the server then has to build up tactics for defending against their followers attacking them!

Thanks a lot for any suggestions!

[Phuriousgeorge]

It sounds like you have some good ideas. I'd suggest taking key words from your ideas and running searches through the filter bar on dev.bukkit.org and looking through the multitude of options available.

One concern I would have, your rules seem like they can be really restrictive. Being a whitelisted server, that might be okay. I've been running only public/greylist servers since early alpha.

Create an interesting spawn or structure to show off on your thread.

As to essential plugins, I'd consider these mine:

Essentials (ban, kick, teleport, vanish, homes, warps, the basics and more of what a server needs to function)

EssentialsSpawn (spawn)

PermissionsEX (permissions system)

ModifyWorld (can limit world interraction via permissions)

LWC (chest/door protection)

LogBlock (or similar logging plugin compatable with Tekkit- CoreProtect, SWatchdog also work)

WorldGuard (to prohibit things from happening to the world or specified zones)

WorldBorder (Keep your people caged in a limited map - no trailing "fingers")

diablecraft (disable crafting recipies)

[stringburka]

Yeah, I know they're a bit restrictive - but I'd rather find 5 people that I share gaming style with than 15 that I don't ;D Regardless, they might seem more restrictive in their abbrevated form, and most (except the first) could be discussed.

Yes! I plan on having a spawn inside the crashed airship they escaped in.

Thanks! I'll get those plugins