How to set up a Minecraft network with Velocity (lobby + survival + minigames)
Link a lobby, survival and minigame servers into one network with a Velocity proxy: which plans to buy, how to connect them with modern forwarding, and how players move between them. A Minecraft network is several servers that feel like one: players join a lobby and move to survival, creative or minigames with a command or a portal, without leaving. The piece that ties them together is a proxy,…
A Minecraft network comprises multiple servers that function as one cohesive experience for players. The key to this setup is a proxy server, which Velocity is the modern choice for, developed by the PaperMC team. The proxy server handles the connection from players and directs them to the appropriate game servers (Paper or Purpur) where the actual Minecraft worlds reside.
When setting up a network with Velocity, there are several plans and server types to consider. The proxy server, Velocity, starts with a 512 MB plan priced at $0.75/month. The lobby server, built with Paper, needs a Basic 1 GB plan at $0.99/month. If your network expands to include survival or minigame servers, you can opt for an Advanced or larger plan, starting at $1.79/month.
To begin, purchase a plan for the proxy server, either Starter (512 MB) or Basic (1 GB). Then, procure a plan for each game server, including the lobby, survival, and minigames, each utilizing Paper or Purpur as the server type. Size these game servers according to standard Minecraft server requirements.
Once you've allocated resources, access the proxy server's velocity.toml file. Here, you'll add each game server by name and specify its IP:port, like lobby = 1.2.3.4:25570. Set the player-info-forwarding-mode to modern to enable modern forwarding. Similarly, open the forwarding.secret file and copy its content. Next, head over to every game server's config/paper-global.yml file, and set proxies.velocity.enabled to true, along with online-mode: true, pasting the same secret you copied earlier. Finally, adjust the server.properties file on the game servers, setting online-mode to false.
Restart both the game servers and the proxy server. Now, players only need to connect to the proxy server's address. A modern forwarding system like Velocity's is crucial, as it signs each connection using a shared secret. This mechanism ensures that no player can bypass the proxy and join a game server under a false identity.
Moving between servers within the network is facilitated by Velocity's built-in /server command. Players can switch between the lobby, survival, and minigames with simple commands. For menus, portals, or signs that transport players to different servers, a plugin that utilizes the proxy server should be installed on each game server. Consistency in permissions management is essential; using LuckPerms on both the proxy and the game servers, ideally with a shared database, ensures a smooth experience for all players.
Written by urgent.news from Dev.to's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
