Moving your Minecraft server world can be a straightforward process, but ensuring player data is transferred correctly is crucial for a seamless transition. Typically, all the essential world information, including player data, is contained within the world folder. This folder, usually named “world,” and potentially accompanied by “world_nether” and “world_end” folders, holds the geographical data and player-specific information of your Minecraft world. If you’re aiming to use an existing world on a different server, you have several options to transfer this data effectively.
There are primarily three methods to implement your existing world into a new server setup.
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Direct Replacement of World Folders: The simplest method is to delete the current world folders on your new server and replace them entirely with your existing world folders. This approach ensures a clean swap, overwriting the old world with your chosen one.
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Renaming and Importing: Alternatively, you can rename the existing world folders on your new server as a backup. Then, drag and drop your desired world folders into the server directory. This method provides a safety net by preserving the original server world in case of any issues.
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Adjusting the
level-nameinserver.properties: A third option involves keeping your existing server world folders and adding your desired world folders alongside them. To activate your chosen world, you need to modify thelevel-namesetting within theserver.propertiesfile. This setting should be changed to precisely match the name of your world folder. This method is particularly useful if you wish to retain multiple world backups or have specific naming conventions.
It’s important to note that by default, Minecraft servers are configured to load a world folder named “world.” If your world folder has a different name, or if you’re using a world folder with a custom name, you must ensure that the level-name in your server.properties file reflects this name. Mismatched names will result in the server either failing to load the world or loading a different, default world.
While the world folder generally encompasses all necessary data, including player data, certain server plugins can alter this. For instance, plugins like Essentials can modify the default Minecraft behavior of storing player data. Essentials, as an example, stores player data outside of the world folder, typically within its own plugin directory under a folder named userdata. If you are using such plugins and need to transfer player data accurately, you might need to consider these plugin-specific data locations in addition to the standard world folders. In cases where you intend to stop using such plugins, Essentials and similar plugins often provide functionalities to export the plugin-managed player data back into the standard Minecraft world folder structure, ensuring compatibility and data preservation when moving to a server setup without these plugins.
Ultimately, transferring player data when moving your Minecraft server world primarily involves correctly transferring the world folder itself. Understanding the standard storage locations and being aware of potential plugin-induced deviations ensures a smooth and complete transfer of both your world environment and player-specific information.
