Curse

Welcome to the weekly Minecraft Spotlight! In this issue we will feature "AutoMessage", a plugin created by ELCHILEN0.

This plugin adds the ability for server operators to create automated announcements easily. Messages can be added, edited and deleted both from within the game and using the configuration file.

By default messages will be broadcast in the order you specify; however, it is also possible to show them at random or to broadcast one specific message by executing a command using the index of said message.

AutoMessage is useful for many purposes; such as server announcements, tips for new players, news... the possibilities are endless!

Similar to most plugins this one can be customized as well. What makes this plugin stand out is the fact that you will not need the configuration file to access all available options; everything can be changed from within the game!

To emphasize certain parts of a message various text markup options are available; including colour codes, bold text, underlined text and more!

Each broadcast is preceded by a prefix, which is the same for every message. As you can see on the images above, the default prefix is [AutoMsg] in aqua colour.

Just as the broadcasts themselves, the prefix can be customized. All text markup options are allowed as well. If you are not interested in having any prefix, that is no problem at all! The prefix can be removed completely by replacing it with ''. However, this is only possible by editing the configuration file, as the change will not be saved from within the game.

In addition to regular messages it is also within the bounds of possibility to execute commands automatically.

For example: you do not like darkness and would like daytime to last forever. All you have to do is creating a new broadcast that uses the time command. A command can also be combined with a message, just remember to put the message on the second line by using the separator code. Or else the command will be executed unnoticed.

AutoMessage is a very versatile broadcast scheduling plugin. Rather than using the /say command each time, server operators can now create messages to be shown automatically: a real time saver! Also worth mentioning is the ability to customize the text in many ways and to execute scheduled commands in addition to regular messages.

We also managed to hold an interview with ELCHILEN0, the creator of AutoMessage. Check it out below to find out more about the development process behind the plugin!

What was your inspiration for starting this project?
My inspiration for this project begun I was unable to find a well programmed chat scheduler plugin.  I had searched for quite some time and had yet to find one that suited my needs.  The others that I found were very difficult to deal with, caused major impact on my servers resources and even got to the point of crashing my server due to bad programming practices.  I decided that it was time to create a simple yet useful plugin that addressed all issues of the other chat scheduler plugins.

How was your plugin received by the community at its first release?
When it was first released the plugin was very supported by the community.  Ever since its first release I have received countless suggestions to the plugin which not only have made increased the capability but have also made the plugin far easier to navigate and use.

Roughly how much time went into the first working version of AutoMessage?
Initially I spent about 1-2 hours on the first release however since then I have rewritten the plugin numerous times from the ground up and have spent around a total of 10 hours of programming and optimizations.

What was your favorite development tool for this project? - Please explain why.
I have to say that Eclipse is my personal favorite Java IDE.  The interface is very navigable and the code completion is simply superb.

Have you learned anything new from creating this plugin?
Absolutely!  When creating this plugin I had just begun learning Java.  I have worked with other Object-Oriented languages such as Objective-C and found Java amazingly simple and robust language.  This plugin helped me finish my learning curve of Java and I now feel very adept to programming larger plugins and applications.

What part of the development process of AutoMessage did you enjoy most?
Fixing bugs!  It feels so rewarding when I finally squash a bug!

Are you working on any other plugins or updates at the moment?
I am working on a custom Alliance plugin where players with claiming, wars and diplomacy.  Once I have the plugin in its final stages I may release it to the public and work on some more updates to AutoMessage such as MultiWorld and Permission integration.

In addition to Minecraft, have you ever released any plugins, mods or maps for other games?
No I haven't but I have developed some Memory and Code Injection hacks for Call of Duty 4 (Mac) and may release them in the future.

Besides your own creations, what are some of your favorite plugins from other developers and why?
Some of my personal favorite plugins are DisguiseCraft and VanishNoPacket.  Its very amusing to both myself and my players when I disguise as Herobrine then appear in front of players.

Do you have any advice for other potential plugin developers?
Keep it simple.  Build your structure and keep everything nice and organized before expanding on the plugin and adding to much.  Remember to comment your code for not only yourself but for other developers as well.  Remember don't loose faith; I began my Programming career not even knowing how to write a simple Hello World and now I am knowledgeable in various different languages.  If you stick to a goal you will eventually get there.

Many thanks to ELCHILEN0 for creating this plugin and for participating in our interview!

If you would like to suggest a plugin for one of the next spotlights, please contact me .

Thanks to MadPixel for the Minecrafter font.