What is the use of Sponge?

I’m hosting a Minecraft minigame network and want to create a FTB server for me and my friends (not public). I asked in the Spigot forums (running Spigot right now) if that is possible with BungeeCord (also needed for the network). I wan’t a kind of lobby switch plugin for swapping between that FTB server and the normal minigame network. The guys on Spigot told me to take a look at Sponge, so here I am :smiley:

I’ve got two questions:

  1. What are the advantages of Sponge, why should I use it/switch from Spigot?
  2. Is it possible to do what I described above? Can I combine normal “only plugin servers” and FTB servers in one BungeeCord network, so the normal users don’t have to use the FTB launcher, but if you wan’t to join the modded one you have to use the special launcher?

I’m new here, so please don’t blame me :grin:

Thanks already, Jack

  1. You can install Forge mods with it, which is not possible with Spigot. (SpongeForge is a forge mod, SpongeVanilla is a standalone vanilla server with sponge) Also the api is way better for the developer side.

  2. Should be possible, users will get kicked if they join the modded server without the correct mods installed. I am not completely sure as I barely use bungeecord.

All FTB ModPack at the moment are running on minecraft 1.7.10.
I’d suggest using Thermos (A Cauldron fork) to run plugins using the Bukkit API with mods.

Answer for Question 1: From a user/server owner standpoint, there’s not too many advantages yet. The main ones would be modded block protection with plugins like FoxGuard, but currently there’s just not enough resources to compete with spigot.
From a developer standpoint, the sponge API is way better than bukkit, my favorite being the “Cause” system. In the sponge api, if someone presses a button, that activates redstone, that activates a dispenser, that shoots an arrow, that kills a player…sponge tracks that and you can find who killed the player.

Answer for Question 2: It is totally possible to connect vanilla servers with forge servers using a bungeecord fork called WaterFall. It runs exactly like bungeecord and supports bungeecord plugins, but optomizes it and adds the Forge support you’re looking for.

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Well, if you need Minecraft 1.8+, mods and plugins, then your only option is SpongeForge.
Cauldron died with 1.7.10 and i’m not aware of any other mods that allow bukkit/spigot plugins on MC 1.8+.

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