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This page gets HotPotato running and walks you through your first playable arena.

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Requirements

RequirementNotes
ServerSpigot or Paper, Minecraft 1.18 or newer
Java17 or newer
PlaceholderAPIOptional. Only needed for placeholders.
HotPotato downloads its own libraries (boosted-yaml, database drivers) on first start, so the server needs internet access the first time it enables.

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Install

1

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Stop the server

Shut the server down fully before adding the jar.
2

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Drop in the jar

Move the HotPotato jar into your plugins/ folder.
3

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Start the server

Start it back up. HotPotato creates its config files and folders on first run.
4

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Check it loaded

Run /hotpotato help. If you see the help page, you are good to go.

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Plugin folder layout

plugins
HotPotato
config.yml
powerups.yml
lang
en.yml
fr.yml
arenas
stats.yml

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Build your first arena

All setup commands need the hotpotato.admin permission. Stand where you want each point to be, then run the command.
1

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Create the arena

/hotpotato arena create myarena
2

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Set the spawns

Stand in the lobby and run setlobby. Add at least one play spawn with addspawn. Set where spectators go and where players return after a game.
/hotpotato arena setlobby myarena
/hotpotato arena addspawn myarena
/hotpotato arena setspectator myarena
/hotpotato arena setreturn myarena
3

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Tune the numbers

Set the minimum and maximum players, how many potatoes, and the round length in seconds.
/hotpotato arena setmin myarena 4
/hotpotato arena setmax myarena 12
/hotpotato arena setpotatoes myarena 1
/hotpotato arena setroundtime myarena 30
4

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Save and check

/hotpotato arena save myarena
If anything is missing, the save message lists what to fix. See commands for the full list.
Want to stop spectators flying off across the map? Add a bounds box with setcorner1 and setcorner2.

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Optional integrations

  • PlaceholderAPI: install it to use %hotpotato_*% placeholders on scoreboards and in other plugins.
  • A database: stats are stored in YAML by default. Switch to SQLite or MySQL on the storage page.