Very Many Players Mod FAQ
10 questions players actually ask, answered.
How do I know if Very Many Players Mod is actually working on my server?
Check your server logs on startup for VMP's initialization messages, and watch your tick time and network stats as player count rises. If you see smoother tick times and reduced packet traffic compared to before, the mod is doing its job.
Do players need to install VMP on their client too?
No, VMP is a server-side mod, so vanilla clients and clients without the mod can still connect normally. You only need it installed on the server.
What does VMP actually change about how the server handles players?
Instead of sending individual player information for every player in an area, VMP segments the world into regions and optimizes nearby packet sending and player lookups. It also caches entity trackers so the server doesn't rebuild them constantly.
How do I enable per-player render distance in VMP?
VMP adds packet-level per-player render distance, which is controlled through its config rather than the vanilla server.properties. Set the relevant option in the VMP config file and reload or restart the server for it to take effect.
What is raknetify and do I need it for VMP to work?
Raknetify is the component VMP uses to prioritize packets and make vanilla TCP connections more responsive. It's part of the mod's networking improvements, so you don't install it separately.
Will VMP break vanilla features or redstone?
No, VMP is designed to improve performance without removing vanilla functionality. It optimizes how information is sent and cached rather than changing game mechanics.
Can I use VMP alongside other performance mods like Lithium or Carpet?
Yes, VMP is generally compatible with other server-side performance mods since it focuses on networking and player tracking rather than the same systems. Test on a staging server first if you run a heavily modded setup.
Why am I still lagging with many players even after installing VMP?
VMP targets networking and player-lookup overhead, not every source of lag. Check whether your bottleneck is entity ticking, chunk loading, or hardware limits, since those need different fixes.
Does VMP help with entity tracking when lots of players are spread out?
Yes, VMP uses caching to maximize entity trackers, so the server doesn't repeatedly recalculate which entities each player can see. This is most noticeable when players are scattered across a large map.
How do I configure VMP for a server with a very high player count?
Edit the VMP config file to tune region segmentation, packet priority, and per-player render distance to match your player load. Start with defaults, then adjust one setting at a time while monitoring tick time and network usage.