ConnectFour: The Classic Board Game Comes to Minecraft
Most people know the timeless game of Connect Four, where two players drop colored discs into a vertical grid, aiming to line up four in a row. Now, thanks to the ConnectFour plugin, you can bring that exact experience into your Minecraft server. Instead of plastic discs, you will drop sand and gravel blocks (or any blocks you choose) into a giant 7x7 display, and the plugin handles all the logic, from turn detection to win conditions. It is a fantastic way to add a competitive minigame to your world, complete with rewards, betting, and even online statistics.
Key Features at a Glance
- Play Connect Four directly inside Minecraft, with full block physics.
- Track detailed statistics about every match played.
- Run multiple games simultaneously on the same server.
- Customize the language file — German and English are built in, with support for custom translations.
- Create join signs so players can enter a game without typing commands.
- Replace the default sand and gravel with any block IDs you like.
- Offer item rewards to winners, with full economy support via Vault.
- Enable betting, where each player stakes money and the winner takes all.
- Extremely simple setup — just drop the JAR into your plugins folder and restart.
Installation and Quick Start
Installing ConnectFour is straightforward. Place the ConnectFour.jar file into your server’s plugins directory, then restart the server. The plugin will generate a default configuration and you are ready to create your first game. For players who manage multiple mods and plugins, using a modern launcher can save a lot of time. The foxygame.net launcher, for example, lets you browse and install plugins directly from its menu, making it a flexible and convenient tool for keeping your server up to date with minimal effort.
Building Your First ConnectFour Game
Every game needs a physical structure. Start by constructing a flat vertical wall at least 7 blocks wide and 7 blocks tall — this will be the display where the blocks fall. In front of the display, build a throw-in bar, a 7-block-wide horizontal line where players will place their pieces during their turn.
Once the structure is ready, use the command /cfour create <gameName> to register the game. Then select the throw-in bar by placing two dirt blocks at its corners (so there are exactly 7 air blocks between them) and the display by placing two cobblestone blocks at its top corners (again with 7 air blocks between). Save the selection with /cfour save. Finally, set the spawn point where players will appear using /cfour setspawn.
Customizing Rewards and Economy
You can make victory even sweeter by assigning item rewards. The command /cfour setrewards <gameName> <id:amount[:damage]> ... lets you define exactly what the winner receives. For example, /cfour setrewards game1 1:10 17:20:1 gives 10 stone and 20 birch wood planks. If you change your mind, simply run /cfour removerewards <gameName>.
With Vault installed, you can also set economy rewards using /cfour setEcoReward <gameName> <amount>. To introduce a betting system, use /cfour setBetMoney <gameName> <amount>. When a player joins, they automatically pay the stake, and the winner collects the entire pot. Just remember that if a player leaves without finishing the game, they do not get their money back — so encourage fair play.
Playing the Game
Players join by typing /cfour join <gameName> or by right-clicking a join sign. The plugin randomly assigns who plays as sand and who as gravel, and who goes first. On your turn, place your assigned block anywhere on the throw-in bar. The block will instantly teleport to the top of the display and fall down, stacking on top of existing blocks. The goal is to get four of your blocks in a horizontal, vertical, or diagonal row before your opponent does.
Be careful: if you use WorldEdit or other tools to remove blocks from the display, the visual change will not affect the internal game state, making it nearly impossible to play accurately. Always let the plugin handle the board.
Commands and Permissions
ConnectFour comes with a full set of commands, neatly divided between user and admin permissions. Here are the most important ones:
- /cfour join <game> — Join a game (permission: cfour.user.play)
- /cfour leave — Leave your current game
- /cfour info — View a short tutorial
- /cfour list — List all available games
- /cfour stats — Show your personal statistics
- /cfour create <name> — Create a new game (admin)
- /cfour setspawn — Set the spawn point for a game (admin)
- /cfour setrewards ... — Define item rewards (admin)
- /cfour setEcoReward ... — Set economy reward (admin, requires Vault)
- /cfour setBetMoney ... — Enable betting (admin, requires Vault)
- /cfour setblocks <game> <ID1> <ID2> — Change the playing blocks (admin)
- /cfour disable/enable — Temporarily disable a game for editing
Statistics and Web Integration
The plugin tracks every game locally, and you can view your own stats with /cfour stats. For server owners who want to display global statistics on a website, ConnectFour supports MySQL storage. After enabling MySQL in the config and setting up the database, you can use the provided webstats script (download it from the plugin’s page) to show played games and player rankings on your site. Note that drawn games are not logged, and the online statistics are separate from the in-game stats file, so keep both.
Known Quirks and Future Plans
Occasionally, the plugin may not detect a four-in-a-row immediately, though this is rare. The betting system deducts money on join but does not refund it if a player leaves before the game starts. The developer has plans to fix these bugs, add more videos, and implement community-suggested features. Even with these minor issues, ConnectFour remains a stable and entertaining addition to any Minecraft server.
Conclusion
ConnectFour brings a beloved classic into the blocky universe with remarkable polish. The ability to customize blocks, rewards, and even add real-money betting makes it much more than a simple minigame. Whether you run a small community server or a large network, this plugin offers endless fun and friendly competition. Set up a few boards, invite your friends, and see who can master the art of four in a row — Minecraft style.