How to Join — AoW SMP

# Quick Reference

One address, one community. Java and Bedrock players share the same world, the same economy, and the same Champions hunting them in the dark. Point your client at the address below and you're in.

Address play.aowmc.com

Java port 25565 (TCP)

Bedrock port 19132 (UDP)

Mode Survival

Difficulty Normal

Slots 20

Java Edition 1.21.8 native

Bedrock Edition via Geyser

Crossplay shared world

Older clients ViaVersion bridge

The golden rule: the address is always play.aowmc.com. You only ever touch the port number if your client asks for one, and even then most launchers fill it in for you. Java uses 25565, Bedrock uses 19132.

# Java Edition

The server runs Paper 1.21.8. If you're on the matching version, you connect natively with the lowest possible latency.

Vanilla Minecraft launcher

Step	What to do
1	Launch Minecraft: Java Edition (ideally version 1.21.8).
2	Click Multiplayer, then Add Server.
3	Server Name: anything you like (e.g. `AoW SMP`).
4	Server Address: `play.aowmc.com`
5	Click Done, select the server, and hit Join Server.

No port needed. Java's default port is 25565, which is exactly what we use — so you never type a port. If a tool insists, the full address is play.aowmc.com:25565.

Modded launchers (Prism, MultiMC, ATLauncher, CurseForge)

Client-side mods are fine — shaders, minimaps, performance mods (Sodium/Iris), and cosmetics all work because the server is paper-api only and never sends custom client content. Just point your instance at play.aowmc.com exactly as above.

Keep it client-side. Mods that change the world or add items the server doesn't know about (most "content" mods) won't function here — AoW is vanilla items only. Visual, audio, and quality-of-life mods are welcome; gameplay-altering ones simply won't sync.

# Bedrock Edition

Crossplay is powered by Geyser-Spigot 2.10.1 and Floodgate 2.2.5. That means Bedrock players on mobile, console, and Windows connect straight to the Java world — no proxy of your own, no extra accounts.

📱 Mobile & Win10 / Win11

Pocket Edition (iOS/Android) and the Windows 10/11 store edition can add the server directly in-game.

1	Tap Play → Servers → Add Server.
2	Server Name: `AoW SMP`
3	Address: `play.aowmc.com`
4	Port: `19132`
5	Save, then tap the server to join.

🎮 Console (Xbox / PlayStation / Switch)

Consoles hide the "add server" field, so you add AoW as a friend's world using a DNS/server tool (such as BedrockConnect, or a custom DNS), then enter:

Address	`play.aowmc.com`
Port	`19132`

Once added, the server shows up in your Friends tab to join.

Bedrock uses UDP 19132 — a different protocol and port from Java's TCP 25565. Same address, different door. If a Bedrock client ever says "can't connect," the port is the first thing to double-check.

# Floodgate — No Java Account Needed

Thanks to Floodgate 2.2.5, Bedrock players join with their existing Xbox / Bedrock account. You do not need to own or link a separate Java account.

The dot prefix

Every Bedrock player's name is shown with a leading dot so Java and Bedrock names never collide. If your gamertag is Steve, in-game you are .Steve.

Why it matters

Any time you type your own name — or someone types yours — into a command, that dot is part of it. Forgetting the dot is the #1 reason a Bedrock command "does nothing."

Command examples (Bedrock player .Steve)

# Teleport request TO a Bedrock player — include the dot
/tpa .Steve

# Pay a Bedrock player
/pay .Steve 500

# Add a Bedrock player to your land claim
/trust .Steve

# Whisper a Bedrock player
/msg .Steve heading to spawn

Tip: use tab-completion. Start typing the name and the server will fill in the dot and correct capitalisation for you, so you never have to remember it by hand.

# Older / Newer Clients — The Via Bridge

Running a slightly different Minecraft version than 1.21.8? You're probably still fine. We run ViaVersion and ViaBackwards 5.10.1, which translate a wide range of client versions to the server's protocol.

ViaVersion newer clients → server

ViaBackwards older clients → server

Geyser/Floodgate Bedrock → Java

Best experience is still 1.21.8. The Via bridge keeps you connected across versions, but the closer your client is to the server version, the fewer visual quirks you'll see. If something looks off, updating your client to 1.21.8 is the first fix to try.

# Troubleshooting

Most connection problems come down to four things: version, port, allow-list, or a typo in the address. Work down the table before anything else.

Symptom	Cause	Fix
"Outdated client" / "Outdated server"	Your Minecraft version is too far from 1.21.8 for the Via bridge to translate.	Set your client to 1.21.8 for a clean connection. The Via bridge covers most other versions automatically, but matching the server version is the surest fix.
"Can't connect to server" (Java)	Address typo, or a tool added the wrong port.	Use exactly `play.aowmc.com`. If a port is required, it's `25565`.
"Unable to connect to world" (Bedrock)	Wrong port — Bedrock needs UDP 19132, not Java's 25565.	Re-add the server with Port `19132`. Address stays `play.aowmc.com`.
Kicked: not on the allow-list	The server is in allow-list mode, or your account isn't approved yet.	Make sure you've been added. Bedrock players are approved by their dotted name (e.g. `.Steve`) — give staff the exact name, including the dot.
Java vs Bedrock port confusion	Using 25565 on Bedrock, or 19132 on Java.	Java = TCP `25565`. Bedrock = UDP `19132`. Same address, different port.
Bedrock command "does nothing"	You left the leading dot off a Bedrock player name.	Include the dot prefix (`.Steve`) or use tab-completion.
Sky stuck on day or night (Bedrock)	Known Geyser bug — see below. Not an error on your end.	Ignore the visual; check the scoreboard or run `/realtime` for the true time.

Still stuck? Confirm you can reach any other server first to rule out your own network/firewall, then double-check the address character-for-character. The vast majority of "it won't connect" reports are a stray port or a single mistyped letter.

# Bedrock Day / Night Sky Quirk

If you're on Bedrock and the sky seems frozen on day or night, that's a known display bug — not a server problem, and nothing is broken in your game.

What's happening

This is Geyser bug #2790: Geyser doesn't relay the server's time-of-day to Bedrock clients, so the Bedrock sky visual can lag or appear stuck.

What's still correct

The actual server time and all gameplay tied to it — mob hostility, Blood Moons, and beds/sleeping — work perfectly. Only the Bedrock sky visual is wrong.

See the true time: the AoW scoreboard shows it, and /realtime reports the real server time and weather on demand. So even when the sky looks like high noon, you'll know night has fallen — and that the Champions are out.

Next: Get Started → Bedrock QoL commands FAQ