# Join method: lobby

**Note: this is highly experimental, incomplete, and may break your game. See
[warning](#warning).**

The lobby join method allows you to keep clients in a lobby world while the
server is starting. When the server is ready, the player is _teleported_ to the
real server.

lazymc emulates a fake server with an empty lobby world. The player is put in
this world, floating in space. A custom message is shown on the client to notify
we're waiting on the server to start.

![Lobby screenshot](../res/screenshot/lobby.png)

## Warning

This feature is highly experimental, incomplete and unstable. This may break the
game and crash clients. Don't use this unless you know what you're doing. Never
enable this in a production environment.

Current limitations:

- Server must be in offline mode (`online-mode=false`)
- Server must use Minecraft version 1.16.3 to 1.17.1 (tested with 1.17.1)
- Server must use vanilla Minecraft
  - May work with Forge (set `server.forge = true`), depends on used mods, test before use
  - Does not work with other mods, such as FTB
- This method will consume the client, following configured join methods won't be used.

At this time it is unknown if some of the above limitations will ever be lifted,
or if this will ever be implemented in a robust manner.

## Usage

_Note: you must use `lazymc v0.2.0` or above with the `lobby` feature enabled._

To try this out, simply add the `"lobby"` method to the `join.methods` list in
your `lazymc.toml` configuration file:

```toml
# -- snip --

[join]
methods = [
    "lobby",
    "kick",
]

# -- snip --
```

Then configure the lobby to your likings:

```toml
# -- snip --

[join.lobby]
# Lobby occupation method.
# The client joins a fake lobby server with an empty world, floating in space.
# A message is overlayed on screen to notify the server is starting.
# The client will be teleported to the real server once it is ready.
# This may keep the client occupied forever if no timeout is set.
# Consumes client, not allowing other join methods afterwards.
# See: https://git.io/JMIi4

# !!! WARNING !!!
# This is highly experimental, incomplete and unstable.
# This may break the game and crash clients.
# Don't enable this unless you know what you're doing.
#
# - Server must be in offline mode
# - Server must use Minecraft version 1.16.3 to 1.17.1 (tested with 1.17.1)
# - Server must use vanilla Minecraft
#   - May work with Forge, enable in config, depends on used mods, test before use
#   - Does not work with other mods, such as FTB

# Maximum time in seconds in the lobby while the server starts.
timeout = 600

# Message banner in lobby shown to client.
message = "§2Server is starting\n§7⌛ Please wait..."

# Sound effect to play when server is ready.
ready_sound = "block.note_block.chime"

# -- snip --

```

_Note: this might have changed, see the latest configuration
[here](../res/lazymc.toml)._

## Probe issue with whitelist

lazymc may report a _probe_ error on first start when a whitelist is enabled
on your server.

lazymc uses a probe to fetch some required details from your Minecraft
server, such as a mod list. When probing, the server is started once when lazymc
starts. It then connects to the Minecraft server with the _probe_ user
(username: `_lazymc_probe`) and disconnects when everything needed is fetched.

If you use a whitelist on your server it will cause issues if the probe user
isn't whitelisted. Simply whitelist the probe user with the following command
and restart lazymc to fix the issue:

```
/whitelist add _lazymc_probe
```

Probing isn't enabled by default. You may enable this by setting
`server.probe_on_start = true`. Other configuration settings might
automatically enable proving if required for your setup.