Starting a Dutch FiveM roleplay server: the checklist

New Dutch FiveM servers go live every month, and a good share of them are gone again within a few months. Rarely because the technology was too hard — almost always because the owners started by renting a server instead of with a plan. A roleplay server is first and foremost a community project; the technology is honestly the easiest part.

Hence this checklist: every step from concept to launch night, including the pitfalls you'll find in virtually every failed project.

Concept first, technology second

The Dutch FiveM scene is well stocked. Yet another server that's "the same as the rest, but better" won't make the difference. So answer three questions first, preferably on paper:

• How serious will your server be? Strict whitelist RP with character development, semi-serious with room for humour, or accessible and casual? Anything works, but pick one and carry that choice through consistently.
• What's your setting? Do you play in Los Santos like everyone else, or do you give the city your own twist with Dutch businesses, government services and ongoing storylines?
• Why would anyone play on your server? One distinctive element — a well-thought-out economy system, strong police and EMS RP, unique jobs — is worth more than fifty copied scripts.

Then write your rules, before the server exists. Making up rules after the fact while the first conflicts are already running is asking for drama. The basic concepts that belong in every rulebook:

• RDM and VDM: shooting or running over players without a roleplay reason.
• Metagaming: using information from outside the game (Discord, streams) inside the game.
• Powergaming: forcing unrealistic actions the other party can't respond to.
• New Life Rule: what your character still "remembers" after dying.

Also establish right away which language is spoken, whether there's a minimum age, and which sanction applies to which violation. The less room for interpretation, the fewer arguments your staff will have to referee later.

You won't make it without a team

A roleplay server is busiest in the evenings and on weekends — exactly the moments you won't always be around. So you need people, and preferably a small reliable team over a long list of impressive titles. Think of three roles:

• Staff and moderation: handles reports, runs intake interviews and steps in when rules are broken. Pick people who stay calm under pressure, not automatically your best friends.
• Development: someone who installs and configures scripts and can read error messages. Being able to program is a plus, not a hard requirement to start.
• Community: keeping Discord up to date, writing announcements, organising events. This role is forgotten most often and may well be the most important one.

Make business agreements upfront, however awkward that feels. Who owns the license, the hosting account and the Discord server? What happens to the files if a developer leaves on bad terms? Many servers that suddenly go offline fail on exactly this point — not on technology. And avoid the classic of eight "co-owners": one or two people with final responsibility is enough.

ESX, QBCore or build your own?

Your framework is the foundation of your server: it handles jobs, money, inventories and the connection to your database. The two big names are ESX and QBCore, both free and open source.

ESX is the oldest framework and therefore has an enormous supply of available scripts and documentation. QBCore shows up a lot in newer servers and has an active community with plenty of free resources. Quality-wise there's not much between them; the honest advice is therefore: pick the framework your developer already knows. Switching later almost always means migrating your database and rebuilding scripts, so this is a choice you only want to make once.

Building a fully custom framework sounds impressive, but for a starting server it's almost always a trap: you'll spend months before anyone can even play. Only do it with experienced developers and a clear reason why the existing frameworks won't do.

Useful to know: every FiveM server needs a free license key from Cfx.re, and with the bundled txAdmin panel you manage your server right from the browser — also convenient for team members who aren't very technical.

Whitelist and Discord: your filter at the front door

The whitelist procedure

A whitelist is the difference between a community and a random collection of players. Keep the procedure in line with your concept: for serious RP, an application form plus a short intake interview is common; for a casual server, a form alone is often enough. In any case, ask about:

• roleplay experience and which servers someone played on before;
• a short background of the character someone wants to portray;
• a few scenario questions ("you're being pulled over, what do you do?") to test knowledge of the rules.

Be honest about the waiting time and process applications quickly: nothing drives new players away faster than two weeks of silence after applying. And dare to say no — one player who ruins it for everyone else costs you more than ten rejected applications.

The Discord integration

Your Discord is your town hall: applications, announcements, reports and the social side all come together there. Link your whitelist to Discord roles so only approved players can join the server; ready-made resources exist for that. Also set up a clear channel structure (rules, announcements, support, applications) and keep your sanction policy consistent: someone banned in-game shouldn't get to chat away happily in your Discord.

Which plan do you need?

FiveM leans mainly on memory and a fast processor: every script you add takes a bite. So don't start too big right away. At MC-Node, your server runs on our own hardware in the Previder data center in Hengelo, with NVMe storage and DDoS protection — and because everything can be cancelled monthly, you can start small at no risk and grow along with your community.

The Free plan is fine for quietly building and testing with your team. For a launch with dozens of players and a serious resource list, you're more likely looking at Medium or Large; if you notice the server struggling, upgrading is arranged in no time. You'll find all plans in the MC-Node FiveM store.

The launch checklist

Launch night on the calendar? Then run through this list one more time:

1. Rules published in Discord and findable in-game.
2. Whitelist procedure tested with a few outsiders, not just your own team.
3. All jobs, shops and spawn points checked with a fresh test account.
4. Economy calculated through: starting money, wages and prices balanced against each other.
5. Staff briefed: who picks up what when a report comes in during launch?
6. Backup of database and resources made and restored as a test.
7. txAdmin access arranged for those who need it — and no one else.
8. Launch date announced at least a week in advance.
9. An opening event planned, so there's something happening right away.
10. A plan for week two, because after the launch hype comes the real test.

That last point deserves some explanation. Virtually every server has a busy first week; the difference between those who stay and those who vanish lies in what happens afterwards. So plan your content, events and updates further ahead than just opening night — then your server has a fair shot at still existing a year from now.