Installing zQuests

This guide will walk you through the process of installing zQuests on your Minecraft server.

Requirements

Before installing zQuests, make sure your server meets the following requirements:

Requirement	Version
Minecraft	1.20.4 to 1.21.4
Java	Java 21 (required)
Server Software	Spigot, Paper, or Folia
zMenu	Required

Required Dependency

zMenu is required for zQuests to work. Make sure to install zMenu before installing zQuests.

Recommended Setup

For the best experience, we recommend using Paper or its forks. This enables MiniMessage formatting support and provides better performance.

Modded Servers

Modded server software (Forge, Fabric with Bukkit compatibility layers) is not supported.

Download

You can download zQuests from:

• GitHub: https://github.com/Maxlego08/zQuests
• Modrinth: Check for releases on Modrinth
• SpigotMC: Available on SpigotMC

Installation Steps

Step 1: Install Dependencies

First, make sure you have the required plugins installed:

1. zMenu - Download from Modrinth or SpigotMC
2. PlaceholderAPI (Recommended) - Download from SpigotMC
   • For Folia servers, use the Folia-compatible version

Step 2: Download zQuests

Download the latest version of zQuests.jar from one of the sources listed above.

Step 3: Install the Plugin

1. Stop your Minecraft server if it's running
2. Place the zQuests.jar file in your server's plugins/ folder
3. Start your server

Step 4: Verify Installation

After starting your server, verify that zQuests loaded correctly:

1. Check the server console for:

   [zQuests] zQuests has been enabled!

2. Run the command /zquests help in-game or from console

Step 5: Initial Configuration

After the first startup, zQuests will create the following folder structure:

plugins/zQuests/
├── config.yml                    # Main configuration file
├── messages.yml                  # Message translations
├── holograms.yml                 # Hologram configurations
├── waypoints.yml                 # Waypoint configurations
├── quests/                       # Quest definition files
│   ├── blocks.yml                # Block-related quests
│   ├── brew.yml                  # Brewing quests
│   ├── craft.yml                 # Crafting quests
│   ├── enchants.yml              # Enchanting quests
│   ├── entities.yml              # Entity-related quests
│   ├── farming.yml               # Farming quests
│   ├── fish.yml                  # Fishing quests
│   └── smelt.yml                 # Smelting quests
└── inventories/                  # zMenu inventory files
    └── quests.yml                # Default quest inventory

Optional Dependencies

zQuests integrates with several plugins for enhanced functionality:

Recommended Plugins

Plugin	Purpose
PlaceholderAPI	Display quest data in other plugins
zEssentials	Holograms and waypoints support

Economy Plugins

Plugin	Integration
zShop	SELL and PURCHASE quest types
Vault	Economy rewards

Job Plugins

Plugin	Integration
zJobs	JOB_LEVEL and JOB_PRESTIGE quest types

Skyblock Plugins

Plugin	Integration
SuperiorSkyBlock2	ISLAND quest type

Block Tracking

Plugin	Integration
BlockTracker	Track placed blocks for anti-exploit

Mob Stacker

Plugin	Integration
WildStacker	Proper counting of stacked mobs

Database Configuration

zQuests supports multiple storage options:

SQLite (Default)

SQLite is the default storage option and requires no additional configuration. It's suitable for small servers and testing.

storage-type: SQLITE

SQLite Limitations

SQLite is recommended only for testing and small servers. Some features may have limited functionality with SQLite. For production servers, use MySQL or HikariCP.

MySQL

For better performance and full feature support, use MySQL:

storage-type: MYSQL

database-configuration:
  table-prefix: "zquests_"
  host: 192.168.10.10
  port: 3306
  user: your_username
  password: 'your_password'
  database: zquests
  debug: false

HikariCP (Recommended)

HikariCP provides connection pooling for optimal database performance:

storage-type: HIKARICP

database-configuration:
  table-prefix: "zquests_"
  host: 192.168.10.10
  port: 3306
  user: your_username
  password: 'your_password'
  database: zquests
  debug: false

Troubleshooting

Plugin Not Loading

If zQuests doesn't appear in /plugins:

1. Check console for errors during startup
2. Verify zMenu is installed and loaded
3. Make sure you're using Java 21 or newer
4. Verify the JAR file isn't corrupted

zMenu Not Found

If you see "zMenu not found" errors:

1. Make sure zMenu is in the plugins folder
2. Verify zMenu loads before zQuests (check load order)
3. Update both plugins to their latest versions

Database Connection Failed

If database connection fails:

1. Verify database credentials are correct
2. Check that the database server is running
3. Ensure the database user has proper permissions
4. Check firewall settings

Quests Not Tracking

If quest progress isn't being tracked:

1. Verify the quest is active for the player (/zquests start <player> <quest>)
2. Check that the quest type matches the action
3. Verify material/entity names are correct
4. Enable debug mode in config.yml to see detailed logs

Updating zQuests

To update zQuests:

1. Download the latest version
2. Stop your server
3. Backup your plugins/zQuests/ folder
4. Replace the old zQuests.jar with the new one
5. Start your server
6. Run /zquests reload if needed

Backup First

Always backup your configuration files before updating, especially the quests/ folder containing your quest definitions.

Next Steps

Now that zQuests is installed, learn how to:

1. Configure quests
2. Explore quest types
3. Set up rewards
4. Use commands and permissions