So the 1.9 update is finally out, looks like alot of exciting new stuff
https://mojang.com/2016/02/minecraft-19-combat-update/I have some plans coming up for 1.9 and beyond. this is a loose roadmap and may change
First, like always we will have to wait for the modded servers and the mods to be updated to support 1.9, and there will probably be 2-3 different 1.9.x point releases immediately like there usually are so once 1.9 steadies out, and the updated mod server and mods are ready we will be moving to 1.9!
Most of the new features i will leave as is most likely, i don't see any issues with it personally, but i am going to be playing around with it a bit to make sure the new portal stuff will make sense.
Several of the mods we have been using MAY not be updated for 1.9 at all, it has been well over a year since the last major updates to them. so i am most likely going to have to replace them with new mods, we will see.
I am leaning towards merging all of the worlds in such a way where you can take inventory from world to world, and have them all share a new 1.9 end dimension.
I am also leaning towards cross world portaling via something similar to the old stargates. but i don't have a working mod for that yet. i am thinking of making a new one involving banners for addresses
the current survey world will become permanent and if i get the new stargates working and cross world inventories the space port will instead be a portal hub instead the ships will be gateships instead of taking you back and forth. some of the old worlds may even return if it works out.
the head mod i was thinking of making before i thought might be too much trouble for too little of a benefit (it would only help you if you had already seen the griefer on, with the same name, and killed them, and got a head. it couldn't help you against new threats you didn't know about, neither can pearls). i am instead now thinking of trying to beef up iron golems to be an anti griefing countermeasure instead. I haven't hammered out the details. but the prison pearl will most likely stay gone. Regardless of peoples gripes about having no prison pearl mod the impact on the server without it has been mostly positive, lots more new players stayed and were able to play. older players were much more interested in welcoming and working things out with new players rather than just pearling them on the first sign of trouble and alienating new members.
i think someone actually suggested the golem idea before but there were no mods and the mod api was incapable of supporting it at the time, but i tihnk it is possible now. details on this may follow if it looks ill be able to implement it.
so to summarize
1. move to 1.9
2. merge worlds/inventories (*alot of plans depend on this)
3. joint 'the end' dimension
4. new survey world
5. star gates
6. possibly old worlds?
*. golem's may replace several protective features (snitch/bumper/pearls)