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# Signs and holograms

Ways to let players join and see arena state without opening a menu.

<img src="/join-sign.svg" alt="A join sign showing the arena name, player count and state" />

## Join signs

A join sign shows an arena's live state and puts a player into it when clicked.

### Creating one

Place a sign and write:

| Line | Content |
| --- | --- |
| 1 | `[asw]` |
| 2 | The arena name |
| 3 | Leave blank |
| 4 | Leave blank |

The sign reformats itself the moment you finish editing it. From then on it shows the arena
name, its state, and how many players are in it, and it updates as the match runs.

`[rsw]` also works, so signs from an older setup keep working after the rename.

:::note
You need `asw.admin` or operator to create a join sign. Anyone can click one.
:::

If the arena name on line 2 does not match an existing arena, the sign is not linked and you
get a message saying the map was not found. Check the spelling with `/asw list`.

### Removing one

Break the sign. The arena stops tracking it.

## Pressure plate joins

A player standing on a pressure plate can be put straight into a queue, without a sign or a
menu. It is on by default:

```yaml
Config:
  Pressure-Plate-Join-Game: true
```

Put a plate in your hub with a sign next to it saying what it does, and players walk into a
match.

## Holograms

With [DecentHolograms](https://www.spigotmc.org/resources/96927/) installed, the plugin can
render leaderboards as floating text.

The plugin picks its hologram backend on startup and logs it:

```text
[AetherSkyWars] Hooked on Decent Holograms!
```

If you see nothing about holograms in the console, DecentHolograms is not installed or did
not enable. Without it, hologram features quietly do nothing and the rest of the plugin is
unaffected.

:::tip
If you already run a hologram plugin you prefer, skip this and use
[Placeholders](/reference/placeholders) instead. Every leaderboard position is
available as a PlaceholderAPI placeholder, which most hologram plugins can render.
:::

## Bungee MOTD

On a network where one server hosts one arena, the server list entry can show that arena's
state. See [Networks and proxies](/features/networks).

## Related pages

* [Achievements and leaderboards](/features/achievements-and-leaderboards)
* [Networks and proxies](/features/networks)
* [Placeholders](/reference/placeholders)