If I may put in my two cents?
I have my own server for my own enjoyment. I have seen servers come and I have seen servers go.
Servers take a lot of time work but for me its a lot of fun also.
One thing I really like about this game is the community.
I can download and use an addon, a script and ask the author if I have any problems, and they will answer me.
I have had some come on to the server to see what the problem was and tell me how to fix it.
And all this FOR FREE!!! WOOT.
Myself I like the API better because it does not cause as much trouble as the LUA.
Yes you have to know how to program but that is good because while you are making the addon and testing it it pretty much has to run over you figure it out and start over again.
LUA you can set it for one setup? If it likes it good if not well....
I have pulled my hair out with LUA because "if not and then" let them eat cake.
To me this game is far from MC I played MC for several years and now I have over umm 1700 hours in RW.
The game play is different, the tempo is different, the people who come on and play are different.
The underlying game play itself the mechanics? There is only so much a Dev can do but so far Red has done a GREAT job on keeping RW its own game...
Okay maybe three cents