What's the player game mode in SMP?

Solution 1:

This option should be what determines whether the server is in Creative or Survival mode. (So same as in single player, but alterable in-game)

0 - the default - is survival, and 1 is creative.

You can also this command to set gamemodes for specific players - /gamemode [PlayerName] [Mode]

Solution 2:

What's the gamemode command in SMP for ops ?

gamemode

Defines the type of default worlds.

Valid values:

0 - Survival (default value)

1 - Creative


What's it does exactly ?

Survival

In this mode, the player has a health bar which is depleted by attacks from monsters, falls, or environmental damage, such as drowning or falling into lava. The player also has a hunger bar, which must be periodically refilled by eating various food (e.g. porkchops or bread) in-game. Armor can help mitigate damage from mob attacks, while weapons can be used to kill enemies and other animals. Health replenishes at a faster rate depending on how full the hunger bar is or by playing on the easiest difficulty, at which it regenerates by itself. Upon dying, items in the player's inventory are dropped and the player is respawned at current spawn point, which by default is where the player started, but can be set by "sleeping" in in-game beds. The items can be recovered if reached before they despawn. The player can acquire different resources and craft tools, weapons, armor, food, and various other items. By acquiring better resources, the player can make more effective items. For example, tools such as axes, shovels, or pickaxes, can be used to chop down trees, dig soil, and mine ores respectively, and tools made out of better resources (such as iron in place of stone) perform their tasks more efficiently. The game has an inventory system and the player is limited in the number of items they can carry.

Creative

In creative mode, the player does not take damage, is not affected by hunger, and can fly freely around the game world. The player has access to unlimited resources or items through the inventory menu, and can place or remove them instantly. All creatures in the game, including hostile ones, may still spawn under proper conditions but they cannot damage the player.