Minecraft

**TinCow** · 10-15-2010, 13:42

I've been playing this a great deal lately, and I'm enjoying it. There's something that's very relaxing about exploring and building in a pure sandbox world. My current project is a massive multi-tier castle which I've been working on sporatically for a couple weeks now. Hopefully I'll finish it before the Halloween update, because I'll definitely want to rebuild the world when that comes out so that I can make use of the biomes.

**TinCow** · 10-15-2010, 15:48

It just occurred to me, if anyone is interested, I could host an Org minecraft server on my home fileserver. It's a dedicated machine that is only used for storage, bit torrent, and streaming media to other devices around my house. It used to be built out of spare parts, but I recently upgraded it to a 2.5ghz dual-core with 2gbs ram, so it's probably good enough to handle a decent load. I'm also on a FiOS line, which would hopefully produce decent connection speeds. I can't imagine that minecraft puts too much strain on a computer...

**Whacker** · 10-15-2010, 22:53

If you do, make sure you install one of the better server admin tools.

http://www.minecraftforum.net/viewto...f=1012&t=23483 Llama mod

or

http://www.minecraftforum.net/viewto...f=1012&t=24629 MCAdmin

Edit - You'll also want to greatly expand the server world map by exploring so that it pre-generates the chunks. If people go beyond already explored boundaries, the server will generate the new land and this can really bog it down big time. Lastly you can use stuff like MCEdit to import your existing structures, etc.

**LeftEyeNine** · 10-15-2010, 23:27

I got absolutely no idea whatever Minecraft is supposed to be and how it is supposed to be enjoyed.

**Beskar** · 10-16-2010, 00:08

I can't stop thinking "Guess who ripped their name from Blizzard" (Creators of Starcraft and Warcraft)

**Veho Nex** · 10-16-2010, 00:15

Which is funny cause the game plays nothing like any of the blizzard games. I think its also just combining the two main things in the game, mining and crafting.

**Beskar** · 10-16-2010, 00:20

Originally Posted by Veho Nex

Which is funny cause the game plays nothing like any of the blizzard games. I think its also just combining the two main things in the game, mining and crafting.

Indeed. That is how I can forgive it.

I played some of the classic, some impressive structures, but I took a look at the new one, and there seems to be some sort of gameplay, like having to build a house by night one (though the video never explained why)

**TinCow** · 10-18-2010, 17:43

Originally Posted by Whacker

If you do, make sure you install one of the better server admin tools.

http://www.minecraftforum.net/viewto...f=1012&t=23483 Llama mod

or

http://www.minecraftforum.net/viewto...f=1012&t=24629 MCAdmin

Edit - You'll also want to greatly expand the server world map by exploring so that it pre-generates the chunks. If people go beyond already explored boundaries, the server will generate the new land and this can really bog it down big time. Lastly you can use stuff like MCEdit to import your existing structures, etc.

Thanks, I'll probably put a server up after the Halloween update. The addition of biomes should make the maps a lot more interesting, and I'd hate to have the world locked into the old style due to stuff being built everywhere. I've also heard that mob damage will be fixed with the upcoming patch, which is great. Multiplayer is interesting at the moment, but nowhere near as fun as SP (IMHO) due to the lack of the survival aspect. Large community developments will be far more interesting when the players risk death and loss of supplies while working. I think that will add a bit more cooperation than exists now.

**Kekvit Irae** · 10-20-2010, 22:30

I don't see the big appeal of Minecraft. If I wanted a sandbox mining/exploration game with complexity, I'd play Dwarf Fortress. If I wanted to see my fortress in 3D, I'd use a program like Stonesense or Overseer.

**ByzantineKnight** · 10-20-2010, 22:58

There isn't really that much complexity at this stage, its just fun to play and relax

**Kekvit Irae** · 10-20-2010, 23:08

Originally Posted by ByzantineKnight

There isn't really that much complexity at this stage, its just fun to play and relax

All the more reason for me to avoid it, then. I'll take a look once it's out of alpha. I'm not going to pay 10 bucks for something that isn't even in beta yet.

**TinCow** · 10-21-2010, 14:22

Originally Posted by Kekvit Irae

I don't see the big appeal of Minecraft. If I wanted a sandbox mining/exploration game with complexity, I'd play Dwarf Fortress. If I wanted to see my fortress in 3D, I'd use a program like Stonesense or Overseer.

I think it's largely an aesthetic and accessibility issue. Minecraft is exceptionally easy to use. Dwarf Fortress is one of the most complex games ever made. Stonesense looks nice, but the game can't be played through it, so it doesn't have the same impact as viewing the world in Minecraft.

Minecraft is basically an extremely dumbed down version of Dwarf Fortress. I generally dislike dumbed down games because I find that fewer options means less fun. However, DF is one of the few games (along with MOO3 and perhaps Black & White) where the complexity level is so high that it actively diminishes entertainment. It's still a lot of fun, but it could be more fun if it was a bit more efficient. Minecraft is certainly not worthy of the amount of praise that is being heaped on it at the moment, but it's so easy to get into that it has a lot of appeal for a more pure, simple kind of fun. There's room in this world for both kinds of games.

**Whacker** · 10-22-2010, 02:51

Originally Posted by TinCow

I think it's largely an aesthetic and accessibility issue. Minecraft is exceptionally easy to use. Dwarf Fortress is one of the most complex games ever made. Stonesense looks nice, but the game can't be played through it, so it doesn't have the same impact as viewing the world in Minecraft.

Minecraft is basically an extremely dumbed down version of Dwarf Fortress. I generally dislike dumbed down games because I find that fewer options means less fun. However, DF is one of the few games (along with MOO3 and perhaps Black & White) where the complexity level is so high that it actively diminishes entertainment. It's still a lot of fun, but it could be more fun if it was a bit more efficient. Minecraft is certainly not worthy of the amount of praise that is being heaped on it at the moment, but it's so easy to get into that it has a lot of appeal for a more pure, simple kind of fun. There's room in this world for both kinds of games.

It's almost too simple at this point. I found that it had a "wow" and "fun" factor that wore off after about 10 hours of near OCD-like playing. The reason I still like it and paid for it is because it has potential. When it gets opened up to modding and user content, it's just going to be nuts.

Speaking of mods, there's quite a few that have sprung up over the past few weeks now that people are figuring out how to dissect the game code. Thread is here: http://www.minecraftforum.net/viewto...p?f=25&t=47098