Minecraft
Platform: Java
[The following is a winning entry in the YouAreGames: Reviewers, Assemble! contest. Congratulations, DanTheArcher, and thank you to everyone who sent in Minecraft reviews!]
The term "sandbox game" is one that gets thrown around a lot lately. While it seems the English lexicon is lacking a universally accepted definition (or Urban Dictionary, anyway), the phrase often promises nonlinear gameplay with vaguely defined objectives (if any), and a heavy emphasis on exploration and just sort of fooling around within the game world itself. What if there were a sandbox game, however, where the developer gave you the tools and the know-how to make the sandbox yourself? You can't do WHATEVER you want (sandboxes still need to be filled with sand, remember), but the size of the box, the grain of the wood, the Fisher-Price toys that will litter its surface... all these factors are in your hands now. Welcome to Minecraft, an ample offering from developer Markus Persson, based on the open-source project Infiniminer by Zachtronics Industries.
While there's quite an array of controls to learn for tinkering, basic movement around the world is accomplished via the [WASD] keys, and moving the mouse controls your first-person perspective. [Space] bar is for jumps, and [R] is for teleporting back to the spawn point should you become stuck. [G] summons odd AI-controlled dummies referred to as "mobs," who don't do much other than bolt around erratically and act as unwilling guinea pigs in your various terrain experiments.
When you're ready to worldcraft, use the left mouse button to conjure your currently selected block, or to dematerialize the one you're facing. To alternate between these two functions, simply click the right mouse button. The [1-9] numeric keys will pick which brand of block you'd like to create from the bottom selector, while pressing [B] will open up a much larger palette for you to choose from. There are other buttons and doodads, but the ones mentioned cover the bulk of your arsenal.
In terms of formal instruction, that's really all there is to it. Uncage your imagination, and let it take you where it will. Construct an impregnable fortress, and then plant tulips on the parapets. Dig a vast network of subterranean tunnels, and then drop a colony of mobs down the rabbit hole, and watch as they endlessly wander. Or, if you're in a particularly metacognitive mood, make a sandbox.
Analysis: This game is still in its "alpha" phase of maturity, so Persson will have made plenty of tweaks by the time Minecraft is old enough to walk on its own. You might think that means the game doesn't have a lot to offer right now, but the truth is solidly on the contrary.
Minecraft is something like being handed a bin of LEGO bricks without a manual. Some people put one brick on top of another one, sigh, and then decide they're bored. Other people disappear inside this whirlwind of colored plastic, and when the dust has settled, they've made a fully functional microwave oven. While I believe most people fall somewhere in between one of those two poles, the fact remains that a lot of players are going to toodle with the controls a bit, chase a couple of mobs around, and then call it a day. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that, and if this isn't your cup of tea, then no one will be offended when you order coffee.
But for those who have the blueprints for that microwave oven, this game will appeal to your sensibilities in a way few others will. There's a veritable toy chest of block types to choose from, and while there really aren't differences between them other than color and texture, that won't stop you from fashioning whatever wonders inhabit your whimsy.
The graphics have this appealing retro blockiness about them, which makes sense when you consider the building medium. There isn't anything in the way of music or sound, and while this can be bizarre at first, the silence begins to take on a sort of Zen quality as you become more and more embroiled in your creations.
If I had any complaints, I would wish for a way to generate your own water instead of having to reroute it from already existing reservoirs. Water is one of the few elements other than blocks that you have to work with, so I'd like to see it more ably represented in the game's work bench.
Otherwise, sandboxes ahoy!
Update: Since this review's original conception, many technical issues have been resolved, and this writer felt responsible to address some of the now-expired points to avoid any undue judgment of the game.
The soft instrumentals complement the game's innate tranquility, so no matter what construct you're hammering together, you'll always have this feeling of walking through a sand garden. (No sandbox pun intended.) The echoes of your footsteps match whatever substance you're traversing, so expect padded rustling on grass or clip-clopping on wood. Occasionally, the sound effects will fall out of sync with your motion, but it's a tiny flaw in an otherwise immersive audio experience.
There's also tons of fun in the game's multiplayer servers, where architects can team up to devise even grander creations, or partake in one of the many fan-made activites. (Spleef, anyone?) One of the more notable concerns with the multiplayer, however, is the frequency of careless players stomping in and dismantling others' handiwork. While there's a banning system in place, be wary when venturing into the multiplayer realms.
Much more content is planned for Minecraft once it evolves into its beta stage of development, including new game modes that feature equipment, items, monsters, and other swords and sorcery staples that could give the game a fantasy bent. Not all of it is sorted out yet, but be confident that Minecraft is certainly going places.
Neat! I deleted all the ground below me and found a vein of gold! w00t! I'm rich!
I also got swallowed by lava so...erm...I guess I'm dead, too.
Actually, I just went back to Urban Dictionary, and it turns out they've got one definition under "sandbox game" but not "sandbox", where I looked.
Now I just feel silly.
Great Review Dan! Makes me want to go right out and play the game right now. Too bad my system isn't adequate...
Like I said in that challenge thread, I have been wasting so much time with this game. The first night I played i was up well past 4am creating an underground great hall not unlike something you might find in LOTR. And Just tonight I found myself playing a game of chess with another player in game. The possibilities are endless, and when the developer introduces the new games he has talked about on his blog, the fun will only get better!
This article couldn't have summed up the game more accurately! I have been playing minecraft on and off for a few weeks now, but you hit the nail on the head when you said that it's not a game for everyone.
I totally agree that some people will pick up this game and get bored within a few minutes, having being given no clear goal or instruction, but in my personal opinion that's what makes the game so great!
You're able to interact in real time with other players to create interesting and beautiful structures from nothing more than blocks.
I would recommend that everyone at least try this game.
Can anyone help me please?
After I click 'Run' on both the Java thingies, the game loads for a little while and then tells me 'org.lwjgl.LWJGLException: Pixel format not accelerated' in a 'Faild to start Minecraft' titled OK click window.
thnx!
I've been playing this a lot lately. Making my own maps; joining random multiplayer servers and joining in with whatever happens to be going on at the time; witnessing sudden attacks from griefers as they come in and cause block-shaped havoc within the server, perhaps submerging everyone in lava within the process, and I'll then stick around to try to clean up afterwards if possible; using unofficial map editors to get more control over the maps I create; setting up my own servers and tinkering with my custom maps to see how they look in 3D, then going back to the map editor to make further improvements; and, finally, building huge castles. You've just gotta build a castle in a game like this.
Fun times.
@soeperik I got the same error. Would I be right in thinking that, like me, you have a prehistoric graphics card?
One thing I forgot to mention: Although the review states that there isn't anything in the way of music or sound, I found that there's actually some rather ambient background music, and sound effects for the creation and destruction of blocks, as well as the various sounds of the different types of terrain underneath your footsteps.
Excellent review, though. I particularly liked the line about the whirlwind of colored plastic and the fully functional microwave oven.
Tayrin is correct! Turns out, some sort of weird back-end technosorcery was nixing my sound card.
And now that I've had to some time to "chill" to it, the audio is actually pretty soothing, like one of those cobblestone fountains you can buy to enhance your meditation.
Can't play the game. I too got an error message saying the pixel format is not accepted.
I can't play the game, but I don't think it's about the pixel format. When I can pick on either single or multi player, single shuts down the internet as soon as I click on it, and multi-player takes me to the screen listing all the games and I can't do anything. Did anyone have the same problem?
Nice review, Dan!
Very nicely done! For me it was the second paragraph of the analysis. You nailed the appeal of this game, and the reaction some people are going to have to it.
I am terrible at it, myself. My Minecraft is a nightmarish landscape of ill-constructed monstrosities that may or may not be intended to resemble structures in our world. Still a lot of fun.
@dok, I think you're right. I too get the pixel error, and I definitely have a prehistoric graphics card.
Wow, i have known about this game for a few weeks now, and ive always wondered if it was on here. Well, now it is and now im glad! This game (like said in other comments) provides unlimited possibilities. You have a range of a "block" block, dirt block, glass block, gold, rainbow colored sand, sand, sponge, wood, tree, leaf, and plant blocks. The multiplayer is fun, going from server to server seeing what people have done (like pixel art and huge buildings) and fun games like spleef are there. (just dont be a griefer, please ^ ^)
Reminds me a lot of Blockland (and the afferent mods). Has anyone played that?
Awesome review, Dan! I loved that part about the microwave. When I first played, I thought: "Boooring". Then I saw the multiplayer arenas. Today, it's been a week and a half that I've been playing that game. xD
Does anyone know if there's a way to share maps? That could allow for some great ones being put up to be modified, leading to even better maps, which are again put up to be modified, and we'd end up with maps covering the whole island-set, but not requiring insane amounts of effort from any one person.
AWESOME! I made an underground tunnel system, found 4 hidden underground caves, and ended up on the other side of the island. The only thing I haven't done is add any blocks whatsoever. Mainly because the first 15 minutes of playing I could not for the life of me figure out how...
@dok @ThemePark
I'm not quite sure. This pc is 2 years old, but works like a charm with other games. Online games aren't usually that demanding, are they?
I don't know how many hours I've played this. D:... Yes, D:...
Well written, it actually made me play for a bit (before I remembered that I'm the kind that would just put two LEGO pieces together, sigh, and then walk away). Not my cup of tea, but the review certainly was.
Can't.....Stop.......Playing!
@Anonymous:
Yes, there are ways to share maps. If you want to play and/or modify someone else's map that they saved in single player mode, you'll need to visit a URL like the following one, but you'll need to replace "insertnamehere" in the URL with someone's actual username, and the "0" with the ID of a level saved on their account; ranging from 0 to 4, I believe:
http://www.minecraft.net/play.jsp?user=insertnamehere&id=0
You'll then be able to play with the map as you wish, including saving it, and your own modifications to it, to your own account. Of course, you can link other people to your own maps in the same way if you put your own Minecraft username in the link, as well as the desired map ID.
Alternatively, you could run your own Minecraft server for other people to join and work on a map together by downloading the server software from the link near the top of the multiplayer page of the Minecraft website. When you're running your own server, changes to the map will be saved automatically at regular intervals; once per minute. If you like, you can also make a backup copy of the map file on your own computer to revert to later if desired. There's more information about running your own server on the Minecraft wiki's "Server" page.
Single player works fine, but I've clicked on every multiplayer server and I keep getting:
"You failed to connect to the server! It's probably down!"
What's the deal with that?
I registered my name as funk legend George Clinton. On a couple servers I tried, I ended up in an enclosed space. Somebody said "[expletive] off us precident. stupid americans", and I got banned. This is why I don't do multiplayer online games.
Thanks for all the kind words, guys! This was a lot of fun to write, although it seems I stumbled in a couple of places. (My hat goes off to Tayrin. If there's any other hiccups you guys find, don't hesitate to comment.)
I didn't say anything on the multiplayer front because I had issues akin to the ones already cataloged here. I wasn't sure if it was more of my own computer's antics or not, but it sounds like there may be deeper problems at work.
Anyways, thanks again!
Its a shame that the mutiplayer mode wasn't explored in the review (although I understand the reason). It seems like a missed opportunity. I would have liked there to have been a paragraph on griefers, and how destructive they are. My fear is that the exposure here on JiG will only fuel more attacks on our servers.
I say to all new players who are venturing into mutiplayer mode, people actually made all that stuff! Don't go deleting everything willy nilly - be creative and build something constructive! Respect the map and the people who created it.
For everyone talking about playing this game...it doesn't actually seem to be a game. It's also not very fun to mess around with. Sure you can put blocks around, but you can't actually even do anything with them. Boo.
You should have mentioned that there are several game modes planned for the beta release of minecraft, notably a survival mode, as referenced here on Persson's blog.
http://notch.tumblr.com/post/123343045/my-vision-for-survival
This is what I am looking forward to, and I pre-purchased the game in anticipation about it.
I didn't do anything and I was banned from a multi player thingy! Also how do you comment in the multi player?
@flowerdoggie
Some people, in fact quite a few spend their time on minecraft destroying other peoples creations so you'll find some servers kicking people they don't know. Don't worry though you've only been banned from a single server, not the entire multiplayer, you can play on other servers :)
To speak when you're in a server press T and type, then hit enter.
Did anyone else notice that there was some background music or something (and now its gone) ?
Also, controlling water/lava would be great...just a suggestion...
This game is so addictive!!
Incredible! You can literally tear apart the ground beneath you and around you, and rebuild anything! Heck, I've even tried to make an elaborate underground world, though I've yet to find the time. And the physics, though few, show up a lot! When I tried to carve out an underground-to-underwater cave, the water rushed in and I was surprised that this game had physics. Anyways, this little piece of work is amazingly great, and I suggest that anyone with a decent-enough computer try this out! And if you do, don't get bored because there's nothing to do... There's everything to do!
Great game, and GREAT support. Markus is frequently on the IRC channel, for the players to poke fun at him.
The community is pretty sweet too. We often have parties together.
Addicted to this but can't make my own server. Downloaded the files and try to run it but it says "java is not recognised as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file"
Eh?
It's a fun game and I did buy it but its creator seems awfully unconcerned about the playerbase. He's made almost $14,000 off the game in just 2 months and he's not listening to the community and adding very simple features such as more blocks. The game is at the point where it needs support and love from the developer MOST... I am concerned about what he's going to do when the "final" version is out (at a price of $30 no less).
I have two things to say. One, does this game not work in Firefox? Because I click the 'Play Minecraft' button, get to the site, click singleplayer, and my window sort of fades and I'm stuck waiting. My operating system is Windows Vista 64, if that's of any help.
Two, do you have to pay for Minecraft?
I've been playing this for a while, and I just have to say that is simply my favorite game to come out in the last few years. Period.
I think it would be nice to be able to destroy/build multiple blocks (like 2x2, etc.). Also, what's the indestructible block and how to you get it?
For some reason, when I try to play now, I get a javascript 'null pointer exception'. That never happened before...so what did i do? Help...
I love trying to make big caves with lava rivers, but I always seem to run into this horrid foe a lot…water. Every time i get close to making an epic cave, the water somehow finds a way in. I also tried the multiplayer but it said the server was down. Anyone else have this problem?
@bookworm: The indestructable blocks can only be used if you are the op of a server, if you you are press t then type /solid and only you and other ops can destroy them.
@Wing:see the blocks that make up the JIG in the picture at the top, try using those underwater.
Stuck in a pit of lave or vat of water?
To get out you can do it the hard way by finding an edge and hoping your way up int he dark OR
Hold space and you float
i learned how to raise the level of water/lava!
My proof:
http://minecraft.net/play.jsp?user=JNinjaz&id=1
Here's an update on my problem. I tried registering, but it STILL didn't work. Can anybody explain my problem? This is a new laptop, and it runs really well, so I'm having trouble figuring this out.
I know that trick JIGuest.
Here's how to do it:
Put a block of sand above the lava or water. They will switch places and then the water or lava will rise.
I did some work on JIGuest's level and added a tower into the sky.
Feel free to expand on my tower!
http://minecraft.net/play.jsp?user=WingCommand&id=0
I did some additional exploring/ cleaning up the castle. I expanded on the bottom floor basement, and even discovered a vast underwater cavern.
If anyone wants to make JIG tower even better, here's the link:
http://minecraft.net/play.jsp?user=WingCommand&id=2
Very cool expansion Wing! The underwater water cavern was a mistake when i was trying to extract lava XP
Well, the multiplayer was an unpleasant experience. Almost as soon as I logged into a server, an Anti-Semitic and otherwise racist tirade was launched. Since I couldn't disable the chat, I was forced to leave. The Internet: bringing horrible people right into your home.
JIG Tower Version 1.5.
-Second, side tower added
-2 more floors, and the tower now touches the top of the map
-An entrance to the tower from outside, via the central staircase
If you see any scaffolds which serve no purpose (usually glass blocks) they are only there because I didn't bother to delete them, as it's getting late. I, at least, am looking forwards to the next version, and hope that Wing doesn't mind my rather extreme renovations...
http://minecraft.net/play.jsp?user=alphaq&id=1
So i Registered and everything for Minecraft, and poped up 'run this application..." and i said run. And so it starts to laod and gets what looks like all the way and then a window pops up saying Error. And this is what it said. "Org.lwjg.LWJGLException:Pixel format not accelerated" Whats that mean? It would let me doanything and the only buttons i can push ate 'Ok' or the all fimilar 'X' on the top right hand corner of the window.
Can someone...Anyone help me out?
I was working on my underwater cave and added trail markers. Pink and green lead to dry caves. I need to expand pink and I did not set the red markers down. This does not include Alphaq's changes.
http://minecraft.net/play.jsp?user=WingCommand&id=3
Most of Wing's changes, along with my set of changes.
I believe that I have everything, except that the ceiling in the underwater green room, in the lava section, needs to be made higher, but I cannot manage to finish that without flooding the entire room, either with water or with lava.
http://minecraft.net/play.jsp?user=alphaq&id=1
I started an Ocean JIG tower: http://minecraft.net/play.jsp?user=JNinjaz&id=2
It includes an external entrance on land far from the tower that leads you through a tunnel, an underwater portion as a foundation (but there is plenty of room for expansion below), a water-elevator (much easier to climb than stairs), and a dome to top the tower.
I plan to add a second, land based tower off to the side and a bridge to connect them.
Tell me what you think.
Do the creators of the towers mind that I keep editing them and adding more? If so, I can stop, with this post being my last update of someone else's building.
Ocean tower
-Made the elevator go up to the preexisting dome.
-Made the water cover the dome but not flow off of the edge.
-Created a second dome layer, again reachable via the elevator, which is slightly more decorative.
-Removed excess sponge blocks for better views.
http://minecraft.net/play.jsp?user=alphaq&id=2
Your additions are very nice! :D I really don't mind anyone tinkering with my work, just give me some credit.
By the way, in case anyone was wondering, the island to the east (if the tunnel runs north towards the tower) has a lava cavern underneath it. I don't know if you would want to do anything with that.
Ocean tower: http://minecraft.net/play.jsp?user=JNinjaz&id=2
I just made a few structural changes to make it easier to get around the tower and I made some cosmetic changes. Also, I raised the base of the water-elevator so that you can walk underneath it but can still jump up into it.
Thanks, JNinjaz.
My work seems nice because I spend hours getting everything to work, since it's the summer, I think...
Anyway, I'm glad of the permission to edit because it's much faster to build something awesome using another building as a base, as opposed to starting from scratch, although that can be more fun.
Island fortress (additions welcome)
http://minecraft.net/play.jsp?user=alphaq&id=0
http://minecraft.net/play.jsp?user=Bibblesnibble&id=0
The last dry spot on Earth
Can you find the last dry spot on Earth? Dive into a world of mystery and excitement to find out!
Can anyone please tell me how to fix the pixel format error?
JNinjaz' Ocean JIG Tower
-Larger outer dome, with less visible sponge.
-Extra elevator opening at water level.
http://minecraft.net/play.jsp?user=alphaq&id=2
I found a coal deposit, a clay deposit, and an underground pool when I drilled down. Now I'm diggin' for gold!
If anyone plays Multiplayer, go to Tort's Cheese Castle and look for the giant green beanstalk. I built it. If you can get to the top without using the cheater's path, I'll give you a cookie.
I can play it...sorta if you call waiting 2 and a half minute's to place a single block playing...
Nevermind! i guess it was just Google chrome that was doing it
Nice game. The bad graphics aren't that noticeable but make the game works well on any computer.
WOW i haven't even been playing for ONE day and I'm already bored! i found ONE good multiplayer server but it had a box over the spawn and the maker of the server was a complete (expletive) I'm glad i dident waste my money on buying it! i can't wait till survival mode comes out so i have something to do in this game!
Don't hate on the game Meme. It's like Dan said, " Some people put one brick on top of another one, sigh, and then decide they're bored. Other people disappear inside this whirlwind of colored plastic, and when the dust has settled, they've made a fully functional microwave oven."
@alphaq
Loves your "Island fortress"!
Thanks, Ninto, although it's stopped being an island fortress and become more of a testing ground for by building design, lately...
http://minecraft.net/play.jsp?user=Isadore21&id=0
Water tower with an extensive underground water cavern explored, don't get lost and do touch ups if possible. You will spawn near the entrance to the cavern.
http://minecraft.net/play.jsp?user=alphaq&id=2
Entryway to the cave touched up.
Also, Isadore, please give the credit on that map to the original creator, JNinjaz, rather than making it seem as though you crated the water tower. If that wasn't your intention, I apologize, but I'd appreciate that it was clearer, as the original tower took a lot of work, and, while it wasn't used as a base for your work, it was referenced, and your work was in the same "Worldlet" as it was.
Good Luck getting the cave fully neatened/touched up-- very few people seem to play this a lot...
alright, I've got more changes but can't post them now comp is messing up
Help! How do I reverse this?http://minecraft.net/play.jsp?user=thesandbar2&id=1 For help, turn around. Lots of water, no high ground.
http://minecraft.net/play.jsp?user=alphaq&id=2
HUUUUGE set of changes...
-A new cave system above has been connected, so now there's much more to smooth out.
-Roughly half of the original cavern smoothed.
It's fun to make a hole connecting to the big lava cavern underground and drop water into it. Hehehe. And making ice tunnels and putting water or mobs in it and watching it fill it up. Woo!
Could any one make a list of blocks and interactions? This is all I know.
Water turns lava into stone. Sand drops and raises water/lava level, and sponge gets rid of water
Sorry for the double comment, but in between the last comment and now, I've made renovations to jig tower. I've added an side entrance from the underwater tunnel, still dry thanks to sponges, and marked important locations with towers. Also out of bordem, I've created a mob-watching chamber near the underwater cavern near 'JIG'.
OOps, triple post. The link is http://minecraft.net/play.jsp?user=thesandbar2&id=2
@MeeeeeeeeeHave you checked out the Minepedia?
(Sorry: 2 E's missing ;] )
I am in China and have no access to that whatsoever. Could someone compile one?
Oh, and, glass stairway, too on the outer dome. My save file, although JNinja's creation.Another underwater cave can be veiwed from a tunnel which has an entrance within the JIG tower tunnel.
http://minecraft.net/play.jsp?user=thesandbar2&id=2
Now there is another tower made, too. I forgot many aditions, too. Wow, I have no life.
Sigh. I really have no life. Now there are many many additions. I have no life. Well, now there's a recreation of the bean stalk, all covered in glass, glass, and glass blocks.
http://minecraft.net/play.jsp?user=thesandbar2&id=4
Also, someone should create a JIG server
How do you start a server?
my cursor doesn't disappear when i start playing! It makes it lag SO much! Any help? I'm using safari on a PPC mac with mac OSX 10.4
[Edit: Post fixed. Be careful with angle brackets, they have meaning in HTML. Use < and > instead. -Jay]
half my post disappeared... anyone have any advice? I'm on a PPC mac with mack OS X 10.4...
Hey. I got votebanned from a server as a mistake. Can they un-ban me? Is it possible to be unbanned from a server?
I made a server called "Kratospie's New Sylvarant". It's only open on weekends sadly, but its still really awesome!
@Meeeeeeetcetcetc...
I personally like most of your additions, although I would like to know the purpose of the large pillars reaching up to the top of the map. Hopefully, we will end up with a full JIG world from that particular map...
Alright, I switched the browser to IE, and I can actually play the game in singleplayer. But now, everytime in the game when I move the mouse, the screen just randomly starts spazzing! It's the graphics of the game, only they're flashing back and forth and not letting me do anything. Also, the game's running perfectly fine and no errors have come up yet. Does this mean it's a graphics card issue??
Nevermind, I just didn't look at the controls.
http://minecraft.net/play.jsp?user=alphaq&id=3
Ocean JIG tower updated yet again, now with a new tower added, and some older additions neatened.
-New tower, with three floors and an upper dome, feel free to build up to the domed area.
-underwater rooms made more in alignment
-new and improved mob pit added under the gold/green tower
-other small changes
Pillars help me not get lost.
Would anyone care to make a set of caves leading from the entrance behind the "I" in JIG? We already have a tower accessible from the J, and one from the G, as well as a few others, but the I could use some development.
Mobs Make Meeeeeeeeeeee Dizzy. I Was Really Bored When I Made The First Mob Pit. P.S, Nice Addition. Just Genius. My Shift Key Is Broken.
Now i've added a place to veiw the island near the G tower
http://minecraft.net/play.jsp?user=alphaq&id=3
-Caves added under the I, but they need clearing of lava
-2nd tower extended downwards into a cave system, still needs clearing of water, and path to outside ocean
-Observing platform improved in several small ways.
Ummmm I cant seem to find the JIG in the underwatertower
@Tyler
Jig is outside. If you want to find it. go into a tower and out the exit, usually a tunnel.
Hey guys, I jsut found this on JiG, but the sensetivity for looking around is sooo retardly hard to use, does someone have a way to fix it?
I was long ago inspired to make a water elevator but I didn't think it was possible. How do you make them?
Thank you!
I just figured out without someone telling me, sponges keep water from coming near them, if you place them right the water will be stuck in a small area
Can't edit, but I added an underwater area at the bottom in the area past the I, where you can link it to other places on the map (good luck to anyone who tries). It's color coded, so I had four paths, red, blue, green and yellow, where, if you can find how, you can link to any tower/cave system/other
Meant I couldn't edit the post, forgot the link too.
http://minecraft.net/play.jsp?user=L33TSkillz&id=0
it is a great game, but unlike other "sandbox" games, it tends to get a bit boring after you mess around with all the blocks and water and caves and lava and what-not, but it is still fun making caves and creating underwater utopias with sponges and stuff.
This game does not displease me
I'm not sure how, but I seem to have flooded my entire level.
I have some ideas that could be made, but I don't want to send it to the support link. Anyone know the Email address for ideas if there is one?
This is my rocket ship with a launch tower. Take the elevator to the top and experience a simulation of faster-than-light travel! :)
http://www.minecraft.net/play.jsp?user=loderunner&id=1
Has anyone here tried out the survival mode test yet? What did you think?
this game is very limited when it comes to physics... yet the overall game play is very nice with creepy demonic music.
All about water -- a water cube, an aqueduct, a water elevator to a sky pool, waterfalls, rivers, a temple with a fountain, and below, a hidden inner sanctum with a shallow pool fed by underground falls.
http://minecraft.net/play.jsp?user=jpunz&id=0
I keep getting the error java.lang.NullPointerException whenever I try to play, any idea what I'm doing wrong.
Can someone explain to me how to make a water elevator?
Water elevator:
Make a water-tight tower and flood the bottom with water. Leave the source of water connected while you drop a sand cube into the tower from the level you'd like the water to rise (don't raise it higher than your tower, or it will spill over). You may now close off the water source if you like.
Place sponges a couple blocks from where you'd like the door to be (in the ground as a floor tile works well), then "open" the door.
If you haven't just flooded the entire map, you've created a water elevator. Remember to save your progress before each step.
I found this beautiful underground cavern, although I got stuck in there and was forced to quit.
Ah, Minecraft, one of several very great games I have found via JIG (Canabalt and How to Raise a Dragon being recent others). I pretty much created this account just to comment on Minecraft's comments page...
Colorbomb's comment there was hilarious. Yes, I think the BG music there is is ill-fitted to the game, but no, I don't think it's creepy or demonic.
My moniker is Aexis_Rai, and I'm usually at work on one of my 5 map slots, so visit if you like (and can do some URL surgery to get there).
looks exactly like sauerbraten
minecraft had an update!!!
Made rabbit hole, but nothing else there in wonderland.
http://www.minecraft.net/play.jsp
I can't get onto multiplayer! every time I try firefox crashes
http://www.minecraft.net/play.jsp?user=colinchocolate&id=0
Impurities hide secrets, glass is the gateways!
Hi, I'm SO ADDICTED to this game!!! malcon2 (a friend) hasn't been on in a while. I wonder why... anyway, here's my super level!
http://minecraft.net/play.jsp?user=lalaman&id=0
There are more blocks, and Survival.
On the flip side, you now need to purchase the game to have save files.
Correction: you now need to purchase the game to have save files online. You can still save them offline.
This game is awesome! me and my new friend on here built a huge underground suite with tons of rooms and secret lava-way exits! Also ive built several huge houses (most of them which griefed to ashes) in several servers, and im op in 2.
I want to play this game so bad! Too bad I can't seem to get it to work
Could someone give me a total idiot's guide to raising water level? I've tried the instructions already possted, but it doesn't work. (or I don't understand them.)
Also, what happened to the mobs? Were they erased in an update or something? Or is my compurter messed up? I'd love to know.
~Thanks!
SeaLevel- I don't think that you can anymore. You'll have to use omen for that kind of thing. Link:
http://www.minecraftforum.net/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=80
You can search the rest of that site if that's not what you're looking for.
crap, it won't work for me, that sucks, i wanted to play it
CRAP! i try it with TWO DIFFERENT COMPUTERS and it doesn't work! MAKE IT WORK FOR MAC OR WINDOWS?!
ok, i FINALLY got it to work, on my mac. i just had to wait FOREVER to play, but its flipping ADDICTING!!!!!! i was hooked for hours! thanks...
Added bookshelf with secret passage behind it.
Jig tower:
http://minecraft.net/play.jsp?user=ARR8&id=1
Just a short question: So far, who has payed for the game? I strongly suggest you should before the price goes up, so you can see minecraft's full potential. You get dynamic lighting (torches!), swords, farming, monsters, dynamic water (no more blockiness!), Minecarts (ridable, for roller coasters!), armor, custom player skins, and much, MUCH more. It's only 10 euros, too, which is an insanely cheap price, even in American money!
A note to the moderators of the site: could you please put a note in the review (maybe a link) for people to buy the game? I SWEAR I'm not the developer trying to make an extra buck, I just think that more people should really get to know the game at it's maximum. It really is amazing, and I'm glad I bought it.
hey, im playing survival mode and i cant seem to get the crafting mode on
can someone help me?
Is there any chance this game can be re-featured? It's ridiculous how far it's come in a little over a year, and multi-player Survival Mode is supposed to come out in a few days too, for those who have purchased the game.
On that note, the purchased game has been developed so much, it's practically a whole new game too. Everything spycat811 mentioned is in there. Some things not mentioned: the maps are infinite, you can make circuits with something similar to electricity, and the sound engine has ambient sounds for nearly everything...
There are even rumors about regional level generation (deserts, plains, oceans, etc.) coming sometime soon too.
(Sorry if this gets submitted twice, the comment system was acting a little funny.)
JIGuest: You have to buy the game if you want the crafting table. If you have already, are you sure you're on MineCraft Alpha instead of just regular survival?
most problems where the game does not load/work properly are solved by updating your video/graphics card drivers and using ie/firefox
You need to review this game again. Because it way better now. Than in 2009
Yes, review this again. So much has changed! For the better!
If you need further persuasion, go to this page on their forums:
http://www.minecraftforum.net/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=29567
There's over 50 new features there AND COUNTING!
I can't wait for the Halloween update! I've already started gathering Obsidian for the portals to the other dimension!!
Rereview this.
Woah i thought the comments here would be dead, but YEAH wooo portals, ghasts pumkins which i havnt found yet yeah... YEAH... woo
YES!!!!!!! THE NETHER IS AMAZING!!!!!!!!
Just in case anyone is curious, the sound track is (I believe) made by Hang Drums. They're curious instruments that look like UFO's and are played like a hand drum....except that they're basically metal UFO's.
Here's a video of hang drumming that I LOVE:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRgvE42jZBc
They're really hard to get, or I'd buy one.
haha, minecraft crashes every time I try to use portals :)
wish the offline client would work though, I think there would be much less lag...
I just bought the game a few days ago, and it is AMAZING! So much has changed, it can hardly even be called Minecraft anymore. It more than deserves another full review.
Maybe do a contest to get the best review, like it's original one?
If any one digs all the way to the lava and sets thier spawn there i have a trick for getting out.
1.dig around your spawn area.
2.Place blocks where your spawn area is.
3.Hit your respawn button such as R or whatever you may have changed it to.
4. you will spawn on top of the box, start jumping and place blocks under you eventually you will get out :)
every one should check this game out again. the developer added a bunch more stuff, including crafting things out of various materials, a night and day system, and surviving the endless waves of mobs that appear at night. this is amazing and has sucked countless hours away. go to the minecraft site NOW.
NEEDS another review. Absolutely.
can someone help me every time i try to play it its says pixel format not excelerated and i have the newest version of java :(
The website keeps getting 504 Gateway Time-out errors for me, is it something to do with the computer or is the site doing so modifications or something?
Please help. :(
Is it just some problem witht he link recently, or do you need to pay and why didn't you mention it?
It's really annoying but every time I click with either mouse button the menu comes up with mixed results as to what I was trying to do~someone tell me how to turn it off?
If anyone didn't notice already there's a more recent review that covers Minecraft alpha.
I have a slightly funny story about this review -
I saw this review basically the week it came out, and I read it through and thought it was interesting, but never played it - the sandbox game didn't appeal to me. Then, more than one year later, I spot one of my friends playing it (the alpha version), and they said it was called Minecraft, and I correctly remembered it was this game. I asked if it came out a year ago, and he doubted that it did. Now I wish I did play it when I first saw this article.
This game has changed so much, simply because it is still in development. The point it really became popular was the summer-fall of 2010, I think.
Now it's my main game.
What happened to the mobs in minecraft classic? I this an updated version and is there a way i can play minecraft with them? I miss trapping then or sending then into lava! =(
We're in 1.0! 3 reviews for 1 game!
I played this game once, and though it was a lot of fun, I had to quit playing due to intense motion sickness the graphics caused. I remained motion sick for probably two or three hours afterwards. I guess its something between the 3-D rendering of an entire world based on square shapes. The old Doom games used to do the same thing to me back in the day. I feel ill just thinking about it.
Update