Minecraft Diary - Episode 1

I've been inspired by Tom Francis' "Minecraft Experiment" on PC Gamer and my new texture pack, to do a sort of "lets play" with pictures. This will be much more pretty than PC Gamers version (especially if you view the pictures full screen), and I'm hoping the commentary will be just as interesting.

I'm a lot more experienced than Tom Francis was when he did his Minecraft Experiment (so will act like less of an idiot, lol), and will be playing the same "hardcore mode" that if you die, you delete that map. I am not planning on dying. I don't have an overall objective yet, maybe someone could suggest one? Oh also, each "episode" will be about one day and night, depending on how many pictures I take.

Everybody knows by now that default Minecraft isn't particularly stunning to look at, although a lot of people enjoy the "style" and/or get used to it. Somehow after a while your brain adapts and you think it is "normal" for the world to be made out of blocks (or maybe I've just been playing for too long). With my new texture pack/mods, my 1920x1200 screen and a tiny bit of image editing, I'll be persuading you that really, Minecraft can look awesome.

Day 1

Although I could keep generating new ones until I get some great scenery, I'm just going to stick with the first one I get, turns out it doesn't look too bad.

Spawn

As you can see, I've got a custom sun, sand, cacti, water, and health bar. These things aren't in the usual squarish Minecraft style, but I think they fit together with everything quite well. "This place looks quite nice" I think to myself as I look around, then I catch something in the corner of my eye. Now any Minecraft survival player with a big screen will tell you how exciting and/or important seeing something out of the corner of your eye can be, this was no exception. I'm pretty sure that pig has seen whatever it is too.

Something in the sea

I run towards the water, hoping to get a better look.. but nothing. Quite disappointed, I think about leaving it, but I was sure I saw something. Time for a swim! *Splosh*

Squids!

View this fullscreen and stand up if you can't see them. I was tempted to punch the swimming tarantulas in the face to get some poo ink, but they were too deep, I'd drown before half killing one. Maybe I'll come back when I've got a sword. And besides, their eyes were beginning to creep me out.

Scenery

After nearly hurting myself staring at the squids, getting out then walking around for a minute on the beach, I come across this. Pretty cool cliff right? Having the view distance on full is nice.. I figure out that I'm spending too long prating around and decide I need to get myself some tools.

Supplies - Wood

As any experienced Minecraftian knows, you gotta punch trees first. Now I've got wood, I'm going to make a wooden pickaxe, get some stone, then make stone tools. Although you can now make charcoal out of wood, It would still be nice to find some coal before night time too.

Supplies - Coal

Found loads of coal. Thats good. Made two stone axes by accident. Not really bad, but considerably frustrating for somebody as OCD as me. Click the picture to see the incredibly helpful advise the cow gave me, seriously I know, I was going to get it anyway. Obnoxious cow. You can see in the picture the comparison between the shiny 128x128 "painted" textures, and the default 16x16 workbench. I personally think it all looks nice. *Squeezes in another picture here - this one would make a good desktop background*

Scenery 2

I get some more wood and start thinking about where I can plonk down a little cabin, but then realise I can't see the sun. "Do I have enough time to make a cabin"? I scramble over a hill to figure out where that white blob in the sky is, and then:

Sunset

Well that's quite pretty, I do love how the sun goes orange when it sets. This isn't the best looking Minecraft world I've ever seen, but I think its close. Obviously I've only seen one billionth (or something) of the world so far, so I hope I see some more awesome things again tomorrow... wait a second.. tomorrow! It's nearly night time! No house! No food! I haven't even made any torches yet! I refuse to sit in a hole at night and cry like a petrified worm hiding from the outside world, tonight will be fun.

More coming soon!