Starting Over!

If there's anything more predictable, it's unpredictability...

Unfortunately there was an issue with my laptop where it ultimately needed to be 'replaced', and unlike many other games, I couldn't bring my 'saves' with me to the new one... so now we're back to starting fresh!

I was able to save the blueprint for Project 1 so I'll be working on that again, but it will be completely different!

We'll have to go through all the cycles of digging and mining and flattening out the land once again... so the only positive thing to all this is we'll have a different view where-ever the game spawns us!

As for the second project, it was just one of those builds that you start and then 'go with the flow', so no blue print was written yet for it so there will be no way to return to that old project sadly...

If anyone has any requests though, please let me know here and I'll work on setting up a blue print and build it!

Remember, it doesn't have to be an actual structure, it could just be some type of artwork or an item!  It doesn't even have to be a building, it could be a ship or UFO! Minecraft makes for endless possibilities so keep your mind open when making requests!!

Project 2: Lightning in Minecraft

One of the things you have to overcome in minecraft besides getting a an axe or a pick axe is getting charcoal and sticks to make torches!

If you don't have torches in Minecraft, you can't do any digging!  It's pitch black under ground, but it's also pitch black in any blocked off areas and you need to let in the light somehow, or get torches!

So I've grabbed some torches and have started to light up the interior of the spiral staircase inside the towers!

Most times, the best way to find your way in and out of the mines of minecraft is to use the rule of 'right' meaning, when you're going INTO a mine, start setting up torches only on the RIGHT side of the mine.  When you do this, you can figure your way back out instead of running in circles for hours!

When building though, torches not only become a source of light, but also a nice decoration!  In this case, I lit up both sides as I was walking down the staircase so that way, there was no confusion as to which direction the torches should point when it came to the curved areas.

Project 2: Finishing the towers

I've been getting down to the nitty gritty of Minecraft.  Once the big projects are completed, it's time to start thinking of the little things!

Just like a regular artist who draws two intersecting lines and a circle begins to work in the details of their design, we now have to work on the details of this design.

If I've learned anything in Art School, it's there are no accidents.  Every little 'flaw' is just another beauty mark.  So in that sense, the best thing to do in any project is to just build, have 'something' in mind, but expand on it, try new things!

You will see, once you're done, you'll have something beautiful and exciting!

Project 2: Topping off the towers

Once I figured out how tall I wanted the towers to be and finished the staircase around the edges I made an extra wall to encase the stairwell (just to make sure no one walked off the edge by accident), and then topped off the stairwell with a stone brick floor.

This is not going to be the full height of these towers however, I plan on putting in an extra floor with a set of stairs that goes straight to the top so that way the top can be decorated nicely without any issues.

Both of these towers will also be decorated nicely on the interior as well and may contain a few extra surprises!

So far, there hasn't been any introduction of any new materials, just the same as listed before, but you will soon see a new introduction of items soon to this project so if you're looking to make your own, I'd suggest you go off and pick up a few extra items and prepare for some new stuff!

Project 2: How to Make Circles in Minecraft : Minecraft Spinning Staircase

One of the hardest things to make in Minecraft is something circulatory.   The main reason is simply because everything in Minecraft is square!  So how to turn something square, into a circle in Minecraft is a task all by itself.
My goal here was to make a circular tower, add a spiral staircase and then branch it off in different directions (as you'll see later).

The best way to do this remember this pattern, 1, 3, 1   Doing the blocks in this order will create half a circle.  kind of like this:

    1
3
3
3
    1


To give you a better idea here's what to expect when  you're done
       3  3  3
   1             1
3                   3
3                   3
3                   3
   1             1
       3  3  3


This will create a nice little circle to start off with.  If you want to make it bigger, just start adding numbers, just remember to make it an even pattern always otherwise you're going to end up with a crooked circle!

Beginning of Project 2!

Ever get started with something, want to finish it but then start to fall away from it because it starts to 'bore' you?
That was me and Minecrafting for a little bit.
The best way to handle this kind of boredom, is to detour to another project for a little bit, afterwards, you'll be more then willing to go back to the original project!

Right after the last post, I turned on creative mode and just started to build a wall.  This particular project had no reason or rhyme to it, and that's usually how most artworks start out.  A line turns into a wall, which turns into room, which turns into a castle!  This is just a flat layout to make things easy and the beginnings of what will end as a long complicated project.

Now, I'm made no effort to hide my distaste for the 'creative' mode, but in this case, I'm not interested in the digging part, I'm just trying to get my mind off the original project for a moment and see what CAN be made.

So far, this is what I've gotten but it's a long ways from being over too.

If you're looking to make it yourself, you're going to need the following (at least so far)

1. Stone (And not cobblestone, regular stone, you can get this with a silk touch enchanted axe)
2. Light Gray Wool
3. Stone Brick
4. Stone Brick Stairs

I'll be showing more pictures with more detail and be adding other items to this list as this building progresses so keep an eye out!

Details, Details!

 

You know when you're done building something in Minecraft that you want to add every little extra thing you can to it!  It's not good enough until it's crowded with stuff in an orderly fashion!

I decided to do a little decorating before I start on the main building, that way I have the outside layer completed before we start to build Up and In!

It's starting to come together, are there any guesses yet as to what this could be?