Minecraft is a time sink, but fun. (my thoughts)

[Lazybones]

Well my arm was twisted into playing but I wanted to point out some things from my perspective as someone who does not have much time to allocate.

Con:
- To really get setup, you have to dig a lot! This is very time consuming and dangerous in the first x hours of the game till you have a mine and base of operations.
- Set backs from death can be rather grim... If you have crafted only one set of quality tools you will possibly loose them if you can't get back to your stuff ( early on without armor (you will loose that as well if you only have one set) it can be next to impossible to get your stuff back during a night cycle if it is above ground.
- Crafting takes lots of time, crafting / smelting also stops if you log out, so you have to stay in game.
- even areas that have been closed off seem to sometimes get monsters in them, even when you are sure they are well lit, this makes leaving your character idle have some risk.
- it seems best to run back to a safe zone / shelter before logging off, since you never know what might have spawned while you where away.

Pro:
- you can work with others to build stuff without really needing to be there all the time... Just leave stuff in common chests to pass items.
- other than finding a safe place to log out (you can just wall your character in) the game is fairly easy to jump in and out of without needing to complete something.


So far I am having fun, and spending much of my OTHER time thinking about what I could be building... I do find progress slow at times, I could spend hours not getting what I want done because of missing resources, sharing helps off set this, but it is still part of the game.

Even dull tasks like building a long tunnel can be interesting, I encountered a few underground caverns with waterfalls etc on the way. I am generally enjoying the game but anyone thinking about playing may want to set aside a large block of time up front to get established, otherwise progress will seem painfully slow.

Also of note, getting boosted with gifts from other players early on seems nice but may not be maintainable... For example getting great tools doesn't do much good if you don't have armor and a base to escape to... Also it is a real set back going from diamond to wood / stone if you wear out the gift set before finding enough iron for example to may your own mid-high grade tools.

personally I ended up roaming away from everyone to start progressing from scratch... Sine I was not familiar with crafting and building the basics this was a great way to learn without damaging other peoples stuff (creepers kept on blocking me up the moment I opened doors)

[Mr. Analog]

One thing that can help everyone is maybe running build/project threads on the forum, so if I know you have a need for certain resources I can keep an eye out and either mark them for you on the map or collect them and put them into sharing boxes (actually I'll check tonight if I have the powered rail spacing right and just ship stuff to you via storage minecart).

Also if you guys are ever looking for help during builds we can plan on the boards first and then get together.

I find also trying out a build idea in creative helps speed some things along (if you want to get fancy). I have a fairly compact portcullis system designed that I could diagram and share, the only hard to find resource is the slime drops (seriously, I haven't even HEARD a slime on this server lol).

But yeah, I often find myself thinking of stuff I want to build, the best part about doing it on SMP is that it's a REAL challenge to get the resources together.

[Lazybones]

I have a fairly compact portcullis system designed that I could diagram and share, the only hard to find resource is the slime drops (seriously, I haven't even HEARD a slime on this server lol).

There was one bouncing the hell out of melbosa and I the one night where he connected his tunnels to my base, but other than that one, haven't seen them....

There is also a difference between asking for resources for a project and establishing a character.... it is the old, teach a man to fish.... Forcing my self out of the start area, I learned to scout resources, also it adds variety..

With so much sand in my area I make lots and lots of glass....

[Mr. Analog]

I have a fairly compact portcullis system designed that I could diagram and share, the only hard to find resource is the slime drops (seriously, I haven't even HEARD a slime on this server lol).

There was one bouncing the hell out of melbosa and I the one night where he connected his tunnels to my base, but other than that one, haven't seen them....

There is also a difference between asking for resources for a project and establishing a character.... it is the old, teach a man to fish.... Forcing my self out of the start area, I learned to scout resources, also it adds variety..

With so much sand in my area I make lots and lots of glass....

Well, if you ever run low on coal I can make some for ya

[Lazybones]

Well, if you ever run low on coal I can make some for ya

Early on I was low on it, but I started discovering it frequently... It is probably the most common thing I find actually. I never did resort to smelting trees, which are also plentiful.

My iron store is also finally starting to surpass my rate of consumption for tools and armor so I have reached the tipping point I think for starting more interesting construction.

[Lazybones]

Also I think I should convert all my furnaces to lava buckets http://www.minecraftwiki.net/wiki/Lava#Lava_Bucket

That will leave all the coal for torches.

Edit: hmm second thought for converting full stacks coal still seems better...

[Mr. Analog]

Yep, if you're like me though, coal goes bye-bye pretty fast (mind you I spend a lot more time building than mining lol).

Many resources are dependent on how low you are digging too. I went straight for the gusto when I first started and dug down to level ~10, I get a lot of diamond, Lapis Lazuli and redstone but not so much of the other ores or coal.

On the other hand I can rip through stuff pretty damn fast.

The other thing that's important to start doing is enchanting, if you think a diamond pick is handy wait until you have one with Efficiency II + Unbreaking II!

[Mr. Analog]

Also I think I should convert all my furnaces to lava buckets http://www.minecraftwiki.net/wiki/Lava#Lava_Bucket

That will leave all the coal for torches.

Edit: hmm second thought for converting full stacks coal still seems better...

The are only 2 problems with lava buckets:
-Eats 3 iron
-Lava is sometimes tricky to play with

But other than that they're great, and they are common dungeon loot usually

[Lazybones]

Also I think I should convert all my furnaces to lava buckets http://www.minecraftwiki.net/wiki/Lava#Lava_Bucket

That will leave all the coal for torches.

Edit: hmm second thought for converting full stacks coal still seems better...

The are only 2 problems with lava buckets:
-Eats 3 iron
-Lava is sometimes tricky to play with

But other than that they're great, and they are common dungeon loot usually

does the bucket get consumed? I figured it would be like soup where you get the bowl back.

[Melbosa]

LOL funny you guys haven't run into things I have... I have killed 6 Slime Blocks and those skinny black things that carry blocks - I have killed over 20.  But I know Mr. Analog has said in RL if not on these forums that both are rare on our server.

I put stuff in the Smelters and log out... when I log back in they are done.  This could be cause someone else has logged in since I have been there, but I don't see a reason not to do that.  When you have 8-10 smelters going making your crafting items is pretty fast.

[Lazybones]

LOL funny you guys haven't run into things I have... I have killed 6 Slime Blocks and those skinny black things that carry blocks - I have killed over 20.  But I know Mr. Analog has said in RL if not on these forums that both are rare on our server.

I put stuff in the Smelters and log out... when I log back in they are done.  This could be cause someone else has logged in since I have been there, but I don't see a reason not to do that.  When you have 8-10 smelters going making your crafting items is pretty fast.

enderman is the block carrier. I have seen him several times.. but avoided him.

As for the smelting I think it stops when no-one is online, I could be wrong, maybe it just glitched on me the one time.

[Mr. Analog]

Endermen are technically neutral but they can move blocks around which can be annoying. They will only attack you if you put your reticle on them for a second or two, they can teleport when hit and if aggro'd can teleport anywhere (inside your buildings etc).

Zombie Pigmen are also neutral unless you attack one, then any zombie pigmen within range (can't remember what it is) will come at you whether it can "see" you or not.

Apparently the slime-spawning algorithm is chunk based which may explain why Mel has seen more than most of us, he might just have a "lucky chunk" for slimes

http://www.minecraftwiki.net/wiki/Slime#Spawning

[Lazybones]

Endermen are technically neutral but they can move blocks around which can be annoying. They will only attack you if you put your reticle on them for a second or two, they can teleport when hit and if aggro'd can teleport anywhere (inside your buildings etc).

Zombie Pigmen are also neutral unless you attack one, then any zombie pigmen within range (can't remember what it is) will come at you whether it can "see" you or not.

Apparently the slime-spawning algorithm is chunk based which may explain why Mel has seen more than most of us, he might just have a "lucky chunk" for slimes

http://www.minecraftwiki.net/wiki/Slime#Spawning

I suspect "Slimes spawn only below layer 40" also has to do with it since your monorail is above that and mels large tunnel is down at bedrock far below it..

[Darren Dirt]

So far I am having fun, and spending much of my OTHER time thinking about what I could be building...

Well, that anti-convinces me


Seriously you guys are all hooked and loving it, glad to see the whole gang excited about the same game -- reminds me of the days of CoH when lots of screenshots were posted after cool missions and TFs and costume changes etc. -- but I am definitely going to play the "Know Thyself" game and not jump into the fun with you. Just not enough free time as it is for stuff I like thinking about/doing. Sounds cool, if only it was built a few years ago...

[Tom]

LOL funny you guys haven't run into things I have... I have killed 6 Slime Blocks and those skinny black things that carry blocks - I have killed over 20.  But I know Mr. Analog has said in RL if not on these forums that both are rare on our server.

I put stuff in the Smelters and log out... when I log back in they are done.  This could be cause someone else has logged in since I have been there, but I don't see a reason not to do that.  When you have 8-10 smelters going making your crafting items is pretty fast.

enderman is the block carrier. I have seen him several times.. but avoided him.

As for the smelting I think it stops when no-one is online, I could be wrong, maybe it just glitched on me the one time.

I /think/ if noone is in a given chunk, it gets saved and unloaded. So nothing will run in a given chunk if no-one is there.