Minecrafting: New Perspectives

In the last couple of weeks, I've had the opportunity to delve into an aspect of Minecraft which I had previously ignored, and one which I believe may hold the true key to the game's success: Multiplayer.

My previous experiences with multiplayer in Minecraft had been less than ideal: Early on, creative mode servers or incredibly buggy, combat-less Alpha servers were the only options available. With the arrival of the Minecraft Beta, however, there was now more reason to give multiplayer another shot. Unfortunately, public servers were often so overrun with players as to be shredded and lifeless, or else laggy to the point of being unplayable. I didn't know anyone with a private server until some real-life friends and their own acquaintances generously brought a new server into the equation. With this new virtual playground, our small group has begun to colonize the landscape like so many architecturally gifted ants.

With that in mind, I'll introduce you to the other locals . . .

~ kinxer ~

One of the server operators, kinxer, was among the very first to build in the server. His small fortress, comprised of a multi-layered wall of cobblestone, glass, obsidian, and lightstone, has been around for some time now, and is also the former residence of the server's other OP, Relondo.

Visitors to kinxer's abode will immediately notice the craggy canyon surrounding the fort, which was actually the site of an unfortunate landscaping misadventure. kinxer, along with Relondo and myself, dug a deep trench around the castle to fill with TNT, but early in the TNT-placing phase of our plans, kinxer set off the TNT and immolated me (and, presumably, Relondo). This, naturally, left a very lopsided crater on one side of the castle. Since then, the canyon has been completed and decorated with lightstone and assorted waterfalls, and several unexplored cave segments can also be seen to branch off into the darkness.

Inside the castle, kinxer's castle is garishly lit by an abundance of lightstone, as well as a large pool of lava under the glass courtyard. Evidence of possible dissension between kinxer and the now-absent Relondo can be seen next to their respective storage areas.

 

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It is also worth noting that above the castle, a hovering pig spawner rains pork onto any unwary pedestrians passing below.

~  Sunkendoughnut ~

Besides being my real-life friend, Sunkendoughnut is also my virtual neighbor. In fact, my front door gives me an excellent view of his organic-looking open-air dwelling, which is effectively built to mesh with the landscape around it.

He intends for the finished structure to be "natural and zen-like", and is using wood and natural stone instead of cobblestone for the exterior. There's something to be said for having an aesthetically conscious neighbor living next door.

~ Relondo ~

Relondo, the other server OP, recently moved away to a distant desert region. Since then, he's begun to colonize and terraform an impressive floating island. The rock, now given the curious name of Farwagon, has a small vegetable garden and an impressively tall waterfall descending from the island's center. This waterfall also doubles as an atypical method for entry, as evidenced by a number of boats littering the treetops below Farwagon.
The secret of Farwagon's location is, apparently, known only to Relondo, who teleports his guests directly to his island. So far, the only clue to where it could be found is that it hovers over a craggy mountain range bordered by desert.

~ LostSpider ~

This bewildered newcomer actually arrived in our world for the first time while I was in the midst of writing this post. We waited out the night together in a small hole, and I left a set of tools, coal, and wood for the aptly-named fellow to use when I left the next morning.

I later returned to see a small house being built in the hill, and labeled with the grandiose title "LostSpider Manor". A little hyperbole never hurts . . .

In the near future, I'll spotlight my some of my own work in the server. I'm also planning on leading an expedition to search for the new lapis lazuli ore in distant lands, so that ought to be . . . interesting, as well.

Cheers,
~ Talos ~