First time I saw images of Minecraft I thought it was about an overhyped game that was meant to bring nostalgia among hipsters: the pixel graphis was a big clue. Time goes by and more and more posts are apearing on Reddit. Photos, articles and eventually videos of what you can do in Minecraft. I decided not to jump into it immediatly even though I was curious, because the Reddit gaming community is a reality check on past and present titles.
I slowly understood watching all the posts of what Minecraft is made of. Then I decided to check the website which actually look it's from 1998, but that was ok. I tried the free browser version and did not understand wtf I could do, nor the purpose of the game. Few days later Minecraft's server is down and it's free to play. This time I was going to play the right way.
Here an account of what happened...
day 1
I click the empty button and a fresh world generates for me. Trees, green and clouds are everywhere. I'm well aware of the day/night cycle and what the consequences might be. Watching some tutorial videos I learnt that zombies, spider and cock-shaped-jumping-green thing are fatal, especially the last one, as few of them exploded in my face, but never died.
day 2
I'm roaming my world in search of some place I can settle, but what does settle mean in Minecraft? Video tutorials shows how some players built castles, mansions carefully furnishing the interiors. My first safe place is a hole in a hill 4x3 in dimension. It's cozy (I tell my self) while staring outside my hole waiting for sunrise.
day 3
I left my hole in search of elements that might be useful. I'm full of dirt blocks, sand, and got some wood parts. Yet I don't know what to do with all those thing. They don't match in the inventory and can't create anything. Meanwhile night was upon me again and those dirt blocks in my inventory were helpsl to build three walls and aroof over a rocky mountain side. I poked the dirt to create a hole so I coul monitor the nightlife, but no enemies so far.
day 4
Off I go towards new lands crossing mountains and exploring caves that have nothing for me. Curious about mining I seek help of the internet to find what I can craft, at least the minimum for survival. Randomly I managed to create sticks from wood and eventually a shovel. That's it, nothing else.
The tutorial videos game me a boost creating a serious mine pick, torches and creating the crafting box.
day 5
With torches and a pick in my inventory mining becomes easier and I'm headed to explore many caves. More coal for more torches and a new element that I thought was copper (due to its colour), but that actually was iron.
day 6
Curiosity pushed me to swim across the sea towards an island that looked suitable, but everything looks suitable and repetitive in Minecraft. The only problem is that I'm down to five hearths due to jumping and falling to explore caves. Night comes and a new shelter must be built. Still, no dangerous wildlife in sight.
day 7
I took one more peek at the tutorials because I couldn't understand how to prepare food after killing manypigs and collecting pok chops out of them (pigs are so cute when they oink). Torches make the difference as I'm able to shape a bunker from my safe-hole. I started mining through different layers of dirt and stone making more rooms. It's a bunker. That's what it is.
day 8
Only one heart left and no meaning to restore my health bar after trying many combo in the inventory with ingredients. collected. After saving again the game I discovered that the reason of no enemies if the difficulty setting on Pacific. There's no chalenge so I go to Easy as the first step to learn what to do with monsters.
day 9
A bloody skeleton almost kills me with his arch leaving me with half hearth. Finally I find the brown mushroom to combine with the crafted bowl and the red mushroom. My health bar rises to full ater two portion of stew. I'm happy and continue to roam for a better place.
day 10
roaming again in search of what? I have a huge set of stone picks so I can mine faster.
day 11
I don't know how many kilometers I did. I wish there was a map to get some references, but it's old school with navigation skills and must keep an eye on the thedirection and motion.
day 12
I venture on another island full of animals where I managed to gather food, feathers and whool. I continue to explore the area.
day 13
I arrive at a spot with low lands, sands, trees and lots of animals. The place looks like a series of islands close to eachother. I can see three so far being close to mine. It looks like a nice spot to settle and water will give me protection as I start carving with my tool a safe shelter into the hill.
day 14
The morning looks promising and I gather more material building a fournace where I can smelt the iron. I carve deeper into the hill to gain more space and I put side to side the crafting box with the furnace. I manage to create a box to put stuff from my inventory. I wonder where other precious materials can be. There's ore to be dug, but iron is the only thing I can find beside coal
day 15
I expand my new bunker and decide to dig downward to see if I'm sitting on something of value. Fuck that! I opened a sealed cave with zombies in it. I only loose one hearth, but I jumped on my seat for the scare!
I build a bridge to connect to the other island.
day 16
Fire! Finally I manage to properly have a tool to create fire. Trees are burning all around me. They don't get consumed and are actually killing the night assholes.
day 17
My crib is nicer ad I discover doors and plant it out a litle bit better with a new room that leads to a balcony.
day 18
I build another bridge to the second island. I put torches everywhere as I set more trees on fire. It seems that the combination of the two keeps the monsters away. I also built a trench and a castle-like wall in front of my house.
day 19
With the many stone blocks I have decided to I build a defence tower on the closer island. The whole area is well lit. I can easily recognize it in case I have to travel further and want to come back.
day 20
I feel alone. There's nothing around me. I always hope I can find another one like me, but it's just Single Player.
day 21
Skeletons leave arrows around and I collect them in the morning. I crafted more stuff and expanded my place.
day 22
Two new bridges made ot of stone are set and connecting the other island with proper lighting around. I noticed that the more torches I lay around the lesser the mobs I find.
day 23
I decide to upgrade again my palace and place new doors to make the thing safe. Maybe I'll collect enough stone to create a mighty fortress, something colossal. I wish I could share my home with others.
day 24
I have now an iron axe, shovel, few picks, bricks, roasted pork chops. I spent he whole day withthe fournace. Still not enough to make anything fancy.
day 25
I'm thinkng of building a think wall and finally to mark my territory having a perimeter that can protect my assets. The water around me is plenty enough to create a new river, but the daylight time isn't enough for me to work properly.
