Introduction to the Third Edition

Imagine a world where the possibilities are the limits of your own imagination!

Welcome to Minecraft, one of the most interesting open-ended games ever produced.

From the first moment I started playing this game, back in the beta, to today’s extraordinary experience, Minecraft has developed into a tour de force of absolutely splendid gameplay—one that, with a little help from this book, anyone can enjoy countless hours exploring, creating, and digging.

Before I even thought about writing the first edition of this book, I found it popping up more and more often in random conversations among all age levels—everyone from my 9-year-old’s best friends going on up... way up. Minecraft’s unique open-endedness offers an equally open-ended fascination to people of all ages.

The first edition of this book came at a time where there were few reliable online resources. One could spend hours watching YouTube videos without really going in depth or truly capturing the nuances of the game. And, among all that, there are literally thousands of junk sites trying to trick you into clicking on ads or installing malware.

This third edition continues to fill the gap, bringing together all the key information you need in a single place. Written from the player’s perspective, it takes you through the essentials and then far beyond, with all the background information, crafting recipes, strategies, and ideas you need to make your Minecraft world truly your own. It covers everything from first-night survival to hosting your own multiplayer server.

If you have ever wondered how to sculpt completely customized worlds, explore underwater dungeons, play Minecraft multiplayer in Spectator mode (and more), this edition has you covered.

If you are a parent wondering whether Minecraft is suitable for your own kids, consider that as of 2013, students at Viktor Rydberg school in Stockholm, Sweden, have been taking a mandatory course on Minecraft, teaching them various skills such as

Environmental issues

City planning

Getting things done

Planning for the future

Interactivity

Safe online habits

Building and making objects using your creativity

Computer skills

To this list, The Atlantic, in a recent article about the benefits to children of playing Minecraft, adds:

The most clearly visible are visuospatial reasoning skills—learning how to manipulate objects in space in a way that helps them create dynamic structures. Visuospatial reasoning is the basis for more abstract forms of knowledge like the ability to evaluate whether a conclusion logically follows from its premises.

Minecraft also helps youth learn how to collaborate to solve problems, and collaborative learning improves critical thinking skills that support motivation for learning.

No matter who you are or how you play, you’ll find Minecraft to be an endlessly fascinating, wonderful, enjoyable world.

Chapter 1, “Getting Started,” walks you through the steps needed to download and install Minecraft and start a new game, optionally using seeds to control the world generation.

Chapter 2, “First-Night Survival,” is an essential strategy guide to one of the most challenging times in Minecraft. In this chapter, you learn to craft essential tools and build your first mob-proof shelter, all in less than 10 minutes of gameplay.

Chapter 3, “Gathering Resources,” teaches you the skills you need to build a permanent base of operations, build better tools, store resources, and find food to stave off hunger. You also learn how to use the built-in GPS so that you can always find your way home, even after extended forays into the wilds.

Chapter 4, “Mining,” unlocks some of Minecraft’s deepest secrets. This chapter shows you the best tunneling plan to uncover the most resources in the shortest possible time, the essential tools required, and the layers you should dig to uncover everything from basic iron ore to diamonds.

Chapter 5, “Combat School,” will get you ready to tackle any mob, including the creeper. From sword-fighting techniques to armor, this chapter has you covered. You’ll also learn the essential perimeter protection techniques for your home.

Chapter 6, “Crop Farming,” will help you become completely self-sufficient, ensuring that the hunger bar stays full, constantly boosting your health. Learn to hydrate 80 blocks of farm land with a single water block and how to automate your harvests at the touch of a button.

Chapter 7, “Farming and Taming Mobs,” is all about Minecraft’s passive animals, the chickens, pigs, cows, horses, and more that populate its world and provide you with valuable resources. Learn to breed animals, tame ocelots to scare off creepers, and gallop across the world on horseback.

Chapter 8, “Creative Construction,” will help you unleash your inner architect. From grand constructions to inventive interiors, learn about the decorative ways you can use Minecraft’s blocks and items to build the perfect abode.

Chapter 9, “Redstone, Rails, and More,” empowers your world with a host of automated devices. Control redstone power and automated doors, send minecarts on missions, and build stations, stopovers, and more.

Chapter 10, “Enchanting, Anvils, and Brewing,” will have you brewing up a storm. Cast spells, improve your weapons and armor, and fall from great heights with grace.

Chapter 11, “Villages and Other Structures,” is your key to interacting with the other nonplaying characters. Trade your way to better goods, and learn the secrets of the game’s temples and monuments.

Chapter 12, “Playing Through: The Nether and The End,” is the strategy guide you need to get through these tricky sections of the game. Find a fortress fast, get what you need, and then prepare for the Ender Dragon. It’s easy when you know how.

Chapter 13, “Mods and Multiplayer,” shows you how to customize the game, from new character skins to mods that add a host of functionality. And along the way, you also learn how to access multiplayer games and set up a permanent world on your own server for family and friends.