by Stone Marshall | Dec 11, 2016 | Minecraft News, Minecraft questions |
Ex-Microsoft engineer SethBling has created an Atari 2600 emulator using nothing but Minecraft.
Redstone wizard SethBling has created an Atari 2600 emulator in vanilla Minecraft, recreating game cartridges and Atari hardware using dirt blocks.
While the emulator is impossibly slow, SethBling’s video details how the 1977 game console can be faithfully recreated by using Minecraft’s features and some scripting wizardry.
SethBling’s emulator uses a Minecraft armor stand to draw colored blocks to represent the game’s 8-bit visuals. It draws information from 128 bytes of “RAM” crafted from a huge slab of dirt and stone, designed to represent the binary code. Dirt represents zeros, while cobblestone represents ones. The video provides a very visual explanation of how information is handled by computational hardware to create animation frames.
SethBling also provided tools to allow people to try the emulator for themselves in the description of the above video, which even includes a tool to convert 4 KB Atari 2600 ROMs into block cartridges for the emulator’s Minecraft world state.
Microsoft is already offering Minecraft to schools to teach all sorts of subjects from maths to computer science. SethBling’s video exemplifies the game’s versatility in this area, particularly when it comes to engaging younger audiences with technical topics. I think I’ll stick to blowing up Zac Bowden with creepers, though.
A redstone master has constructed a functional Atari 2600 emulator in Minecraft
by Stone Marshall | Dec 10, 2016 | Minecraft News, Minecraft questions |
YouTube personality SethBling has emulated the Atari 2600 inside Minecraft. It’s a clever use of the game’s command blocks, which act as the brains of the operation.
But don’t get too excited.
While SethBling has provided a tool to load Atari ROMs into Minecraft, once they’re in there you’re only going to be playing at around 60 frames per… four hours.
Instead, think of his project as a tremendous way to explain how games are made.
SethBling has assembled an array of more than 2,000 command blocks in his design. The way he has them configured, they read stone and dirt as either ones or zeros. When an Atari game is pushed into Minecraft it resolves itself as a 4 kilo-block chunk of land, a three-dimensional representations of raw game code.
It proves to be a remarkable visual representation of the ephemeral nature of programming. You can watch SethBling sculpt the blast shields from Space Invaders on the cart itself before they’re sent to the 2600’s “screen” by manually editing them with his in-game hand.
It’s easy to see how a teacher could use SethBling’s tools, capitalizing on the familiar landscape of Minecraft to teach kids programming. A much more technical explanation is available, and you can even download the world for yourself and mess around with it.
For more mind-bending Minecraft builds check out our guided tours of The Legend of Zelda and Pac-Man.
You can play Atari games inside Minecraft
by Stone Marshall | Dec 9, 2016 | Minecraft News, Minecraft questions, Stone Marshall Book News |
Mojang will give Minecraft players the ability to change their name on February 4th. While it’s a pretty simple process, there are some important rules to be aware of.
“The only thing you need is a Mojang account. If you currently sign in to Minecraft with an email address, you’re all good!” said Mojang today.
To change your name, do the following:
1. Go to your Mojang account page.
2. Click the “change” link next to your Minecraft name.
3. Choose your new name.
Older Minecraft accounts will need to be migrated over to Mojang before they can perform this change. You can migrate your account for free here.
Both the spelling and capitalization of your user name can be changed. Put some thought into your choice. While it’s free to change your name, you’ll have to wait 30 days until you can do it again.
Minecraft names are still unique so you can’t choose one already in use by someone else. Even if you convince them to change their name, you can’t switch to their old one right away. Their old name will become available 37 days after they switch to another.
Back in the early years of Minecraft, it was possible for players to register a username before they actually bought the game. These usernames will soon be deleted from Mojang’s system, though, so paying customers can snatch them up. If you have one of those unpaid user names, here are the steps recommended by Mojang:
1. Be sure that you have access to your old, unpaid Minecraft account. You will need access to its registered email address. If you cannot access that username, you can contact customer support, provide your registered email address or physical registration location, and we will set it to a new email address.
2. If you haven’t already, register a Mojang account at account.mojang.com/register. You cannot have more than one Minecraft username per Mojang account.
3. Purchase Minecraft with a gift code from minecraft.net/store or through a Minecraft prepaid card from a retail store. Old usernames can only be upgraded with gift codes or prepaid cards.
4. When redeeming your gift code or prepaid card at account.mojang.com/redeem, an option to import an old username will be available.
If you can’t complete this process before these unpaid accounts are purged, you could still register the name normally. However, you run the risk of someone else grabbing your preferred name before you manage to do so.
Name changes won’t wipe other parts of your account. If you’re banned from a server, you’ll stay banned. You’ll also retain whitelist and op status on servers along with your inventory, pets and stats.
Mojang adds that name changes should work fine with the game’s many mods. However, they add that they’re not responsible for any issues that arise.
How To Change Your Minecraft Name
by Stone Marshall | Dec 8, 2016 | Minecraft News, Minecraft questions |
I have just read your 2015 guide, What’s the best laptop for running Minecraft?, and wondered if you could update it for 2016. My 10-year-old son adores Minecraft, and his Chromebook isn’t cutting it. He’s really into Pixelmon, so I was thinking about spending approx £300, though I’m willing to go up a bit if it gets something that will grow with him. He is using the web and the usual office tools a lot, and he’s increasingly keen to learn coding. Claire
This has been a common query for three or four years, and when buying a Minecraft machine, the basic rules never change. First, get the fastest processor you can, within your budget. Second, go for the fastest graphics card you can afford. Shop around, but I doubt you’ll find anything under £300, unless you are willing to buy a refurbished or second-hand laptop.
Minecraft platforms
It’s actually quite easy to run Minecraft. There are versions for most platforms including Apple iOS and Google Android tablets, and for Microsoft Xbox and Sony PlayStation games consoles. There’s also a free trial beta version that runs as a “modern” app in Windows 10. All these are great. The drawback is that they don’t support “mods” or modding platforms such as Pixelmon.
The main version of Minecraft runs in a Java virtual machine, which enables the same program to run on Microsoft Windows, MacOS and Linux (which you can install on an Intel-based Chromebook). This is the version that supports “mods” and Pixelmon. Unfortunately, it consumes a lot of resources, which means you need a reasonably powerful PC to get good results.
It’s therefore best to run full Minecraft on a desktop tower if possible. Tower PCs have lots of space inside, and cooling fans, so they can use hot, fast processors. They also have expansion slots so you can add a graphics card that wasn’t supplied as standard.
Laptops are cramped for space, so manufacturers install slower processors that run cooler. And because Windows laptop manufacturers compete heavily on price, they rarely fit dedicated graphics cards. Instead, they rely on the “integrated graphics” that come with the processor. These also use the computer’s main memory for graphics, instead of having their own fast memory chips.
The good news is that integrated graphics have improved a lot in the past 5-10 years. To benefit, go for the newest processor you can afford.
Either way, aim to buy at least 4GB of memory – preferably 8GB – and at least 64GB of storage for Minecraft. This eliminates most of the laptops in the £150-£250 price bracket. Also, buy a good USB mouse.
Intel chip choice
Intel makes two main ranges of processors. Low-end laptops use low power Atom designs, which are branded Atom, Celeron and Pentium. These are fine for most purposes, including running full-screen videos and Microsoft Office. However, more powerful Core processor are needed for tougher jobs, such as video editing and gaming.
So far, Intel has released seven generations of its Core range, and the generation is shown by the first number in the processor name. In other words, a seventh-gen chip will have a number in the form i5-7xxx while a sixth-gen chip will be i5-6xxx. If you’re relying on built-in graphics, aim for a sixth- or seventh-gen processor.
The three main lines of Core chips are designated, BMW style, the Core i3, i5 and i7. The i7 is out of your price range, while the Core i3 is a little underpowered, and lacks the “burst mode” (short speed boost) feature of the i5 and i7. The Core i3-6100U is unusually fast for an i3 chip, but may not save much cash compared with the superior Core i5-6200U.
Some gamers prefer AMD processors because they have more cores and are easier to overclock. In general, however, they are slower and run hotter than Intel processors.
You can compare processor speeds at NotebookCheck’s Comparison of Mobile Processors (CPU Benchmarks). Ignore the numbers and use search (Ctrl-F) to find each chip’s rank in the table.
Possible laptops
There are lots of laptops for just under £300 – it’s a popular price point – but it requires compromises. For example, the Asus VivoBook A540 at Currys PC World (£299) has a Core i3-5005U but only 4GB of memory, while the equivalent Asus X540SA at John Lewis (£299.95) has 8GB of memory but a much slower Intel Pentium N3700 processor. Unless you can find something in the sales, you should aim to pay a little more.
Your best bet could be the 15.6in Lenovo IdeaPad 310 laptop with a 1920 x 1080-pixel Full HD screen, Core i5-6260U processor, 8GB of memory and 1TB hard drive. This is available from both John Lewis and Currys PC World for £379, but John Lewis includes a 3-year guarantee.
You could get the same laptop with a Core i3-6100U processor, a lower-resolution 1366 x 768-pixel screen and a two-year guarantee for £349.95. However, it’s not such good value, and only saves £40. You could drop further down to an IdeaPad 305 with 4GB of memory and a fifth-gen Core i3-5005U for £329.95, but you’d be losing even more power and £50 worth of memory to save £20. The Asus VivoBook A540 has the same spec for £299.
Incidentally, Lenovo sells these machines direct. The Core i3-6100U version costs £349.99, with Core i5-7200U models at £449.99 and £479.99, and a Core i7-7500U for £579.99. The 2.5GHz i5-7200U laptop (£449.99) is faster than the 1.8GHz i5-6260U model that John Lewis stocks (£379), but probably not worth the extra £70.
If you can make it to a shop, you can compare the IdeaPad 310 with the HP 15-ay167sa, Asus and other machines, to see how you like the screen, keyboard and general build quality. The HP 15-ay167sa has the latest Core i5-7200U processor but a lower screen resolution (1366 x 768) for £399.
Dedicated graphics?
The improvements in Intel integrated graphics have pushed dedicated graphics cards out of low-end laptops, so they are now rather hard to find. However, eBuyer is offering an Acer Aspire E5-573G with a Core i3-5005U and Nvidia GeForce 940M graphics for £409.98, while Laptops Direct has an Asus X556UB-DM262T with a Core i3-6100U and GeForce GTX 940M graphics for £479.97. The main appeal of this machine is that it has a 128GB SSD instead of a traditional hard drive, but it’s way over budget.
Minecraft settings
As mentioned, Minecraft will run on almost anything. However, high graphics settings will bring most mainstream laptops to their knees. OptiFine and other optimisations can help. However, your son needs to understand that the settings he chooses for graphics, lighting, textures, render distance, and screen size – plus the number of mods and plug-ins installed – can all slow the frame-rate. If the graphics start to judder and lag, he will need to dial back the fancy effects until he gets a good playing experience. Hitting F3 shows the frame rate. I’d aim for at least 50-60 frames per second with Minecraft full screen. As usual, more is better.
What’s the best cheap laptop for running Minecraft?
by Stone Marshall | Dec 6, 2016 | Awesome Book News, Minecraft News, Minecraft questions |
“Minecraft” console players are in for a treat this holiday. The game developer Mojang has prepared a spectacular holiday gift for console gamers. Here’s a sneak peak of your holiday goodies.
Since the last PC update of “Minecraft” last February called Combat Update – which changed the game intensely, this holiday update is much awaited for console gamers in all platforms. The long wait is almost over since the Holiday Update is within reach by this time.
This “Minecraft” Holiday Update will reportedly make the console version in close comparison with the PC version. Mojang unveiled four big features of the Holiday Update: Elytra, the magical gliding wings; the End Cities, which can be found after defeating the Ender Dragon; Lingering Potions, made from dragon’s breath, which can be thrown. These potions leave a bubbling slick behind which can be used as a trap. The Amplified Terrain, which has been in the PC version for a long time, is also part of the update.,
According to reports, “Minecraft” Holiday Update will also bring improvements to UI and introduce some new items, status effects, blocks and mobs. Aside from these sneak peaks Mojang has revealed, the game developer said that there are more surprises to look forward to. Though they won’t discuss more in further detail. There is one important part that is yet to be confirmed: the Combat Update for consoles.
This “Minecraft” Holiday Update is indeed exciting for PS3, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox 360 and Wii U gamers. This holiday update is free to all “Minecraft” Console edition owners. There are still a lot of features to look forward to in this latest update and we just have to wait until it will be released. Moreover, “Minecraft” Holiday Update is slated to launch before December ends this year. For more “Minecraft” latest news & update, only here in Gamenguide.
‘Minecraft’ Latest Update Release Date, News & Update: Holiday Update Sneak Peak Released; Elytra, End Citied, Lingering Potions & Amplified Terrain Are Here!
by Stone Marshall | Dec 3, 2016 | Awesome Book News, Minecraft News, Minecraft questions |
Minecraft is a game that seems to run on anything. Be it your phone, PC, Xbox, or even your VR headset, Minecraft has a version for it. What all these versions all lack, however, is feature parity. The Windows 10 PC edition even lacks content found in the Java PC edition, and it results in a pretty different experience when you try the game out on another device. The team at Mojang has been taking steps to fix that, and a big leap ahead is coming soon to both the mobile and Windows 10 versions: 1.0.
This update adds a variety of things depending on your platform, but the biggest addition is The End. This area was originally released in version 1.0 of the original Java PC version of the game, and feature’s the game’s final boss. It’s a big enough addition to the game that this update’s even being officially called The Ender Update.
It’s been five long years since the original release of Minecraft: Pocket Edition, and it was the first of many strides to get Minecraft running on all the platforms it runs on today. Originally an insanely barebones port that hardly featured anything, it’s gone on to become almost as big as the original version of the game. One big thing it’s consistently been missing is the game’s soundtrack, and that’s thankfully changing with 1.0. It won’t be included in the main download for the game, but it will presumably be easy to find.
Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition owners who happen to have an Oculus Rift with Oculus Touch also have a special reason to be happy, as 1.0 will bring support for Oculus Touch.
The Ender Update is coming soon.
Minecraft’s Pocket and Windows 10 editions reach 1.0
