In 2014, Mark Zuckerberg took the decision to acquire the Oculus VR, which made Minecraft’s creator Markus Persson to cancel the development of the Oculus Rift version of this game. But when Microsoft acquired Mojang, the Redmond company has decided to continue work on the virtual reality version of Minecraft. Facebook was represented at the MWC 2016 event, where Zuckerberg had a short appearance during Samsung’s press conference, helping the company to showcase its latest Gear VR. With this occasion, Zuckerberg has confirmed that the Mincraft game will arrive to the Oculus Rift platform.
During Samsung’s press conference, Zuckerberg has explained what the purpose of his appearance was. He said that “VR is the next platform, where anyone can create and experience anything they want. For right now, it’s mostly used for gaming. That’s quickly evolving. That’s why Facebook is investing so much in VR, so we can deliver these new social experiences. VR is going to be the next social platform. And that’s why we’re working with Samsung.” At this event, it was revealed that Facebook will team up with Samsung in order to make the Gear VR headset load virtual videos faster using dynamic streaming, a feature which allow the user to view the area of a video at the highest resolution, even if the video will be loaded with multiple resolutions.
As for Minecraft, the game is currently supported by devices running on Microsoft Windows OS, X Linux, Raspberry Pi, Android, iOS, Windows Phone, and it can be played as well on consoles such as Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, 4 and Vita, and Wii U.
This game is about building constructions using textured cubes in a 3D world, exploring maps, gathering resources, crafting and combating. There are multiple gameplay modes and in the survival mode, the player will build a world and protect it, while in the creative mode, the players are able to fly and they have unlimited resources to build whatever he wants.
You know what’s popular in Japan?Minecraft. You know what else is popular?Dragon Quest.Dragon Quest Buildersis what happens when you mix the two.
Broken down to its essence,Dragon Quest BuildersisMinecraft, but with direction. InMinecraftyou are basically dropped into a world and sent off to do whatever you want. InDragon Quest Buildersyou are tasked with building a settlement and drawing various NPCs to it, eventually forming a new town and purifying the land. You do this by doing various quests for your fledgling settlement’s inhabitants.
These quests range from the mundane (e.g., cook food) to the epic (e.g., steal two fire-breathing demon statues from a cult deep within a pyramid). However, most are simply to go out, collect materials, and build specific items for the settlement.
There are generally two kinds of roadblocks when it comes to progression in the game. The first comes in the form of major monster assaults on your settlement. At first, these are easily defended against by you alone, though some of your fellow settlers will be sure to join in. But as time goes on, you’ll need to turn your outer walls to stone to prevent them from being broken down, lay out metal spikes around your perimeter, and build a heavy gate with accompanying booby traps.
The other hurdle you’ll need to overcome from time to time is leveling up your settlement. Each object you create is worth a certain number of experience points for the settlement, and while objects typically can be placed anywhere, certain objects placed together in the same room can make that room into a specific type of room, netting bonus points.
For example, six beds, an “inn” sign, and a torch inside a room turns it into a hotel. A stone crafting table, storage box, and torch makes a rock-working room. Of course, the more quests you do and areas you unlock, the more objects you can create, and more types of rooms you can build. You can also find blueprints for specific types of rooms hidden throughout the world.
The world inDragon Quest Buildersis segmented into different islands. Each is filled with different terrain, monsters, plants, and minerals, each of which unlocks via a magic portal as you progress through the quests. The various islands have plenty to explore. In fact, if you’re doing only quests and nothing else, there’s actually a lot to miss, including world boss monsters in the far corners of the world.
After you have completed all the quests for your settlement, you have one final, epic boss battle at the gates of your settlement. The battle involves a mixture of fighting the boss, killing the lesser monsters it summons, and defending your settlement as well as yourself.
Upon beating all the quests in the first world, you unlock a second one where you start in a new location from scratch again. You do this a total of four times to beat the game. Also, after you beat the first world, you also unlock the free roam mode, which basically turns the game into aMinecraftclone where you make your own adventure.
Other than the directed nature of the game, the biggest difference betweenMinecraftandDragon Quest Buildersis actually the camera angle. WhileMinecraftis designed as a first-person affair (so all you have to do is look where you want to place an item),Dragon Quest Buildersis third-person, making the entire building aspect a bit more difficult.
Looking above and below your character is accomplished by using the shoulder buttons (one for looking up, the other for looking down). While looking up and down, your character strafes instead of turning in the direction you move, which is immensely helpful when building. (Pressing both shoulder buttons allows you to strafe and place blocks in front of you.)
While placing blocks is a bit awkward, it isn’t the only odd thing about the third-person camera. As the it usually floats high above your character, it freaks out when indoors, unsure where to go. Mining deep in a mountain has similar problems, leaving you unable to see. Ceilings are such an impediment, you’re better off never building any in your settlement.
The game’s pre-built indoor areas all have ridiculously high ceilings to combat the camera issues. So, if you plan to build any multi-story buildings inDragon Quest Builders, better make that second story freakishly high if you want to be able to see when inside.
Dragon Quest Buildersis exactly what you’d expect. It is a retooledMinecraftwith aDragon Questcoat of paint. I personally enjoyed the quests and direction the game gave me, as well as the fact that free-build mode was unlocked after the first world instead of after beating the whole game. If it weren’t for the problematic third-person camera, there wouldn’t be anything to complain about in this title. Still, even with that issue, if you likeDragon QuestandMinecraft—or wishMinecraftwere a bit more goal oriented—Dragon Quest Buildersis certainly worth a try.
Dragon Quest Builderswas released on January 28, 2016 for the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation Vita. There is currently no word on a Western release.
The extra few days will presumably allow the developer to test and gather feedback on a second pre-release beta version, which squashes a few bugs found in the first one. The second snapshot is available now.
Full update patch notes are not yet available, but fans are pretty excited; 1.9 has been in the works longer than any major release to date.
Note that this update is for mothership Minecraft only – that is, the Mac and PC build, not consoles, mobile or Windows 10, which run on their own update cycles behind the core build.
PLAYA VISTA (CBSLA.com)— Young gamers across the country have been packing movie theaters as part of a tournament with some big bucks at stake.
“It’s just amazing that I can finally … there’s a league for doing something that I like cause I don’t like sports. There’s a league for that,” said Max Cummins, 11, who isn’t interested in traditional sports.
Known as Max5267, the fifth grader is part of Super LeagueGaming, which is basically a video game little league.
For four weeks, kids ages 6 to 14, crowd a movie theater and play Minecraft on the big screen. They’re divided into teams and play against one another as well as leagues across the U.S. and Canada.
Their parents are in the audience cheering them on just as they would in the stands.
Max says it’s no different than playing soccer or football.
“They do it ’cause they enjoy it. It’s their passion and that’s exactly how I feel about Minecraft,” he said.
Minecraft is one of the world’s most popularvideo games. It’s basically a digital version of LEGOs.
The creators of Super League Gaming say this isn’t mindless entertainment. President and COO Brett Morris says Minecraft may not be physical, but it is educational.
“It helps out with STEM [science, technology, engineering, and math education] skills,” Morris said, adding that the game also helps with social skills, critical thinking, and creativity.
“If anything, maybe more here with our events with Minecraft than some traditional afterschool activities,” he said.
Bruce Brownstein, Max’s dad, says it also gets his son out of his bedroom and into a social setting.
“This is great that he gets out and he meets other people with similar interests because he’s never liked team sports for various reasons and this he likes,” Brownstein said.
Indigo Carey likes it too. She’s 9.
“Everybody says that video games are meant to be for boys but also girls can do it,” she said.
Tara Carey, her mom, says her three kids play sports as well but she wanted them to learn how to code, something many of these Minecraft gamers are already doing.
“Technology going forward, I mean, the kids, the younger the better,” she said.
In its second season, Super League Gaming is in 70 theaters across the U.S. and Canada. The cost to play is $60 per player. At the end of this season, the team in first place will split a $15,000college scholarship.
Attention Minecraftfans. Mojang this week launched a newLootCrate-like swag box just for you.
The $29.99 Mine Chest promises all types of Minecraft surprises and DIY crafting projects you’ll be able to do at home. Each month, you’ll get an exclusive Minecraft T-shirt, plus toys, collectables, and more. The boxes are designed for all ages and meant to “last well beyond the un-boxing,” according to the Mine Chest site.
“When you play Minecraft, you never know what you’re going to find when you break past those next few blocks, and that feeling of anticipation can be quite exciting,” Mojang Brand Director Lydia Winters wrote in a blog post. “Well, we wanted to bring that same sense of discovery and creativity, but with cool monthly shipments of Minecraft gear.”
You can sign up now if you’re interested, and the first package ships May 2016.
“Each month a care package of Minecraft collectibles is sourced from an in-game location and shipped straight to your front door,” the Mine Chest site promises. “Who doesn’t love to get packages? Especially from places as far away as the Jungles, Frozen Plains, and even the Nether.”
At this point, Mine Chest is only available for U.S. Minecrafters, but if you live elsewhere, don’t feel too left out. Mojang is “working on a grand plan to get these boxes of joy out to the world,” Winters wrote.
The new service is, of course, similar to Loot Crate, asubscription servicethat focuses on all things nerd. The $20-per-month Lootboxes contain six or more techie, comic, and/or gamer items customized to a different ‘geeky’ theme.
More than 20 million people play it, and nearly 10,000 more every day. Microsoft bought the company that developed it for $2.5 billion. It spawned an entire genre.
Minecraft is not a game like most. Rather than fighting or racing or, the game encourages creativity and collaboration, and offers a blank slate on which entire worlds can be built. More than just hand-eye coordination, which any shoot-’em-up can develop, Minecraft can build visuospatial reasoning skills in a limitless but nonthreatening, kid-friendly way.
A studyconducted by researchers at Australia’s Griffith University, called “Minecraft as a teaching tool: A statistical study of teachers’ experience using Minecraft in the classroom,” concluded that Minecraft can be “very successful as a teaching tool and that learners showed high levels of motivation and participation – which suggests improved learning.”
“More interestingly is the emergence of science and math as subject areas where Minecraft can be used,” the study says. “During construction of large-scale projects, learners might need to calculate the number of blocks required to complete the project. Angles and distances can be calculated too, along with speed, weight, and trajectory (projectiles).”
This Saturday, gamers worldwide, including more than a few at City Center 15: Cinema de Lux in White Plains, will try to out-Minecraft each other, with a $15,000 scholarship awarded to the winner.
For the parents who may not have the slightest idea about this whole Minecraft thing — who know little more than that “it’s like Legos” — here are five things you need to know, a sort-of Minecraft primer for the uninitiated:
It really is like Legos
The basic unit of measurement and construction in Minecraft is a cube, commonly called a block. When you launch a game, you create an entire world — a world so large you can get irretrievably lost — complete with forests, deserts, mountains, savannahs, caves, towns, people, animals and more, all made out of cubes.
You, in the form of a block-based avatar, destroy blocks and strategically place blocks to reshape the three-dimensional online world as you see fit.
Every type of cube has specific attributes — put rock cubes on top of a sand cube and the sand cube will disappear. Set fire to a wooden cube and it will burn. Players spend hours, which can stretch into weeks and years, building ruby cube castles and wooden cube towns and stone cube fortresses.
It’s essentially nonviolent
There are two basic ways to play Minecraft,creative and survival. In creative mode, every type of block is available at the outset, and creatures like zombies and spiders will do no damage to your avatar. You can also fly, which makes building those cloud-high towers a breeze.
On survival mode, every resource must be obtained and managed, food must be consumed and mobs of nefarious block-based creatures must be fended off. There is alsoadventure mode, similar to survival and intended more for multiplayer play.
Zombies and spiders notwithstanding, fighting is not the central activity in any of Minecraft mode, the way it is in “Halo” or “Mortal Kombat.” Building effective fortresses, block by block, is just as important in Minecraft as fighting zombies.
In creative and survival mode, there is no way to “win” in the traditional sense — you build as much or as little as you’d like, as opposed to fight- or race-based games, in which there is a clear winner.
There is in-game chatting
Minecraft is, to a large degree, a one-player game. In order toplay with other people, you must be on the same server, either creating one yourself or joining a public server.
Once you are on the same server and in the same world, you have the ability to chat with other players, and — depending on the server — there are little to no protections on what can and cannot be said.
The emphasis, though, is on collaboration, teams of people working to build a world. The easiest, and safest, way for kids to play together is via the mobile, or pocket, edition which allows gamers using the same wifi signal to join each other’s worlds.
It’s big business
As of Feb. 17, 2016,almost 23 million peoplehad purchased and downloaded the PC version of the game, with nearly 10,000 buying into Minecraft in the previous 24 hours, and that does not count players on XBox gaming systems or mobile phones.
In 2014, Microsoft bought Swedish game developer and Minecraft creator Mojang for $2.5 billion.According to Forbes, as of 2015 the game grossed more than $700 million over the course of its life, with the word “Minecraft” trending more on Google than the Bible, Harry Potter and Justin Bieber.
Sweden native Markus Persson, who created the game, launched it in 2011 and sold Mojang to Microsoft three years later, became an almost overnight billionaire and bought a $70 million Beverly Hills home before 2014 was over.
There is a Minecraft Hell
Yes, you can create a portal to Nether, consider it Minecraft Hell, where giant Chthulu-like squid demons swim through rivers of lava. Going to Nether is a good way to get lost, after which you may have to travel a long way to find your fortress or carefully crafted beach house.
There is also the Minecraft approximation of electricity, called “redstone,” which allows enterprising players to build powered railways, doors that open and close, electric light and more.
Players can also tame wolves to create dogs, breed cattle and sheep and chickens, and perform other real-world activities to create more nuanced gameplay.
HOW DO YOU WIN THE CHAMPIONSHIP?
To be part of the action, visit SuperLeague.com and register. On the site, you can create a team, sign up for an existing team or let Super League assign you to a team. Teams will consist of 4-7 players. The grand prize, a Super League championship trophy and a $15,000 team scholarship (Super League uses a scholarship fund partner to make sure awarded money is used for college only), will be awarded to the team with the highest cumulative score. Teams — which will play for 90 minutes once a week — can visit SuperLeague.com, where they can select Leaderboard and see how other teams rank according to scores. Point totals across the four weeks for all teams will be available on the site. At the end of four weeks, the team with the highest cumulative score wins.
