by Stone Marshall | Dec 4, 2015 | Minecraft News |
Listen up you little Creepers and Zombies out there. Microsoft wants to teach you how to code using Minecraft as a teacher.
On Monday, Microsoft announced a partnership with Code.org that will teach kids (and adults) the basics of computer science in an hour using Minecraft-themed lessons. Microsoft bought Mojang, the Swedish video game company behind the hit game,
for $2.5 billion last year, and wants to use the title to get the more than 100 million players around the world interested in coding.
The new Minecraft module is part of Code.org’s third annual Hour of Code, a worldwide campaign that tries to demystify code by teaching the basics of computer science in just an hour. The Hour of Code takes place during Computer Science Education Week from December 7 – 13.
Minecraft, released in 2009, has no storyline to speak of, but instead lets players create their own worlds and explore others in an infinite digital sandbox.
If users sign up for the free Hour of Code Minecraft module, they’ll learn how to use blocks of code to make Steve or Alex, the two main character skins from the game, adventure through a Minecraft world. Other modules, including some based on Star Wars, “Frozen” and other popular content, are also available on the Code.org site.
Minecraft lead developer Jens Bergensten provides the introductory video for the Minecraft module, and and other members of the Mojang team walk students through the process of building code to get their characters to achieve various goals like shearing sheep and breaking down trees into wood resources.
“A core part of our mission to empower every person on the planet is equipping youth with computational thinking and problem-solving skills to succeed in an increasingly digital world,” Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said a statement. “With Minecraft and Code.org, we aim to spark creativity in the next generation of innovators in a way that is natural, collaborative and fun.”
Students who choose the Microsoft module will tackle a series of 14 coding challenges, including some free play time so they can take the coding tactics they learn during the module and explore the Minecraft world with code. The Minecraft module is available for crafting now.
Microsoft and Code.org want to teach kids to code with Minecraft
by Stone Marshall | Dec 4, 2015 | Minecraft News |
It’s the battle of the heavyweights as the legendary Mario from the Super Mario video game series takes on the guy from Minecraft in this video published Sunday by Dorkly.
In the clip, Mario and Minecraft Guy — aka The Player, or Steve or Steve? — try to determine once and for all which video game franchise is better. Things get heated the second Minecraft Guy comes into the room, calling Mario “Chef Boyardee,” which really sets Mario off.
The two argue about which franchise is more popular, whether or not people are actually playing any Mario games on the Wii U gaming console and how long kids have spent playing each respective franchise.
Ultimately, the video makes it seem like Minecraft is the winner here, but I have to disagree. I’d much rather sit down with my kiddo and build a level of iconic Mario side-scrolling goodness in the new Mario Maker game than watch him build things in Minecraft.
For me, at least, Mario’s nostalgia easily wins out over the creativity afforded by the blocky sandbox construction game of Minecraft. But maybe that’s justa-me, Mario fan.
Let us know which video game franchise you think is best in the comments.
Mario takes on Minecraft Guy in battle of the video games
by Stone Marshall | Nov 30, 2015 | Minecraft News |
I know that many Minecraft: Pocket Edition [$6.99] players have been anxiously waiting for redstone to be added to the game, and we are finally very, very close to at least trying to build amazing contraptions. MCPE developer, Tomasso Checchi, mentioned out of nowhere the other day that the 0.13 update had been submitted to Apple a while ago. The quite short cycle of this update bodes well for the game’s future because in the past, we had to wait a lot between updates. Now, the road to version parity appears to be both shorter and smoother. Depending on when the update was actually submitted, we might even get it this week, which would be great.
In case you haven’t been following the game’s news, the 0.13 update will bring redstone circuits, redstone lamps, redstone torches, levers, tripwire hooks and tripwire, daylight sensor, pressure plates, buttons, weighted pressure plates, detector rails, activator rails, trapped chests, note blocks, faster boats (finally), bouncing rabbits, iron doors, desert temples, and more. No pistons or dispensers, yet. This is a pretty huge update that will help me add a steampunk aesthetic to my castle. Trust me, simply being able to walk into your castle without having to manually open the door (courtesy of pressure plates) saves so much time.
‘Minecraft: Pocket Edition’ 0.13 (Redstone) Update Has Already Been Submitted for Review
by Stone Marshall | Nov 29, 2015 | Minecraft News |
The third entry to Telltale Games’ new series “Minecraft: Story Mode” has finally been released, and if the last two games were able to keep your attention, you’re bound to know what’s in store for this title.
The third episode is titled “The Last Place You Look” and takes place right where the last episode left players hanging. Along with introducing a new part of the “Minecraft” world, the mysterious creatures known as the Endermen are brought to this entry and play a major role.
Here are what the critics are saying about the third chapter:
Gamespot
Gamespot finds this entry to be the best in the series so far despite being noticeably short.
“Minecraft Story Mode’s third episode is the best so far, weaving action and story in a tight, focused package. This is another short episode (my first playthrough clocked in at less than 90 minutes), which makes Story Mode a little on the brief side compared to recent Telltale offerings. But that brevity is my biggest complaint, which, if you look at it from the most charitable view, means the game never outstayed its welcome. Story Mode remains a great experience–especially if you’re playing with younger fans of Minecraft–and my anticipation for the next episode remains high.”
We Got This Covered
We Got This Covered found “The Last Place You Look” to be a huge improvement from the last entries and advises Telltale Games keeps up the pace.
“The Last Place You Look is undeniably a major improvement over the last outing, and hopefully Telltale can keep this momentum going for the remaining episodes. They’re continuing to get an impressive amount of material out of a license many fans doubted, and while it would still be nice to get longer installments, people who enjoyed the first portion of the season will get another very enjoyable outing here.”
God is a Geek
God is a Geek concurs that the series is on an incline with this title, but still believes there’s a lot to be desired from the developers.
“This is the strongest entry to date in Minecraft: Story Mode. It still isn’t hitting the heights of some of Telltale Games’ best work, but this episode makes good strides in that direction. It has a lot more action than the previous two, and the narrative is tighter, with greater focus on character development and progression. I’m interested to see how the next episode plays out, and going on the release schedule for the first three episodes, hopefully we won’t have to wait too long.”
Game Informer
Game Informer highlights the entry’s progression in narrative and action, which makes it the best out of the three so far.
“With a feeling of real narrative progression, strong action sequences, and a script that draws you in to the events unfolding in the story, The Last Place You Look is Minecraft: Story Mode’s best episode yet. Episode 3 gets the series back on track and make any fears I had stemming from Episode 2 feel like a distant memory.”
Minecraft Story Mode Episode Three: ‘The Last Place You Look’ – Review Roundup; Best Entry In The Series So Far
by Stone Marshall | Nov 29, 2015 | Minecraft News |
Two new updates are coming to the Minecraft game on Xbox consoles. A new holiday pack for the Minecraft: Story Mode – Episode 3: The Last Place is now available for the Minecraft fans that are playing this game from their Xbox consoles.
Telltale Games and Mojang have worked on the Minecraft: Story Mode – Episode 3: The Last Place and it seems that this new episode is finally available on both the Xbox 360 and Xbox One consoles.
Lawrence Hryb (aka Major Nelson), director of programming at Microsoft, made the announcement a few days ago, on November 24, 2015, that the Minecraft: Story Mode – Episode 3 : The Last Place is available for download on Xbox 360 and Xbox One.
We remind you that two other episodes from “Minecraft: Story Mode” are expected to be released for Xbox 360, Xbox One and PC. To get access to all five episodes, the players will need to pay 24.99 dollars for the PC version or 29.99 dollars for the Xbox 360 or Xbox One version.
Minecraft: Holiday Pack for Xbox One
In another post, Hryb announced that the Minecraft: Xbox One Edition has received a new holiday pack. In concordance with WinBeta, the holiday pack for the Minecraft game on Xbox One will contain a full digital version of the game along with a number of DLCs.
Even if Christmas is not here yet, the game also includes the Festive Mash-up DLC which features Santa Skins, new music, snow textures and a “festive world”. In addition, the holiday pack comes with three texture packs: City Texture Pack, Minecraft Fantasy texture Pack and Nature Texture Pack.
In addition, the players will notice that they will have two skin packs: Beasts skin pack and Battle Skin pack that will allow them to customize their characters. If you are a Halo fan, then you should know that you will receive some “Halo” textures, music and skins along with a “Halo” themed Minecraft world.
Minecraft Story Mode Episode 3 The Last Place is Now Available
by Stone Marshall | Nov 26, 2015 | Minecraft News |
For years, those of us wanting to drink our fill of butterbeer had to travel all the way to Orlando, Florida.
Thanks to Universal Studios Hollywood, fans will soon have their own Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Universal City, California.
If you can’t wait until spring, when the theme park is set to open, you can get a peek in a video posted Thursday on YouTube.
A Hogwarts Express conductor takes you on a tour of Hogsmeade village, where you can visit some of the wizarding world’s best shops like Zonko’s Joke Shop and Dervish and Banges.
There’s the Owl Post so you can send letters home with the official Hogsmeade mail post. Hogwarts castle and Hagrid’s hut both get a shoutout for fans hoping that Hollywood’s Harry Potter attraction has the same enchanted destinations as its Florida counterpart.
If you’re hungry from all that magical shopping, there are eateries like Three Broomsticks and Hogshead Pub. Honeydukes candy shop is on hand to replenish our supply of chocolate frogs. Ollivanders wand shop is there too, of course.
The new park also promises rides like the immersive “Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey” and “Flight of the Hippogriff.”
I’m counting down the days till I can wave my new wand and get hopped up on butterbeer.
