Five years ago, danrharvey wanted to “get stuck into a creative mode build” in Minecraft. Looking back on it today, he’s built something that’s not only original, but beautiful.
“It was fairly aimless at first”, he says, “I just started building a castle, with tunnels beneath, then about three or four months in, during an electrical storm my computer crashed and the save game corrupted. Disheartened, I stepped away from the game for a while, but it began to stew in my mind to start a new build, but it had to be big, and cool. Then one morning I awoke from a dream with an idea fully formed in my head. I’d build a castle with four different sides, because Minecraft is on a square grid. Each side would be similar, especially around the central tower, but as you moved out, the four sides would take on their own personality and function.”
The “Fortress” side.
Those four are a “Fortress” side (with defensive ramparts), a “Residence” side (with housing and gardens), a “Town” side (with stores and churches) and a “Factory” side (with farms and the buildings that power the rest of the build).
The level of detail borders on the obsessive throughout the castle, but then, that’s what makes it so amazing. The more little nooks, crannies and quirks, the more it comes across as a real place.
He even made his own custom resource pack for the build, whipping up his own mossy stone, glass and castle decorations.
Apple CEO Tim Cook revealed today that Microsoft is planning to bring Minecraft to the Apple TV. While it was a brief mention on stage at Apple’s event, Cook did reveal you’ll be able to build worlds straight from the Apple TV. It’s likely that the app will be similar to the existing Pocket Edition for iOS, allowing you to play with other Minecraft players across multiple platforms.
Following an E3 tease earlier this year, Minecraft’s “Boss Update” for the Pocket version and Windows 10 has finally arrived. The most exciting aspect of this update has to be the add-on system, which allows players to edit various values in the game to create their own modified Minecraft experience.
It’s not full-on modding, because Minecraft players can only tweak existing values. Even so, the update represents a big step forward for the game, which has had no official mod support at all so far. So far the only entities that can be modified are mobs and NPCs, but presumably if this roll-out goes well, we will see the add-on capability extended to other areas of the game as well.
One add-on I sampled was a castle attack/defense map with wacky mob changes, like attack rabbits and witches riding wolves. Another add-on I experimented included a city under attack by aliens, which naturally you have to save.
These maps were thoroughly underwhelming. Castle Siege was an unplayable confusion of glitching and teleporting mobs that chugged so badly, it threatened to brick both my phone and my tablet. Actually, this is apparently a common occurence with other players: reports around the web say that the update is very taxing to mobile hardware, to the point of crashing on some older devices.
Alien Invasion was little more than a thin coat of paint on the base game—the aliens still sound and behave like zombies and skeletons (because they are). As usual, Mojang tapped some very talented builders—in this case, YouTuber Sethbling—and the maps are lovingly crafted, with tons of small details, decorative flourishes, and clever builds that show off Minecraft. Even so, add-ons still need work.
With add-ons, you can only edit existing values, not create new ones, so if you want to build a new mob you have to replace an old one. It’s not a huge problem, but not letting players populate the world with new mobs seems like an oversight.
Though the official offerings leave a lot to be desired and the add-on system is still limited, it shows potential. With add-ons, there is room to experiment in interesting ways: exploding sheep, deadly rabbits, chickens the size of houses, you name it. Small tweaks can be made to mob behavior and values to make the game more or less dangerous, opening up a lot of avenues for experimentation.
The update also allows resource packs to change the look of your game, and comes with four professionally designed packs that can be bought on the store. Players will be able to upload their own resource packs, but it’s easy to be a little cynical about this particular addition. given Minecraft already has a dedicated community of artists and modders who have been creating resource packs on the original Java edition for years, and they are are bound to be frustrated by the addition of support and paid resources for MCPE instead.
Largely because of this, the add-on system is likely to divide the community even further. This update is for Minecraft Pocket Edition and Windows 10, but the mod community heavily favors the original Java edition, and have been asking for something like this for half a decade.
The success and failure of the add-on system will hinge on whether or not modders and creators can be enticed to make the shift from the Java edition to the MCPE edition, and so far there’s not a lot of enthusiasm for that. Without more are better tools, the best minds are likely to stick with what they know.
Rob Guthrie is a lapsed academic who writes about history, video games, and weird internet things. Follow him @RobertWGuthrie for pithy Tweets and lukewarm takes.
There are many users who like to change the look of their Windows 10 Desktop, using all kinds of themes. Next spring, Microsoft will release Windows 10 Creators Update, which will bring Paint 3D and other 3D tools, as well as a new menu under Themes section which will include a color picker and a sidebar on the right side, which will allow users to customize the experience to their own liking. In addition, there will be plenty paid themes that will be purchased directly from the Windows Store.
Windows 10 Creators Update will be launched next spring and it will come as a free upgrade with 3D-focused tools. Microsoft’s plans to bring a new version of Microsoft Paint were leaked a few weeks ago and recently, the company has announced that Windows Insiders are allowed to test out an early version of this application. Paint 3D app was also published in the Windows Store, but it can be installed only on devices running on Windows 10 Creators Update, and this means that’s available only to Insiders who are part of Microsoft’s online community. The modernized Paint app will allow them to export their creations and share them with the rest of the Insiders, or they can download 3D objects created by others.
But Windows 10 Creators Update is not only about creating 3D objects in Paint. Microsoft will introduce many features and users will be given a free hand to customize the look of Windows 10 the way they like. In the 1.14-minute promotional video that Microsoft has posted on YouTube, the company has revealed that soon, users will be able to select from thousands of possible shades of accent colors, as in the Personalization section of the Settings page will be found a new color picker with 50 accent colors.
During an event held in New York, Microsoft unveiled its newest additions to Windows 10 that will showcase a brand new gaming experience and improve user’s creativity.
One of the most noteworthy add-ons that came with the Windows 10 Creator update is the Paint 3D Preview. It helps users turn 2D images instantly into 3D objects with a simple press of a button.
Microsoft is also introducing Remix 3D along with the Windows 10 Creator update that will maintain uploads coming from the SketchUp app. This is one of the company’s initiatives to create an online community that caters to 3D printing fans.
Customers can also purchase new themes for Windows 10 which Microsoft has made available in the Windows Store. A new personalization section is now going to be included on the online store that comes complete with different themes that can transform the overall appearance of Windows 10.
The Windows 10 Creator update also added new attributes to the Xbox with streaming broadcasts and e-sports. A new tournament creation mode has also been generated so that gamers can customize their brackets. This is the result of Microsoft’s recent partnership with Beam that helps the company with the streaming service.
The Surface Studio is Microsoft’s newest all-in-one PC release that has a 28-inch PixelSense display that uses 13.5million pixels, along with a TrueColor quality that makes the colors on the screen vivid. The touch screen is around 12.5 mm, which is the thinnest measurement for an LCD monitor ever made.
Microsoft has included for the PC an Intel Core i5 processor along with an 8GB RAM and 1TB hybrid drive. The Surface Studio monitor can also be swiveled down to a 20-degree angle thanks to a zero gravity hinge. The entire PC unit is priced at around $2,999.
Microsoft also included on the update the Surface Dial that can be used with the screen of the Surface Studio. The dial will be automatically sensed by the system and it will generate tool sets and buttons for users that will help them in editing different designs.
The Microsoft Surface Dial is fully compatible with the Surface Book, along with the Surface Pro 3 and 4. The Surface Dial is priced at $99 and is available for pre-order.
On other tech news, Apple announced that the popular video game title “Minecraft” will be added to the lineup of the fourth-generation Apple TV roster before 2016 is over. Other details were not revealed so fans of the game are unsure whether “Minecraft” Pocket or another version will be made available.
“Microsoft Monday” takes a look back at the past week of news related to Microsoft. This week, “Microsoft Monday” includes details about a fake “Blue Screen of Death” malware that is spreading, the free games for Xbox Live Gold members in November, the Windows 10 Creators Update, the Surface Book i7, the Surface Studio, the Surface Dial, the new MyPeople feature, Minecraft coming to Apple TV and more!
Microsoft Warns That A Fake BSoD Malware Called Hicurdismos Is Spreading
There is a new type of malware that is spreading known as “Hicurdismos.” Hicurdismos poses as Microsoft Security Essentials installer software. In Windows 8 and Windows 10, Windows Defender is installed and enabled by default. But some users might believe they need to download and install Microsoft Security Essentials.
Recently Microsoft discovered a threat detected as SupportScam:MSIL/Hicurdismos, which pretends to be a Microsoft Security Essentials installer. And Hicurdismos shows a fake Windows error message (known as the BSoD or the “blue screen of death”). The normal BSoD requires the user to reboot the computer, but the fake one recommends users to call a fake technical support number. Here is what the fake BSoD looks like:
Fake Blue Screen of Death by Hicurdismos / Photo Credit: Microsoft
And this is what the fake Hicurdismos installer looks like:
Hicurdismos fake security installer / Photo Credit: Microsoft
“The threat of technical support scams has been around for years, but it’s recently been observed to be growing. We’ve seen attackers becoming more sophisticated with their social engineering tactics to try to mislead users into calling for technical support and then they are asked for payment to ‘fix the problem’ on the PC that does not exist. Real error messages from Microsoft do not include support contact details,” said Microsoft in a blog post.
In the month of November, Xbox Live Gold users will be eligible for four new free games — two on the Xbox One and two on the Xbox 360. And both of the Xbox 360 games can be played on the Xbox One with backward compatibility.
Xbox One
Xbox Live Gold members can download Super Dungeon Bros for free during the month of November. And Murdered: Soul Suspect will be available for free from November 16th – December 15th.
Xbox 360
Monkey Island: SE will be free for Xbox Live Gold members between November 1st – November 15th. And Xbox Live Gold members can download Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon for free between November 16th – November 30th.
Microsoft Announces Windows 10 Creators Update, Surface Book i7, Surface Studio, Surface Dial And MyPeople
Last week, Microsoft hosted a Windows 10 event in New York City where it announced the Windows 10 Creators Update and several new devices.
Windows 10 Creators Update
Microsoft is emphasizing new creativity and gaming experiences with the Windows 10 Creators Update. One of the biggest additions is Paint 3D Preview.
Paint 3D / Photo Credit: Microsoft
Paint 3D Preview allows users to quickly create 3D objects. Using Paint 3D Preview, you can also turn 2D images into 3D objects “with just a click.” And Minecraft players will be able to 3D print items from the game Paint 3D. Microsoft is creating an online community of 3D printing fans to share their work and upload creations called Remix 3D. Remix 3D will support uploads from the SketchUp application.
The Creators Update also adds new features to Xbox such as e-sports and streaming broadcasts. Microsoft announced it has partnered with a company called Beam for the streaming partnership. And there is a tournament creation mode so users can customize brackets. In the past, Microsoft organized the Arena tournaments.
Microsoft Partners With Five Companies For Virtual Reality
At the Windows 10 event, Microsoft announced it has partnered with 5 companies for its VR headset platform. The five companies include HP, Dell, Lenovo, Asus and Acer. These five companies will build virtual reality headsets with starting prices of $299. This means that there will be many more options than having to pick between VR headsets made by Oculus and HTC.
The new devices that were announced include the the Surface Book i7, Surface Studio and the Surface Dial.
Surface Book i7
Surface Book i7 / Photo Credit: Microsoft
The Surface Book i7 is the successor to the 13.5-inch Surface Book released in 2015. In comparison to the previous Surface Book, the Surface Book i7 has 30% more battery life meaning it has up to 16 hours of battery life rather than 12 hours in the previous model. The Surface Book has an Intel Core i7 processor, an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 965M GPU and a detachable 13-inch display. The retail price of the Surface Book i7 starts at $2,399. At the starting price, the Surface Book i7 has 8GB of RAM and 256 SSD storage. With the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 965M GPU and 2GB GDDR5 memory, the Surface Book i7 is able to push 1.9 teraflops of graphics which gives it double the performance of last year’s model.
Microsoft Surface Studio
Microsoft also unveiled an all-in-one PC called the Surface Studio. The Surface Studio has a 12.5mm touch screen, making it the thinnest LCD monitor ever built. The monitor is a 28-inch PixelSense Display with 13.5 million pixels and a TrueColor feature making colors appear rich and vivid. With a zero gravity hinge, the monitor can be brought down to a 20-degree angle.
The Surface Studio has a starting price of $2,999. This model includes an Intel Core i5 processor, 1TB hybrid drive and 8GB RAM.
Surface Dial
Surface Dial / Photo Credit: Microsoft
Another major hardware announcement was the Surface Dial. The Surface Dial can be placed on the screen of the Surface Studio. From there, the Surface Studio will be able to automatically detect the location of the dial to generate buttons and toolsets for artists to edit designs. This tool would be especially useful for scrolling and zooming. You can also use the Dial to click or tap to pull up certain features. The Surface Dial – which is also compatible with the Surface Pro 3, Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book – is available for pre-order now at a cost of $99.
MyPeople
Microsoft MyPeople
Microsoft is also working on new features as part of the Windows 10 Creators Update so that you can message people from the desktop similar to the way Apple’s iMessage platform works. The MyPeople feature will show you your contacts at the bottom right of the screen and you can send them content without having to open up a separate app.
“With MyPeople, you get faster ways to connect and share with the people who matter most. Instantly access your key people from the taskbar, use apps of your choice to connect, send emojis, and share files or photos with drag-and-drop,” says Microsoft.
The Windows 10 Creators Update is expected to launch in the spring of 2017.
Minecraft Coming To Apple TV
Minecraft / Image Credit: Mojang
During the Mac announcement last week, Apple CEO Tim Cook discussed an Apple TV update. The Apple TV now has over 8,000 apps and it will soon be getting Minecraft, the popular sandbox game created by Microsoft’s Mojang. Specifically, Minecraft should be added to the Apple TV by the end of the year. To optimize the game play experience, you will most likely want to buy a third party controller for the Apple TV.
