As you probably knowMinecraft: Wii U Editionhit the Wii U in late December, and it’s doing particularly well in Japan. It’s the number one selling game in theWii U charts in Japanat the moment.
That’s not discouraged publisher Cypronia from releasing its Minecraft-inspired titleCube Life: Island Survivalinto the Japanese territory, however. It launched there this Wednesday for only 1000 Yen (compared to Minecraft’s asking price of 3,888 Yen) and has already found successjumping straight to number 15 in the charts. That’s actually pretty impressive when you see the calibre of games in the charts which it is competing with!
Cypronia assures us it’s not resting on its laurels with the development of the game. Update 1.2 is currently under approval with Nintendo and should be released for free soon; this will offer the ability to share maps in a similar way toSuper Mario Makerand lots more.
The battle of Minecraft and its clones still rages on.
The Solus Project looks like a story-driven Minecraft in space
Survival sandbox games feel a dime-a-dozen these days. And while plenty put their own twist on the genre by adding things like dinosaurs or player permadeath, The Solus Project aims to do something different: it wants to tell a story.
The Solus Project starts with you marooned on a strange planet. There are no creatures here, just plants, caves, ruins, and dangerous weather. There are also no other players to hunt you down – the game is meant to be experienced alone, just you exploring the environment, crafting the resources needed to survive and uncovering the planet’s secrets. It’s just spaceman Joe vs. the alien volcano.
The game is broken up into traditional levels, but each features both open-world exploration and crafting, as well as more linear story content. Judging from the trailer above, I’d say it makes me think of “walking simulator” narrative games like Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture and The Vanishing of Ethan Carter, but with more ways to interact. We’ll have to wait for the game to come out before judging how well it successfully marries the concepts, but color me intrigued.
Developer GRIP Digital plans to release the game episodically via Steam Early Access and Xbox One Preview starting February 18 and February 26, respectively. The final launch, with all levels completed and polished, is planned for May.
New Minecraft Skin Pack Arrives to Celebrate Year of the Monkey
It’s only available on PC and mobile devices.
[UPDATE]When asked if the Journey to the West pack would be making its way to platforms other than PC and mobile, a Microsoft spokesperson gave us this response:
“Each version of Minecraft has different development schedules and timelines for new skin packs and content. We look forward to releasing new and fun content for each in the future, so stay tuned!”
The original story follows:
The Lunar New Year is upon us andMinecraftis getting some new skins to celebrate. Players will be able to dress as characters from the classic Chinese tale,Journey to the West.
TheJourney to the Westskin pack is available right now and includes 15 different characters such as Princess Iron Fan, Lord Hundred-Eyes, and the Monkey King. The entire collection costs $1.99, but players will be able to download characters Red Boy and Guanyin for free.
The pack is only available for Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition (which remains in beta) and Pocket Edition on mobile devices. There has been no mention of it coming to other consoles, but we’ve contacted Microsoft and will update this story if more information becomes available.
Video games don’t get more popular thanMinecraft.It’s charming blend of distinctive graphics and whimsical survival setup were unlike anything we’d seen before. Developers have tried to replicate Mojang’s success withMinecraft,but to no avail. Available along with the Windows 10 operating system itself,Minecraft Windows 10 Editionseeks to clean-up what was already a pretty stellar experience.
The classic versions ofMinecrafthave some rather unsightly requirements. First, purchasing and downloading the game isn’t as seamless and one would assume. That’s because Mojang maintains it’s own Minecraft purchase system separately from Microsoft, the company that purchased the studio a few years ago. Second,Minecrafton desktop has mods that can get a bit unwieldy. The underlying technology that it relies on, Java, can be confusing for some too.
Minecraft Windows 10 Editiontakes steps to solve those nagging problems. Windows 10 users purchase the game directly from Microsoft’s Windows Store. Any credit card or store credit already on their account can be applied to the game. Instead of returning to the Mojang website for extras, users simply go back to the Windows Store to unlock skin packs and add-ons using the same system. Also,Minecraft Windows 10 Editionhas all the stuff you need to get going. You install it and it works, there’s no separate software add-ons to maintain or manage. It does introduce a new wrinkle though, you don’t get to add any mods.
We’ve spent some time withMinecraft for Windows 10.Here are some tips for anyone thinking about purchasing one of the latest editions to theMinecraftecosystem.
Connect a Controller
The first thing anyone playingMinecraft Windows 10 Editionneeds to do is leave their keyboard behind. To be clear, playing with your mouse and keyboard can be great. The game also supports touch. Neither compare to the ease of a controller.
Luckily,Minecraftsupports Microsoft’s own Xbox controllers. You can plug an Xbox One controller directly into your Windows PC with a microUSB cable or opt for the older Xbox 360 controller and a wireless adapter if you want. Other controllers are supported along with these. Microsoft recently released a dedicated Xbox Wireless Adapter that lets you play your games without a cable.
Why Minecraft Windows 10 Edition is So Cheap
Minecraft Windows 10 Editionis cheap, really cheap. In the United States, the game costs just $9.99 from the Windows Store. That’s a lot less than the $26.95 that the desktop version ofMinecraftcosts directly from Mojang’s website. Lots of people are wondering why that is.
Put plainly,Minecraft Windows 10 Editionis in open beta. This means that’s that what you’re buying isn’t necessarily a feature complete game. Instead of waiting to release it, Microsoft opted to make the game available at a steep discount, adding new features to the game when they’re done. Neither Mojang nor Microsoft usually discuss what features are coming before they’re available.
Minecraft Windows 10 Editionhas a lot of nice features, but it’s running behind the Mac and regular PC versions. It’s also missing mod support, which is essential for creating the types of incredible things that people dream up in the game’s sandbox mode. You can add your own character skins if you want.
Note that you don’t have to choose either or. If you buy the regular version ofMinecraftfrom the Mojang website, you unlock the Windows 10 Edition for free.
You Can’t Transfer Your Worlds toMinecraft Windows 10 Edition
Minecraft Windows 10 Editiondoes have one big caveat. You can’t transfer your worlds from other versions of the game to it. For that, Microsoft is still encouraging users to download the regular PC version alongside the Windows 10 version.
Don’t Worry About Updating
Microsoft’s internal team and the Windows Store app that you have installed on your device will handle all the heavy lifting related toMinecraft Windows 10 Edition.You’ll never need to go out and find a software update, the latest updates are published into the Windows Store, where your Windows 10 computer will then grab them and install them behind-the-scenes.
Introducing The Games Bar
Along with the Xbox app itself,Minecraft Windows 10 Editionsupports Windows 10’s Games Bar. Press the Windows key and G key on your keyboard to get access to screenshots and video clip recording directly from your game. If you have a controller connected, the Games Bar is always available by pressing the Xbox logo on that controller.
Play Minecraft With Friends
Any otherMinecraft Windows 10 Editionplayer on your same network can play along with you in your worlds. Microsoft revealed that it would add Xbox Live connectivity to the game in a future update so that users can play together across devices. The company said so in anFAQabout the game published at launch. The feature is now available, though it’s buried in the game’s Options area.
Already, the company has implemented some useful features and laid the groundwork.Minecraft Windows 10 Editionforces users to login into their Xbox Live account because it comes with Xbox Live Achievements. The Xbox app that comes installed on Windows 10 devices allows users to send messages over Xbox Live and start Xbox Live Parties with other Windows 10 and Xbox One owners.
Mojang and Microsoft keep theMinecraftcommunity updated with news directly through the Game Hub in the Xbox app too. Go there for the latest news about the game and questions about your experience with it so far.
Microsoft’s new Minecraft Education Edition – written in C++ – will outrun the Java version
The forthcoming Minecraft: Education Edition, written in C++, looks faster and smoother than the old Java version, but won’t be compatible with all the old mods. If Microsoft mis-handles the transition, a split could damage the Minecraft community that underpins the game’s stunning success….
Image credit: Microsoft
This summer, Microsoft will release a beta ofMinecraft: Education Editionwritten in C++ rather than Java, which looks like removing the performance problems associated with running the current version of Minecraft. The Education Edition should run well on the types of Windows laptop commonly found in schools, and in homes.
Microsoft announced the Education Edition at the BETT 2016 educational technology exhibition held last week in London. Microsoft also announced that it hadpurchased MinecraftEDU, an educational version of Minecraft, from Teacher Gaming LLC. (SeeMicrosoft acquires MinecraftEdu from Teacher Gaming.) MinecraftEDU will not be developed any further, but most of its features will be implemented in the Education Edition.
Minecraft: Education Edition also builds on and extends the Windows 10 version of Minecraft. This is based on the Pocket Edition of Minecraft (MCPE), which is written in C++, not in Java. At BETT, a Microsoft programmer told me that the aim for the Education Edition was to support all the features of the Java version. It will also include extra features that will enable teachers to control large multi-player sessions, including new commands such as Build Allow and Build Deny.
In schools and colleges that use Office 365, students will be able to log on to Minecraft using their Office credentials. Alternatively, the Education Edition can easily be set up on a peer-to-peer classroom network, without a server.
At BETT, early versions of the Education Edition were running impressively smoothly with high-resolution graphics settings on the Minecraft stand.
It remains to be seen how much of the Java version can be incorporated in the C++ version, which runs on Windows 10 PCs, tablets, smartphones and games consoles. It should be possible to import worlds, skins, maps and similar mods. However, mods written in Java code will not be compatible.
The Education Edition is both a solution and a problem for both Microsoft and the Minecraft community. It looks like providing the higher performance that Minecraft players have wanted for years. However, removing the ability to create Java-style mods might well diminish the community supporting the game. That would be extremely bad news for Microsoft, and for its$2.5 billion investment in Mojang, Minecraft’s developer.
What follows is speculation….
At the moment, it looks as though there will be two versions of Minecraft – a Standard Edition and an Education Edition – with the latter feeding off the former. At first, these will have somewhat different features and capabilities, and different target audiences.In the future, however, it seems likely that most Minecraft players will learn the new C++ version first, either in schools or on their own Windows 10 laptops, or via the Pocket edition on smartphones, tablets, and games consoles. The old Java version could therefore see a relative decline: its users may become just a small minority of the expanded market.
Obviously, Mac OS X and Linux have no problems running C++ code, but it remains to be seen whether Microsoft will port the Education Edition to these rival platforms. If it doesn’t, Windows 10 will have an advantage in the education market. If it does, it could be the beginning of the end for the Java version. Why support two code-bases if you only need
Minecraft shaders: 10 of the best Minecraft graphics mods
Minecraft shaders. What is a Minecraft shader? Why is it? And for how long? Well, Minecraft has a lot of things in its favour: infinite replayability, massively varied gameplay and a constantly changing and improving online game. Where Minecraft falters in comparison to other modern games is its graphics. Fortunately, as with everything in Minecraft, the graphical fidelity can be tweaked to incredible effect with the help of mods called shaders.
From photorealistic lighting to uncanny motion blur, shaders are capable of bringing your Minecraft experience to life. Every shader has its own unique qualities, whether that’s injecting some serious style or providing a lag-free boost to Minecraft’s base visuals. So, in order to set you on your way to crystal-clear vistas we’ve put together a collection of the top Minecraft shaders out there.
How to install Minecraft shaders
Getting a shader or shader pack up and running on Minecraft is a simple enough process. Before you get started trying to install a shader pack though, you’ll want to download and installForgeandOptifineandGLSL Shaders Mod.
Head to Forge’s download page and select the download for the version of Minecraft you’re running. Once downloaded, locate the file and run it, which should bring a install window up. Check it’s located your Minecraft folders and then click ‘Install client’. To check it’s working, run Minecraft and select Forge as your profile – this should give you a new screen with your mods and programs listed in the bottom left-hand corner.
Optifine will require roughly the same procedure, but after downloading you’ll have to locate the Minecraft folder yourself. To do so hit [Windows key]+ R and type %appdata%\.minecraft into the run prompt. Now just drag and drop OptiFine into your ‘mods’ folder.
Finally, it’s time to grab the GLSL Shaders Mod. Head to their page and download the correct version before once again dragging and dropping it into the ‘mods’ folder. Now you have everything you should need to run shaders. The install process in no different than the rest except you’ll want to place the shader packs into… you guessed it… ‘shaderpacks’ folder.
Sonic Ether’s Unbelievable Shaders
The touchstone shader pack for anyone wanting to feel like they’ve entered an entirely different game. NamedSEUSfor short, this pack is a modification on another much-loved shader pack, and as such it’ll have your Minecraft world looking about as good as you can ever expect it to. Soft natural lighting, rain that adds a glossy sheen to every surface it touches, procedurally generated clouds and much more await you.
Lagless Shaders
Experimenting, tinkering and modding like the mad scientists we are comes with the cost of severely reduce performance – not every budding Minecraft engineer has a computer rig capable of dealing with the demands of high-fidelity visuals. Thankfully, some clever so-and-so madelagless shaders, giving everyone a taste of jaw-dropping visuals with no framerate drops to speak of.
Summer Sunset
Few things compare to the warming glow of asummer sunset. That’s why this Minecraft modder decided to make a shader capable of bestowing all of those feelings of nostalgia and carefree-living upon your Minecraft world. Perfect for getting you through a dark and gloomy January afternoon or convincing yourself you’ve spent time outside on a hot June day.
Naelego’s Cel Shaders
Add some crisp, cartoony visuals to proceedings with this Borderlands-inspired, cel-shaded look. This expertly craftedshaderintroduces bold colours, crisp outlines and solid shadows in order to emulate the look of a classic comic or cartoon.
itsMagicMelon Shader Pack
Specially made for low-end setups, this humble shader gives lighting, effects and animations a dramatic boost with little to no toll on how well the game will run for you. Staggeringly, theitsMagicMelon Shader Packstill manages to include all the features of its performance-draining counterparts, such as water reflections, natural shadows and hosts of animations.
Acid Shaders
Flawless visuals and breathtaking sunsets are one thing, but if you want to make your Minecraft session a little psychedelic there are few shaders as effective asthis aptly named mind-bender. Looking towards the horizon will cause everything in view to twist and distort, folding the world in on itself and falling away in a single motion – it’s stomach-churning stuff. Load up a horror map with this shader turned on and you’re all set for a Minecraftian nightmare.
RudoPlays Shaders
Every shader has its best feature,this onehas lots of them. Arresting sunsets, swaying foliage and vibrant colours are just some of the additions that make RudoPlays’ pack so great. This shader rests somewhere between photorealistic and classic Minecraft, making it an ideal bolt-on for anyone looking to add an aesthetic kick to the vanilla game.
Ziipzaap’s Shader Pack
Sure,Ziipzaap’s Shader packprovides a hearty boost to Minecraft’s general lighting, but it’s the quality of the reflections that have been added to water which make this shader stand out. Our recommendation: find a large body of water, sit back and bask in the glory of those pristine reflections until the sun sets and it’s time to return to the safety of your hut.
Hexagon’s Night Owl Shader Pack
Survival mode places a great amount of emphasis on surviving the night, which means attempting to adequately light a pitch-black world while defending yourself.This useful shaderlights the night up with a convincing moonlight glow, making slaying mobs and exploring your surroundings considerably easier in early game.
The Wave
The Waveis another hypnotic shader that’ll give VR a run for its money where motion sickness is concerned. Stirring your vision as much as it stirs your stomach, The Wave makes the world around you roll about like… well… waves. It’s off-putting, nauseating, but totally awesome, especially when the sun’s setting.
That’s it – Minecraft shaders aplenty. If you’ve found any more that you think belong in the list then let us know in the comments.
