6 Ways Minecraft Changes in VR
The Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition beta is now available on Oculus Rift, and it brings a handful of surprising changes to Minecraft’s well-loved gameplay.
Since Minecraft on Oculus puts you virtually into the game, the size of individual mobs is surprisingly intimidating. I hadn’t even noticed that Zombies were taller than players until I had to look up at one of them who was sticking his big, blocky arms through my front door, making that creepy groaning sound under his breath. The threat of taking damage is the same as it has always been, but the invasion of space that comes with a seemingly giant mob chasing ‘me’ made me run away a lot more often than stay and fight like I usually would. This is made even more intense by the Oculus’ built-in positional audio. It sounds just like whatever chasing you really is physically behind you.
Caves are just as creepy as mobs, especially if you run out of torches. Craning your neck around trying to see in complete darkness is seriously stressful. I’ve probably never been as happy to see lava in Minecraft as I was when I was in VR — the light is a safe haven from completely consuming darkness.
Having your entire field of vision be encompassed by the caves’ near-black is both unsettling and a little claustrophobic, especially since while you’re pickaxing your way down, you’re usually packed into relatively small spaces by stone, too. Not stocking up on torches (or the wood you need to make them) before you head into a mineshaft is now not only an inconvenience, but a pretty big source of stress.
Something about aiming by moving your head rather than my moving your mouse (or thumbstick) makes combat feel a lot more personal, and with that comes a much greater sense of control. It’s a little odd to see your sword floating along in front of you in VR, but facing one of those giant mobs and swinging feels significantly more triumphant than it does in non-VR Minecraft, because it feels like that sword is really yours. It’s like an extension of your body rather than an extension of your character, and that, teamed with the whole ‘mobs are huge and invade your space’ thing, makes combat much more satisfying. The bow specifically is a lot of fun to aim in VR, too, and definitely feels a lot more accurate than using a controller.
When playing Minecraft normally I can get orientated in caves and mines pretty easily because I’m not all that immersed. I’m able to comfortably look around and take mental notes. Your sense of ‘place’ is a very different in VR, where you’re constantly overwhelmed by the appearance of new environments, even if you consciously know you’re only there visually.
This meant I got lost a whole lot — it’s like my short-term memory was totally disabled. I’m sure we’ll learn more about this as VR technology becomes more commonplace, and I’m not sure if this was specific to me, but I feel like the constant feed of new imagery to absorb caused my brain to ignore important things like, you know, where the hell I am, and which direction I came from.
What do you do when you’re 128 blocks high in the Minecraft world?
As a person who isn’t at all afraid of heights, I might sell this a little short, but one of my first experiments was try to get to the highest point in a nearby jungle. I did, and was mostly just impressed by the view — Minecraft’s relaxing music made that feel serene more than anything. So, I decided to step it up, and used the ‘put blocks on top of each other while jumping’ trick to build myself into the highest point of the game — 128 blocks high. The vertigo kicked in at about 60, and by the time I made it to the maximum, I started feeling noticeably dizzy, in ways non-VR Minecraft definitely never made me feel.
But then, what do you do when you’re 128 blocks high in the Minecraft world? You jump off, of course. Seeing the grass below quickly rush towards my eyes was almost inexplicably disturbing, when it’s something that normally wouldn’t bother me at all.
When thinking about video game universes I’d like to exist in, Minecraft was never all that high on the list, losing points for its unnatural, blocky appearance. That, mixed with being in first-person perspective, is pretty brutal in VR. There are various VR-specific options in the settings menu, including one that makes looking left to right more choppy, to avoid the sickness that comes with the world changing horizontally without your body moving that way. It’s helpful, but, as someone who is already motion-sickness-sensitive, it was always uncomfortable. I had to take frequent breaks.
Thankfully, there is a theater-style mode, too, that places you in a chair in a Minecraft-esque house, and has you ‘play’ on a virtual TV in front of you. It seems a little pointless to simulate a living room while you’re playing Minecraft in VR in your living room, but it is a much more fitting environment, at least, and it completely erased any motion-sickness I had.
Minecraft’s Free Tumble Mini-Game Is A Blast
Following fast on the heels of Mojang’s first console mini-game—Battle—is another competitive arena game mode, but this time with a little bit more polish and a lot more fun. Rather than trying to badly emulate the highly niche and wonky PvP that is popular on big Minecraft servers, Tumble takes all of the best elements of one of Minecraft’s oldest existing minigames, polishes them, and presents it all in fast-paced package. Where Battle was something of a disappointment, Tumble plays to Minecraft’s strengths and manages to offer something to console players that is unique and fun.
The idea behind Tumble is very simple—players start on a layer of dirt over a pit of lava and have to try to be the last player standing. Using shovels or snowballs, they try to outmaneuver their foes and dump them into the soup while avoiding the same grisly fate. If that sounds familiar, it’s because it’s basically the same concept as the Spleef minigame, which has been around in various forms for ages now. Tumble comes with the polish and craftsmanship of expert creators, and it doesn’t feel so much like an imitation as an evolution. There are many different arenas that take advantage of all of Minecraft’s varied biomes, giving players the opportunity to unceremoniously dump each other into molten rock from all sorts of terrain.
While there isn’t a whole lot of strategy involved with Tumble—the best tactic seems to be running and hiding while other players eliminate each other — there are ways that good players can distinguish themselves, and that’s where a lot of the fun comes in, especially for veteran Minecrafters. By avoiding soul sand and cobwebs, or by making use of slime blocks and jack o’lanterns, you can gain an advantage over opponents who don’t make good use of terrain. For the most part though, Tumble plays a lot like a Mario Party minigame — hectic, often arbitrary, alternatively frustrating and fun.
Tumble isn’t going to develop into any sort of massive competitive scene or sell new players on Minecraft all by itself, but it’s a free addition to an already robust game. And unlike Battle, it feels like it was designed to played in Minecraft. Tumble works great as a palate cleanser or with a close group of friends. Given the incredible attention to detail here, I hope Mojang gives us more like Tumble in the future.
Microsoft, Minecraft, and Libations – Live Stream and Giveaway!
Tonight we’re kicking off our official premiere of Microsoft, Minecraft, and Libations, our new show where we sit back, talk about Microsoft while playing Minecraft, and, well, having a few drinks!
If you missed our earlier announcement for the full context you can find that here to learn more about the format and plans.
For now, all you need to do is watch the live stream above or head to our Beam channel at Beam.pro/windowscentral where you can jump in on the live chat.
We’ll occasionally field some questions from the audience, so it’s best to sign up for Beam. Plus, doing so will help enter you in our contest to win an exclusive Windows Central Xbox One controller made by Controller Chaos and designed by @GeordieTommy_.
You can find the rest of the contest entry tasks below:
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For those curious, we’re aiming for a 90-minute air time, but honestly, we have no idea how long it will go. So grab a drink and join in on the fun to find out!
Microsoft, Minecraft, and Libations – Live Stream and Giveaway!
‘Minecraft’ Latest News & Update: ‘Minecraft’ Update 1.33 Is Now Available For PS4, PS3 and PS Vita
“Minecraft” update 1.33 is now available on PlayStation 4, PS3, and PlayStation Vita in Japan and Europe. The update 1.33 is also expected to hit North America.
Tumble Mini Game is the second mini game released for “Minecraft’s” Console Editions. As the mini game is inspired by Spleef, it includes two variants, the first one is, a player can throw snowballs, while the other is equipping the players with shovels, based on the report of PlayStation LifeStyle.
Each fight in the Tumble Mini Game is a best of three and takes place on a series of semi-randomized maps, where each player will be given several layers of differing materials and hazards.
Aside from Tumble Mini Game, the patch notes for “Minecraft” update on PlayStation platforms include Battle Map Pack 3, six new trophies in the Battle mini game, as well as the re-enabled of the previous Birthday and Minecon skin packs for “Minecraft” gamers who had them.
The previous Birthday and Minecon skin packs and the changes that have been made to Battle Mini Game are connected to chest refilling logic. In which it make things harder for “Minecraft” gamers camping beside chests, as it was required to make some balancing changes to items spawning in chests, according Neuro Gadget.
However, as “Minecraft” can also be enjoyed on Windows 10 PC and this version will have a new update that will be available this fall. The game will be getting Ocean Monuments, which are rare locations of the sandbox video game, but a treasure chamber will be discovered and it includes the Elder Guardian boss battle.
The update will also come along with the Wither boss, which can be summoned and if a player will defeat it, they will have the opportunity to have the highly-valuable Nether Stars that can be utilized to craft beacons.
‘Minecraft’ Latest News & Update: ‘Minecraft’ Update 1.33 Is Now Available For PS4, PS3 and PS Vita
‘Minecraft: Pocket Edition’ Update Adds Hi-Res Natural Texture Pack, 0.16 Android Beta is Almost Here
While today’s Minecraft: Pocket Edition [$6.99] update isn’t nowhere as huge as the upcoming 0.16 Boss Update one we wrote about a few days ago, 0.15.7 has added one important new feature: a new texture pack. According to the update blog announcement, this one is mostly about Oculus Rift, but what the rest of us are getting is the Natural texture pack, which lets you enjoy higher-res textures and more realistic sheep faces (108 more pixels ready to haunt your dreams). The texture pack really makes a huge difference in the way the game looks, and although it won’t be to everyone’s liking (texture packs never are), if you wanted your Minecraft to look sharper, this is the texture pack for you.
If you want to check it out, go to the in-game store to see screenshots. The pack costs $2.99, which is a good price considering how much it changes the game’s look. In addition to the new texture pack, Mojang also put out a call for Android users to help the developers test the 0.16 update, so if you can and want to help test it, go here to sign up. As for the Boss Update release date, the developers have only said that it’s coming “soon-ish,” so we’ll see when that will be. But for now, go stare into those hi-res sheep eyes.
71,000 Minecraft World Map accounts leaked online after ‘hack’
Some 71,000 user accounts and IP addresses have been leaked from Minecraft fan website Minecraft World Map.
The dumps, reported by Australian security researcher Troy Hunt, include email addresses, IP address data, usernames, and passwords for popular site Minecraft World Map.
Login passwords were salted and hashed, and further details were not disclosed.
More than half of the breached accounts were already breached and listed in Hunt’s Haveibeenpwned breach credential repository.
The hack, which occurred in January this year, appears to have gone unreported.
“In approximately January 2016, the Minecraft World Map site designed for sharing maps created for the game was hacked and over 71k user accounts were exposed,” Hunt wrote on the breach site.
“The data included usernames, email and IP addresses, along with salted and hashed passwords.”
The site is popular with Minecraft gamers who use the web property to share their in-game developed worlds. Users should reset affected passwords reused on other sites.
Password best practice is subject to debate. If advice from boffins at Microsoft and Google is followed, passwords should be pronounceable, rather than set to the typically-recommended jumble of numbers, special characters, and letters, which are difficult for users to recall.
It is okay for users to reuse passwords on sites they do not care for, Microsoft academics have said, provided they set strong logins for critical sites.
Britain’s GCHQ spy agency also weighed in on the password best practice debate, advising admins to stop punishing users with regular password resets, which is said to lead to weaker combinations being set over time.
Docker’s security lead, Diogo Mónica, (@diogomonica) said that debate on password choice and complexity is off the mark, and should instead focus on convincing users to run password managers to set unique jumbled credentials for all sites. ®
71,000 Minecraft World Map accounts leaked online after ‘hack’
Someone Designed a ‘My Neighbor Totoro’ World in Minecraft
The village from My Neighbor Totoro finds new life as an incredibly detailed Minecraft map, transporting builders the quiet post-war Japan that Hayao Miyazaki so brilliantly imagines in his 1988 animated classic. Minecraft creator Alan Becker weaves clips from the film in with his renderings of the Kusakabe house, Totoro’s den, and the Catbus, showing off how spot-on his Minecraft builds truly are.
Fans can actually explore the Miyazaki-inspired world that Becker built, since he’s provided the server address in the video’s description. Becker is also working on incredibly detailed builds of Spirited Away and Howl’s Moving Castle, all of which are connected in a larger complex Becker calls Ghibli World. Fans who remember the Studio Ghibli World theme park concept an artist designed last year will be excited at the prospect of a unified Ghibliverse that’s actually going to happen.
Becker’s pure ingenuity sets his Minecraft builds apart from others’ creations. He uses the game’s modular mechanics to make Miyazaki’s magical elements real: just listen to the way he uses rising water to make the bathhouse from Spirited Away undergo its day-to-night transformation in this video. Becker’s demonstration of the film isn’t as polished as My Neighbor Totoro quite yet, but based on his progress, Ghibli fans have a lot to be excited about.
Boss Battles Are Coming To Minecraft This Fall
Hot on the heels of the Friendly Update for Minecraft back in June, Microsoft has announced that fans of the title can expect to take on large scale bosses in Minecraft soon enough.
Fans of Minecraft will be able to experience Ocean Monuments, as well as bosses in what is simply branded Boss Update. The announcement was made via Microsoft and will add the Elder Guardian and The Wither bosses to the title. The Boss Update will also bring the first set of slash commands to the title which will allow players to utilize quick commands without going to through the menu. Share your inventory, swap between Survival and Creative modes, summon a mob or change the time of day were some examples of slash commands that will be available at launch. There will be over twenty slash commands when the update launches later this fall.
The upcoming update is set to release this fall on Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition, Pocket Edition and Gear VR Edition. The update will be completely free and add to already exciting world of Minecraft. Microsoft has also teased that fans should expect more in the coming weeks with Minecon looming just around the corner.
Eco Sounds Like Minecraft But With Consequences
Eco Sounds Like Minecraft But With Consequences
I’ve been reading about Eco [official site] this morning – a game which is currently in alpha but sounds crazy ambitious and wants to have players build a civilisation but also feel the impact of everything they do on the game-world’s environment.
Here’s the trailer they took to PAX:
It seems like a Minecrafty world but where you’re not living in that sandboxy bubble of just being able to mine out resources and create machines without impacting food chains and pollution levels. This is the site blurb:
“Eco is an online game where players must collaborate to build a civilization in a world where everything they do affects the environment. All resources come from a simulated ecosystem, with thousands of plants and animals simulating 24/7. Work together through the player-run government and economy to build the technology to stop a meteor on a collision course with the planet, without polluting the world and killing it off in the process before that even happens.”
To me that feels ambitious to the point where I have no idea how/if it will function. It has already won awards, like the Climate Challenge pitch award, though, and there’s an alpha that interested parties can buy into for $40 (or more depending on the level of access/influence you’re after). ALL OF THE EARLY ACCESS CAVEATS APPLY ETC ETC.
I’m just going back through the Kickstarter and there are things mentioned like: “In the extreme, the food supply of the ecosystem can be destroyed, along with all human life on it, resulting in server-wide perma-death. Eco is a game where the player’s actions have meaningful consequences.”
I wonder how you balance/moderate for that? Especially in an age where people will just turn up on a server and do their damnedest to ruin things just because they can. Or maybe you’d just start a new server so… would the impact just be lessened? Would you just mine out a world on one server and then hop to the next?
The availability of data on the ecosystems looks really interesting too, and I can see why they’re selling a classroom bundle. I studied biology up to the end of high school (A-level if you’re a UK reader) and our course focused really heavily on ecosystems and biodiversity. For my final project I looked at how lichens colonise gravestones and how the balance of different lichens changes over time indicating that some are primary colonisers.
If this simulates the impact of various decisions in-game and gives a little context on the whys and wherefores (i.e. change after a particular law is voted in) I can see that being a valuable teaching tool.
10 Other Superheroes Who Could Beat Superman
One of the most iconic superheroes ever created, Superman has always been a tough cookie, capable of defeating the some of the most powerful villains (and heroes) in the history of comics. We’ve already looked into some of the different ways the Dark Knight could beat the Man of Steel, witnessed it first hand on the big screen with Batman v Superman, and recapped some of their greatest fights in the comics. But what about superheroes other than Batman? Certainly the all-too mortal Bruce Wayne isn’t the only contender who can hold his own in the ring with Big Blue.
First things first, you have to go after Superman’s vulnerabilities (ignoring Superman Prime). Everyone knows about Kryptonite. What some may not know is that it isn’t his only weakness. There are red suns, high pitched frequencies, mind control, morality and, don’t forget, magic (cue spirit fingers). Anyone who can solicit these could slow, or even kill, the Man of Steel. Just like He-Man.
And with that, let’s get ready to rumble. Here are 10 Other Superheroes Who Could Beat Superman.
1o. Wonder Woman
So sharp is Wonder Woman’s godlike sword that it can cut the electrons off an atom, cause a nuclear explosion and has been known to draw Superman’s blood. Add in the fact that Princess Diana is a highly trained killer who, unlike Superman, will not hesitate to take a life if need be, and we’ve got an exciting matchup on our hands.
The Goddess of Truth actually has a good track record of hurting the Man of Steel (which is far more than most on this list can say). To recall a few, she has made Superman bleed out of his ears, severed his throat with a tiara and broke his arm. In fact, these two go at it a lot. It seems the only thing they do more than fight is kiss. Which might just be another less painful way of beating Supes.
9. Doctor Strange
Sure, comparing Marvel and DC characters can be like comparing apples and oranges, but why not make this interesting. Enter Doctor Stephen Strange – a universal class magician and contender for most powerful mortal around. One of Superman’s biggest and most well known vulnerabilities (second perhaps only to kryptonite) is magic. Through the use one of his many spells, Doctor Strange definitely has the prowess to stop Superman cold in his tracks.
This Master of the Mystic Arts is one of the most powerful sorcerers in existence (at least in the Marvel Universe). He’s a trained fighter who can slice and dice with the skill of a cosmic neurosurgeon and create a virtually indestructible force field. Throw in the Crimson Bands of Cyttorak along with some insane mind controlling abilities and you’ve got all the makings of some pretty awesome Man of Steel-proof tactics.
Given Superman’s overwhelming speed, it could be hard for the good doctor to win on the regular since his incantations require deep concentration, but in the right circumstances he could definitely keep Superman down, especially if he had the element of surprise on his side — a trick we all know the Sorcerer Supreme can conjure.
8. The Green Lanterns
Any member of the Green Lantern Corps, such as Hal Jordan, John Stewart, Alan Scott or this squirrel, has the potential to stop Superman. Equipped with the power of imagination, a righteous oath and a very trusty power ring a Green Lantern is not one to be trifled with. Hypothetically, they could use the energy of Oa to simulate the radiation of kryptonite and, if they are dealing with a weakened Superman, instantly transport him across the galaxy through a wormhole into a red sun. Done and done.
Of course, if Supes were to get a punch in, things probably would not go so well. A Green Lantern will have to act quickly and strategically by manifesting some inventive constructs to block attacks, constrain the Man of Steel and/or land a meaningful blow. Though if you were to treat the Corps as a single unit, and pit a few members up against Superman at the same time, while he’s dealing with one Lantern the other(s) could get the job done. With colossal willpower and some serious outside-the-box thinking, this could be a very entertaining brawl — and we would pay good money to have George Miller orchestrate it.
7. Sentry
Often regarded as the Superman of the Marvel Universe, the only really important difference between Sentry and Superman is that one wears an ‘S’ on his belt and the other wears one on his chest. That, and Sentry is basically an emotional trainwreck (agoraphobia anyone?). He has ripped gods in half (poor Loki and Ares), destroyed planets, uses powers of empathy to calm the Hulk, lifted a Celestial (which is only about 20,000 feet tall) and is said to contain the power of one million exploding suns. And that’s on a good day. When he unleashes his dark side, better known as The Void, he is basically like a bloodlusted Superman, only evil and willing to slice the head off of Captain America.
Sentry’s energy blast can take out an entire planet, and most likely, the Man of Tomorrow. Plus he can easily get inside the head of Superman using telepathy. And even if Superman could kill him, Sentry has the ability to resurrect himself from the dead. On top of all that? He can literally hear the heartbeat of a butterfly in Africa from New York. Not sure how this would help in a fight, but still good to know, right?
6. Martian Manhunter
Ah J’onn J’onzz. He has a strength that is nearly equal to that of Superman’s, but even more devastatingly, he has a far superior mind. He is basically Earth’s answer to stopping Big Blue. Possessing psychic, telepathic, telekinetic and whatever other psionic powers you care to think of, the Martian Manhunter can read Superman’s thoughts and pretty much fry his brain into a cooked vegetable whenever he chooses.
In terms of physical force and speed, the Man of Steel might have a slight edge. And then there’s the Martian’s debilitating aversion to fire, which Supes has no trouble dishing out of his eyes (though we should not forget that J’onn is getting over his fears). Despite these shortcomings, throw in all the green alien’s mental abilities and it could be argued that this O.G. Justice Leaguer is the more powerful of the two. What’s more, he also has the abilities to shape shift, regenerate and phase through anything, which means all of Supes attacks would casually pass right through him. Superman has even said that he fears facing the Martian Manhunter, going so far as to call him, “the most powerful being on the face of the Earth.” His words, not ours.
5. Shazam
Shazam is basically Superman, only magic-ified. He’s also a 12-year-old boy who was lured into an underground tunnel to meet an ancient wizard that imbues him with the powers of the mightiest mortal whenever he shouts the wizard’s name. Disturbing? Yes. But, it doesn’t make him any less powerful. Despite all of Superman’s strengths, he is not a mystical being. Shazam certainly is (thanks to the creepy wizard), and could be argued to have a slight edge in speed and strength over the Man of Steel. Not to mention Kal-El’s aforementioned vulnerability to any attacks using magic, which basically constitute Shazam’s repertoire. Shazam has knocked Superman out cold before. A sucker punch, yes, but that’s still impressive.
Originally known as Captain Marvel, the character was so popular in the 40s that his comic book sales outsold Superman’s. So in one regard, Shazam has already beaten the Last Son of Krypton. Of course, a decade later, DC sued the publishers of Captain Marvel for copying Superman, which eventually lead to the end of his original publication. So take that Shazam. You can beat Supes, but good luck defeating his lawyers.
Also, bonus points for his frequent use of the word “SHAZAM!”
4. Silver Surfer
A matter manipulator, energy absorber and beholder of the Power Cosmic, the Silver Surfer is pretty much indestructible. He is unimaginably fast, not only on his super cool galactic surfboard, but also in the way he thinks, moves and reacts. Although most likely not as strong as Superman, he has been known to slap the Hulk around like a boss (a true test of any superhero’s prowess).
Most importantly, the Silver Surfer possesses a fearsome command over the universe’s ambient cosmic energy. It is kind of hard to compete with that. As a result, the Surfer has the ability of transmutation, which means he can recreate the radiation of kryptonite (ignoring the fact that this substance doesn’t exist in the Marvel Universe) and pretty much do whatever he wants with it all up in Superman’s grill. Or, theoretically, he can turn Superman into a piece of cheesecake and then eat him, if the Surfer was into that sort of thing.
Although we should note the Silver Surfer is generally a pacifist, and Superman has a predilection to righteously try and not harm others, so this fight could just as easily end with them shaking hands and going out for shawarma.
3. Jean Grey
The telekinetic and telepathic powers of Jean Grey aka Marvel Girl would certainly throw Superman for a loop, though he’d probably find a way to speedblitz and the fight would promptly end before it began. If she did get ahold of his mind, though, she could have her way with him, like that time Superman was forced to make a porno with his friend’s wife. But on the other hand, Supes has incredible super-ninja mental discipline and could potentially use the Kryptonian mental martial art of Torquasm Vo to fend off her attacks. But the fact Jean Grey can control minds with the best of them, including arguably Martian Manhunter, warrants her place on this list.
A Jean Grey that manages to unleash the full power of the Phoenix Force is an entirely different story. By wielding a near immeasurable manifestation of the universal life force, Grey reaches Omega levels of power and there is little in any universe that can stop her. If Jean turns to the dark side and unlocks the sun-eating, galaxy destroying Dark Phoenix, this might not be much of a contest, and she would most likely atomize Superman instantly (à la Cyclops in X-Men: The Last Stand).
But, then again, Dark Phoenix isn’t really a superhero, so moving on…
2. Odin
Thor vs. Superman would be an epic battle that we would all love to see, with Mjolnir no doubt having some choice words for the Man of Steel’s face. But you know what is even better than a Thor? An Odin. That’s right, pit Kal-El against the mind-boggling energies of the Odin Force and this might not be much of a fight. For starters, Mjolnir is Mjolnir because of the Odin Force. It is a near-infinite resource of cosmic power, which also includes, you guessed it, magic. Using this force of otherworldly nature, Odin has slapped around some of the universes most powerful beings with ease, head-butted Galactus, destroyed galaxies, built galaxies, destroyed them again and taken on Thanos and the Silver Surfer — at the same time. Some may question whether or not this Norse god should be considered a superhero, but as far as we’re concerned he has fought on the side of righteousness enough times to warrant inclusion here.
The only way Odin loses this fight? If the All-Father gets tired from all that awesome and decides to take a much needed Odinsleep, and while he’s peacefully napping, Superman strikes. Or, have Odin played by Anthony Hopkins in a movie.
1. The Spectre
For many, we’re entering spite thread territory with this one. And while we won’t go so far as to pit Superman up against The Presence or One-Above-All, how about we try the physical embodiment of the Wrath of God instead. Spectre is a former angel known as Aztar, who uses the bodies of deceased mortals as hosts to punish the wicked. For example, he caused the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, the ten plagues of Egypt and the splitting of the Red Sea (and here you thought it was Christian Bale Charlton Heston Moses). Spectre is pretty much omnipotent and his powers unchecked are fairly unlimited, not to mention he has been known to wield the divine energies of a hundred universes, which basically means things aren’t looking good for Superman.
Big Blue has gone up against Spectre before. It didn’t work out. Spectre can pretty much do anything and use any power, and the only reason he sometimes can’t is because The Presence deems it so. We’re talking a whole other level of the cosmos here.
The only chance Superman really has is to impale him with the Spear of Destiny. (Yes, that Spear of Destiny, as in the one that killed Jesus. It’s a long story.) Suffice to say, if anyone ever tries to pick a fight with you by saying Superman is the most powerful superhero ever, kindly show them the way to Spectre.
Oh and remember that creepy wizard that gave Shazam his powers? Spectre killed him.
Minecraft Update 1.33 Today on PS4, PS3 & PS Vita Adds Tumble Mini Game, Map Pack Support
Adding the new Tumble Mini Game, support for Battle Map Pack 3, six new Trophies for the Battle Mini Game, and more, Minecraft update 1.33 is now live on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation Vita in Europe and Japan. Expect it to be available later today in North America.
“A frantic competitive clash in which players destroy the very floor beneath their enemies’ feet, sending them plummeting to their doom,” Tumble is the second mini game released for the Console Editions of Minecraft. Inspired by Spleef, Tumble includes two variants: one where you can throw snowballs, the other equipping you with shovels. Each fight is a best of three and takes place on a series of semi-randomized maps, each with several layers of differing materials and hazards.
Here’s the full list of patch notes for today’s Minecraft update on PlayStation platforms:
- Added Tumble Mini Game.
- Added Battle Map Pack 3 (Castle, Invasion & Shipyard).
- Added six new trophies for the Battle mini game.
- Re-enabled the previous Birthday and Minecon skin packs for players who had them.
- Battle Mini Game: Made some changes to chest refilling logic to make things harder for players camping beside chests.
- Battle Mini Game: Made some balancing changes to items spawning in chests.
- Battle Mini Game: Fixed some map issues in Cavern, Siege, Ruin, Lair and Atlantis arenas.
- Introduced a ‘vote to kick’ system for mini games. When there are more than three players in a public game, a player will be kicked from the game when they have received three votes. This scales down when there are less players.
Battle Map Pack 3 is available for free in the Season Pass, or $2.99/€2.99/£2.49 on its own.
Minecraft Update 1.33 Today on PS4, PS3 & PS Vita Adds Tumble Mini Game, Map Pack Support
There’s a new Minecraft mode on consoles today Let’s get ready to Tumble.
In the words of PJ and Duncan, let’s get ready to tumble, let’s get ready to tumble, let’s get, let’s get ready ready, let’s get ready to tumble.
Tumble is Minecraft’s second official mini-game to launch on console, and it’s available now as a free update for PlayStation 3, PS4, Xbox 360 and Xbox One.
After the previous addition of Battle mode, Tumble is again a player-versus-player affair – although instead of targeting other people, it’s all about removing the floor beneath them.
Tumble arenas are one block thick and suspended over a giant pool of lava. The aim of the game is to be the last player standing – and to send all other players falling to their doom.
It looks like quick, fleeting fun. At the same time, there’s a new paid-for Battle map pack available to expand that mode with some new areas.
There’s a new Minecraft mode on consoles today Let’s get ready to Tumble.
The Boss Update for ‘Minecraft Pocket Edition’ and Win 10 unleashes the Kraken
Mojang’s Owen Hill updated the company blog on Monday with news about an upcoming update for Minecraft Pocket Edition and Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition Beta. This update, version 0.16, will add the most ferocious mobs seen thus far in Minecraft along with ocean monuments and “trinkets” for exploring these areas. Other ingredients thrown into the new update include new Slash commands, beacons, and of course new blocks the play with.
“We’re calling it The Boss Update because it includes bosses, is ‘boss’ in nature, and is in charge of hiring and firing all the other updates released so far,” Hill said.
Thanks to the inclusion of the new ocean monuments, players will come across a laser-shooting Elder Guardian and his army of minions lurking in those cold depths. Another boss players will uncover is the Wither, a three-headed beast that shoots blue skulls. All bosses will drop tasty rare loot such as Nether Stars and sponges. What? No epic gear?
As for the new Slash commands for Pocket Edition and Windows 10 Edition, that means players can enter a specific command using the “/” symbol. The update will support 20 commands, allowing players to generate mobs, change the time of day, distribute items to other players, and more. The Java-based PC version already supports more than that, like modifying the current game mode, changing the environment, and banning players. More commands will be made to Pocket Edition and Windows 10 Edition in the near future.
As for when this update arrives, Hill said “soon-ish.” However, Android gamers can get an early taste of the upcoming patch by signing up to participate in the beta and providing Mojang with valuable feedback. Hill notes that beta testers who want access to a Realm will need to revert back to 0.15.6 in order to re-enter those subscription-based Minecraft worlds.
For players who wish to join the beta, after hitting the initial sign-up button, they will receive an update with the testing version. If Minecraft: Pocket Edition isn’t installed on their Android device, they can download it from Google Play first and then receive the beta update sometime thereafter (could be a few hours). To leave the program, users can simply uninstall the beta app and reinstall the publicly available version.
Right now, Hill isn’t very forthcoming in regards to details about the bosses in Minecraft. However, additional information about The Boss Update will be provided during Minecon 2016, which takes place September 24 — 25 at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California. That said, don’t hold your breath waiting for The Boss Update, as it likely won’t stomp into Pocket Edition and Windows 10 Edition until October, if not during the actual Minecraft convention.
The Boss Update for ‘Minecraft Pocket Edition’ and Win 10 unleashes the Kraken
‘Minecraft’: New Tumble Mini-Game Released In Free Update For Console Ports
A free update for the console versions of Minecraft debuted on Tuesday, delivering the second free mini-game for the popular sandbox title, and the latest addition to Minecraft looks every bit as engaging as the Battle mini-game that debuted earlier this year.
This week’s debut of the Tumble mini-game comes as something of a surprise for the Minecraft community. Players have known for months that Mojang was preparing additional content for the popular sandbox game, dating back to the unexpected reveal of the Battle mini-game back in May, but the studio hasn’t said much about its plans to release a follow-up in the weeks since. If anything, we would’ve expected Tumble to be revealed during Minecon when the annual celebration of all things Minecraft descends upon Anaheim, CA next month.
As for the game itself, Tumble has a bit in common with its predecessor, in so much as they’re both competitive games that pit members of the Minecraft community against one another. But unlike the Battle mini-game, which transformed the sandbox game into something akin to the average first-person shooter, Tumble requires a decidedly different strategy. Participants are all placed on a grid of blocks suspended above lava. The goal is to break whatever block(s) your opponents are using to prevent falling down into the magma. According to Mojang, the latest mini-game was inspired by the popular mod Spleef, which is still available to those wishing the latest free update for Minecraft: Console Edition was also available on PC.
For a closer look at the brand new Tumble mini-game, take a couple of minutes to check out the latest Minecraft: Console Edition trailer from Microsoft and Mojang. Then head down to the comments section and share your impressions of the next free mini-game coming to Minecraft.
Minecraft is currently available on PlayStation 3, PS4, Vita, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PC, Wii U and mobile platforms. The game’s latest update, featuring the Tumble mini-game, is now available as a free download on all console versions of the game.
Be sure to check back with iDigitalTimes.com and follow Scott on Twitter for more Minecraft news throughout 2016 and as long as Mojang supports Minecraft in the years ahead.
‘Minecraft’: New Tumble Mini-Game Released In Free Update For Console Ports
Minecraft Introduces ‘Tumble’ Minigame in Console Update, With Wii U Maintenance on the Way
Mojang has now unveiled another minigame that’s coming in the latest update – ‘Tumble’.
This writer isn’t a Minecraft veteran, but has been informed (and looked up the Wiki) that this is basically an official version of Spleef. In any case, it could be a popular addition.
As for when this’ll arrive on Wii U, coincidentally there’s maintenance coming up very soon, so the update could roll out after that; times for that server maintenance are below.
From August 30/31st, 6:50pm Pacific / 9:50pm Eastern / 2:50am UK / 3:50am CET – Tuesday, August 30/31st, 8:30pm Pacific / 11:30pm Eastern / 4:30am UK / 5:30am CET.
In other words, the update could roll around on Wii U late tonight into tomorrow.
How many of you hope to try out this minigame?
Minecraft Introduces ‘Tumble’ Minigame in Console Update, With Wii U Maintenance on the Way
Minecraft Finally Gets New Enemy Bosses
The Minecraft gaming phenomenon is likely mainly known for the ilabor-intensive virtual constructions that dedicated users build using the game’s mineral-mining gameplay system. But it also includes the option to deal with enemies and boss battles. But users who play the game primarily on Windows 10 or Pocket Edition have seen a long amount of time go by without an update to that part of the experience.
That wait is coming to an end, however, as Mojang has announced the impending arrival of new enemy bosses for the bestselling title.
In a press released posted to their official site, Mojang announced the new updates along with some much-appreciated self aware humor about the lack of new information dropping over the summer months:
“Following the release of our Friendly Update back in June, we’ve been busy this summer avoiding harmful UV rays and working on bringing you more content for Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition beta, Pocket Edition and the Gear VR Edition. On Monday, we’re excited to give you a sneak peek at what’s coming in the next major update for these editions, called the Boss Update. This fearsome update is packed with content that is sure to thrill every type ofMinecraft player, with two big new boss battles, new blocks for building and even the first set of long-awaited slash commands for those who love to tinker with the game.”
“Survival players are in for a real treat with the Boss Update. Ocean Monuments will be discoverable, and you can enjoy adventuring in these new, rare locations with their friends beneath the sea. Get ready to fight through the Elder Guardian boss and its squad of Guardian sea creatures with laser beams attached to their heads, conquer underwater enclaves and loot their treasures.
We’re also introducing the Wither boss battle to Minecraft on mobile and Windows 10 with the Boss Update. The Wither boss is a powerful, floating, three-headed mob who is clearly up to no good. You can summon and defeat this mob in order to claim the ultra-rare nether star item that it drops. Nether stars can then be used to craft beacons, unique blocks that can project a beam of light into the sky and can provide helpful status effects to players in the area.”
Other new features for players to experience will be the implementation of beacons, sea-sponge building elements, and prismarine blocks. These should prove useful to players looking to further expand their repertoire of building materials. A public beta for the game is set to debut Monday on Android, while Windows 10, Pocket and Gear VR updates are set for a fall launch. Additionally, a feature-length Minecraft movie remains in active development for 2019.
Screen Rant will have more information for you on the Minecraft updates as they are made available.
Minecraft Tumble Mini Game Out Today on PS4, PS3, PS Vita
We hope you’ve been having fun playing Battle, our first mini game for Minecraft on consoles. Getting to challenge your friends and experience Minecraft in new ways is always fun, and we’re about to introduce you to even more ways to do it. Today, we’re really excited to bring you the Tumble mini game available as part of the free game update on consoles.
Tumble is a frantic competitive mini game where your objective is to avoid taking a dip in red hot lava by making sure that other players fall into it first. You get to do this destroying the floor beneath your enemies’ feet as you stand in platforms that can have one or more layers. Sounds easy? Well, remember that other players will use their shovels or snowballs to get you to fall first. And when you get up to 8 friends to do this at the same time, it does get a little wild.
We’re also releasing some more goodies for Battle mini game aficionados today with a group of three more fun maps to play. Battle Map Pack #3 is now available on PlayStation Store for $2.99 and includes three thrilling new maps: the colossal Castle, the incredible Shipyard, and the terrifying Invasion!
The latest free update for Minecraft on consoles is available today on PS4, PS3, and PS Vita. All you have to do is turn on your console and update your game — nothing extra to buy — and you’ll be dropping opponents into sizzling pools of lava in minutes.
Keep your feet on the ground, crafters!
Minecraft’s boss fights are coming to Windows 10 and Windows Phone
Minecraft has an impressive array of features that are currently not available in the Windows Store versions of the game, but that’s slowly changing.
In an update slated for this fall, Minecraft for Windows 10 and Windows Phone will receive the Boss Update, bringing the three-headed Wither boss, underwater Guardians and much more.
As part of the update, Ocean Monuments will be included in the Windows Store versions, making the leap from Xbox and the Java version. Ocean Monuments are rare locations that are often sources of treasure, as well as one of the update’s boss battles — the Lovecraftian Elder Guardian.
Joining the Elder Guardian is the ghostly Wither boss. The Wither can be summoned, and are sought out for their Nether Star loot item. Nether Stars can be used to craft beacons, which not only grant you a way of finding home, but also provide positive status effects to nearby friends.
As a result of including Ocean Monuments and the Wither boss in the game, Minecraft will pick up Prismarine, Sponges, Sea Lanterns and other materials previously unavailable to Windows 10 and Pocket Edition users.
Also, you will be able to use slash commands on the Windows Store versions of Minecraft for the first time, allowing you to easily trade, spawn creatures, alter the day and night cycles and various others. The Boss Update will include 20 commands, with more planned for the future.
The Boss Update will hit Windows 10, Pocket Edition and Gear VR this fall. The team at Minecraft is also teasing additional news for the Boss Update that they’re saving for Minecon 2016 which will take place at the Anaheim Convention Center on the 24th and 25th, September in California.
Daniel Rubino gets acquainted with Minecraft on our Beam channel.
As we learned at E3, Minecraft will eventually expose its code to players, allowing us to customize the behavior and skins within the game. Using programs as simple as MS Paint and Notepad, Minecraft will teach the fundamentals of game development using basic JSON strings. See the link below for more information.
Minecraft is an ever-evolving project and joins Halo and Gears of War as one of Microsoft’s biggest game franchises. Eventually, all versions across mobile, PC and Xbox will reach parity with one another, allowing players to connect to dedicated shared worlds in the Microsoft Cloud. Minecraft has been nothing short of a phenomenon so far, but there’s still plenty of potential.
Minecraft’s boss fights are coming to Windows 10 and Windows Phone
‘Minecraft’ vs ‘No Man’s Sky’ Latest News & Update: ‘No Man’s Sky’ Will Beat Down ‘Minecraft’?
After “Minecraft” has enjoyed years of undisputed dominance as the king of unlimited exploration, the point-and-click graphic adventure video game has a new challenger – “No Man’s Sky.”
The sandbox video game “Minecraft” has of course been around and the video game has captivated players throughout all of its game platforms. Though “No Man’s Sky’ and “Minecraft” are different in some ways, one has to wonder which video game has really come up with the huge game, Game n Guide reported.
In elaborating as which video game is bigger, it is obvious that the action-adventure survival video game “No Man’s Sky” boasts of a bigger figure. It has been claimed that for every block in the sandbox video game world, is equivalent to twenty planets in the universe of “No Man’s Sky,” according to Kotaku.
Also, “No Man’s Sky,” a PS4 and PC title, is a space exploration kind of video game that contains its own universe. And the game’s universe is full of planets, and the vast majority of which are loaded of alien life, based on the report of Business Insider.
However, other than the games’ infinite worlds, there is also an important topic of which game offers the best performance and quality. At the moment, the action-adventure survival video game obviously has the advantage, as the gameplay between the two video games is glaringly different and that hints at the recent that the space exploration game is taking the lead.
Though “Minecraft” still got the game stability. As the video game developer Mojang has its share of bugs and fixes, it has been around long enough to demonstrate that the point-and-click graphic adventure video game has millions hooked on to it.
In addition, “No Man’s Sky” still got some game stability issue, while “Minecraft” has a more established game play.
‘Minecraft’ vs ‘No Man’s Sky’ Latest News & Update: ‘No Man’s Sky’ Will Beat Down ‘Minecraft’?
DanTDM is bringing his live Minecraft gaming show to Birmingham
YouTube sensation DanTDM is coming to Birmingham with his smash hit brand of gaming.
He has added a new date at Birmingham Hippodrome on October 23 after his first tour sold out in 24 hours.
Many people may not have heard of him, but to Minecraft gamers he is a huge star – and there’s extraordinary demand to see him live.
Dan ‘The Diamond Minecraft’ Middleton has his own YouTube channel with 14 million subscribers where he posts his comical gaming commentary videos, which have had more than six billion views.
He talks fans through the game of Minecraft, offering his tips and advice.
DanTDM is bringing his live Minecraft gaming show to Birmingham
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