Both ‘Minecraft: Story Mode' and 0.12 Update For ‘Minecraft: Pocket Edition' Drawing Closer To Release

It looks like a good Minecraft news week all around. First, we got the tweet below from Minecraft: Pocket Edition [$6.99] developer Tommaso Checchi, who pretty much called the Beta season for update 0.12 over. If you haven't been following MCPE‘s development, every new update usually goes through weeks-long beta testing on the Android side of things before popping up on the App Store once finished. Once the beta testing is over, it usually takes very little time for the update to appear on the App Store, so hopefully we should be getting the 0.12 update on iOS soon. If you don't know anything about the 0.12 update, MCPE is about to get a huge overhaul as it's gradually brought to parity with the PC version.

We'll get the Nether, Nether portals, Nether fortresses, Sprinting, Sneaking, Hunger, revamped touch controls, potions and brewing stands, enchanting, rain and snow, controller support, cross-play with the Windows 10 edition of the game, and much, much more. If you want to see the changelogs from the beta testing, go here.

The other interesting Minecraft news is that Minecraft: Story Mode, Telltale's take on the Minecraft franchise, will be playable for the first time at this year's PAX Prime. This will be the first time that Telltale trusts its new baby to public hands, and my hope is that it means the game is coming along nicely and should hit our devices relatively soon. Telltale is known for not spending too much time between announcement and delivery (although they've been slipping when it comes to delivering later episodes of their games on time). While many are reserved when it comes to Minecraft: Story Mode, I'm very excited to get my hands on it, and hopefully that won't be too far into the future.

Both ‘Minecraft: Story Mode' and 0.12 Update For ‘Minecraft: Pocket Edition' Drawing Closer To Release

‘Minecraft: Pocket Edition' 0.12 Update Should Hit iOS Around September 8th

It's almost official, Minecraft: Pocket Edition‘s [$6.99] 0.12 update should hit our iPhones and iPads next week, and I'm very excited about it. As I've mentioned in the past, I've played countless hours of Minecraft on PC, and although I've played MCPE quite a bit too, it never clicked in the same way because of a few important features missing from the mobile version, the sneak button being one of them. Finally, we are a few days away from MCPE quickening its pace towards parity with the PC version, and I can't wait. According to MCPE developer Tommaso Checchi, the 0.12 update, which will add rain and snow, Hunger, Sneaking, Sprinting, the Nether, controller support, and more, should drop around September the 8th.

While this update is a big step towards making MCPE even more fun to play, it's only the first step since according to the developers, many more features should be hitting MCPE soon. One of the main features that should be coming shortly after 0.12 is the much-requested redstone circuits, a feature that really expands building possibilities. By the way, if you are on Android, you'll be able to continue testing new features as early as next week. I hope all goes as planned and the update comes out next week so I can start building my little home in survival mode on our Mobcrush channel.

‘Minecraft: Pocket Edition' 0.12 Update Should Hit iOS Around September 8th

Minecraft PC Latest Snapshot Update Available For Download – Packed With Top Features

 

So apparently, a new update for the Minecraft computer version just arrived. The latter is called Minecraft snapshot 15w36c and it is packed with new things and features.

Mojang made sure to list all of these changes on their official page, however don’t be too surprised if you see a few random elements as well. Here is the list of changes I’m betting you are excited for:

  • You have a rebalanced armour, so give it a try and see how it works.
  • Mojan was pretty thoughtful and along with this revamped armour, the company also changed the protection and damage enchantments.
  • The AI bugs are now gone, not all but better a few than none, right?
  • The Endermen went back to being spooky.
  • Users will also see a bunch of new optimizations.
  • The player collision element has been included once more as well as the team choices for the collision. So, yay for that!
  • I like hugs has been added as well.

So, if you have the PC Minecraft version installed at home, go check out the 15w36c update now! If you are still new to this game, download the e-books that are available online and read the game’s instructions. Those who are playing on their iPad, Android or iPhone devices and have the Minecraft Pocket Edition installed should also be looking forward to seeing more updates in the future.

Minecraft PC Latest Snapshot Update Available For Download – Packed With Top Features

Play the full Skylanders SuperChargers on iOS

Skylanders iOS

Last year, I experienced a special kind of magic at Gamescom. That magic came in the form of Skylanders on iOS. The idea made so much sense, and the implementation was so perfect, I was honestly blown away. You see, most kids play Skylanders, and then get upset when it’s time to leave the house and their mom and dad make them turn off the console and go. Alternatively, they aren’t allowed on the console, but they are allowed to play on the iPad. Skylanders on mobile devices was a revelation, and it’s continuing this year.

What I liked about it the most was that kids could continue playing on just the iPad while out of the house – certain characters were stored in the mobile device so they could play in the car or wherever. It’s the same complete game, just on tablet. This year, SuperChargers will also include the entire game, but this time it will also include a cloud save feature to allow for playability between multiple iOS devices.

The starter pack will include a Bluetooth portal, a Bluetooth controller and a built in-stand as well as the two Skylanders character figures and one vehicle. Upon download of the game, players will get Instant Spit Fire and Instant Hot Streak for free with the download, while in-app purchases will unlock Instant versions of Dive-Clops, Dive Bomber, Super Shot Stealth Elf and Stealth Stinger.

It’s this kind of innovation that will help keep Skylanders relevant for families, even as Disney Infinity and Lego Dimensions grab their share of the toys to life genre. I wonder how many ideas Skylanders will have up their sleeves – how long can the franchise keep innovating and staying fresh? Still, vehicles are changing things up this year, and by offering the complete game on iOS as well, it’s the ultimate in family life friendly gameplay.

Play the full Skylanders SuperChargers on iOS

The PC version of Minecraft just got an update

Six years after release, Minecraft is still receiving regular updates.

minecraft-10-700x393

The update, entitled Minecraft snapshot 15w36c, brings a handful of changes to Minecraft’s 20 million PC and Mac players.

Mojang have rounded up the changes on their website, although they’ve kept up their tradition of slipping a few nonsense changes in there as well.

Those changes are:

  • Rebalanced armour.
  • Changed damage & protection enchantments to match new armour system.
  • Fixed a few AI bugs across lots of mobs.
  • Made endermen creepy again.
  • Vwooop.
  • More optimisations! Many optimisations!
  • Added player collision again.
  • Fishing rods can now catch entities properly again.
  • Added team-based options for collision.
  • The world may corrupt slightly less times now! Or slightly more, we’re not sure!
  • I like hugs!

This is all fairly tongue-in-cheek, of course, but it sounds like there are AI fixes, a return of player collision detection, improved fishing rods and possibly less issues with world corruption.

The PC version of Minecraft just got an update

New Minecraft update makes endermen creepy again

endermens

Minecraft was released in its alpha form in 2010, and has been receiving constant and consistent updates for over 5 years, which is rather impressive. More impressive is how it’s become a cultural phenomenon, and in many ways, the face of modern gaming, at least as far as the mainstream populace is concerned.

The latest update for the block-breaking, block-building game is out – but it’s one of those odd snapshots that you’ll have to specifically enable.

Here’s what the new changes are:

  • Rebalanced armour.
  • Changed damage & protection enchantments to match new armour system.
  • Fixed a few AI bugs across lots of mobs.
  • Made endermen creepy again.
  • Vwooop.
  • More optimisations! Many optimisations!
  • Added player collision again.
  • Fishing rods can now catch entities properly again.
  • Added team-based options for collision.
  • The world may corrupt slightly less times now! Or slightly more, we’re not sure!
  • I like hugs!

A note from Mojang:

“To get snapshots, open your launcher and press the “New Profile” button. Call it “snapshots” and check the box saying “Enable experimental development snapshots” and save. To switch to the normal version, you can select it in the dropdown at the bottom left corner of the launcher. Back up your world first or run the game on in a different folder (See the “new profile” dialog).

Snapshots can corrupt your world, please backup and/or run them in a different folder from your main worlds.”

I don’t play Minecraft myself, but my kids love it – and I’m very, very impressed with the new Windows 10 beta of the game, which is essentially a tweaked and modified version of the mobile game. While it doesn’t support mods yet, its lack of reliance on Java makes it significantly more efficient, less resource intensive and a wee bit more polished.

In tangentially related news, Minecraft is the most streamed game on Youtube, and the service’s most popular ‘Tuber is now British gamer Daniel Middleton – known The Diamond Minecart – usurping the accolade from PewDewPie.

New Minecraft update makes endermen creepy again

Minecraft wearable review: Love the game? You want the Gameband Redstone

“£64.99 for a wearable USB key, a small amount of software and some programmable LEDs?!”

I suspect that’s what you’ll say if you’re the parent of a child who comes begging for a Gameband Redstone, the officially-licensed Minecraft wearable, which has finally touched down in the UK and Europe.

And you’d have a good point. It is a lot for what it is. $79.99 for a branded USB key with some bells and whistles. But, if you do have a Minecraft fan in your family – of whatever age – they’ll love this. It’s great fun and makes sharing your Minecraft creations easy.

IMG_1238
The Minecraft wearable box

The main point of the Gameband is to let you quickly grab your locally-saved Minecraft worlds and use its 8GB of storage to carry them around with you. When you want to show them to someone, you can just plug the band into their computer and get going. It works really well.

The other fun thing is that the device comes with Pixel Furnace pre-installed, so you can easily program it to show your name or a pattern of your choosing when you press the button. It also has presets to give you the time, the date and the amount of available storage.

I found it easy to set up and get my head around and I suspect that any kid who is already proficient at Minecraft will find it simple to get started with as well.

IMG_1245
Yes, @brokenbottleboy made the Gameband light up and show his name.

The bad points? The Gameband runs small – go for a size bigger than you think you need – and it isn’t adjustable. I have relatively small wrists and still found the clasp on the model I was sent difficult to close.

What happens when you don't close the Gameband clasp carefully.
What happens when you don’t close the Gameband clasp carefully.

You’re warned to be careful when you first go to clip the band on as it is very easy to get your skin trapped. As a device targeted at children, it’s definitely worth Gameband thinking a little more carefully about this design decision.

IMG_1242
This warning sticker really isn’t enough.

In terms of resilience, the band is waterproof – to a degree – and reasonably hard-wearing. It should manage to survive most of the things a child will throw at it, but your mileage may vary.

Everything you get in the Minecraft wearable box
Everything you get in the Minecraft wearable box

I would recommend the Gameband to people who really like Minecraft. It’s a fun accessory to your online adventures and also works well as a watch and general talking point. Programming the LEDs is also a great exercise for kids of all ages.

My one issue is the price: I think it’s a little steep for something with such a limited set of features. But ultimately, if you’re Minecraft mad, you’re going to want one. I definitely want to keep it.

Minecraft wearable review: Love the game? You want the Gameband Redstone

Something Is Wrong With ‘Minecraft.' This Game Has A Solution

ECO

In the past, I’ve speculated on the long term impact of the Minecraft craze. I suspect that the game’s narrative shift—away from a typical hero storyline, toward an emphasis on creativity and collectivity (when played on servers)—will significantly impact the way Generation Blockhead kids will navigate their adult lives. Look at the ubiquity of the craze. Then consider that, in spawned virtual worlds, young people are constantly empowered to create not only their own structures, but also their own modifications, rules and outcomes. It sounds like the perfect premise for a science fiction novel—like Ready Player One without the mono-mythic plot arc.

Ready Player One, for those unfamiliar, is a futuristic novel by Ernest Cline that’s currently being developed into a Steven Spielberg movie. The book is about a virtual reality adventure full of classic video game references. During an interview with Mother Jones, Cline said, “Steven Spielberg making a Ready Player One movie is going to change the course of human history as pertains to how quickly virtual reality is adopted.” The author was speaking earlier this summer to promote the release of his new novel Armada. He continued, “[Spielberg] is going to show the whole world the potential of VR, which is one of the reasons I think he’s doing it.”

Cline may be right. But before we decide which single moment to memorialize as the tipping point that leads us into the inevitable future era of VR, let’s remember that while Oculus has been iterating hardware and filmmakers have been building fantasies, the kids have already been practicing in a pixelated world full of creepers and obsidian. They took Markus “Notch” Persson’s system and remade it in their own image. Watching Generation Blockhead play Minecraft should, therefore, make you optimistic about the future. That is, until you realize that on a fundamental level, Minecraft’s conception of the life-world is problematic.

You’re probably wondering if I really meant to write “life-world.” What does the game-world have to do with the life-world? Aren’t games just computer-generated and programmer-authored escapes from reality? No. It is time we accept that video games are one of the primary narrative instruments for the 21st Century. Like fairy tales, mythology, and scripture, they are not simply entertainment. They are complex interactive symbol systems that teach young people how to make sense of their lived experience. It is through narrative tools like these that individuals develop a sense of identity, community, and agency. The game-world of today shapes the adult-world of tomorrow. All games teach players an implicit vision of the life-world.
Recommended by Forbes

The issue with Minecraft is that, on the one hand, it offers an impressive virtual maker-space, an exercise in project-based learning that’s only barely limited by the everyday real-world restrictions of time and space. But on the other hand, it approaches its unique virtual landscape through the tired intellectual paradigms of the industrial era: the game-world is to be mined and exploited, each block is only an instrument to accomplish the individual player’s desired outcome.

Minecraft will almost certainly inspire a generation of empowered innovators with key problem solving skills, but its system lacks key components that would demonstrate real material consequences and, therefore, it doesn’t encourage the kind of ethical decision making that will be required of future pioneers.

Something Is Wrong With ‘Minecraft.' This Game Has A Solution

Get a bird's eye block view of Minecraft John Smith's Stadium – including a special statue

 

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Huddersfield Town superfan Mark Harrison has spent over a year recreating a digital version of his favourite stadium.

And he’s still hard at work developing the project, using Minecraft.

But the Moldgreen dad insists there’s plenty more work to do.

His latest 3D model of the John Smith’s Stadium, created using the popular video game, includes sections of the surrounding area such as the River Colne, the Odeon cinema and the St Andrew’s Road entrance to the complex.

The digital replica, which includes a giant statue of Town midfielder Jacob Butterfield, began as a gift to his daughter Jamie-Lee.

But since Jamie-Lee started high school, she’s lost interest. Not so her dad.

Mark, 41, said: “She thinks it’s good but she’s getting older and she thinks it’s boring!

“I still enjoy doing it.

“There’s still lots to do. I’ve not finished the concourse.”

Mark added: “Once I get to do Kilner Bank I think I’ll leave it at that.”

It’s got a bit out of hand,” Mark admitted.

“I’m obsessed with the details of the ground. I’m not just doing the outside but the inside and all the concourses and the car parks.

“I’ve been doing it for about four months and time just seems to fly by.

“I was into X-Box before this but this is something different to shoot ‘em ups and typical games.”

Get a bird's eye block view of Minecraft John Smith's Stadium – including a special statue

Custom ‘Minecraft' PC is more than a skin-deep tribute

Spencer Kern's custom 'Minecraft' PC, Redstone

You may see yourself as a big Minecraft fan, but Spencer Kern just took that devotion to another level. The Microsoft game artist marked the launches of both Windows 10 and its special version of Minecraft by building Redstone, a custom PC that's a tribute to Mojang's construction game in more ways than one. Kern didn't just slap some pixel art on a case and call it a day — he custom-built the cube to pay homage to its namesake game resource through and through, including eerie red lighting, custom storage labels and a miniature version of Steve lurking inside. He even personalized his gamepad, headphones, keyboard and mouse to match the theme. You sadly can't buy Redstone, but Kern has documented enough of its assembly that you could theoretically create a reasonable facsimile with enough time and elbow grease.

Custom ‘Minecraft' PC is more than a skin-deep tribute

How Minecraft is helping kids with autism

_84870895_minecraft27Minecraft is one of the most popular games of all time – as of 2014, it has sold more than 54 million copies.

Now the National Autistic Society say that the game can actually help children with the condition.

Autism is a condition that can make you think to differently to other people. It affects the way you live, and how you see the world around you.

But some autistic kids say that the game has helped them to become more confident, and make more friends.

Ayshah went to meet brothers Edward and William, who both love the game.

How Minecraft is helping kids with autism

Minecraft Windows 10 Edition, Musical.ly, Prune, and Outfit7’s latest game – Five Apps to Try

5apps-minecraft-EN-664x374If you have no plans for this weekend, and are wondering what to do with yourself, then we may have the answer, five apps to keep you entertained through until Monday… or maybe even longer if you really like them.

First this week we have Musical.ly (iOS|Android), and app for every aspiring pop-idol – because it teaches you to lip-sync. All you have to do is pick out a section of a song you like, and Musical.ly will play the tune back for you to mime along to. It even records the results for you to share with your friends over social media.

If you are planning on just relaxing this weekend, then we have Prune (iOS), a tranquil organic puzzle game that has you nurturing a plant towards sunlight. Though it may help you achieve a state of Zen it isn’t simple, with all kinds of obstacle between your seed and its goal.

For those of you who prefer something a bit more frantic we have Mars Pop Bubble Shooter (iOS|Android|Windows Phone). Yes, it’s another match-three bubble game, but it’s a good one as developer Outfit7 (famous for the Talking Tom series) have filled it with their own particular brand of charm.

Microsoft Translator (iOS|Android) is a must for all holiday goers. Microsoft’s translation tool will let you talk to people in 50 languages, and thanks to a Smart Watch companion app you can do it all without ever taking your phone from your pocket. Now you have no excuse for not asking a stranger to rub sunscreen on your back.

Finally this week we have the Minecraft Windows 10 Edition Beta (Windows 10 devices). This new version of Minecraft borrows heavily from the Pocket Edition of the game, but it will expand as developer Mojang continues to develop it based on player feedback. In real terms that means that it’s good, and it's only going to get better.

Minecraft Windows 10 Edition, Musical.ly, Prune, and Outfit7’s latest game – Five Apps to Try

Minecraft Pocket Edition 0.12.1 Alpha Build 6 MOD APK Download Available

Minecraft-Pocket-Edition-681x383Minecraft is without any doubts one of the most played games out there. The game is available for consoles, computers, tables and smart phones. The best thing about Minecraft is that it can be fun for both children and adults, as well.

Minecraft: Pocket Edition comes with both Creative and Survival modes and can be played even ion multiplayer mode via a local Wi-Fi network. So, in case you have a friend that enjoys playing Minecraft, we suggest you to connect to the same Wi-Fi network and start playing together this awesome game in multiplayer mode.

The Minecraft: Pocket Edition game comes with mobs, villages, new biomes and infinite worlds. You will have to craft items, create buildings and explore the Minecraft world and protect yourself against the evil creatures that come at night.

However, in case you install the modified version of Minecraft Pocket Edition version 0.12.1, you will be able to activate the immortality cheat and make sure that you survive every night in Minecraft even if you didn’t finish building your “safe” house.

Installing Minecraft Pocked Edition version 0.12.1 Alpha Build 6 MOD

In order to install APK files that have not been downloaded from the Google Play Store, you will need to enable the Unknown Source option by going to your device’s Settings->Applications or Settings->Security. Once you enable this option, you will just need to download the Minecraft Pocked Edition version 0.12.1 Alpha Build 6 MOD APK file from the internet (search for it on Google). Once you’ve downloaded the APK file, tap on it to start installing this modified Minecraft Pocket Edition version 0.12.1 on your Android device.

You’re done! Now you can use the immortality cheat and be immune to any monster in Minecraft Pocket Edition!

Have you installed the Minecraft Pocked Edition version 0.12.1 Alpha Build 6 MOD on your Android device? Tell us your thoughts about it!

Minecraft Pocket Edition 0.12.1 Alpha Build 6 MOD APK Download Available

Minecraft cases protect your gadgets with all the strength of obsidian blocks. Well, maybe.

Minecraft cases for iPhone, iPad and Samsung Galaxy. Yes!

With a bunch of Minecraft fans in my house, and a couple of them with gadgets of their own, I’m pretty sure these new Minecraft cases from Think Geek would be a huge hit.

You won’t find these Minecraft cases anywhere other than Think Geek (oooh, exclusive!), with the pig, wolf, or creeper ready to protect an iPhone 5/5S, iPhone 6, iPad Mini, or Samsung S5 from the elements, as in real life elements; along with the fun designs, they actually feature a handy raised lip (not a pig lip) so your gadget’s glass is less likely to crack when it falls face down.

 

Minecraft cases: The pig is actually kind of cute, huh?

Minecraft Cases: The wolf for your iPhone 5/5S or iPhone 6

I’m thinking a Minecraft gadget case is a fun back-to-school gift, or hey, it’s even worth snatching up now and tucking away for the holidays. I realize that’s a few months away, but when it comes to Minecraft, I’d be willing to bet money that your kids will still be just as infatuated with it in a few months as they are now.

Minecraft cases protect your gadgets with all the strength of obsidian blocks. Well, maybe.

Minecraft Ventnor: If you know a Minecraft fan, this will blow their minds

Minecraft Ventnor - Postcard

Minecraft is an phenomenon – there’s no two ways about it.

For people of a certain age – usually the young – it’s been a fundamental part of their lives.

For those who don’t know: Minecraft is a computer game that allows you to build and explore worlds – Think of it as an unlimited virtual Lego set.

Ventnor’s seafront in Minecraft
Chris Gutteridge, who grew up in Ventnor but is now doing terribly clever things with computers at Southampton University, has carried out an amazing feat – he’s built the whole of Ventnor’s seafront in Minecraft.

He’s constructed the whole lot – from the Haven, right through to the Spyglass – all out of 1m blocks. It’s ‘life’ sized, within Minecraft.

Minecraft Ventnor - IslandPool-1000

As if that wasn’t amazing enough – and it’s only real Minecraft fans that will understand how amazing that is – he’s done the whole lot in Survival mode!

That means that every single block that makes up the beach, the Esplanade and all of its buildings has been ‘mined’ or ‘made’. Oh, and there’s a chance of parts of your hard work being blown up by Creepers.

It’s a mind-blowing task that’s taken him the best part of nine months of evenings to complete. Ask any Minecrafter and they’ll be impressed (unless they’re 14, because obviously nothing impresses them 🙂 ).

Come and see it
There’s plenty of opportunity for you all to sample this virtual Ventnor.

1) At Ventnor’s Minecraft Club
How could you launch it anywhere else but Ventnor’s very own Minecraft club? It’s been running since the start of this year at Ventnor’s library.

On Saturday 8th August at 2pm for an hour, Chris will be giving his Virtual Ventnor away on USB memory sticks – For Free! – for as long as they last.

Free USB memory stick with Minecraft on it

Young Minecraft fans just need to pop along for this exclusive unveiling.

Those lucky enough to get the keys will be able to load it on to their computer version of Minecraft and explore the Minecraft Ventnor to their hearts content.

If you bring your laptop computers along you’ll be able to play it there too.

2) See and buy the Artwork
Chris hasn’t rested there – he’s spent even further time creating sophisticated canvasses of a number of the views of the Esplanade – some during the day, others at night.

They’ll be on show as part of the Undecided Art Collective Fringe show along with other inspirational artists at Cafe 34, Pier Street, Ventnor – all part of the Ventnor Fringe 2015, which starts on Tuesday 11th August.

If you fall in love with them, there’ll be a limited number that will be available to buy between 11th-16th August.

3) Download it – A week later
To give young Minecraft fans a special edge, the public release of Chris’ Minecraft Ventnor world will happen a week later on the 15th August through the dedicated Website.

Chris has created a Website about it that shows some of the views, as well as describes the process he went through.

Minecraft Ventnor: If you know a Minecraft fan, this will blow their minds

Don't Hold Your Breath for Minecraft 2

 

Gamers have been speculating about a sequel to Minecraft for years, but here's the truth: It's not happening. At least, not any time soon.

In fact, developer Mojang says it's never even discussed the possibility of creating Minecraft 2, according to a report from PCMag's sister site IGN. Mojang CEO Jonas Martensson told IGN that he's happy to continue developing the existing game.

But that doesn't mean a Minecraft 2 could never happen. It's just not something even remotely on Mojang's radar at this point. The company reckons that the original will still be holding strong a decade from now.

He also suggested that there isn't enough demand for a sequel at this point to warrant one — but that could change in the years to come.

“I think we've always been listening to the players and one big step has been to bring the game to all platforms and letting people play together,” Martensson said. “We also want to make sure the creativity of the community is still there, so we can allow and empower all our users to create plugins or mods, then I think then the community will take the game where it's going to be in five years.”

Meanwhile, the plan to continue iterating the existing game falls in line with Microsoft's new strategy to improve its Windows operating system through regular updates, instead of releasing a whole new version every few years.

“There was never, even within Microsoft, a conversation about a Minecraft 2 just because it's never how the game has been developed and even in the philosophy that the company has taken with Windows 10 where this is something that gets updated often,” Microsoft Games Studios general manager Matt Booty told IGN. “The way to think about it is more to do with continual updates and a continual process.”

Don't Hold Your Breath for Minecraft 2

Minecraft is not just fun — it's changing education

Many people believe video games are intellectually lazy and have a poor effect on students. There are, however, a growing number of teachers, students, and parents who are using one video game in particular as an educational tool.

Minecraft is a video game that has gained an enormous following. According to Minecraft.net, more than 20 million people have purchased a version of the game.

Zack Klein, CEO of DIY.org and co-founder of Vimeo described Minecraft in terms of another popular childhood toy — Lego.

“Minecraft is basically virtual Legos, except you can have an infinite number of blocks to play with. And instead of being just plastic, the blocks can have different properties. They can be stone, they can be wood, they can be water, they can be shrubs. And kids play with them just like they might with Legos. They build anything they can imagine, and they can do it in a space with other kids online,” Klein says.

Minecraft isn’t just popular with kids. Many teachers have begun using the game as a learning tool in their classrooms. There are reports of educators using Minecraft as a base for art, history, geography, philosophy and ecology lessons.

Bruce Homer, an associate professor of educational psychology at the City University of New York, argues video games can be a good medium for learning.

“Video games, the way they’re built, tap into, I think, a lot of key features that address who children are and what they like. So they're interactive, they're social, and, you know, visually and emotionally stimulating. And there's learning in every video game. The key is to develop games that kids can actually learn stuff we want them to learn,” Homer says.

Some people, however, are finding that kids are using Minecraft as more than an afternoon diversion, or a fun way to complete a geography lesson. Klein discovered, during a recent search of his DIY.org site that almost all the architecture projects kids had stored on the site were buildings that had been designed in Minecraft.

“It occurred to me that kids weren't using this game as a game necessarily, they were using it as a new kind of tool that allowed them to 3D model,” Klein says.

Still, other than anecdotal evidence, there is a lack of knowledge about how well kids are able to use skills they learn in Minecraft in the real world.

“We have the initial evidence, which is great stories from teachers talking about how much their students love it,” Homer says, “The next step I would say would be to actually do some research on it — where we compare how well students learn from this compared to other education interventions and see what activities within Minecraft lead to the best learning outcomes.”

Homer adds, however, that Minecraft might be one useful step in a time-tested strategy for teaching: exposing kids to concepts in multiple situations. If a student hears a geography lesson from their teacher, and also gets that lesson repeated virtually in Minecraft, and then again during a “real life” experience, they are much more likely to retain the information and fully understand the concept.

In the end, there are many people, including parents, educators, kids, and developers, who remain excited about the possibilities of Minecraft as an educational tool.

“I think we don't quite understand the influence that Minecraft has had and will have had on our culture, now that an entire generation of people — these kids — know how to build and think in three-dimensional spaces. What sort of art, and communication and business will now be possible because there is a huge consumer base that understands this tool?” Klein says.

Minecraft is not just fun — it's changing education

Is there a list of error codes for Minecraft?

Similar to this question on the bugs in Minecraft, I would like a complete list of what error codes exist in Minecraft and how they occur, as well as how they can be resolved.

Here are some, but probably not all, of the error codes that may occur when playing Minecraft:
Multiplayer Errors

An error that only happens when you're playing on or attempting to log in/out of a multiplayer server.
Connection refused: connect

This means:

There is no Minecraft server online on the IP Address:Port you put in
The entire server (not just Minecraft) cannot be accessed

You can try:

Confirm you've entered the correct server address
Contacting the server owner/administrator or a known operator (OP) and explain the situation.

End of stream

This means:

The server has stopped sending information back to the client for some reason.

You can try:

Close and Reopen Minecraft and attempt to log in again.
If problems persist, contact the server owner/administrator or a known Operator (OP) and explain the situation

Failed to login: Bad Login

This means:

You've attempted to log in too quickly after last attempt.
This may also apply to when a non-vanilla client attempts to connect to a vanilla server (or vice versa), but in this case generally indicates version number discrepancies.
This may also occur with unequal vanilla version numbers, though this has almost been entirely replaced with the Outdated Server or Outdated Client error messages.

You can try:

Confirm that you are running the correct version of Minecraft for the server you wish to connect to. (Sometimes, server operators may not update the server straight away, but instead wait for their particular mods/server admin tools to catch up).
Check your network connection and your ping (lag) time. Your client may be getting kicked because the network is too slow to respond in time.

Internal Exception: io.netty.handler.timeout.ReadTimeoutException

This means:

The game could not keep up with the server, or that your computer cannot process the packets fast enough, causing you to fall too far out of sync with the server.

You can try:

Getting a faster/clearer internet connection, a faster computer, or simply closing any programs that may be hogging your bandwidth/computer processing power. Remember to check the task tray on Windows – applications like Dropbox can consume a lot of bandwidth.

java.io.IOException: Server returned HTTP response code: 503

This means:

The server cannot authenticate who you are because minecraft.net is down

You can try:

Check the Minecraft Update News and the Mojang pages to check if there are planned outages (server maintenance, website updates etc)
Try again later
If this persists and there isn't any reported outages, contact the server owner/administrator or a known operator (OP) and explain the situation

java.net.SocketException: Connection reset

This means:

The server has shut down or is doing something very intensive.
This also occurs when the user's internet connection dies or something in between the user and the server gets disconnected.
It is basically a very broad and common TCP/IP error. It means that something has happened to disconnect the connection in an abrupt and unexpected way.
Servers sometimes return this when in the process of shutting down or starting up, which may happen if the server does nightly backups/restarts. (Remember, your ‘night' may be different to the server, especially if it is in another country!)

You can try:

Try logging in again later.
If this persists, contact the server owner/administrator or a known Operator (OP) and explain the situation.

Outdated client!

This means:

You're connecting to a server on a newer version than the Minecraft you're using

You can try:

Change your Minecraft version to the one used by the server, using the Profile Editor in the Launcher

Outdated server!

This means:

You're connecting to a server on an older version than the Minecraft you're using

You can try:

Change your Minecraft version to the one used by the server, using the Profile Editor in the Launcher
Note: Sometimes, server operators may not update the server straight away, but instead wait for their particular mods/server admin tools to catch up, especially for pre-release versions

This server responded with an invalid server key

This means:

This is actually a measure to stop an exploit with modified servers, but has a bug which causes it to have false positives in half of the connections.

You can try:

Attempt to log in again.

Took to long to log in

This means:

The server cannot authenticate who you are because minecraft.net wasn't responding

You can try:

Try again later
Check the Minecraft Update News and the Mojang pages to check if there are planned outages (server maintenance, website updates etc)
If this persists and there isn't any reported outages, contact the server owner/administrator or a known Operator (OP) and explain the situation.

User Not Premium

This means:

“Free”/cracked/hacked Minecraft clients do not pass the minecraft.net authentication.

You can try

If you want to play on multiplayer servers you have to buy the game.

You are not whitelisted on this server

This means:

You have not been added to (or have been removed from) the list of people who are allowed to connect to the server.

You can try:

Contacting the server owner/administrator or a known operator (OP) and explain the situation.

Crashes

An error that can occur at any point while playing the game.
Failed to check session lock, aborting

This means:

Most likely, there is an active lock on part of the world (either the terrain itself, or more likely an NBT saved element such as a player or chest) that a third party editor has left locked (or that you didn't close).
You may only see this in the crash log.

You can try:

Delete session.lock in the world save folder (contact an admin if you aren't one and explain the situation).

java.lang.NullPointerException

This means:

Minecraft sometimes crashes on startup, even when you are playing vanilla.
This typically means that one or more Block IDs conflict with each other.
This normally occurs on heavily modded clients or modpacks, such as Tekkit or Feed The Beast.

You can try:

Relaunching the game
ForgeModLoader now has an in-built block ID resolver/alert. So, if there's a conflict: The game will stop loading and ask you to fix them. It even gives you a little file that tells you what blocks are conflicting with each other, and the IDs they're conflicting for.

Runtime Errors
com.google.gson.JsonSyntaxException

or
com.google.gson.stream.MalformedJsonException

Minecraft uses an external package by Google to parse all the json formatting, which is what the NBT format is based on.

This means:

Your world may be corrupted.
There is invalid JSON/NBT formatting in your save files; tag names are defined as a “variable” instead of a string.

You can try:

Going through the save files and searching for the malformed formatting. (See this example code to clear using Javascript)
This means {Tag:{ … }} instead of {“Tag”:{ … }}, with … representing its compounded tags/contents.
Restoring your save to a previous backup where the problem has not occurred, and removing any mods that may have caused this.

java.lang.OutOfMemoryError

This means:

Your game has run out of memory.
Heavily modded clients require a lot more memory (and processing power) as it has more blocks loaded onto it.

You can try:

Increasing the amount of memory that is allocated to java. See the posts here:
How do you allocate more RAM to Minecraft?
Why allocate more RAM to Minecraft?
Close down any programs that you don't need (to free up memory)
Reduce the number of mods
Upgrade to the 64-bit version of Java (requires a 64-bit computer).

See here for information (not Minecraft-specific).
RuntimeException: No OpenGL context found in the current thread.

or
org.lwjgl.LWJGLException: Pixel format not accelerated

This means:

Your graphics card or driver is unable to handle Minecraft.

You can try:

It could be as simple as updating graphics drivers, but this doesn't happen often.
If this error occurs after installing or updating the operating system, you probably have default graphics drivers that do not support OpenGL. Install the drivers provided by your graphics card manufacturer instead of the default drivers.
Otherwise, you may need to purchase a newer graphics card for your PC.

References and additional information

Some are taken from this post on the Yogscast forums.
Official Minecraft support pages
The bug tracker might have information about bugs causing these errors as well. You can look for your error in the Hopper, too.

Failed to login: Bad Login is also an error thrown when a) a non-vanilla client attempts to connect to a vanilla server (and vice versa) (only happens in some situations) and b) used to show up when the client had a newer version than the server (this may be fixed up now). –  Qix Dec 22 '12 at 22:04

I know when modding the client/server from scratch, I would get Bad Login all the time (even though the login systems were fine). The problems were version numbers; once they correlated with each other the user could connect fine. –  Qix Dec 22 '12 at 22:05

Further, Connection Reset also occurs when the user's internet connection dies or something in between the user and the server gets disconnected (basically, Connection Reset [being a very broad and common TCP/IP error] means something happened to disconnect the connection in an abrupt and unexpected way). –  Qix Dec 22 '12 at 22:07

Right, you have missed 1 as far as I know “Cannot have username longer than 16 characters” –  user48382 May 11 '13 at 19:24

An access violation / segmentation fault occurs when a program attempts to access memory that it has not been assigned. This is a very broad type of error with many possible causes, but it is almost always the result of a software bug.

Find the part of the crash log that states “problematic frame”, and see if it matches any of the ones found below:

Problematic frame: ig4icd32.dll, ig4dev32.dll, ig7icd64.dll, ig7dev64.dll

What is this? Drivers for Intel integrated graphics processors, commonly found in laptops.

Updating these drivers may be sufficient, and is usually a good idea anyway.

If you have another graphics processor / card (e.g. ATi, nVidia), you may want to run on that device instead, as they tend to be better supported and deliver more performance (at the cost of battery life).

Problematic frame: atioglx1.dll, atioglx2.dll, atioglx3.dll, atioglxx.dll

What is this? ATi OpenGL drivers. Minecraft uses OpenGL for its 3D rendering.

Updating your graphics drivers is usually a good place to start–usually, because see below.

Did the error start appearing only recently? A recent update may actually be the culprit. See whether downgrading/rolling back to a previous version resolves the issue.

Problematic frame: jvm.dll, libjvm.so

What is this? The actual Java Virtual Machine (JVM).

Install the latest version in the Java line you have (6, 7, 8 …). While uncommon, a bug may have slipped into the JVM.

If other parts of your computer are acting up as well, you may have hardware memory errors. Try running a memory check.

Is there a list of error codes for Minecraft?

‘Minecraft’ Developer Ready to Initiate Public Testing of the Game’s ‘The Combat Update!’

Swedish game developer Mojang is all set to initiate public testing of “Minecraft 1.9: The Combat Update” which is mostly about cuddling and farming plants.

According to the Minecraft Forum, gamers should not expect to find in “Minecraft 1.9: The Combat Update” a number of things that are normally on its preview phase.

Among these things include any balancing of any kind as gamers should expect things to be hilariously overpowered or underpowered. There will be no melee combat changes, and that means no shields, no meaning of life, and no hugs too.

The update will also have a perfect respawn mechanics at the end so gamers can actually respawn the dragon by drawing a creeper face with clay, but the respawning will just be temporary.

Lots of new items

There will also be lots of new items and blocks which don’t exist previously. There will also be new potions and enchantments. The update will also provide subtitles support.

The update shall also come with proper offhand interaction support. And finally, there will also be lots of surprise stuff.

According to the resource pack authors, they have changed the format of the packs slightly, and have support for versioning packs now. Gamers can still use incompatible packs, it just needs exra confirmation from the user.

But before updating to Minecraft 1.9: The Combat Update,” gamers are strongly advised to back up their worlds before updating. Things might break during the loading process so it is always better to be on the side of caution than being sorry later on.

Bug fixes too

As per Mojang, the new update will come with a lot of bug fixes too which have been the key complaints of gamers recently.

The game developer has also asked gamers to report any other bugs that they can see or notice in the game so that they can attend to fixing it.

Getting snapshots of the bugs and other issues that gamers can find would be very helpful for Mojang. To those who are not yet familiar with snapshots, they can simply open their launcher and press the New Profile button. Name it snapshots and tick the box that says ‘enable experimental development snapshots’ and save.

To go back to the normal version, gamers can simply select it in the dropdown at the bottom left corner of the launcher. They also need to back up their world first or run the game in a different folder because snapshot can actually ruin their worlds in the game.

Despite its blocky graphics that basically resembles Lego playable sets, the sandbox independent video game “Minecraft” is one of the most successful video games in the world.

“Minecraft” is an open-world game that has no specific goals for the player to accomplish, allowing gamers a large amount of freedom in choosing how to play the game.

Created by Swedish programmer Markus “Notch” Persson and subsequently developed and published by Swedish gaming company Mojang, “Minecraft” has creative and building aspects that enable players to build constructions out of textured cubes in a 3D procedurally generated world.

The game also allows exploration, resource gathering, crafting, and combat. It was officially released on November 18, 2011 to the PC and mobile devices by Mojang; then to the Xbox 360, Xbox One, and the Windows Phone by Microsoft Studios; and to the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4 and PS Vita by Sony Computer Entertainment.

Minecraft

“Minecraft” come in two gameplay modes – a single player and a multiplayer mode. Each mode comes in three sub-modes. There is the survival mode where players must acquire resources to build the world and maintain health.

There is also a creative mode where players have unlimited resources to build with the ability to fly, and the adventure mode where players use custom maps that were created by other players.

The game also has an achievement system. Gameplay by default is the first person. But players have the option to play in the third person mode. The main gameplay is focused on breaking and placing blocks or rough 3D objects, arranged in a fixed grid pattern and representing different materials such as dirt, stone, various ores, water, and tree trunks.

While players can move freely across the open world, objects can only be placed at fixed locations on the grid. Players can gather these material blocks and put them elsewhere, which enables them to do various constructions.

With the advent of the latest video games that featured state-of-the-art graphics technology, “Minecraft” has been relegated to a kid’s game, graphics-wise. Eventually, the new games found out that “Minecraft” is already an icon in the video game industry and simply cannot be dislodged from its lofty status as one of the most successful and sentimental video games.

It’s more than 100 million registered users is not just an evidence of its extraordinary popularity, it also shows that despite being akin to an open world digital Lego set, gamers really find “Minecraft” entertaining and exciting enough to maintain their interest on it.

A good part of the continued success of “Minecraft” however can be attributed to YouTube, which “Minecraft” gamers and fanatics have greatly made use of to promote and proliferate on how to do things properly in “Minecraft.”

‘Minecraft’ Developer Ready to Initiate Public Testing of the Game’s ‘The Combat Update!’

Here's everything that's coming to Minecraft Pocket Edition 0.12, according to Minecon 2015

If you thought Minecraft Pocket Edition 0.11 – which added boats, skins, and fishing – had a big feature list, you haven't seen anything yet.

The upcoming 0.12 will introduce more new stuff than perhaps any update we've ever seen, including controller support, music, weather, the Nether, and huge changes to the inventory.

The reason? Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition, which was announced at London shindig Minecon.This new Win 10 version is Pocket Edition (and the two versions will “will always be updated together”, says Mojang's Tommaso Checchi), and Microsoft doesn't want its OS getting a crappy feature list. So expect many improvements.

What we can look forward to in Pocket Edition 0.12, then? We've poured over Minecon panels and hands-on sessions with Windows 10 edition and tweets from Mojang staff to give you this exhaustive breakdown.

PC-style inventory

Minecraft Inventory

Pocket Edition will get the traditional inventory interface, for survival mode, in 0.12. Which means no more easy crafting: you'll have to memorise recipes if you want to make stuff.

New controls

When playing with the touchscreen controls, you'll find that the jump button has been moved. And there are buttons for sneaking and sprinting. You can also turn auto-jump on and off.

Controller support

Of course, you don't have to play with the touchscreen controls any longer. Controller support will be added: though, the only confirmed controller thus far is an Xbox 360 / One pad, for the Windows 10 edition.

Customisable interface

Not happy with the current screen layout? 0.12 will let you move stuff like buttons, hearts, and experience bars.

The Nether

Nether

This is a special hell-like dimension, filled with ghastly creatures and handy new materials. If it's anything like the PC version, you'll have to make a portal out of obsidian blocks to enter this area.

Weather

Finally! It will now rain and snow while you play Pocket Edition. Snow will also stack if it has been snowing for some time.

Hunger

It's a controversial change. A second bar, which tracks your hunger and forces you to keep eating food or you'll begin to drain health. It's coming to Pocket Edition, so you'll have to grow crops or chop up animals to survive.

Enchanting

You'll now gain experience points while playing PE. And these handy points can be used, with the right objects and items, to enchant your gear and give it magical properties.

Potions

Potions

Get a brewing stand and whip up a potion to give yourself temporary powers. In Minecraft proper that includes health regeneration, improved speed, a higher jump, and invisibility.

Redstone

Redstone is a curious element that lets you wire up mechanical machines. Some use it to make simple automated minecart tracks. Others use it to make a million-block graphic calculator that draws shapes. Up to you.

This one might miss 0.12, as its described as being added “this year”. But hey, fingers crossed.

New animations

Things should look a little more fancy in 0.12. The TNT explosion has been updated, and particle effects will be present with mobs are on fire and when slimy slimes jump.

New dungeon

A new dungeon design will be present, so you won't know what to expect when you stumble upon an underground lair.

Soundtrack

Hooray! No more playing in silence. Music will be added to the handheld version in the next update. Let's hope Mojang sticks with C418's haunting piano score. It wouldn't be Minecraft, otherwise.

Commands

You can do all kinds of crazy crap with commands. And now you'll be able to type them into Pocket Edition. We'll have to wait and see how much this will allow us to change the game.

New mobs

Iron Golems

Big ugly Iron Golems, who protect villagers from harm, will be added. As will Ocelots, which are big nasty cats that spawn in jungle biomes. And Villagers can now turn into zombies, which is slightly terrifying.

You'll also have to deal with new Nether enemies, if you enter that scary dimension, including Wither Skeletons and Blazes.

New Blocks

Enchantment tables will let you, erm, enchant items with magical properties. Anvils will let you repaired damaged equipment. And brewing stands let you make potions.

You can also get the morbid mob heads, which let you show off enemies you have killed. By displaying their decapitated bonce. Who is the real monster?

Other new items include flower pots, soul sand, Nether brick fences, and Nether quartz ore.

Items

Potions are now included of course. Plus, golden carrots and apples, enchanted golden apples, and glistering melons.

You'll also be able to stuff your inventory with Nether warts, a rabbit's foot, a Blaze rod and Blaze powder, a Ghast tear, a (fermented) spider eye, and a good old bottle o' enchanting.

Windows 10 Edition will go into beta on July 29th. No word yet on when to expect updates for the iOS and Android version of Pocket Edition.