Minecraft For Dummies

Jesse Stay, Thomas Stay, Jacob Cordeiro

• Publisher: For Dummies
• Year: 2014
• Print ISBN: 9781118968239
• eBook ISBN: 9781118968246
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Computer Science
• Subtopic: Programming Games
• Index: Computer Science

Don't be a Minecraft tourist – get expert tips and advice in this full-color primer

Minecraft For Dummies is the complete guide to playing within the Minecraft world. With easy-to-follow guidance from a team of Minecraft experts, you'll develop programming and engineering skills as you build amazing creations using in-game blocks and mechanical devices. Whether you prefer the PC, console, or portable platform, this helpful guide will walk you through the process of setting up and beginning gameplay, and engage with other users from all around the globe. With this trusty guidebook in hand, you'll navigate the infinite world of Minecraft with confidence, skills, and a storehouse of expert advice.

Minecraft is the sandbox construction game that has become a mainstream phenomenon with over a hundred million players. A virtually infinite world and versatile style of play offer endless possibilities for both the hardcore gamer and the total noob, and Minecraft For Dummies shows you everything you need to know before you break your first block.

• Choose your platform, download the game, and play in all three modes
• Gather resources, place and break blocks, and use circuits and logic gates
• Defend your creations against spiders, skeletons, zombies, and the Creeper
• Travel across the biomes and defeat the enderdragon to win the game

Whether you play to win or just like to explore, there is a style of Minecraft that will spark your imagination. Create or destroy, make war or peace, attack or defend – the game is whatever you want it to be. If you're ready to leave your mark on this digital universe, Minecraft For Dummies is the primer you need to get up to speed.

Part I

Getting Started with Minecraft

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In this part …

• Understand the world of Minecraft
• Start your first game
• Survive your first night

Chapter 1

Entering Minecraft

In This Chapter

Understanding Minecraft

Registering your account

Buying and downloading Minecraft

Starting your first game

Recognizing the basic controls

You’re ready to build, fight, create, craft, and brew. But how do you begin? This chapter tells you how to register and begin your first game.

If you’re a PE player (PE stands for Pocket Edition, the version of Minecraft for mobile devices), skip to the end of each chapter in this book to find a special section written just for you. In this chapter, PE players can find out how to download the game and understand its unique basic controls.

Getting to Know Minecraft

Minecraft is taking the world by storm! These days it’s hard to be a gamer without hearing or coming across the Minecraft brand — in fact, as of this writing Minecraft is the second most-played game right behind Wii Play, which just so happens to ship with the consoles it ships with. Parents and kids alike can’t avoid the game.

Minecraft is a massive adventure you can play on your own, or with your friends. The adventure encourages exploration and “mining” of the resources you need to build your world. As you play, there are monsters, zombies, and even dangerous animals that can hurt you along the way. You have to keep yourself fed and nourished in order to stay strong. In so many ways, it mimics real life.

There is so much to learn in this game — from geology to architecture, to farming, nutrition, and even electronics, engineering, and logic, you’ll find yourself learning throughout your adventures. Keep exploring, and the more you learn, the more cool things you’ll be able to build.

The game is playable on both mobile and desktop. You’ll probably find yourself, as a true player, exploring both of them at some point. The desktop version allows you to explore and do the most, but mobile is the cheapest and most widely available version to play. Spend time in each to learn new and different things you can do in them.

Registering a Minecraft Account

To jump into the action, you first have to register a Minecraft account. Then you can play in Demo mode or upgrade to a Premium account, which you need for the full version. Follow these steps to register an account:

1. Go to http://minecraft.net.
   The Minecraft home page opens.
2. Click the Register link in the upper right corner of the page.
   The Register New Mojang Account page appears.
3. Fill out all information requested in the text boxes, specify your date of birth, and answer the security questions (see Figure 1-1).
4. Click the Register button to finish.

   

   Figure 1-1: The registration page.

5. Check the email account you entered for a verification message from Minecraft.
6. Click the link provided in the email to complete the registration.
   Check out the next section to find out how to purchase the game.

Purchasing and Installing Minecraft

To buy and install the game, log in to your account at http://minecraft.net. (See the preceding section for details on registering.) Then follow these steps:

1. Click the large Buy Now or Get Minecraft button on the home page.
   The Minecraft Store page opens. This interface changes often, so the exact wording can also change as you read this.
2. Select the option to login or register for Minecraft (it might also say “Get Minecraft,” but the interface changes often), as shown in Figure 1-2.
   At the time of this writing, the game cost $26.95.
   

   If you can’t click the button, you may not be logged in (or you may have already bought the game).

   

   Figure 1-2: Buying the game.

3. Fill out the payment information, and then click the Proceed to Checkout button.
4. Follow the necessary steps to complete the purchase.
5. Return to the Minecraft home page. On the right side of the screen, the large Buy Now button should now be labeled Download Now. Click this button to open the Download page.

   ---

   Redeeming a gift card or code

   When you purchase a copy of Minecraft, you can pay using a gift card that you received on your birthday or on Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza, Easter, or another “just because” occasion. Here are the steps to redeem your copy of Minecraft (or at least get a discount!):

   1. Click the Register button in the upper right corner.
   2. Create a Mojang account.
      You can see the instructions for this step in the earlier section “Registering for a Minecraft Account.”
   3. Create a Minecraft username.
   4. Click the Redeem a Code button on the right side of the Payment Details section.
   5. Enter the code number and click Redeem.

   That’s it — now you’ve ...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Table of Contents
• Introduction
• Part I: Getting Started with Minecraft
• Part II: Learning the Basic Skills
• Part III: Mastering Techniques
• Part IV: Expanding Your Minecraft Experience
• Part V: Making Minecraft a Family Affair
• Part VI: The Part of Tens
• About the Authors
• Cheat Sheet
• More Dummies Products
• End User License Agreement