Sky-Bridges 2013!

In this post, I talked about my World #1from Alpha and the original idea in the over world, that is to build sky bridges from mountain top to mountain top and build a home on each. Well knowing what I know now, after playing Minecraft for 2 & 3/4 years, almost three in September; I decided to try the idea again for 2013! A lot of things have changed within those years (Not least the terrain generation) but within myself as well. My building style, the way I use materials, and like most Minecraft players over time a capacity to evolve.

Despite the terrain generator having changed over the years, I knew this would be tricky, but I was determined to give it a go. I spawned in a forest and after making my way across into a connecting swamp, I was soon faced with a desert. So far nothing in the way of being able to do my project, I did spot a village in the distance however and visited to raid them of  their goods; notably the wheat. Thankfully there was a blacksmith's there as well as a few decent things there were three diamonds! Immediately I thought about making a diamond pick or sword but instead opted for a more sensible sword and shovel. As I went back into the desert I took more notice of the giant sand mountain that was there and also noticed some nearby sizable normal mountains. Straight away I had the basis for two mountains and there was another sand mountain nearby as well. Building in the desert had not been a consideration of mine, but a desert/sand fort for the start on top of a sand mountain soon became that more of an interesting challenge. Had I ventured on, no doubt I would've made another cobble fort to begin with on top of a normal mountain.

The sand mountain is just out of shot to the left.

When I reached the top of the sand mountain, I began flattening the area out so it was level, using the sand I collected to expand the area out as much as I could to make it bigger. Something again back in 2010 I wouldn't have thought of doing being a MInecraft n00b. I could only so this so much though, so it has ended up a bit squarish but at least one of the things I'm proud of; is that I've took my time with this. I used decorative sandstone for the corner pillars and normal sandstone for the walls with a wooden floor. I haven't just thrown the fort up or even attempted to start a sky-bridge yet. It also takes time to gather up enough sand to covert not only to said sandstone, but the decorative type as well. Some of which had to be made into stairs as well my my way up and down the mountain.

I've also took the time to make it aesthetic to the surrounding area, by removing sand around this mountain I exposed lots of stone, notable in smaller patches than the one above. So I've took the time to cover these over as well to make it look natural, and will continue the process. That sand dune in the distance to the left could be another potential build area. After dying a few times during the night and running back to get my things, (To give you an idea it's a 500 minecraft mile sprint from the forest spawn); I went looking for trees of different varieties to start a tree farm on the nearest grass as possible near my desert home. I even have a nice sized farm going as well!

Okay it's not very pretty right now, but I can tart it up later. I had to build some temporary dirt walls to protect it from mobs. The advantage of being in a desert - plenty of sand for glass. I have wheat, potatoes, melon and I just have a small carrot farm, thanks to a zombie. In the first picture of this post I went to the other mountain, the dirt one and loo0ked for a cave for resources, but couldn't find a near one. (Which is a first, usually you can't help but trip over them!) Instead I ended up digging a stair case down in a very small flat area between the dirt mountains. I didn't even get to bedrock when I went of to the side because of coal and found a passage way. I thought it was a cave, but the gravel down (as it was below) led me to none other than n abandoned mine! (Luckiest spawn ever?) I still haven't found a ravine but I explored the mineshaft like crazy, killing my pet hate - cave spiders and their spawners (Died a few times again.) and came up the usual iron, some gold, several emeralds, lots of Lapis and melon seeds.

Here are some recent pics I took whilst writing this blog:

Tree farm growing nicely now round the back of the food farm. (Which came first before the farms.)

Hopefully when I next post about this world, I'll have the start of a sky-bridge to show you!