The Minecraft Guide for Parents: Down-To-Earth
Contents
1. Introduction Ix CHAPTER1 m Let sTalkAboutMinecraft 2 1 What Is Minecraft 2 Introducing Notch 3 The Bigger Picture So Much More than a Video Game 10 CHAPTER2 m The Basics of Minecraft lll 11 Game Modes 12 Multiplayer Minecraft 16 Game Formats 17 CHAPTER3 m Fitting MinecraftintoYourFamily 21 My Thoughts on Technology 22 Online Safety 32 The Minecraft Connection 39 Growing with Minecraft 40 House Rules 42 A Word on Addiction 43 Behavior Concerns 44 Balance 45 Managing Rising Emotions 45 Helping Your Child Lead the Way 55 CHAPTER4 m Getting Started lll 57 Things to Consider Before You Buy 58 Purchasing Minecraft 63 Downloading and Installing Minecraft 70 CHAPTER5 m Surviving Your First Night a naaa aaa aaa 73 Game Settings 74 Getting Started 75 My Confession 86 CONTENTS vii CHAPTER6 m BasicGameplay 2 2000 89 Starting a New Game 90 Basic Commands 95 Biomes and Terrain 99 Mobs 104 What To Do in Minecraft 122 CHAPTER7 m Digging Deeper Technical Specifics 145 The Minecraft Folder 146 Skins Resource Packs and Mods 149 CHAPTER8 Playing on Servers lll 163 Introduction to Servers 164 Home Servers 165 Minecraft Server Hosts 177 Public Servers 177 Online Safety 184 Online Communication 186 CHAPTER m SeeWhatlMade llle 195 Sharing Online 196 CHAPTER 10 m The Bigger Picture lll 2092. My Games Did you know that if you have an old Premium Minecraft Account you can import it into this account If you do you should start using your Mojang account e mail as username when logging in to Minecraft My Gift Codes Redeem Gift Code or Prepaid Card Click the button below to redeem your gift code or prepaid gift card Redeem Gift Code or Prepaid Card For more info on prepaid gift cards visit minecraft net FIGURE 4 4 Your Mojang account page BUYING MINECRAFT ONLINE Buying the game is pretty straightforward You will need a credit card or PayPal account as well as your Mojang account information ky CHAPTER 4 GETTING STARTED 1 To get to Minecraft net directly from the Mojang page where you created your account click the drop down menu in the upper right hover your mouse pointer over Games and then click Minecraft or Go to www minecraft net in your browser Now that you are registered you will need to log in 2 Click Log In in the upper right corner and you will be taken to a log in page J In the Username field enter the email address you used to register and enter your password in the field below that New accounts with Mojang since mid 2012 use an email address to log in 4 Click the Buy Now button Figure 4 5 FIGURE 4 5 Buy it PURCHASING MINECRAFT ky You are redirected back to the Minecraft Store page Figure 4 6 You ll see that the price is listed i
3. and it is fairly uncommon to see proper names as usernames There are many nicknames and choices available but you may need to be creative Wrednax is Xander s name spelled backward the W is the first letter of his last name People occasionally figure it out but there is nothing else revealing about it so was fine with his choice It s been a good one because it is short simple and easy to remember If you re concerned about your child being identified by gender be sure to pick a gender neutral name Although it s beginning to change girl gamers have traditionally had a harder time gaining respect I ve had few problems on Rawcritics and the Minecraft realm is actually very open and unbiased relatively speaking On less family friendly servers though l ve occasionally had to ward off unwanted attention and have at times wished l d chosen a less obviously feminine name THINGS TO CONSIDER BEFORE YOU BUY ty KEEP IT SHORT Keep usernames short especially for younger children Choose something that your child will remember and be able to spell easily Short usernames are also helpful in that other players can talk to you without doing a lot of writing For example when you send someone a private message on a server you need to enter their full username Make it easy for others to communicate with you or your children and select a shorter name Also many commands and actions require the entry of your name and s
4. 231 diamond 126 143 difficulty settings See also settings changing 14 15 Easy 74 Hard 74 managing 75 Normal 74 digging 139 dirt 124 125 documenting accomplishments 206 208 dogs wolves 111 112 domestic animals spawning 105 donkeys 108 downloading Minecraft 70 72 dramatic play 223 224 drawing 221 dungeons 93 dyslexia 24 E E key action for 96 Easy difficulty setting 15 74 editions Minecraft Pocket 18 Raspberry Pi 19 Sony PS3 PS4 19 Windows and Mac 17 18 Xbox 360 19 education See also learning opportunities classrooms 214 homeschooling 213 214 literacy 215 216 mathematics 217 218 vs rules 43 44 email verification opening 65 emerald 126 emotional resiliency 47 49 emotions See also gaming emotions crying 48 and gaming 50 hormonal changes 49 managing 45 46 enchanting anvil 134 experience points 132 133 objects 133 potions 135 enchanting table 127 131 133 enchantments defined 231 End portal biome 103 ender dragon 121 endermen 87 111 113 End the End defined 231 experience points 132 133 231 explosions 54 55 extreme hills biome 101 Eye of Ender 103 112 INDEX 237 F F1 key action for 96 F2 key action for 96 F3 key action for 97 F5 key action for 97 family routines including games in 55 family friendly servers 41 farms See also food automated 137 138 crops 137 138 livestock 136 137 sizes 136 files accessing 146 148
5. TO CONSIDER BEFORE YOU BUY kg stop your children from interfering with each other s work It s a good idea to establish clear house rules and consequences see Chapter 3 Fitting Minecraft Fit into Family Having separate accounts becomes more important when playing on a server because it is confusing to others on the server if the person behind the username is constantly shifting For instance if Wrednax and were to share an account it would cause many challenges beyond not being able to play at the same time We have very different interests when we play he is much more interested in PVP than am and tend to be the server mom sharing resources and helping new players get settled If we had one account other players wouldn t know which of us was logged on unless we clarified each time someone new joined which could be confusing and tedious And if we were playing on a server that uses the Towny plugin a special modification we d really have challenges Towny lets players create and join towns and it blocks other players from building or breaking blocks in those towns which is valuable in terms of protecting your materials Were we to share a username on the Rawcritics PVP map however only one of us could join the town of our choosing because players can be members of only one town And since Wrednax is mayor of a PVP town and l m a member of the only neutral town on the server that could cause challenges On o
6. Thank you Last but certainly not least for my building partner in game tutor and protector IRL reader and sounding board and amazing friend who knew about this book before did and still managed to act surprised when told him jsfm you rock and am more grateful than you ll ever know for all your support and encouragement DEDICATION iii IE ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Many many thanks and buckets of love to my son Xander for being so supportive and understanding and just plain awesome This would not have been possible without my amazing team of patient steadfast editors Cliff Colby Robyn Thomas and Scout Festa along with all the behind the scenes people who have made this guide so stunning a million thank you s wouldn t be enough To my amazing family my dad Rolf who never had the chance to see me published It was his dream for me and know he s proud of me grew up with the best of female gamer role models my mom June From Munchman on one of the oldest TI computers to the newest Nintendo systems she has never failed to inspire me and kick my butt at games Your support has been ever present and ever appreciated and love you Thanks to my awesome siblings Didi and Terry and my delightful nephews and niece Chris Ivory Dale and Marc along with their families who have shared my excitement in writing this book Thanks to Xander s dad Robert Wiersema one of my first readers whose keen and ex
7. first night See also night Survival mode baby zombie 86 87 deaths 87 endermen 87 length of 86 spawn point 87 88 surviving 74 83 86 87 flight movement 97 flying 98 food getting 84 136 See also farming forest biome 100 formats Minecraft Pocket Edition 18 Raspberry Pi 19 Sony PS3 PS4 Edition 19 Windows and Mac 17 18 Xbox 360 Edition 19 forums defined 231 explained 210 moderating 210 Rawcritics page 210 212 frame for item 127 friendly mobs See also mobs bats 110 238 INDEX chickens 108 cows 106 donkeys 108 horses 108 mooshrooms 107 mules 108 109 ocelots cats 110 pigs 108 sheep 107 108 squid 109 villagers 111 friendships 212 213 frustrations creeper explosions 54 55 getting lost 52 53 learning to play 50 51 losing items 54 reducing 52 55 sudden death 53 54 FTB Feed the Beast modpack 157 158 161 furnace 83 127 G game formats Minecraft Pocket Edition 18 Raspberry Pi 19 Sony PS3 PS4 Edition 19 Windows and Mac 17 18 Xbox 360 Edition 19 game modes Creative 12 13 Hardcore 16 Survival 13 15 game profile creating 69 70 username 69 games including in family routines 55 learning opportunities 55 starting 76 90 gaming positive aspects 55 gaming emotions See also emotions managing 50 51 reducing frustration 52 55 gaming servers 231 See also servers getting lost 51 53 140 161 ghasts 118 119 gift cards redeeming 65 68 6
8. list of nouns with your kids Cut them out and put them in separate bags Take turns drawing to create names and make a list of the top ones Remember that it s always good to have a few names when you start to make an account in case your preferred name is taken CHOOSE A NAME THAT WILL LAST Although Mojang has said they re working on a way to allow players to change usernames it may not happen for a long time Help your chil dren especially younger ones select a name that they can be happy with longterm If they make friendships outside the game they may still be identified as that username so it s important to select one that actually represents them often call Xander Wred and he calls me Whims our usernames have just become nicknames CREATING A PASSWORD To sign in to Minecraft you will be using a username or the email address linked to the account as well as a password It is important to create a password that combines letters and numbers and that is not simple to guess or too short Create a password solely for your Mojang account especially if children are going to be logging in on their own because you cannot know how secure they might keep that password Pick something that is not obvious or easily figured out if you need it to be easy to remember make it personal to you but don t use birthdays your address your phone number or anything that can be easily guessed PURCHASING MINECRAFT kg PURCHAS
9. side as well DO YOU DO WINDOWS When Minecraft was introduced it was a PC game though it was quickly expanded to run on the Mac and Linux operating systems More recently Minecraft Pocket Edition for tablets and phones was released as was an Xbox edition This book focuses on the original Minecraft game as designed for PC and Mac The other versions share many components of the full game but are more limited Directions for playing the game will be primarily Windows focused with intructions for installation and accessing files on Macs as well WHO AM I wear many hats in a large nutshell I m a childcare provider a child and youth counselor a writer a gamer and a homeschooling mom Whenever can combine any of those passions l m as happy as can be and l m fortunate enough to be able to do so much of the time Under the username Whimseysgirl play Minecraft both on my own and with my son Xander who goes by Wrednax We are part of an amazing community on Rawcritics a family friendly server primarily INTRODUCTION xi for players age 11 and older though we also play single player games and venture onto other servers Minecraft has been something we ve shared from the beginning and it has become a source of common ground with the kids work with as well IE HOW BECAME INVOLVED IN MINECRAFT When Xander was 11 as write this he s 14 he was already pretty computer savvy l ve been a haphazard but avid ga
10. to 66 mineshafts 93 mining as addiction 43 avoiding trouble 142 143 base camp 141 142 branch mining 140 locations 139 140 methods 140 preparing for 139 mob drops 105 232 mob spawner defined 232 mobs See also friendly mobs hostile mobs nether mobs neutral mobs player created mobs appearance 104 breeding 106 defined 232 domestic animals 104 explained 2 killing 105 NPC non player character 104 spawning 104 taming 106 types 104 villagers 104 mods defined 232 explained 3 157 158 installing 158 159 OptiFine 159 Rei s Minimap 159 160 selecting 159 sharing online 202 source 158 Mojang account creating 63 65 monsters baby zombies 114 cave spiders 115 116 creepers 116 silverfish 117 skeletons 114 115 slimes 116 spider jockeys 115 116 spiders 115 116 witches 117 zombie villagers 114 zombies 114 mooshrooms 102 107 mouse commands 95 97 movies 24 201 202 mules 108 109 multiplayer chat See also chat program etiquette 187 188 greeting 188 joining 187 spamming 188 use of caps 188 multiplayer Minecraft 16 17 multiplayer servers 8 mushroom island biome 101 102 music disc 127 music videos sharing online 201 202 My Little Pony 8 16 N Nelag 215 The Nether 12 Nether defined 232 nether mobs See also mobs blaze 118 ghasts 118 119 magma cubes 118 119 wither skeletons 118 Nether portal biome 102 103 neutral mobs See also mobs ender
11. with 193 194 playing with 193 194 presentation of 185 186 children s books 26 27 classroom Minecraft in 214 clay 124 125 222 coal 126 commands keyboard 95 97 mouse 95 97 236 INDEX communication and trust 33 36 See also online communication community forums 210 212 friendships 212 213 livestreaming 8 multiplayer servers 8 online forums 8 YouTube 7 8 computers playing on 25 contract additions 230 children 228 229 clauses 230 considering 42 parents 229 230 conventions MineCon 224 225 PAX Penny Arcade Expo 225 cows 106 crafting bench 78 80 127 crafting items 127 128 crafts creepers 219 220 drawing 221 jewelry 222 modeling clay 222 painting 221 paper constructions 220 221 Perler beads 220 Create New World menu 76 window 91 Creative mode descending 98 designing in 222 223 flight movement 97 flying 98 inventory 98 movement commands 98 overview 12 13 vs Survival mode 13 14 51 creativity 219 223 creeper explosions 54 55 creepers 116 219 220 crops 137 138 crying 48 cubes clay 124 125 crafted 126 defined 231 dirt 124 125 explained 2 ores 125 126 organic 126 127 sand 125 sandstone 125 stone 124 125 trees 123 types 122 123 wood 123 124 cues providing 42 43 cyber bullying 31 D D key action for 96 day length of 86 deaths 87 See also sudden death decorative materials 127 desert biome 101 despawn defined
12. 9 gift codes using 65 68 69 global chat 187 See also chat program gold 126 golems creating 104 iron 120 snow 119 Google account creating 204 205 griefing defined 231 grinder mob grinder defined 231 grinding defined 232 H Hardcore setting 16 74 harvesting wood 78 health meter 77 Hell Nether biome 102 helmet 131 home servers See also servers LAN Local Area Network 165 168 Muliplayer download 168 setting up 168 172 homeschooling 213 214 horses 108 hostile mobs See also mobs baby zombies 114 cave spiders 115 116 creepers 116 silverfish 117 skeletons 114 115 slimes 116 spider jockeys 115 116 spiders 115 116 witches 117 zombie villagers 114 zombies 114 hosting server playing Minecraft from 174 175 See also servers house rules contracts 42 cues 42 hunger bar 15 77 information overload 26 ingots 126 installing Minecraft 70 72 mods 158 159 skins 149 152 texture packs 154 157 instant messaging 193 inventory categories 98 illustration 77 navigating 97 opening 78 79 97 stacking items in 218 Survival vs Creative mode 98 99 survival style 98 updating 84 85 IP address finding 176 ipconfig typing 176 iron 126 iron golems 120 iron tools crafting 14 item frame 127 INDEX 239 J Java programming language 3 jukebox 127 jungle biome 101 jungle wood 123 K keyboard commands 95 97 kids See children killing mobs 105 L
13. Community 210 Minecraft and Education 213 Creativity 219 Video 224 MineCon and Other Gatherings 224 APPENDIX m Parent Child Computer Contract lesse 227 Contract 228 Additions 230 Glossary 231 Index 235 viii CONTENTS INTRODUCTION WELCOME TO THE WONDROUS creative challenging and occasionally mad dening world of Minecraft If you are an adult who has found yourself drawn or perhaps dragged in to the world of a Minecraft playing child or youth you may be feeling as though you ve entered a slightly askew parallel universe Your children seem to be speaking another language one where biomes skins mods and screenies have become everyday vocabulary Everything is now formed of pixelated cubes from trees and livestock to the very landscape itself And your chil dren may alternate from being absolutely proficient at everything they do to becoming incredibly stuck calling on you for assistance for the most confusing of activities such as taming a cat or crafting a potion stand You d like to help your child you really would and you know a thing or two about computers Check the tutorial you might say Or perhaps you look at the directions yourself only to discover that this amazing game one with literally endless possibilities and variations does not come with a user s manual Nor is there a tutorial a walk through or any other form of guideline It is a learn as you go game and without any idea of the purp
14. E You will not be using your username to log in to Minecraft Rather you will use the email address associated with your Mojang account 1 Enter your username in the Profile Name field Remember that at this point names cannot be changed so be sure you are happy with your username 2 Click Check Availability to see if your chosen name is available If it is click Choose Name If your chosen name is not available try another until you find a free name Once you ve selected your name you ll be asked if you are certain this is the choice you want 3 Double check the spelling and be very sure before you proceed because you will not be able to change it Click the Choose Name button Figure 4 8 CHAPTER 4 GETTING STARTED eM Games Help SMOJANG Create a game profile G Get going with Minecraft Before you can start punching trees and what not you first need to choose a name for your Minecraft profile This name will be shown to other players that you meet in the game Choose a new name You might not be able to change your name later so please choose wisely Please note When you log in to Minecraft or on minecraft net use minecraftparentsguide gmail com instead of the profile name that you choose below Profile name Choose name Use your registered Minecraft name If you previously have registered for a free Minecraft account you can use your existing username instead Use my existing Minecraft na
15. ING MINECRAFT If you are in the United States or Australia using a gift card may be the easiest way to buy Minecraft There is also the option of purchas ing Minecraft directly online For either option you need to create a Mojang account first This is not your Minecraft game account but an account with Mojang itself 1 CREATING A MOJANG ACCOUNT Creating a Mojang account is easy 1 Ina browser go to www minecraft net Figure 4 2 Home Game Community Store Profile Help Buy Now FIGURE 4 2 The Minecraft home page 2 Click Register in the upper right corner You are taken to the page where you ll set up your Mojang account before you purchase the game Figure 4 3 ty CHAPTER 4 GETTING STARTED Ci Login Games Help Register new Mojang Account In order to buy Minecraft or to play the demo version you first need to register for a Mojang account To do that simply fill out the form below If you already have a Mojang account you can log in to it here E mail will be verified Password Repeat Password Password strength Too short C I m happy to receive Mojang news and updates Why should check this box FIGURE 4 3 The Mojang account registration page J Enter your email address and password Enter your password again in the Repeat Password field to verify they are identical You will also be asked your name and birth date as well as three security questions to verify your identity sh
16. LAN Local Area Network servers 17 LAN server setting up 165 168 lapis lazuli 126 lava being wary of 139 142 learning by children 28 learning curve 50 51 learning opportunities 55 218 219 See also education leaves 123 Left Shift action for 96 Left click action for 96 leggings 131 Lego 26 literacy 215 216 livestock 136 137 livestreaming defined 232 overview 198 199 Twitch 208 Ustream 208 websites 8 logged in remaining 90 logging in to worlds 76 log in page going to 66 logs 123 losing items 54 LP let s play 232 240 INDEX M Mac game format 17 18 Macs See also OS X configuring servers 172 174 downloading and installing on 72 73 home servers 170 172 magma cubes 118 119 Manneh Carl 4 maps single player 58 59 See also survival maps Martin George R R 5 mathematics 217 218 menu page 76 messaging 193 Metropolis 7 30 MineCon convention 224 225 Minecraft See also playing Minecraft purchasing Minecraft activities 122 Alpha version 4 benefits 22 Beta version 4 blocks 2 builds 6 connection 39 40 demo version 3 downloading 70 72 early sales 4 growing with 40 41 installing 70 72 mobs 2 opening 90 sales in 2013 4 as sandbox game 2 scheduling 45 use in classrooms 9 uses of 10 wikis 9 Minecraft files accessing 146 148 Minecraft folder 146 148 Minecraft Pocket Edition 18 Minecraft Store 67 MinecraftEdu com 214 Minecraft net getting
17. THE MINECRAFT GUIDE FOR PARENTS DOWN TO EARTH ADVICE FOR PARENTS OF CHILDREN PLAYING MINECRAFT CORI DUSMANN THE MINECRAFT GUIDE FOR PARENTS DOWN TO EARTH ADVICE FOR PARENTS OF CHILDREN PLAYING MINECRAFT CORI DUSMANN THE MINECRAFT GUIDE FOR PARENTS Cori Dusmann Peachpit Press Find us on the web at www peachpit com To report errors please send a note to errata dpeachpit com Peachpit Press is a division of Pearson Education Copyright O 2014 by Cori Dusmann Editor CLIFFORD COLBY Project editor ROBYN 6 THOMAS Copyeditor SCOUT FESTA Production editor TRACEY CROOM Compositor MAUREEN FORYS HAPPENSTANCE TYPE 0 RAMA Indexer VALERIE HAYNES PERRY Cover design CHARLENE CHARLES WILL Interior design MAUREEN FORYS HAPPENSTANCE TYPE 0 RAMA Notice of Rights All rights reserved No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means electronic mechanical photocopying recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of the publisher For information on getting permission for reprints and excerpts contact permissions dpeachpit com Notice of Liability The information in this book is distributed on an As Is basis without warranty While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of the book neither the author nor Peachpit shall have any liability to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by th
18. ch 78 80 enchanting 125 126 harvesting wood 78 levels of efficiency 129 making out of stone 82 83 making shelters 82 mining for ores 82 naming 128 129 pick axe 81 82 recipes 129 repairing 128 129 torches 85 wearing down 128 torches making 85 using as markers 53 Tower of Babel 7 29 32 trees birch 123 chopping down 124 jungle wood 123 leaves 123 logs 123 oak 123 planks 123 saplings 123 slabs 123 spruce 123 stairs 123 trouble avoiding 142 143 trust in Cori s house 33 36 establishing 36 37 learning about 40 tutorials sharing online 200 201 Twitch 208 INDEX 245 U underscore using with usernames 62 usernames choosing long term 62 creativity 61 62 entering for profiles 69 length 61 privacy 60 selecting 59 60 simplicity 61 using underscore 62 Ustream 208 V video See also YouTube capturing 207 uploading 207 208 YouTube 224 video games emotions associated with 50 views on 22 25 villagers 104 111 villages 93 vlogs sharing online 201 voice chat See also chat program call safety 190 equipment 189 190 overview 188 189 Skype account 190 192 types of 189 W W key action for 96 walkthroughs defined 233 sharing online 200 201 waypoints 161 weapons 130 WesterosCraft collaborative server 5 6 246 INDEX white list defined 233 wiki 9 233 wiki site bookmarking 90 Windows accessing Minec
19. chest plate 131 helmet 131 leggings 131 meter 131 wearing 130 131 art and text sharing online 199 B baby zombie 86 87 114 balance 45 base camp creating 141 142 bats 110 behavior concerns 44 45 billing information entering 68 biomes desert 101 End portal 103 examples 99 100 104 explained 99 extreme hills 101 Eye of Ender 103 forest 100 Hell Nether 102 jungle 101 mushroom island 101 102 Nether portal 102 103 plains 100 properties 99 Sky End 103 swamp 101 taiga 101 traveling between 99 birch 123 blaze 118 blocks clay 124 125 crafted 126 defined 231 dirt 124 125 explained 2 ores 125 126 organic 126 127 sand 125 sandstone 125 stone 124 125 trees 123 types 122 123 wood 123 124 Bonus Chest button 92 94 95 bookshelf 127 boots 131 bosses ender dragon 121 withers 120 121 boundaries expanding 41 brewing stand 127 build servers 180 building materials 127 128 builds 6 Buy Now button clicking 66 buying Minecraft creating Mojang account 63 65 gift codes or cards 68 69 online 65 68 options for 67 68 C caps defined 231 cave spiders 115 116 cavern breaking through to 142 Cepheus 216 characters appearance of 149 chat program using 215 See also global chat multiplayer chat voice chat chatting with children 193 194 cheats See Allow Cheats button chest 127 chest plate 131 chickens using as food 84 85 108 children chatting
20. defined 233 spawn point appearing at 76 defined 233 distance from 87 88 explained 77 spawning domestic animals 105 spider jockeys 115 116 spiders 115 116 spruce 123 squid 109 stairs 123 Star Trek 16 start menu 75 starting games 90 worlds 91 sticks crafting for pick 81 82 stone 124 125 stone tools making 82 83 Store page going back to 67 strongholds 93 structures dungeons 93 generating 93 mineshafts 93 strongholds 93 villages 93 sudden death 53 54 See also deaths Survival game starting 75 77 survival maps See also maps remaining on 54 starting games on 74 Survival mode See also first night vs Creative mode 13 14 51 difficulty levels 14 15 dying in 14 Easy difficulty setting 15 game settings 74 75 Hard difficulty setting 15 iron tools 14 Normal difficulty setting 15 Peaceful difficulty setting 15 playing on 74 respawning 14 swamp biome 101 sword making from stone 82 83 T T key action for 96 Tab key action for 97 table enchanting 127 taiga biome 101 technology changing role of 23 cyber bullying 31 degrees of screen time 24 27 online 29 32 play as children s work 28 29 positive aspects 55 television 24 terrain See biomes text and art sharing online 199 texture packs defined 233 downloading 155 explained 152 153 installing 154 157 sharing online 202 themed servers 180 time measuring 86 tools constructing 128 crafting ben
21. e instructions contained in this book or by the computer software and hardware products described in it Trademarks Minecraft is a trademark of Notch Development AB Many of the designations used by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish their products are claimed as trademarks Where those designations appear in this book and Peachpit was aware of a trademark claim the designations appear as requested by the owner of the trademark All other product names and services identified throughout this book are used in editorial fashion only and for the benefit of such companies with no intention of infringement of the trademark No such use or the use of any trade name is intended to convey endorsement or other affilia tion with this book ISBN 13 978 0 321 95737 5 ISBN 10 0 321 95737 7 987654321 Printed and bound in the United States of America IE DEDICATION For Xander fellow adventurer road tripper gamer writer and pretty much the coolest and most supportive son a mom could hope to have I learn as much from you as teach you We make an amazing team and there is no way could imagine this without you by my side And for our Rawcritics community this book would never have happened without you and your unwavering friendship and support We are one of the most supportive and wonderful communities on the Internet We should be so proud of that To every single one of you a massive Whimsey hug and gratitude beyond measure
22. f learning and connection l ve seen parents and children become hooked on online activities and am aware of the need for balance but l ve also seen people gain confidence through their experiences in online communi ties Navigating the positives and negatives finding balance creating dialogue and communication those are of vital importance too Xander eventually convinced me to get my own Minecraft account joined his server and immediately we were playing working and creating together soon formed friendships with players on the server some were Xander s friends and others were strictly my own It was exciting to be able to work and play with him but at the same time it was exceedingly frustrating xiv INTRODUCTION Watching over his shoulder had given me much of the knowledge needed but soon discovered didn t have the skills was slow and clumsy died a lot got lost in caves and on land struggled with updates and maps was constantly referring to video tutorials wiki pages and fellow players many of whom are much closer to Xander s age and far more computer savvy than can ever hope to be once again saw the need for a guide something that could refer to when got stuck Whimseysgirl and Wrednax Since then l ve become more competent but certainly not proficient My Lack of skills is a bit of a running joke on our server but manage to stay alive create bigger and better builds and
23. ky CHAPTER 4 GETTING STARTED or or om Buy game card to buy Minecraft to buy a gift code TEC in friendly stores Minecraft Xbox 360 Edition Minecraft Pocket Edition Available now on XBUA TEE ISIS Now on iOS and J ndroid devices FIGURE 4 1 There are many ways to purchase Minecraft THINGS TO CONSIDER BEFORE YOU BUY Before you purchase your account there are some things you need to take into consideration such as for whom you are purchasing the account what access they will have and how many individual accounts you d like to get The number of accounts is important because once a single user has begun to invest in their Minecraft experience they are unlikely to want anyone else to manipulate their account and by extension their Minecraft worlds You also need to decide on a user name something that requires some forethought 1 SEPARATE ACCOUNTS If multiple players are going to be playing either they can share an account and therefore won t be able to play at the same time or they each need their own account Although you can create endless saved maps you can play as only one character If at all possible buy a sepa rate account for each player in your family That way everyone has their own identity Remember that single player maps are saved to the computer they are played on and therefore anyone logging on to that computer can access them This means that individual accounts won t necessarily THINGS
24. me FIGURE 4 8 Creating a game profile Your page updates with your new account its start date and your username listed under the My Games section Now you are ready to download Minecraft DOWNLOADING AND INSTALLING MINECRAFT Once you have registered your game and set up an account you can download and install Minecraft If you are not already logged in log in to your Mojang account You will find that Minecraft has been added under the My Games section along with your start date your profile name and the download buttons for Windows Mac and Linux Figure 4 9 NOTE l ve included the download directions for Windows and Mac Linux users should search online if needing help DOWNLOADING AND INSTALLING MINECRAFT eM Games Help SMOJANG Success You re now a proud owner of Minecraft My Account E mail address minecraftparentsquide gmail com View account settings My Games Please note When you log in to Minecraft or on minecraft net use minecraftparentsguide gmail com instead of your profile name Game Since Profile Name Download Game Minecraft Windows amp My Gift Codes Redeem Gift Code or Prepaid Card Click the button below to redeem your gift code or prepaid gift card Redeem Gift Code or Prepaid Card For more info on prepaid gift cards visit minecraft net FIGURE 4 9 An updated accounts page with Minecraft included WINDOWS 1 Click the Windows button under Downl
25. men 112 113 wolves dogs 111 112 zombie pigmen 113 INDEX 241 night length of 86 See also first night Normal difficulty setting 15 74 Notch 4 Novaskin 149 150 NPC non player character 232 nuggets 126 0 oak 123 objects enchanting 133 ocelots cats 110 online communication 186 188 See also communication and trust online forums 8 online safety communication and trust 33 36 establishing trust 36 37 overview 32 184 186 paying attention 38 privacy 37 38 online sharing See also safety online art and text 199 livestreaming 198 199 mods 202 movies 201 202 music videos 201 202 options for 196 197 reason for 196 safety 203 skins 202 texture packs 202 tutorials 200 vlogs 201 walkthroughs 200 201 YouTube 197 198 online technology 29 32 online time monitoring 43 planning 43 opening 242 INDEX inventory 97 Minecraft 90 OptiFine 159 160 ores mined 126 mining for 82 raw 126 using 125 126 organic blocks 126 127 OS X See also Macs accessing Minecraft files 146 147 downloading Minecraft 72 73 Overworld defined 232 P painting 221 paper constructions 220 221 passwords creating 62 entering 64 PAX Penny Arcade Expo 225 Peaceful mode 15 54 Perler beads 220 Persson Markus 3 pick axe making 81 82 using with ores 126 picture 127 pigs 108 plains biome 100 planks 123 play is children s work 28 29 player created mobs See als
26. mer since childhood though less seriously in recent years so he s grown up in a house where gaming is just part of the culture Since teach him at home the computer is an important learning tool as well as a toy and he was well able to navigate it from early on often faster than could Xander was and is very interested in gaming vlogs blogs and popular culture websites and seems to always have a finger on the pulse of the gaming community He knows how to do his research and he knows the value of checking reviews or opinion pieces and of seeking more than one answer to a question When Xander started showing me pictures and videos of this new game he was interested in Minecraft was less than impressed It was still in its earliest version The company was hoping to raise money to expand the game and release a beta version Their marketing seemed basic and when watched video clips or saw pictures those pixelated cubes seemed positively simplistic and outdated But Xander continued to explore it and soon enough the story of this new game with its small independent game designer taking a chance had me in its thrall too We ordered a copy Suddenly we found ourselves well into the unknown not only were there no directions but even fan made YouTube tutorials were scarce at that point The learning curve was steep But Xander soon learned the ropes and began playing in earnest creating cool structures and farming mining a
27. n Euros but if you are in the United States it will be converted to US dollars once you move through to the purchase page Buy Minecraft 3 Buy a Gift Code for this account to give away Minecraft Xbox 360 Edition Minecraft Pocket Edition iOS Available now on XBU Now on jOS and Antroid devices FIGURE 4 6 The Minecraft Store 5 Click Buy Minecraft for this account On the purchase page you will see the retail price as well as a link to system recommendations Figure 4 7 You ll also choose whether to buy the game for yourself or as a gift CA minecrattparentsguide gmail com Games Help Minecraft 26 95 usp For PC and Mac View system recommendations for Minecraft ig I d like to buy this game for myself ig I d like to buy this game for someone else A redemption link will be sent to minecraftparentsguide gmail com upon completing your order E mail me a gift code can give to someone E mail the gift directly to my friend FIGURE 4 7 Purchase options ky CHAPTER 4 GETTING STARTED Your payment options list only Visa MasterCard and PayPal but there is a more extensive list of options provided via the link below these choices 6 Complete your billing address and make your payment type choice 7 Click Proceed to Payment Details You are taken to a basic payment page 8 Enter your billing information and click Pay You may be asked for a verification of yo
28. nd exploring started my own game slowly learning as went and often calling on his expertise Xi INTRODUCTION In Minecraft large cubes are the basis of everything Decorating a tree means giving up the notion of rounded ornaments It wasn t until Xander discovered online servers though that became truly involved in his gaming Until then he d played only on his own The idea that he was playing with strangers and conversing with them in game chats was worrying to me Although I m far from being a controlling parent do like to know who he s playing with and what he s doing He settled on the Rawcritics com server a family friendly community that offers a PVP player versus player world as well as a more peaceful build world And was right there watching over his shoulder to see what he d gotten himself into What he found astounded me It was a community a true community with players of all ages There were staff keeping an eye on things and providing support and activities There were groups factions and teams gathering and pooling resources creating amazing builds and banding together in battles and raids to protect their creations and materials Yes there was drama and some negative attitudes between players but there was also caring friendship and mutual support Players knew that was watching and commenting over Xander s shoulder and they began to ask if they could show me their work and their skins the ap
29. o mobs iron golems 120 snow golems 119 players ability to create 6 options for 5 protecting 104 on servers 179 180 types 6 playing Minecraft See also Minecraft with children 193 194 from hosting server 174 175 outside network 176 on servers 178 on Windows home network 175 176 plugins defined 232 using with servers 164 Porser Jakob 4 potions 135 Potter Harry 26 27 privacy online 37 38 profile creating 69 70 username 69 protecting players 104 public servers 177 178 See also servers purchasing Minecraft See also Minecraft creating Mojang account 63 65 gift codes or cards 68 69 online 65 68 options for 67 68 PVP player versus player world 30 0 Q key action for 96 quartz 126 R Raspberry Pi 19 Rawcritics multiplayer server 8 9 recipes 232 redstone circuitry 126 143 232 Rei s Minimap 159 160 resource defined 232 resource packs 153 156 respawning 14 Right click action for 96 roleplaying 180 routers 176 rules vs education 43 44 S S key action for 96 safety online See also sharing online communication and trust 33 36 establishing trust 36 37 overview 32 184 186 paying attention 38 privacy 37 38 sand 87 125 sandbox game 2 232 sandstone 125 saplings 123 screen clearing 206 screen time degrees of 24 27 screenshots taking 206 screenshot screenie 233 server hosts 177 server setup troubleshooting 177 servers See als
30. o gaming servers home servers hosting server public servers accessing 164 165 adding 181 182 anti griefing 183 behavior 183 build type 180 and community 179 180 configuring 172 174 explained 164 231 family friendly 41 finding 180 181 finding IP address 176 guidelines 182 184 joining 181 182 LAN Local Area Network 17 INDEX 243 servers continued language 183 mod restrictions 183 184 multiplayer 8 playing on 16 164 178 plugins 164 Rawcritics 8 9 saving 181 182 sharing 176 staffing 182 183 stopping from running 172 themed type 180 types 180 WesterosCraft 5 6 settings choosing 41 See also difficulty settings sharing online See also safety online art and text 199 livestreaming 198 199 mods 202 movies 201 202 music videos 201 202 options for 196 197 reason for 196 safety 203 skins 202 texture packs 202 tutorials 200 vlogs 201 walkthroughs 200 201 YouTube 197 198 sharing servers 176 sheep 107 108 shelters making 82 84 85 sign 127 silverfish 117 skeletons 114 115 See also wither skeletons Skindex 149 150 skins browsing 151 changing 151 creating 152 244 INDEX defined 233 editing 152 explained 149 finding 149 installing 149 152 locating 151 sharing online 202 Sky End biome 103 Skype 190 193 slabs 123 slimes 116 snow golems 119 A Song of Ice and Fire 5 Sony PS3 PS4 Edition 19 Spacebar action for 96 spamming 233 spawn
31. oad Game Your computer downloads the Minecraft exe file 2 Save it where you wish on your desktop or in a games folder for example 3 Double click Minecraft exe to run it Minecraft opens its launcher 4 Enter your Mojang account email address not your Minecraft username and password iw CHAPTER 4 GETTING STARTED 5 Ignore the coding and tabs at the top and click Play at the bottom of the page You ll find yourself at the Minecraft main menu ready to play Figure 4 10 Singleplayer Multiplager E Options Quit Gare Minecraft 1 6 2 Copyright Mojang AB Do mot distribute FIGURE 4 10 The Minecraft launch page OSX 1 Click the Apple logo button under Download Games Minecraft downloads to your Downloads folder 2 Drag Minecraft from the Downloads folder to your Applications folder 3 Double click the Minecraft icon 4 Ignore the coding and tabs at the top and press Play at the bottom of the page You ll find yourself at the Minecraft main menu ready to play This page intentionally left blank Symbol _ underscore using with usernames 62 A A key action for 96 academic applications 218 accomplishments documenting 206 208 accounts creating separately 58 59 for LANs 168 addiction intrinsic reward 43 mining 43 Allow Cheats button 92 94 anvil crafting 134 using 134 API application programming interface 231 arm 77 armor boots 131
32. ometimes multiple names For example the teleport command usually requires the entry of two names And even with short names players will probably shorten them further Wrednax is usually called Wred l m known as Whimsey or Whims and I m lazy enough to shorten a friend s four letter username to the first letter J KEEP IT SIMPLE Usernames can be clever and descriptive and they can express something about the individual Keep it simple and easy to remember Long strings of letters or words can be hard to remember and even if they have meaning to the user other players may not bother with messaging Be sure that the name when shortened is acceptable to you and your child because chances are high that your name will be with you for a very long time BE CREATIVE Have fun creating a username Putting two semi random words together can result in a fun easy and unique name An adjective and a noun or a noun and a verb can work well together For example PowerPop AquaBlue or GiddyFrog which might be nicknamed or nicked in game language either Giddy or Frog Names can be playful or serious witty or goofy tJ CHAPTER 4 GETTING STARTED Using an underscore or spare letters can help make the name unique but still easy to remember for example Fruity Galore Some players use X or Xx to bracket their names for instance XxWhimseysgirlxX One way to generate some name ideas is to write down a list of adjectives and a
33. ose the goal or the steps to be taken you may flounder In Minecraft cats along with dogs and many other animals have distinct char acteristics and uses but taming cats is not the easiest of endeavors WHO IS THIS BOOK FOR This guide to Minecraft is designed to help parents guardians teach ers leaders and any other adults who are being called upon to help young people in their mining and building adventures I ll cover everything from the very basics of purchasing and installing the game to technical challenges such as updating installing mods and find ing custom skins and texture packs And l ll be sure that you actually understand what all of those things are and why they are important to the game and to your children We ll explore the various modes of game play Creative Survival and Hardcore as well as the difficulty X INTRODUCTION settings from Peaceful to Hard in other words from monster free to monster intense I ll teach you how to play the game so you ll be able to help your child when they become stuck and you ll have the skills to log on and play alongside them should you choose to In addition we ll explore the less tangible side of online games like Minecraft the questions of balance fitting gaming into your family navigating the world of servers and online communities sharing work through such sites as YouTube and much more I ll touch on Minecraft s educational uses and explore the social
34. ould you forget your password Note that children under the age of 13 must have a parent or guardian create an account for them though this is something many kids get around simply by changing their age on the form You or your children will be using this email address to log on to Minecraft so if you are planning to have more than one Minecraft account you need to register for individual Mojang accounts as well Select the check box at the bottom of the page to accept Mojang s terms and conditions and privacy policy links are available for both and then click the Register button Once you enter your information you are directed to a page stating that you have received a verification email PURCHASING MINECRAFT wy 4 Open the email verification If you don t see the email in your inbox look in your spam folder 5 Click the link in the Mojang email and a new page will open Figure 4 4 This page has a clearly marked button for redeeming a prepaid gift card or gift code but no immediately obvious place to actually purchase the game 6 If you have a gift card or code click the Redeem Gift Code or Prepaid Card button to go to the redemption page and skip to the section Creating Your Minecraft Game Profile Otherwise follow the directions in the next section Buying Minecraft Online E Ww 321 SMOJANG My Account E mail address minecraftparentsguide gmail com View account settings
35. pearance of their characters in the game drawing me in to their community alongside Xander watched him slowly gain confidence and ambition until he INTRODUCTION xiii started his own town a town that grew and gained members under his leadership It was then that realized the potential of Minecraft to be far more than a simple building game It could be an educational tool a creative outlet a social platform and so much more There was space to work independently as well as with others By that point there were countless communities and servers and people were making YouTube tutorials and game walk throughs and even writing songs and making music videos Inspiration passion and creativity were abounding and it really had me thinking about the ever changing role of technology and gaming in our lives It also had me thinking about Internet safety about commu nication between Xander and me and about my role as an educator and the parent of a pre teen in this new age of digitally connected peers IE MY MOTIVATION IN WRITING THIS BOOK In addition to homeschooling Xander l ve worked with kids and teens for over 20 years in a variety of settings from daycares to classrooms to a psychiatric hospital My roles have ranged from care worker to educational assistant to school age daycare manager l ve watched children and families get swept into gaming and the online world and l ve seen it become both a source of battles and a place o
36. perienced eye and unending support has been ever so appreciated l m so glad we can still meet across the page be it mine or yours What makes me strong are my communities and have several including all my friends in the Getting Higher Choir and my circle of teacher camp friends You buoy me up when l m at my lowest and celebrate with me when l m at my heights To my colleagues and families at IMHS and FFGCA thank you The input from families has been invaluable and the enthusiasm and support from all those work with immeasurable And finally my Rawcritics community Some have had a direct hand in this book reading editing or contributing screenshots And there are so many more who never fail to ask how things are going iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS who have suggestions or have let me rant or celebrate with abandon In particular and no particular order except maybe my Skype text and irc most recent contacts jsfm creepernick guitar shadow money King goob MrKM sinslave steamboat jhc Axonn Wedox sinew Invineron Tyr Rhadley nurb Wnhs Anubis Ra Nimbalo Neon War Electric nelag Tara Jet bionicle jmack CAM Zel zeb Dominus el Barto Vernenos Yow SirChicken midstorm and everyone else may have missed I owe you a blog entry if did thank you thank you thank you can t wait to continue this adventure with you all ACKNOWLEDGMENTS V This page intentionally left blank CONTENTS
37. raft files 146 147 configuring servers 172 174 downloading and installing on 71 72 game format 17 18 home network 175 176 home servers 169 170 Macs 170 172 witches 117 wither skeletons 118 See also Skeletons withers 120 121 wolves dogs 111 112 wood birch 123 harvesting 78 jungle 123 oak 123 spruce 123 World Options window 92 world seeds 92 93 World Type button Default setting 94 described 93 Large Biome setting 94 Superflat setting 94 worlds arm 77 creating 75 77 Creative mode 97 99 health meter 77 hunger bar 77 inventory 77 logging into 76 options for 91 starting 91 Wrednax Constitution 216 dyslexia 24 FTB Feed the Beast modpack 161 learning about trust 40 oligarchical nation 30 playing on servers 178 Rawcritics PVP map 217 texture packs 154 Tower of Babel 7 29 32 writing opportunities for 216 X Xander See Wrednax Xbox 360 Edition 19 Y YouTube 7 8 197 198 204 206 See also video Z zombie baby 86 87 zombie pigmen 113 zombie villagers 114 zombies 104 114 INDEX 247
38. support new players who need help Xander and play together and apart but we constantly share what we re working on A wonderful and unexpected bonus is being able to connect in a completely different way with the children in the afterschool program where work Our discussions about Minecraft give us a positive common ground once they finish grilling me to ensure that am genuine and not a gaming poser In addition l ve been able to help their parents navigate this confusing new world assuaging their concerns and helping them support their children l m Looking forward to doing the same for you hope to help you find ways to connect with your child through this amazing game even if you never mine or place a single block yourself though certainly encourage you to give it a try you might be pleasantly surprised INTRODUCTION Xv This page intentionally left blank CHAPTER GETTING STARTED MINECRAFT IS VERY EASY to purchase You can buy it online from the Mojang website or you can go directly to Minecraft net and buy it there both end up in the same place but the Minecraft net route eliminates several steps Alternatively you can buy a gift card available at many retailers and then use itto purchase your game You can also buy a Minecraft account for another person and have it emailed to them or it can be sent to you so you can gift it directly Figure 4 1 We ll walk through the entire process
39. ther servers there would be the potential for similar challenges perhaps with different plugins If you are uncertain whether your children will play Minecraft or you d just like to try it first then a shared account will work particularly if they are just playing on single player maps If you take this route make sure you create a username that will fit your child or yourself because usernames cannot be changed 1 SELECTING A USERNAME Although Mojang has said on its site that you might be able to change your username in the future it is not possible at this time So put ky CHAPTER 4 GETTING STARTED thought and care into selecting one With over 10 million games sold picking a good unique username can be a challenge You won t know if a name has been used before you try it during the registration process so you should have a few names prepared Otherwise you might find yourself hastily selecting something you or your child will regret PRIVACY When youre playing a single player game at home or on a private server where you know all the players your username doesn t really matter much You could use your real name and it would be fine But as soon as you start playing with other people on public servers privacy becomes much more important For example a personal name like Cori Dusmann or even CDusmann would be too revealing particularly for a child Even using your child s first name might make you uncomfortable
40. ur card Follow the directions on your screen to complete your purchase When your purchase is complete you are automatically directed to a page that gives you your receipt information and tells you that you must still choose a player name 9 Click Check Your Inbox to be directed to an email that contains a link to the Create a Game Profile page and three links to download your new game for Windows Mac or Linux USING A GIFT CODE OR GIFT CARD Redeeming a gift code or gift card is a matter of a few quick steps Instructions are on the back of the gift card In the US and Australia cards can be purchased at many stores where gift cards are available Mojang has announced that cards will soon be available in Canada and Europe but hasn t given a date for this 1 Login to your account at www mojang com You will be taken to your account page Figure 4 4 PURCHASING MINECRAFT ky 2 Click the Redeem Gift Code or Prepaid Card button J Enter your code click the Redeem button and you are ready to create your Minecraft profile CREATING YOUR MINECRAFT GAME PROFILE Your game profile is where you select your username It is also the place you need to go if you d like to change your character s appear ance known as a skin by uploading an image file more on this later You can find the Create a Profile page at www account mojang com When you purchased the game you were sent an email with a link to this page NOT
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