The Ultimate Guide to Mastering Minigames and Servers: Minecraft Secrets to the World's Best Servers and Minigames - Softcover

Triumph Books

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1629372331 ISBN 13: 9781629372334

Publisher: Triumph Books, 2016

Synopsis

The best builds in Minecraft and the game's most stunning creations — from minigames to giant cities — are found on Minecraft servers. But where to start in exploring the massive maps and multitude of servers available? The Ultimate Guide to Mastering Minigames and Servers introduces the most popular and unique servers and minigames for 'Crafters to discover. The No. 1 online activity for Minecrafters is minigames. In fact, for some 'Crafters, minigames are the only way they play Minecraft! Whether you're new to servers and minigames or you're an experienced adventurer, this book is bound to introduce exciting places to explore and games to play.

About this title

About the Author

Triumph Books is a leader in quality and innovation in sports publishing and also publishes pop culture and current events books. They are based in Chicago.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

The Ultimate Guide to Mastering Minigames and Servers

By Joe Funk

Triumph Books LLC

Copyright © 2016 Triumph Books LLC
All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-1-62937-233-4

Contents

Introduction, 
The Many Wondrous Styles of Minigames, 
Where the Games Are, 
A Primer for Online Minecraft Play, 
Survival-Based Games, 
Parkour and Minecraft Servers, 
Player vs. Player Games, 
Skyblock & Variants, 
Long-Form Minigames, 
Creative Minigames, 
Quirky Games, 
Server Spotlight, 

CHAPTER 1

The Many Wondrous Styles of Minigames

Before we jump into the nitty gritty of this thing and get you some game tips, let's break down the general types of games in this book.

There are about as many types of minigames in existence as there are plug-in creators and Redstone engineers that create them. There are always new variations and entirely new styles of minigames out there, but since Minecraft has been around for a while, a few genres have become established and most minigames new and old fall into them.

These, young Crafters, are the genres we're going to get you familiar with in this book, and will having you beating people at all over the Internet in no time.

SURVIVAL-BASED

Minecraft's about two things in the regular version of the game: survival and building. Learning how to do these two things is learning how to Minecraft, and people really pride themselves on their abilities in these departments.

Thus, when people set out to make minigames that took the regular game of Minecraft and made it competitive, one of the first things people did was to make a bunch of Survival-Based Minecraft minigames to pit their hard-won skills against those of their friends and the rest of the Internet.

These games will test your ability to simply stay alive and thrive in Minecraft, forcing you to mine for resources, hunt mobs, craft items, and even enchant a thing or two in some cases. On top of that, almost all Survival-Based minigames also require you to vanquish other players to win.

These are some hard minigames, but they're also highly rewarding and very beloved by the community.

PARKOUR

Parkour is different from just about every other minigame in this book, because it's not really about surviving, fighting, or building, but instead just plain jumping! Parkour is the art of jumping from block to block, and it's gone from being an obscure part of the online game to a bona fide phenomenon that you can find on almost every single server.

Parkour feels like an easier, less-intimidating minigame on the surface: you just jump from spot to spot, and when you fall down no alarms go off or "You Lose" signs flash or anything (usually, there are some competitive Parkour servers where things are a little more formalized). You just go back to the first block and start again, and you can go as slow as you want.

However, thinking of Parkour as easy is a mistake. This is one of the most tricky minigames in existence; one that takes years of practice and an incredible sense of timing and spatial recognition to get truly good at.

You can try, and we'll give you some tips, but beware Crafters: Parkour is some hardcore Minecraft minigamin'.

PLAYER VS. PLAYER

Person on person combat is the focus of most video games out there, and where regular, single-player Minecraft doesn't have it very often (except when you're being funny and slap your friend), online Minecraft has taken Player vs. Player (or PVP) combat and turned it into an art form.

There are literally hundreds of different variations on PVP minigames online today, from the easy and cute Spleef to the complex and difficult games like Warlords and Annihilation.

If you can think of it, from gun-based shootouts to Bow-only combat, people have probably made a formal, score-keeping minigame out of it and play it like crazy on some server or another. In this book, we've collected the best of the best, as well as the games that are most popular online right now. We'll walk you through how they work and how to get better at them, so that next time you log in, you'll find nobody on the server who can match your skills in combat.

SKYBLOCK AND SKYBLOCK VARIANTS

While a lot of games in this book have similarities to other video games you might play (such as the PVP games to first-person shooters), Skyblock is a style of minigame that's pretty much entirely unique to Minecraft. It involves surviving and performing challenges by crafting, but doing so while high up in the air on a teeny little block of land.

Skyblock takes a whole lot of knowledge about Minecraft to do well, because you have incredibly limited resources. If you screw up, you really can't fix it usually and will have to start all over.

This makes Skyblock one of the most respected forms of Minecrafting online today, because people know just how hard it is (most have tried and failed to get very far in it).

That being said, it just takes a little planning and thought to get a good, long game of Skyblock going. It's unlikely you'll complete the whole thing on the first go (very few could do this), but with our guide, you'll be on your way to a fully completed challenge list in just a match or two of this incredibly fun game.

LONG-FORM

Most minigames are short-lived things: meant to provide quick, fun entertainment for a half hour at most and a few minutes at the quickest.

The games in our Long-Form chapter are a different beast entirely. They are games designed to play and keep playing, where you go from having very little to months later being far advanced, and having a ton of stories to tell on the way.

Think of these kind of like Minecraft's MMORPG form. You and hundreds and even thousands of other players play in the same world and interact with it, building, warring, gaining experience, and all manner of other things for months on end.

When it comes to rewarding minigames (and those that take a bit of commitment), Long-Form minigames are at the top of the list.

CREATIVE

If you're more the type that likes to play Minecraft for the building and not the survival or combat, worry not: there are minigames out there for you, too. Creative minigames put the focus entirely on what you can do with blocks in this game, and they find ways to make it competitive so you can actually use your creative skills to win.

These games are also absolutely top-notch training games to get better at building and become more creative, and only about one-third of people on them are actually any good, so they're not just for expert builders. Those of you who are just looking for some light fun, or who want to get better at building, should try them out as well.

QUIRKY

Here's where we showcase all the minigames that just don't fit in any other category. Party games, goofy competitive games, and even a kart racing game can be found here, and there's very little in the way of difficult, complex rules to figure out.

These are the games you should check out when you just want to jump in and have some good, fast fun and take a break from all this serious Minecrafting in many of the other games. Each of them is very well done and there are usually tons of players online taking part in them, so you can always find someone else to get a bit goofy with.

Now that you know a bit about what kind of minigames there are, let's show you where to find 'em and get to playin'!

CHAPTER 2

Where the Games Are: Minigame Servers, and How to Get to Them

It's pretty hard to do some online Minecraft minigamin' if you don't know how to get on a server! Lucky for us all, it's super easy. Here's how:

Where (and How) to Add a Server

To add a server to your Minecraft server list so that you can access it whenever you like, follow these easy steps:

1. Open up Minecraft so you're looking at the main menu

2. Click "Multiplayer"

3. Click "Add Server"

4. Type in the address for the server you want to play on (more on finding addresses below)

5. Click "Done"

6. It will take you back to the page you were just on, and now your server will be at the bottom of that list

7. To join, click on the server in the list and then click "Join Server" at the bottom

Finding Servers Online

You can't do much server-joining without knowing a server address or two. To do this is super easy:

Option A: Look through this book! We've included server addresses with every minigame in the book, all of which are top-notch servers.

Option B: Google the minigame you want to play, or simply "Minecraft server." A ton will come up, and server websites always have their server address plastered near the top of their homepage.

Option C: Use a Minecraft server list online. This is the best tool to use when finding a new server, as these sites show you everything from what games servers have on them to how many players are on right now to what the address for the server is in a very easy to read, searchable format.

GREAT MINECRAFT SERVER LISTS

• topg.org/Minecraft

• MinecraftServers.org

• FunMinecraftServers.com

• Minecraft-Server-List.com

• www.PlanetMinecraft.com/Resources/Serv

CHAPTER 3

A Primer for Online Minecraft Play

Now, here's the thing about online Minecraft servers: they're busy, they're pretty complex, and they aren't very much like regular Minecraft at all.

You'll notice this from the minute you log into one. Instead of wilderness to the horizon or big, empty cities like many of the maps you can download for Minecraft, you're gonna see vibrant, bustling locations with giant signs, tons of decorations and more people than you've ever seen on Minecraft at once milling about, jumping around, and perhaps even exploding a bit (it does happen).

Even the interface for the game will be different, with new menus and buttons, and all this stuff in your inventory that doesn't quite do what it normally would.

All of this is normal and what makes a server work, but it's also more than a little overwhelming.

Fear not, Crafter, because this is your Primer to Servers, a short guide that'll get you at least a bit familiar with what you'll find on servers and will help you get around them and find fun things to do

NOTE: Every server is different, so this is just a basic walkthrough of common features, not a comprehensive guide. If you need help with something on a particular server, definitely don't hesitate to ask someone or go to their website to find what you need.

NAVIGATING SERVERS

The first thing you need to know about a server is how to get around it and where all these giant doorways go.

Servers are put together in a way that isn't totally apparent off the bat. Instead of everything on the server being in one giant world where you can visit the different sections like Disney Land, servers work more like train stations, or like the Ministry of Magic in Harry Potter.

You start out in a central location called the "hub," and this hub has different portals around the edges of it. Enter a portal, and you're teleported magically to a new section of the server, usually a minigame lobby or a survival world.

DEFINITIONS:

HUB: Hubs are the big, usually circular structures that you will be placed into when you first join most servers. From hubs you can get to smaller structures called lobbies either by choosing the lobby from your inventory or by walking through a portal. Hubs are the central location for servers and usually have the server's name done up big in fancy blocks with a lot of decorations. Hubs also usually have a lot of features dealing with character experience, donations, perks, and more that can be accessed, usually through talking to a Villager with a special label.

LOBBY: Lobbies are smaller structures you access from the hub that focus on one particular part of the server. Typically this is a minigame, but they can also be banks, shops, and other important locations. Lobbies usually have a lot of signs around them telling you about the lobby and offering access to things like shops, perk and experience menus, and, most importantly, minigame matches. Most minigames are joined by entering a lobby and then either using the inventory menus to join a game or finding the wall where matches are posted (they usually say the name of the minigame or map and then a number like "8/24" that represents the amount of players in the game and total available spots). You typically click on these signs to join a game.

Your Inventory: You'll notice when you join a server that you have a ton of stuff already in your inventory and hot bar. These are usually not actual items (though sometimes they might be special items like Snowballs to throw at other players), but are instead actually menus. When you use them you'll activate the menu that the item is labeled with, such as "Join a Game." This will then give you a look at another inventory screen where there are more fake items that are also menu buttons. When you join a server for the first time, look through the various menus in the inventory and hot bar to see what your options are. Not all servers do this the same way, so you'll just need to check out your particular server and get familiar with how the menu system works.

Joining a Game: We've talked a bit about this already, but here's a very simple breakdown of the two ways you can typically go from entering a server's hub to playing a minigame

1. Join server > Open menu in inventory for the minigame lobby you want to join > Teleport to minigame lobby > Open the menu in the inventory for match lobbies for your minigame > Select an open lobby and join the match lobby > Teleport to match lobby > Wait for the match to start

2. Join server > Walk through the portal for the minigame you want to play > Teleport to minigame lobby > Find the wall with matches listed > Select an open match and click the sign for it > Teleport to match lobby > Wait for match to start

You can also often do a combination of the two options above, choosing to walk to the portals from the hub and then use the inventory menus to join a match, or using the inventory to join a minigame lobby and then finding the wall with the matches.

MINIGAME RULES AND INSTRUCTIONS

One thing you might get confused about that is very important to playing on servers is how to actually play a minigame. You can easily join a minigame without ever having seen any instructions, and that's rarely fun, as a lot of them are very complex.

Not every server has an explanation for their minigames (smaller servers especially often just expect you to know what's up when you join), but most servers do, and their minigame rules and instructions almost always found in one of three places:

• In the minigame lobby on the walls as Signs. Many servers do this, and you can just run around the lobby reading them before you join a match.

• In your inventory in a Book. Another common feature — look in your inventory and see if there's a Book labeled with something about rules, instructions, or how to.

• On their website. Almost all big servers have websites, and most of those have an explanation of their minigames if not entire guides. If nothing else, you can also go on the forums on their site and ask around for help.

SERVER FEATURES FOR PLAYERS

Most servers, especially the top ones, have very extensive features for players such as experience points systems, currency systems, shops, ranks, and more. These are usually very complex and very specific to the server, but typically involve the player earning points by winning and/or participating in games, and also by donating money to the server or voting for the server on server listing sites online.

This is an important part of the server world because it's usually how you unlock cool features like being able to fly on a server or getting special kits to use in minigames, but each server is pretty different in the way they handle it. You can learn a lot about a server's features by looking around on the server itself or asking other players, but server websites are the easiest way to learn everything about your new favorite server and how to become a Super Mega Jedi Rank 1 Million on it.

SERVER ETIQUETTE (READ THIS, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT)

Over the years, millions of players have gotten on Minecraft servers to battle it out with each other, and through that time, a lot of trial and error has occurred that has led to the rules for big servers becoming pretty standard. While these aren't always the rules on every server, they will be on 95% of the servers you join, and you'll never get in trouble for following them on any server. You can and probably will not just get in trouble but totally banned from a server for breaking these rules, however, and that's never fun. It's best just to take these basic rules and follow them all the time to avoid any trouble:

1. No cursing. At all. Trust us on this one: it's pretty much a universal rule.

2. No harassing other people for any reason.

3. No spamming the chat.

4. The server staff is always in charge and always right. Don't yell at them, don't argue with them, don't mess with them.

5. Don't advertise anything on the server, even if it's Minecraft related or you think it's really cool.

6. Don't pretend to be on staff if you're not.

7. NO CHEATING. This cannot be stated enough. Do NOT use scripts, programs, or any other form of cheating. Not only is this not allowed and will get you banned, it's also rude and entirely ruins the point of minigames. Just don't do it, kids!

(Continues...)

Excerpted from The Ultimate Guide to Mastering Minigames and Servers by Joe Funk. Copyright © 2016 Triumph Books LLC. Excerpted by permission of Triumph Books LLC.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

Edition details

• Publisher: Triumph Books
• Publication date: 2016
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1629372331
• ISBN 13: 9781629372334
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 208