Minecraft Adventures Book 9: Battle of Eight Armies

MINECRAFT ADVENTURES

BOOK 9:

BATTLE OF EIGHT ARMIES

BY: JOSH SCOTT

BOOK THREE IN THE RETURN OF HEROBRINE SERIES

WHAT IS MINECRAFT?

Minecraft is a sandbox game created in Sweden. It's about breaking and placing blocks. At first, people built structures to protect against nocturnal monsters, but as the game grew, players began working together to build wonderful, imaginative things. Today, more than 22 million people have downloaded the PC/Mac version of the game. There are more and more custom maps coming to Minecraft, as well as many popular Minecraft YouTubers. (I manage a YouTube channel with a LOT of Minecraft content)

THE HISTORY OF MINECRAFT

This will go over the PC/Mac version of the game. Minecraft was originally released as "Cave Game" in 2009. The first gameplay footage was posted on YouTube on May 13th, 2009, a few weeks after "Infiniminer" was discontinued. Minecraft is inspired by Zachtronics Industries' "Infiniminer". The video was titled, "Cave Game Tech Test". The game was released in Alpha on May 17th, 2009. Back then, the world was very limited, and there was no day/night cycle. (Added in version 0.30, which was released around January 2010). Throughout the remainder of 2009, the game got updates that steadily added blocks, and mobs. Around February 2010, Minecraft entered its "Infdev" phase; "Infdev" meaning "Infinite Development". The game then entered Alpha officially in June 2010, with the release of Minecraft Alpha 1.0.0. The game continued growing slowly over the next few months. A new dimension was added in Minecraft Alpha 1.2.0, also known as the Halloween Update. (Released October 30th, 2010) This dimension was, and still is known as the nether. When the nether was first introduced, it was used for quick travel. The game then entered Beta on December 20th, 2010, with Beta 1.1 released 2 days later. In Minecraft Beta 1.3, (Released February 22nd, 2011) beds were added to sleep away the dangers of the night. However, they didn't reset your spawn point until Beta 1.4 was released. (Released March 31st, 2011). This update also added wolves, which could be tamed using bones, and it added cookies! Who doesn't love cookies?! New rails, and weather were added in Beta 1.5, (Released April 19th, 2011), as well as maps in Beta 1.6 (Released May 26th, 2011). Things got "pushy" in Beta 1.7, (Released June 30th, 2011) with the addition of pistons. The next update that would make major changes to the game was Beta 1.8 (Released September 15th, 2011). This update added lots of new structures, such as ravines, abandoned mineshafts, villages, strongholds. This also introduced some new mobs, such as the Enderman, Silverfish, and Cave Spiders. There was also a new hunger bar, which would let you slowly regenerate health when it was high. This update also introduced Creative Mode, where you were able to fly around freely, not take any damage, destroy blocks instantly, and have unlimited resources. November 18th, 2011. This day is the day when Minecraft was released in version 1.0, and officially out of Beta. This update introduced animal breeding, and the new Mushroom Island biome, as well as snow golems. This update also introduced Hardcore Mode. It's like survival mode, except if you die, you can't respawn. This update made some changes to the nether as well, adding the Nether Fortress, with new mobs such as Blazes, and Magma Cubes. A third dimension known as "The End" was added. In that dimension, players are on an isolated floating island where a fearsome creature known as the Ender Dragon flaps its' wings. This monster was the final boss of the game. You could now enchant weapons, and enchant bows when version 1.1 was released. (Released January 12th, 2012). The Jungle Biome was added in version 1.2. (Released March 1st, 2012). This update also added ocelots, which could be tamed with fish. This update also added iron golems. More new structures, as well as Ender Chests were added in version 1.3. (Released August 1st, 2012). This update added the Desert Temple, and the Jungle Temple, each with traps and treasure. The Ender Chest would allow you to store stuff privately so only you can access it, and if you were to craft another one, your stuff would be in that chest as well. A new multiplayer feature was added as well, known as "Open to LAN". This was in singleplayer worlds. This could let you open the world so players on the same network can join your game. This feature still exists today. The next big update was Minecraft 1.4.2, known as the "Pretty Scary Update". Released on October 25th, 2012. This update introduced command blocks, making a huge addition to Minecraft custom maps which were on the rise. This update added Wither Skeletons, the new Wither boss, beacons (not bacon), witches, witch's huts, and more. Versions 1.4.4, 1.4.5, 1.4.6, and 1.4.7 were mainly bug fix updates. Version 1.5 (Released March 13th, 2013) was known as the Redstone Update. This update added the comparator, hopper, dropper, daylight sensor, trapped chests, weighed pressure plate, and the block of redstone. So yeah...lots of redstone stuff. The next major update was version 1.6 (Released July 1st, 2013), known as the Horse Update. This update added, well, horses of course. As well as donkeys, mules, carpet, leads, and coal blocks. Versions 1.6.2 and 1.6.4 were bug fixes. The next big update was version 1.7 (Released October 25th, 2013), known as The Update that changed the world. This update added a lot of new biomes, such as the Mesa, Ice Plains Spikes, Roofed Forest, Mega Taiga, Birch Forest, Flower Forest, Savanna, Extreme Hills +, Deep Ocean, and Snowless Taiga. There was also a new Amplified world type, where the world would generate with mountains that could go up to the max build height. If you like building sky structures or bridges, this world type is for you! I downloaded Minecraft on March 10th, 2014. The game was in version 1.7.5. Minecraft Realms was coming around that time. 1.7.6, 1.7.7, 1.7.8, 1.7.9, and 1.7.10 were mainly bug fixes (1.7.10 did some things with realms). I remember being hyped for this update. Minecraft 1.8 (Released September 2nd, 2014) known as the Bountiful Update. This update added doors, fences, and fence gates for each type of wood, as well as iron trapdoors, slime blocks, granite, diorite, andesite, with polished versions, as well as prismarine, with a darkened version. This update added Guardians, and the new Ocean Monument structure with the Elder Guardians boss. (There are 3 Elder Guardians, each with 80 HP [health points]). Wet Sponge was also re-added. The game continued getting small bug fix updates throughout 2015. We got snapshots for 1.9. However, the update was not released in 2015. Thus, this makes 2015 the first year where a major update to Minecraft isn't released. Minecraft 1.9 was finally released on February 29th, 2016. This was known as the Combat Update. Tipped Arrows, as well as potion covered arrows, and spectral arrows were added to the game. A new combat system was introduced, (fun fact: I actually thought it was a bug when I played the 1.9 snapshots) The End was expanded, adding Shulkers, and the new End City and End Ship structures, as well as adding End Rods. This update also introduced a new form a transportation, known as the Elytra. This would allow you to glide around, and was basically like the wing cap in Super Mario 64. This update also added igloos. Inside, there is a crafting bench, a furnace, a bed, and some carpet. (Dig out one specific square of carpet, you might find something...) The next major update to the game was Minecraft 1.10 (Released June 8th, 2016). This update was known as the Frostburn Update. This update added polar bears, husks, and strays. This update was released quickly, having only 3 snapshots, and 2 pre-releases. This update also added magma blocks, as well as endermen in the nether. This update added the mesa mineshaft, a really cool structure making the mesa not suck so much. (I used to hate the mesa biome). The next big update was version 1.11 (Hey, triple 1's! Try telling that to 1.11.1, quadruple 1's! Am I right, or am I right?) Anyway, the update was released on November 14th, 2016 and was known as the Exploration Update. This update added the Exploration Map, the new Woodland Mansion structure, vindicators, and evokers. In 1.11.2, (not all 1's!) you could use fireworks to easily gain height with the elytra. The next released major update is version 1.12 (Released June 7th, 2017) and is known as the World of Color Update. This was the only major update to be released in 2017, (just like 2014, with only 1.8 being released as a major update.) This update made the color of wool more vivid, and added concrete blocks, and powder. This update also added parrots, and a new narrator for the chat. The next and current major update is known as Minecraft 1.13 (Released July 18th, 2018). This update is known as Update Aquatic. This update added dolphins, underwater ruins, buried treasure, the new 'Drowned' mob, and new swimming controls! This concludes our history of development for the PC/Mac version of the game.