Minetest maps full#
Minetest maps software#
Minetest maps code#

In Minetest, you don't have a fixed world to explore that's identical to all other players – instead, you start a new one, based on a random 'seed' number, which is then used to generate the rest of the world in a process known as procedural generation.įigure 1: When you first fire up Minetest, you are prompted to create a new game world. This isn't especially welcoming if you've never played a Minecraft-ish game before, but it basically means that you need to create a new environment to play in. Once you have the game installed and started, you'll be presented with a 'Select World' screen ( Figure 1).

Minetest maps code#

If you can't find anything suited to your particular flavor of Linux, you could try building the source code instructions and links for this are provided at the bottom of the Downloads page. It's also worth checking your distro's package manager to see what's available. If you visit the Downloads page on the Minetest website and scroll down to the Linux section, you'll see packages for various Linux distros – some are more up to date than others.

Minecraft-like games can be a bit intimidating at first, so over the next few pages, I'll ease you into the world of Minetest, show you the most important tricks and techniques, and give you some pointers for further exploration. (For a text mode alternative, see the 'Dwarf Fortress' box.) On top of that, you can play with others online and even extend the game using modifications written in Lua. Although its most recent version is 0.4.16, suggesting that it's still in the early stages of development, it's very much playable and loaded with cool features. Minetest has been in development since 2010. Fortunately, however, you have an alternative in the form of Minetest (formerly Minetest-c55, named after the online handle of one of its lead developers).

Minetest maps software#

Now, Minecraft was (and still is) a great game, but it's not open source and free software – which is a bit of a downer for many FOSS purists.

Minetest maps full#

Exploring caves full of nasty critters becomes a terrifying experience. Every change you make to the world is saved, so it starts to feel like a real, living and breathing place.

Before you know it, you've crafted a robust set of armor, developed some powerful weapons to protect yourself, and even built a house. It feels empty and lonely, but then you start collecting items, crafting (combining things together to make other things), exploring the various landscapes (beaches, jungles, arctic tundras, and mountainous highlands), and finding non-player characters in villages. Minecraft was created on the fly using algorithms, creating a giant, procedurally generated world, in which you were plonked at a random point with no particular goals or equipment you just had to explore and survive with what you could find.įor the first few minutes of Minecraft, you wonder what the point is. Yes, the game was hyped to ridiculous levels during its glory days, and some players spent arguably an unhealthy amount of time in their fantasy worlds building enormous and highly intricate constructions, but it was still something very special. If you've never played Minecraft, you're missing out.