Multiple attractions and mini-games have been built by our players over the years! Some are neat places to visit, several are PvP arenas with different quirks, while others are full blown mini-games built within Minecraft.
To give yourself an idea of what's available, you can check the Attractions page at any time! The list includes a mention on how many players are required to enjoy each option. The page has just been updated to include the additions of the past several months.
These are easily reached during any Events Night, of course (starting at 9pm Eastern time every Saturday), but many also have Nether or overworld connections. Ask around how to get there, and another fellow player is sure to help!
Many of you are aware that I've been working on a redesign of Grand Central Station for a while. Part of that was to create a better looking building, with an improved layout for travellers to find their way around. This also had an extra goal, which I'm ready to unveil today!
Many of us have wanted for the longest time the ability to ride rails through Nether portals, so you could easily travel from point A to point B without going through the tedious steps of stopping on a rail, breaking and picking up your cart, going through a portal, placing the cart, and resuming your trip. Going straight through is now possible thanks to a new plugin! Here's how this looks in action:
Gates look identical to Nether portal, but work with a few key differences:
- Entities can ride through, including players in minecarts.
- They don't interact with portals at all; they're independent.
- They don't pair up with one another; positions can be shifted as needed.
- Only ops can create and manage them.
The new Grand Central Station has gates setup for Laurasia's four main Nether lines, so you can start your journey straight from the overworld while still benefitting from the Nether's faster travel speed! The new starting points are located on the upper floor of the station, next to the matching overworld line. The rails are now also facing the wall of the main destination; that is, the Southern Expressway is on the South wall, the Transoceanic (heading East) is on the East wall, and so on.
Some of the main rail endpoints will be updated in the coming days and weeks to use gates instead of stopping in the Nether. Port Townshend, as illustrated in the video clip above, was already taken care of. A new visual signature, seen below, will also be included at several key locations to indicate the proximity of the main Nether and overworld lines. If you currently have a private line that ends at a Nether portal, and you'd rather have a gate so that your rail goes straight to your overworld base, please contact an op and we'll do the change for you.
Nether Central Station will remain available as a back-up option as well as to include the post office and the network map. I hope you enjoy this new addition!
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On a side note, I updated the servers earlier today, and the annoying bug where you couldn't right-click on iron doors and some trapdoors has been fixed through a plugin update!
To reach the build site
From Nether Central, take the Eastern Mainline to Super Shroom (the 3rd stop), and from there to the Hub of Divine Transportation. From there head down 2 flights of stairs and across the room in the northeast corner to the Scythe Islands line. On the other side of the portal you'll find yourself a button press away from the build site. There are currently 10 plots available, though more can be added as needed.
As a quick recap
The contest will run until 11:59:59PM EST March 31st 2017. All entrants are supplied with a 100x45 dry dock on which to build any seaworthy vessel they choose, of any style or origin, to be judged on their creativity, use of materials, and general design. Plots are designed with a black and yellow border outside the building area for easier measuring.
Once building has closed, any unfinished entries will be scuttled, and sunken to the bottom of the vast ocean surrounding the islands. Keep this in mind, as all materials will be forfeited in this case!
A full rundown of details can be found through the previous news post, or here on the forums.
And now for prizes
The first place winner will be awarded 30 Merit Points and a copy of the armor I've been using to tame the wilds of the Scythe Islands. This includes a Pumpkin enchanted with Aqua Affinity/Depth Strider III/Protection IV, a Diamond Chestplate, Leggings, and Boots enchanted with Protection IV/Unbreaking III/Mending, plus Feather Falling IV on the boots.
Second place will receive 20 Merit Points and a weapon designed for Shulker hunting; a bow enchanted with Looting III/Unbreaking III/Infinity/Mending.
And finally third place will receive 10 Merit Points along with a tool that's been a staple for many; a Diamond Pick enchanted with Efficiency V/Unbreaking III/Mending, plus Fortune III and Silk Touch books.
As a special bonus, all prizes will be awarded in Shulker Boxes, to make carrying it home that much easier.
As we roll around another month, a new UHC challenge is awaiting you. This time: GLASSCORE. Good luck!
At the request of many players, and to make things more interesting, specific targets to reach have been added. These will be the same every month (excluding future tweaks) and give you something to fight for outside of merely surviving. Reaching each of these targets will grant you 5 Merit Points each:
- Crafting a bookshelf
- Crafting an enchantment table
- Access the Nether
- Pick up a blaze rod
I've put into place a custom system to make the tracking of these objectives more reliable. No more relying on vanilla achievements! Please note that not all goals will be reachable every month due to some of the unique challenges provided. Which ones are possible will be left for you to discover!
Some suggested granting points for kills, but I had to exclude that as some players could simply use alt accounts to score some free points.
Feel free to let me know what you think of this new formula!
It's coming up on 4 years since my first day here on Creeper's Lab, and just over 3 since I first became an Op. I've enjoyed every minute of my stay and I'm sure a lot of others would say the same!
I've seen my fair share of contests; judged a few and taken part in a handful. Everything from houses to castles, from gardens to trains, and even pixel artworks have been featured so far. Something is missing though...Something we have yet to see...
Boats.
Starting today, I'll be looking for a few creative individuals to help me fill the vast area of water amidst my island chain in the eastern seas. Here's a bit of info, and the rules to get you started:
This contest will run from 12:00:00AM EST February 1st until 11:59:59PM EST March 31st 2017. That's right; a full 2 months. You may start building no sooner than February 12th, and information on how to reach the contest area will be posted at that time. I would like everyone to really stretch their creative legs, so this small grace period is to be used for your design process and nothing else.
The designated plot size is 100x45, however, please bear in mind that it is by no means required that you fill this space. The size is simply a rounded estimate in hopes of giving everyone enough room should they choose to dream big. Plots will be situated at water level with solid bottoms; this means no getting your feet wet just to place blocks.
You're free to build whatever you see fit. Anything from sailboats to trawlers to battleships, medieval to modern to fantasy; the choice is yours. My project for the islands surrounding the contest site is to include a wide variety of architectual styles and timeframes, and after the contest the boats will be moved throughout the chain to more appropriate, natural locations.
Entries will be judged on their creativity, use of materials, and general design. Boats with empty hulls (IE: cargo ships with no cargo, crew quarters with no bunks, etc...) will thusly score lower than those with full establishment. As a special stipulation, any entries left unfinished when the contest closes will be sunken at the center of the island chain and their building materials forfeited to the depths. Be sure your project is fully seaworthy before then!
Prizes will include Merit Points, as well as in-game items. The full list will be announced when the build phase opens. Good luck to everyone in planning!
Interordi.com
