Stone Marshall's Blog, page 48

Good Gaming Inc. Signs Agreement With Popular YouTube Esports Team Forknife to Increase Minecraft Exposure

KENNETT SQUARE, Pa., Jan. 28, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — via OTC PR WIRE — Good Gaming Inc. (OTCQB: GMER) (The “Company”) is pleased to announce their relationship and agreement with esports team Forknife as they look to increase their Minecraft exposure.

Esports team Forknife is comprised of team members MrTop5, Bodil40, Shadical, Zeph, and Deadlox. Collectively, the team boasts a following of five million YouTube subscribers who are passionate about their esport gameplay.

Good Gaming Inc. is currently revamping their Minecade server in preparation for team Forknife’s launch into the Good Gaming Inc. server, which is anticipated to begin during the first week of February. The Company also plans to work with team Forknife on a social media campaign to promote the Good Gaming Minecraft Minecade server.

Eric Brown, Good Gaming Inc. COO, stated, “We are very pleased to have members of the esport team Forknife on board as our latest Minecraft influencers to utilize our Minecade server for gameplay. After careful consideration and several discussions, we realize they truly understand the importance of cross marketing (through various social media platforms) and our goal of making Good Gaming’s Minecraft servers the number one Minecraft servers in the world. We look forward to working with them as they promote their gameplay on our servers and work with our talented team to create the latest and most exciting Minecraft gameplay available anywhere in the world.”

For more information please visit our website:

Home

Social networks:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/GOODGMER

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodGMER/

About Good Gaming Inc.:

Good Gaming Inc. is a leading competitive gaming and social network platform targeting over 250 million esports players and participants worldwide who want to communicate with each other, develop strategies, and compete at novice, competitive and professional levels. Good Gaming Inc. has taken a strategic multifaceted approach in the esports industry with products and services ranging from multiple Minecraft servers, a proprietary tournament platform, high school esports leagues and soon-to-come virtual reality centers. The esports industry continues to experience exponential growth going from $500 million to $1.2 billion over the last two years while industry analysts forecast a $5 billion global industry by 2020. Good Gaming Inc. seeks to create and exploit opportunities as the industry allows.

Safe Harbor

This release contains statements that constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements appear in a number of places in this release and include all statements that are not statements of historical fact regarding the intent, belief or current expectations of Good Gaming Inc., its directors or its officers with respect to, among other things: (i) financing plans; (ii) trends affecting its financial condition or results of operations; (iii) growth strategy and operating strategy. The words “may,” “would,” “will,” “expect,” “estimate,” “can,” “believe,” “potential” and similar expressions and variations thereof are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond Good Gaming Inc.’s ability to control, and that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors. More information about the potential factors that could affect the business and financial results is and will be included in Good Gaming Inc.’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Public Relations and Shareholder Information:

Joseph M. Vazquez III

Phone: (800) 686-5044

Email: infinityglobalconsulting@gmail.com

Minecraft and Fortnite join forces at Dreamland this March

Minecraft maniacs and Fortnite fans assemble!

MineVention is coming to Dreamland on Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th March, with a packed programme of demos, tournaments, talks and even a Guinness World Record attempt for Minecraft lovers big and small.

But they won’t be building and battling alone… for the first time at Dreamland, the online gaming phenomenon Fortnite will be pulling into the park on the iconic Razer Gaming Bus and running tournaments throughout the event.

MineVention celebrates all things Minecraft through scheduled activities such as build battles, Q&A sessions, tournaments, educational talks, arts and crafts session, costume contests and on-stage challenges.

Popular Minecraft YouTubers Element Animation, TycerX and FalseSymmetry (with nearly 3 million subscribers between them) will also be available meet and greet sessions, and there will be plenty of brain-fizzling activities for Minecraft fans of all ages to get stuck into.

Fortnite fans can take part in one of the 16-player Battle Royale tournaments on the bus, with nearly 200 players aboard per four-hour session. The winner of each session will be rewarded with V-Bucks, the in-game currency used to buy skins, weapons and more. So if you think you have what it takes, head to MineVention!

Guinness World Record Attempt

On Saturday (9th March) at 1pm, MineVention will try and break their own record of assembling 337 Minecraft ‘Steves’ in one place. Guests are encouraged to help break the record by bringing and wearing the following:

A large pixelated square head with dark brown hair and blue eyes (can be handmade or purchased)
A light blue t-shirt (untucked on the left and back)
A pair of light blue jeans
A Minecraft prop (can be handmade or purchased)
Tickets for MineVention are £15 (+ booking fee) per person, per four hour session. Sessions run from 9am to 1pm and 2pm to 6pm (morning and afternoon sessions have the same content).

In addition, Sunday morning session (9am to 1pm) will be autism-friendly to create a more relaxed and sensitive environment for families with children with autism. The session content will be the same but with a reduced capacity, no unnecessary loud-speaker announcements, no loud music and reduced lighting.

The event is open to all ages (children aged 3 and under go free), and all children 14 and under must be accompanied by a paying adult (18+).

In addition, Dreamland’s indoor spaces including The Roller Room and diner, indoor arcade, and Octopus’s Garden soft play centre will also be open for families to enjoy.

To book your tickets, please visit www.dreamland.co.uk

10 Tips to Start Teaching With Minecraft

My students come from a small, rural community and lack a broad understanding of the larger world around them. This inspired me to seek out a game, or online environment, that could provide more expansive experiences for them—a place that would allow them to explore, on their own or with others, and where I could embed history content for them to discover. On Twitter I came across an exploratory discussion of Minecraft’s potential for school use. I dove in and began a journey that ultimately changed my perception of teaching and how I interact with my students.

Minecraft is easy to use and implement in a classroom. It promotes student independence and creativity, but it is also an immensely collaborative tool that I have witnessed being integrated across all grade levels and content areas. Students can apply their understanding in truly unique and often unanticipated ways. Previously, my kids struggled with writing. Today, they are more creative and confident writers. Instead of getting 125 essays written in the exact same style with the same details, I now get unique historical narratives, rich with sensory experiences and observations made with their own eyes.

Minecraft: Education Edition—currently available for Windows 10, macOS and iPad devices—is nearly identical to the version students play on their own at home. The main difference is that the education edition comes with tools for teachers to make classroom implementation easier. If you are contemplating using Minecraft with your students, here are a handful of tips to help you get started.

Minecraft is easy to use and implement in a classroom. It promotes student independence and creativity, but it is also an immensely collaborative tool.

1. Engage kids in conversations.

Ask them what they like about Minecraft. Answers will likely revolve around the collective themes of creativity, collaboration, critical-thinking and communication. I began my journey with lunchtime conversations that helped me form implementation strategies and which ultimately led to the founding of a Minecraft club complete with membership cards. This videodoes a wonderful job of visually demonstrating the appeal of the game.

2. Explore YouTube video tutorials.

I really didn’t know anything about the game, so I did a keyword search for “Minecraft” and discovered over 140 million videos! Many of these have been created by students like ours honing their skills as content producers. Some helpful examples can be found here and here.

3. Identify your “experts” in the field.

Beginning gameplay with an experienced player or two—a student or even your own children—is a great way to learn the basics before attempting to teach with Minecraft. In class, I recommend selecting a few resident experts at the outset and asking them to mentor you and other students. This was a key revelation for me. I was not the expert, and I had to make my peace with that. It was a transformative experience. Students began to lead the lessons and roamed the room helping others. It empowered even my shy students to step forward into a mentor role.

If you prefer to do a bit of preliminary homework on your own, Stampy, the famous Minecraft YouTuber, created a very helpful video for first-time players.

I begin the school year with an open discussion about empathy and bullying. At the end of the session, students produce a “Minecraft Bill of Rights” poster that we hang in class as a reminder.

4. Explore a pre-loaded starter world available through the launcher.

Minecraft games are played in “worlds.” You will find any number of students interested in exploring along with you, so open a dialogue and uncover what kinds of worlds they value and what elements stand out. Simply boot up the game and select an available world—it will load automatically. You can also visit the online world library and download as many as you wish. Some of my personal favorites include Arctic Shipwreck, Project Storytelling, and Fantastic Mr. Fox.

Don’t feel that you must structure this time around learning objectives. The most useful feedback, along with other benefits, will come from unstructured play and exploration.

5. Don’t succumb to the pressure to create your own lesson at this stage.

There are plenty to investigate here. But before selecting one to try out in your classroom, you need to have a clear objective in mind. Consider joining the online community of Minecraft educators. Doing so will give you access to lesson authors and to the wider group of mentors who are happy answer your questions.

6. Try a short-term lesson with students.

Good lessons are student-centered and require little setup by the teacher, but you should still preview the lesson and “walk” through it as a student. Lessons can be easily differentiated for students and objectives modified to fit individual needs. The Building a Story Setting lesson provides an excellent introduction.

7. Discuss griefing behaviors and how to build positive relationships with Minecraft.

Griefing occurs when one or more students intentionally destroy or steal the work of another. I begin the school year with an open discussion about empathy and bullying. At the end of the session, students produce a “Minecraft Bill of Rights” poster that we hang in class as a reminder.

8. Create your own lesson.

Keep it simple with clear objectives that can be completed over one or two sessions. Students transport themselves into the game and quickly settle in. I discovered that I needed to frontload what I wanted them to achieve each session and monitor progress consistently. Take a look at how Minecraft Mentor Stephen Elford prepared students for success with his Contour Maplesson.

The ability to reach students across content and grade levels is astonishing.

It’s easy to get off task, so objectives should be attainable and positive outcomes rewarded with feedback. I prefer assessments that promote critical thinking and written reflection over build quality. My first large-scale lesson tasked students with building a Chinese city and populating it with citizens. Based on individual experience level, students assigned themselves to city blocks I had prepared and built out the city. Once completed, they wrote detailed historical narratives about the citizens that lived in “their” buildings.

Credit: John Miller



9. Form a “build team” partnership with students.

You do not need to become an expert in Minecraft, nor do you need to possess advanced building skills. I formed a build team of students that got together at lunch, and they helped me build worlds for future lessons. [Photo] Each student has specialities, and together we have built some amazing worlds. One of my favorites is the Round City of Baghdad.

10. Avoid thinking of this as just building objects.

The ability to reach students across content and grade levels is astonishing. Consider what other educators have accomplished with Minecraft in the classroom.

Minecraft Mentors Simon Baddeley and Ben Spieldenner have partnered up to create a series of literature-rich projects that allow students to explore and interact with characters to experience language functions and themes.

Stephen Reid tackles the difficult subject of the refugee crisis in this unit devoted to exploring social and emotional learning, which allows students to experience the world from the perspective of a child refugee.

Benjamin Kelly has created a wonderful lesson focused on empathy education. A series of wildlife conservation challenges have been created for Minecraft: Education Edition users that explore concepts such as poaching and land-use conflicts.

More Resources for Getting Started



If you are ready to learn about the capabilities of Education Edition, Microsoft has created a helpful introductory course.Need help with Minecraft related vocabulary? Visit Common Sense Media to familiarize yourself.Ready to dive deeper? The ultimate resource is the Official Minecraft Wiki.Looking for help understanding the keyboard controls? This article is an excellent resource.Read more tips for classroom management and creating a positive classroom culture.These case studies highlight how other educators are using Minecraft to drive learning.Just try it. Here’s a free trial of Minecraft: Education Edition.

John Miller, a veteran educator from King City, CA, is currently in Singapore with the Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Program.

This article is part of a guide to game-based learning, sponsored by Minecraft: Education Edition. The sponsor has no control over the content of this story. To learn more, please read our Ethics Statement.

Minecraft Marketplace December 2018’s top 10 creations: Exponential growth

December was the Minecraft Marketplace’s biggest month yet. Downloads skyrocketed to 10,872,443 on Windows 10, iOS and Android, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. December doubled the 4.57 million downloads from November, which in turn doubled October’s 2.26 million.

The exponential growth for the Minecraft Marketplace is due to a number of factors. The Minecraft Team is releasing more free promotional content. This includes items such as the Catastrophic Pandamonium world, which Marketplace creator GameMode One built in partnership with Microsoft.Recommended videosPowered by AnyClipMetroid Prime 4 Development Is Starting OverPlayUnmuteCurrent Time 0:03/Duration 0:32Loaded: 100.00% FullscreenUp Next

Catastrophic Pandamonium is a free download that highlights the Minecraft’s updated cat and panda creatures. Of December’s 10.87 million downloads, Catastrophic Pandamonium represented more than 4 million of those.

In addition to the free content, the Minecraft Marketplace is benefiting from timing and improved features. December is one of the biggest times of the year for live-service games. People who get new smartphones, consoles, or PCs for the gift-giving holidays return to something like Minecraft or to try it for the first time. And with better search and promotional features, The Minecraft Team has turned its Marketplace into a major attraction.

Let’s get to the charts.

Top 10 most downloaded

 4. Inspiration Island

 5. Purple Parrot Party Place

Catastrophic Pandamonium by Gamemode One: “Welcome to the Minecraft Preserve, a sanctuary for the mobs of Minecraft. Your dream job is about to become a nightmare when you realize the pandas are missing!”Winter Gifts Bundle by Minecraft: “Whether you were naughty or nice this year (hopefully nice!), this bundle is our holiday gift to you! Last winter, we gave away amazing skins, worlds and adventures from some of your favorite Marketplace community creators. And now you can download them all again in this bundle of Winter Wonders!”Minecraft Texture Update Beta by Minecraft: “The extraordinary Minecraft Texture Update has been on the Java Edition in beta for quite a while, and now it’s finally on Bedrock! We’re renovating the old textures of Minecraft and polishing them up for a new beginning. Don’t panic! This won’t completely overhaul the look of Minecraft — these new textures just give it a much-needed update!Inspiration Island by Minecraft: “Visit Inspiration Island, a floating theme park world filled with creative challenges. Whether you are new to Creative Mode or just need a little extra inspiration, a visit here sets you on the path to craft your own groundbreaking worlds.”Purple Parrot Party Place by Minecraft: “A celebration of all things purple parrot party and palace! Master the mechanics of fireworks, armor stands, jukeboxes, and banners. Traverse a jungle island to find a massive parrot temple.”Legacy Skin Pack by Minecraft: “Get cracking with these starter skins and old favorites brought over from Minecraft editions of yore.”Grid Runners by Noxcrew: “Take on Noxcrew’s Grid Runners: a mini-game map made up of classic Minecraft challenges where you can craft, mine and jump your way to victory. Compete against the clock for the fastest times and team up with all of your friends to find out who is the ultimate Minecraft champion! This is a free map, created exclusively for Minecon Earth 2018.”ABSTRACTION: Minecon Earth by Jigarbov Productions: “Featuring the logos that were just begging to be played on, MINECON EARTH has floating landmasses with a surprising amount of hidden secrets and challenges.”Luxury Life by PixelHeads: “Luxury Life is a world where you role-play life as a billionaire. Cruise the streets in a sports car or any of the 10 other vehicles, explore luxurious mansions and decorate with furniture!”Aquatic Life by Cyclone Designs: “Get ready for a realistic aquarium experience with Aquatic Life! Dive into large tanks and swim with whale sharks! Discover dangerous shark species and hop on a boat and feed the Piranhas!”



Top 10 highest grossing

 4. Aquatic Life

 5. CampCraft

Luxury Life by PixelHeads: “Luxury Life is a world where you role-play life as a billionaire. Cruise the streets in a sports car or any of the 10 other vehicles, explore luxurious mansions and decorate with furniture!”The Nightmare Before Christmas by Minecraft: “A nightmare? Before Christmas? Enjoy this themed pack by Minecraft.”City Mash-Up by Everbloom Studios: “With over 1,000 hand-detailed rooms, there are stories, secrets, and mini-games around every corner. Build with the city’s full texture pack in your own worlds or take on any role you can imagine!”Aquatic Life by Cyclone Designs: “Get ready for a realistic aquarium experience with Aquatic Life! Dive into large tanks and swim with whale sharks! Discover dangerous shark species and hop on a boat and feed the Piranhas!”CampCraft by Blockworks: “A vast wilderness awaits you and your friends in CampCraft. Discover forest animals, ride camper vans, toast marshmallows, sit around the campfire and set up your own camp!”City Life by PixelHeads: “Cruise through the big city in City Life! Chase down a bandit in your police car, save the day as a firefighter or take your dog for a walk.”Spooky Pizza Place by InPvP: “Do you dare to enter? Try to survive all of the waves with five custom monsters. Includes pizzeria and surrounding buildings.”Immersion: Chicago by Shapescape: “Immerse yourself in Chicago, the windy city. Visit the river with your friends, race through the streets and roleplay your daily life.”Super Cute Texture Pack by Minecraft: “The Super Cute Texture Pack lets you create a cheerful world full of the cutest and cuddliest mobs! Bouncing bunnies, ultra-adorable unicorns, brilliant bumblebees and, er, burgers? Yes, burgers! This texture pack comes with 15 skins.”Millionaire Mansions by Noxcrew: “Explore a town filled with beautiful mansions, sports cars, and a new toolset to help you design your dream house. Noxcrew’s Creative Toolbox is perfect for roleplay or building with your friends.”

NPD 2018: The 20 best-selling games of the year

It was a record year for video games in the United States. The industry generated more than $43.4 billion in revenue, according to industry-tracking firm The NPD Group. That is up 18 percent year-over-year when you include in-game purchases and subscriptions.

If you just look at hardware, software, accessories, and game cards, the industry was up 13 percent to $16.7 billion.

“This is the highest annual tracked consumer spend total since the $17.4 billion generated in 2011,” NPD analyst Mat Piscatella said. “Annual dollar sales of tracked console, portable, and PC video game software reached $7.1 billion in 2018, growing 7 percent when compared to 2017. This is the highest annual total for tracked video game software spending since the $7.5 billion generated in 2012.”

We’ll check out the best-selling games of the year, but hardware was also up over the last 12 months.

“For the 2018 year, hardware spending increased 8 percent to $5.1 billion,” said Piscatella. “Console hardware sales drove the growth, as PlayStation 4, plug-n-play devices, Switch, and Xbox One all experienced year-on-year gains.”

So hardware is a healthy as it has ever been. Now, let’s see the best-selling games of the year.

NPD’s 20 best-selling games of 2018

*Does not include digital sales
**Does not include PC digital sales

Red Dead Redemption 2Call of Duty: Black Ops 4NBA 2K19Madden NFL 19Super Smash Bros. Ultimate*Marvel’s Spider-ManFar Cry 5God of War 2018Monster Hunter: WorldAssassin’s Creed: OdysseyGrand Theft Auto VMario Kart 8*FIFA 19**Battlefield V**Super Mario Odyssey*Call of Duty: WWII**Dragon Ball: FighterZThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild*Super Mario Party*Pokemon: Lets Go Pikachu*

Pimlico Tube Station… Made In Minecraft

Nothing unusual going on here. Just pulling up at Pimlico station. Just looking at its realistic roundel. Its gleaming white tiles. Everything seems to be in order.

I mean there DO seem to be a lot of ads for Minecraft plastered up. And that help point DOES appear to be a tad translucent. And pixely… ah.

These meticulous Minecraft renderings of the Victoria line station are the work of CreatorLabs — who’ve accompanied it with this rather hypnotising video. One person has suggested this alternative Pimlico looks like a level on one of the early GTA games, which is certainly no slight.

OK, the clock is a little pixely

The minutiae — down to tiny hazard signs, and the reflections on the floor and ceilings — are covered. And even if certain details, like an illuminated clock, are a little bit pixelated, well, that only adds to the charm.

The only thing missing from Pimlico 2.0 in our opinion? Tube mice. Oh, and tube trains. Must be another strike.

Greater Good Gaming reaching out to kids with autism

STAUNTON – A local organization will host the area’s first gaming class geared toward kids with autism this spring.

Greater Good Gaming organizers hope the Minecraft course, which is part of Staunton Parks & Recreation’s spring programming, will give youth ages 11 to 14 a chance to play a game they love while socializing with peers. The group will have a free meet-and-greet for potential participants on Feb. 5, and registration for the class is open until Feb. 13.

G3 has been around for about three years, and this will be the second semester the group has offered courses through Staunton Parks & Recreation. But this is the first time the organization will host a class specifically designed for youth with special needs.

Founder Tony Robertson said he realized there aren’t many activities for kids on the spectrum in the area after talking with News Leader reporter Monique Calello, whose daughter has autism and enjoys his monthly gaming group at Staunton Public Library. 

She explained that there aren’t any activities in this area geared toward kids on the autism spectrum for her daughter to participate in.

“That kind of got me thinking that there’s this community out there that needs programming for their kids,” Robertson said.

Video games are “equal opportunity entertainment” since the games are accessible for players with a range of mental and physical abilities, he said. G3 organizers want participants to be creative and use their imaginations, so they decided to focus the class on Minecraft, a game where players create things from different kinds of blocks.

Robertson, who has a background in education, worked with his colleagues – including a specialist who has experience with kids on the autism spectrum – to create the lesson plans. While each player will have their own project to work on for most of the course, they’ll work together on a group build during the final part of the class. 

“Sometimes for kids on the spectrum, it can be hard to throw them into these big, social, collaborative efforts … so we want to ease them into that,” he said. This strategy aims to teach kids that, “yes, it can be frustrating to do things with other people sometimes … but if you plan it out carefully and organize it well, it can be quite efficient.”

Plus, G3 encourages kids to take active breaks from gaming every half hour or so. During the course, they’ll play “camp-like” group games together to continue the focus on teamwork and structured socialization, Robertson said.

While the course is open to all kids, Robertson said he hopes youth on the autism spectrum will get priority, since it’s designed specially for them. The meet-and-greet will take place at the Nelson Street Center from 6:30-8 p.m. on Feb. 5 so kids can familiarize themselves with the course and its leaders before they sign up.

More information about cost, dates and registration is available online, in the Staunton Parks & Recreation spring catalog.

All G3’s courses encourage kids to use skills like problem solving, creativity and determination while they participate in an activity they already enjoy, he said. The group aims to reduce the stigma that surrounds gaming and to encourage gamers to use their passion for video games to better themselves and the community.

“Embracing this technology that’s here, that’s not going anywhere and making the best of it – that’s sort of what Greater Good Gaming is all about,” Robertson said.

Follow Rilyn on Twitter @rilyneischens22, or send her a note at reischens@newsleader.com

Games like Minecraft – five titles inspired by the blocky survival phenomenon

At the turn of the decade, a little game called Minecraft proved to be a revelation in videogames – inspiring a whole generation of players and developers in the process. Markus ‘Notch’ Persson created a blocky, sandbox world that essentially let us create anything we like and share it with our friends. It’s a cultural phenomenon that sold millions of copies before Mojang, the small studio behind it, was bought out by Microsoft in 2014.

There’s been a plethora of Minecraft clones over the years, but none really delivered the whole package like Minecraft does. On top of the vanilla experience, players have created mods and server plugins that expand its creative possibilities even further, from changing the Ender Dragon to letting you play as Thomas The Tank Engine, and even redesigning the entire game with modpacks like Feed The Beast.

Sometimes, though, you may only want part of the Minecraft experience, augmented with other flavours and moods. That’s where the best games like Minecraft come in. We’ve got five games here that are similar to Minecraft in some fashion, be it the creative aspect, mining, exploration, or something else. Enjoy!

THE BEST GAMES LIKE MINECRAFT ARE:



Deep Rock Galactic Stardew Valley No Man’s Sky Terraria Fortnite: Save the World







DEEP ROCK GALACTIC

Currently on Steam Early Access, Deep Rock Galactic takes the core concept of mining for ores and valuables and has created an entire game around it, while upping the sense of peril. Of course, mining is a huge part of Minecraft, but if you’re playing vanilla, there’s little more to it than digging a series of tunnels in hopes of striking gold… well, diamond.

Deep Rock Galactic expands on that greatly. It lets you choose your preferred class, team up with three friends, and then delve into the “most hostile cave systems in the galaxy.” More than a mining simulator, it’s a first-person shooter in which each cave you venture into is procedurally generated. So, just like in Minecraft, you’ll experience something new every time you play.

You can drill straight down to your objective or choose to create branching paths, exploring as much of the underground as possible. What may sway your decisions are the hostile creatures that will stand in your way. You’ve got a vast arsenal of weapons to deal with these threats, but you’ll only be able to hold them off for so long before you’ll be forced to rush to the surface with as many of your treasures as you can carry.

STARDEW VALLEY

Farming in Minecraft is one of the most relaxing activities you can… until a creeper comes along and blows up a large chunk of your land, that is. If you often find yourself tending to your crops instead of building and mining then Stardew Valley will be right up your stree… err, planting row.

It starts out as you inherit your grandfather’s old farm, which gives your character a reason to leave the city behind, and try to make it on their own in the countryside. Outside of your customisable house you’re given a vast plot of land to work with, which you can clear and develop as you wish, making space for a multitude of crops and animals. Venturing outside of your farm introduces you to the village where you can meet villagers, go shopping, fishing, and even mining. Getting to know the locals builds up relationships and, eventually, you’ll be able to marry the love of your life.

The other way to stave off any loneliness as you earn money by selling crops and livestock is to make the most of Stardew Valley’s multiplayer. It’s certainly handy to have a few more, erm, hands as you venture into the mines and face hostile monsters. Besides that, Stardew Valley is a relaxing experience, and one that’ll help make the days fly by.

NO MAN’S SKY

After a controversial launch on PC and PS4 in 2015, the small team behind No Man’s Sky has put a great deal of effort into delivering the dream game many hoped it would be originally. It’s closer than ever now due to a series of expansions that have added base building, survival mode, and 30 hours of story. The most significant addition, however, is online multiplayer – which for many people finally makes No Man’s Sky the game they always wanted it to be.

So what is No Man’s Sky? Looking at the larger picture it’s about exploration. You go on a personal journey through multitudes of galaxies and planets as you make your way to the centre of the universe. But that end goal of eventually reaching the centre is merely the driving force for you to experience just how much of the game there is. You can meet other intelligent species, bump into hostile robots, document docile creatures, and get into space wars.

If you were put off by the reception No Man’s Sky initially received, but still harbour some fondness for that original vision, then you should give it a second chance. It’s changed significantly and could even be considered a successor to Minecraft: you can build a home, farm and harvest crops, and turn your excavation of natural resources into factories.

TERRARIA

A list like this couldn’t exist without including Terraria, could it? It’s been famously referred to as ‘2D Minecraft’ for as long as the sun has been burning. The fact of the matter, however, is that it’s got a lot more going for it than that.

The concept is ultimately the same, as you create your own objectives: build an impressive mansion or base of operations, explore the far reaches of the land, or delve deep into the underground hunting for riches. As you explore further and learn more about Terraria you’ll quickly discover there’s a lot more at play.

By completing specific goals, you can unlock NPCs that’ll stay and work in your base, such as a nurse or a wizard. They each have varying benefits and are necessary if you’re to defeat bosses, progress further into the Underworld, and eventually unlock expert mode – more bosses, enemies, biomes, and items. While Terraria’s creative freedom isn’t as open as it is in Minecraft, it offers much more when it comes to combat, and you’ll sink a lot of time into it if you want to complete everything.

FORTNITE: SAVE THE WORLD

While Fortnite Battle Royale has exploded in popularity this year, the other – and original – Fortnite game mode, Save The World, hasn’t seen as much support. It’s a shame, as it’s a solid game, and a very good alternative to Minecraft. Unfortunately, it’s not free-to-play (yet) like Battle Royale is, so that instantly creates a barrier for the vast majority of Fortnite players.

The combat mechanics are largely the same between the two modes, but rather than fighting other players here, you work together to stave off the zombie horde. That’s a concept that’s been done to death, sure, but Epic mixes it up a little by adding a bit of Minecraft to its riff on Left 4 Dead. You build and create your own base, placing construction parts and traps as you please, and then venture forth into the world to complete missions.

You can play Fortnite: Save The World with up to three friends, and as you beat back the undead together you’ll unlock skill points to upgrade your characters. Plus, there are regular timed events to coincide with real-world festivities like Christmas, Halloween, and Easter, meaning you can celebrate with your friends no matter the distance between you.

Minecraft gets wall-running and double-jumps – thanks to a bug

Just before the weekend, Minecraft picked up a feature you’d usually associate with fast-paced shooters such as Titanfall and recent Calls of Duty: wall-running. It was an easily replicable bug introduced in a ‘snapshot’ update (Minecraft builds its major updates in slices called snapshots, rolled out to players for beta testing on a voluntary basis).

The snapshot is 19W04A, and in the notes for that update, developer Mojang acknowledges a bug that means you can’t jump when pressed up against a block. That this results in wall-running was spotted by NatalieZem on Reddit (via Kotaku), who gave the following explanation:

“This isn’t a trick or a prank or anything. In the recent snapshot, you can’t jump while pressing against a block. And apparently not being able to raise your elevation also means you can’t lower it either. Try it for yourself: All you need to do is stay sprinting into the wall and you can move along it.”

You can see the bug in action in NatalieZem’s gif, below:

Some users welcomed the bug/feature, with many saying it’s fun and shouldn’t be removed. Yolwoocle_ says their mind is blowing with map ideas, while CK20XX suggests it could be “turned into a piece of equipment”.

Unfortunately for them, the bug was addressed in another snapshot: 19w04b. The notes say walking on walls has been “partially fixed” in that you’ll now fall slowly when moving against a wall. As of 19w04b you can, however, now perform a double-jump – another FPS feature, we’ll have blink teleports next – and the notes acknowledge that the bug causing all this “is very cool”. There’s some hope that it will be properly implemented as a pair of boots, but it is causing plenty of issues in other areas, such as climbing stairs. Expect it to change further before these snapshots become a full update.

Minecraft “partially” fixes wall-running bug

It’s not quite Prince of Persia or Infinite Warfare, but it was a rather big bug, as is the double jump that’s come in as well.

Minecraft recently got an update in which a new bug was introduced allowing players to run along walls (not like Prince of Persia – more like strolling alongside one as if there was a ledge present), and as reported by the likes of PCGamesN, this has been discovered by the community and .This ad will end in 30 seconds

Despite a lot of players actually liking this feature, Mojang has released a blog post revealing that walking on walls is now “partially fixed” as players now fall slowly when moving against a wall instead. They also explain that a double jump has been added as part of a “very cool” bug, although creepers and zombies can double jump too, which is less cool for your safety.

Player and mob hitboxes don’t interact with walls correctly either, and there are a few other examples of issues that have arisen with this update (called a snapshot), so it’s likely these will continue to be tweaked. That said, with the community enjoying some of these bugs perhaps they might become a feature in the future.

Would you like double jump and wall-running?Minecraft – Cats & Pandas: A Minecraft Fable of Friendship 00:0000:00Minecraft – MINECON Earth 2018: Update Highlights 00:0000:00