So, after a year of playing Minecraft, I've decided to make my first ever castle. 100% legit, on smp with my brother. However, I don't want to build a cobblestone box fort that everyone passes as a castle. I want to build an extremely large scale one, including a village around the outer wall, moat, a 5 block thick outer wall, grand entrance, giant dining hall, massive throne room, dungeons.... You get the picture. It needs to be large, and it needs to be impressive.
The idea is to incorporate the fantasy castle elements into a medieval style castle, if you understand what I mean. We won't be creating any normal castle, but be taking ideas from all over the place.
Big dreams, yeah. But I have not once build even a small castle before, and thus, I come to you, the minecraft community, to fill in the gaps of my knowledge of Minecraft, and the structural design of castles. If you know of any building tips for castles specifically, or you have the link to a thread that contains many ideas and hints on building epic Minecraft castles, let me know. Any knowledge is good knowledge, and the more help I get, the better.
What rooms would you have in a castle??? Well, here is what I have so far. Am I around the mark?
Outer wall, moat, inner keep, barracks, great feasting hall, the ballroom (is that appropriate for a medieval castle... Or a room similar), library, dungeons, kitchens, sleeping quarters, towers, gardens.
Here are some of the user posted tips for castle building:
Details
Planning (what rooms you want, what size to have it, what goes where)
Golden ratio
Inspiration from real castles
Multiple materials
Lay down the foundation and outline before building the room
Ensure great lighting
What we have designed so far is the outer wall towers, as well as the entrance gate, picture below. We are in development of the dining hall now.
The castle is not supposed to be a giant's castle, but more, a massive and imposing castle, but still inhabited by normal people.
12 high walls, 34 high at the tip of the tower. Created on creative as experimentation before we build the actual thing in survival.
Does anyone have a good design for a throne, of a width of an odd number of blocks? Post pictures please :smile.gif:
I'm not really that amazing at large-scale building and such, but I would suggest to put a lot of detail into it. Don't just the same block the whole time, use a variety. Pay attention to everything you're doing. It would also help to be pretty experienced in building circles in Minecraft, because that would help a lot.
I'm not really that amazing at large-scale building and such, but I would suggest to put a lot of detail into it. Don't just the same block the whole time, use a variety. Pay attention to everything you're doing. It would also help to be pretty experienced in building circles in Minecraft, because that would help a lot.
Circles are easy with a thing called google :wink.gif: that is literally all I use :tongue.gif:
And that's better advice than nothing. I'll be sure to take everything that sounds useful on board
My tip is to plan it out before hand. Do lots and lots of planing. For example, make a list of all the rooms you would like your castle to have. Than on graph paper or something try to figure out where everything is going to be. I suggest looking at other great caste build to serve as reference of what your castle should have. For example, a majestic outer garden.
You may also look at real world example for inspiration.
My tip is to plan it out before hand. Do lots and lots of planing. For example, make a list of all the rooms you would like your castle to have. Than on graph paper or something try to figure out where everything is going to be. I suggest looking at other great caste build to serve as reference of what your castle should have. For example, a majestic outer garden.
You may also look at real world example for inspiration.
Do you have any good links??? I've been looking at layouts for real medieval castle, and my brother has got a few ideas from fantasy castles. The only thing I'm sure of is that it will be centred around the throne room up on the top floor
A good idea would be to start with a small castle at first, then expand, that way, u can get the original part of it down, with out having to worry bout getting all the little details down on a larger scale. Perfect the small one, then expand gradually. Might be a good idea, its up to you though buddy :smile.gif:
A good idea would be to start with a small castle at first, then expand, that way, u can get the original part of it down, with out having to worry bout getting all the little details down on a larger scale. Perfect the small one, then expand gradually. Might be a good idea, its up to you though buddy :smile.gif:
It's a good idea, but generally something like that is top difficult for a legit survival build, and it turns out real blocky (even for
Minecraft) but I'll have to know exactly what I'm going for first
You need to plan really well or it won't work. Perhaps even make a drawing of the castle.Make sure that everything is the right size too while you are building. It is a real pain noticing something is wrong right after you are done. For the castle it self I would recomend using wool for the roofs on the towers looks really nice with a combination of white and blue. Also put in a lot of big windows.
Check here or here for inspiration. Looking at the castles of other people can be useful too, which is how I stole the idea of using steps for the roof and stairs around the edges, for nice thin crenelations.
Also, plan the dimensions first, around whatever criteria you want. Will your lighting style keep mobs out?
Check here or here for inspiration. Looking at the castles of other people can be useful too, which is how I stole the idea of using steps for the roof and stairs around the edges, for nice thin crenelations.
Also, plan the dimensions first, around whatever criteria you want. Will your lighting style keep mobs out?
Oh, and use the golden ratio for everything.
Nice, Lego :wink.gif:
I'll have to look up the golden ratio... I remember a bit about it though :smile.gif:
You'll want to pay attention to the scale of key features and how they relate to the dimensions you will use. For example lets say you want a flag pole in the center on the top of your tower. Your scale will determine how large the flag pole will be and what shape it will be. For example no matter whether your tower is round or square if the scale determines that the proper dimensions for the flag pole is just a 1X1 stack of blocks then your tower will need to be an odd number of blocks in dimension so that the flag pole can be right in the center. If however your scale says the flag pole is 2X2, then you will need an even number of blocks in your tower dimension.
You'll want to pay attention to the scale of key features and how they relate to the dimensions you will use. For example lets say you want a flag pole in the center on the top of your tower. Your scale will determine how large the flag pole will be and what shape it will be. For example no matter whether your tower is round or square if the scale determines that the proper dimensions for the flag pole is just a 1X1 stack of blocks then your tower will need to be an odd number of blocks in dimension so that the flag pole can be right in the center. If however your scale says the flag pole is 2X2, then you will need an even number of blocks in your tower dimension.
I know what you mean. I was thinking that we would design the throne first, seeing as its the centerpiece of the castle. So if the throne is an odd number of blocks, then we use off numbers for everything, the castle gate, the entrance hall... You get the picture
The idea is to incorporate the fantasy castle elements into a medieval style castle, if you understand what I mean. We won't be creating any normal castle, but be taking ideas from all over the place.
Big dreams, yeah. But I have not once build even a small castle before, and thus, I come to you, the minecraft community, to fill in the gaps of my knowledge of Minecraft, and the structural design of castles. If you know of any building tips for castles specifically, or you have the link to a thread that contains many ideas and hints on building epic Minecraft castles, let me know. Any knowledge is good knowledge, and the more help I get, the better.
What rooms would you have in a castle??? Well, here is what I have so far. Am I around the mark?
Outer wall, moat, inner keep, barracks, great feasting hall, the ballroom (is that appropriate for a medieval castle... Or a room similar), library, dungeons, kitchens, sleeping quarters, towers, gardens.
Here are some of the user posted tips for castle building:
Details
Planning (what rooms you want, what size to have it, what goes where)
Golden ratio
Inspiration from real castles
Multiple materials
Lay down the foundation and outline before building the room
Ensure great lighting
What we have designed so far is the outer wall towers, as well as the entrance gate, picture below. We are in development of the dining hall now.
The castle is not supposed to be a giant's castle, but more, a massive and imposing castle, but still inhabited by normal people.
12 high walls, 34 high at the tip of the tower. Created on creative as experimentation before we build the actual thing in survival.
Does anyone have a good design for a throne, of a width of an odd number of blocks? Post pictures please :smile.gif:
We can't do it without your help!!!
(Interested? PM me)
Circles are easy with a thing called google :wink.gif: that is literally all I use :tongue.gif:
And that's better advice than nothing. I'll be sure to take everything that sounds useful on board
(Interested? PM me)
You may also look at real world example for inspiration.
Do you have any good links??? I've been looking at layouts for real medieval castle, and my brother has got a few ideas from fantasy castles. The only thing I'm sure of is that it will be centred around the throne room up on the top floor
(Interested? PM me)
http://www.minecraftforum.net/topic/837504-megabuild-a-castle-on-a-mountain-picture-heavy/
It's a good idea, but generally something like that is top difficult for a legit survival build, and it turns out real blocky (even for
Minecraft) but I'll have to know exactly what I'm going for first
(Interested? PM me)
Also, plan the dimensions first, around whatever criteria you want. Will your lighting style keep mobs out?
Oh, and use the golden ratio for everything.
Nice, Lego :wink.gif:
I'll have to look up the golden ratio... I remember a bit about it though :smile.gif:
(Interested? PM me)
(Interested? PM me)
Also: texture pack, texture pack, texture pack.
I was thinking make walkways in the walls for archers to shoot out small holes :wink.gif:
(Interested? PM me)
(Interested? PM me)
by c0yote
I tried it with terrible results. I gave my wife my glasses for a second, a creeper showed up and now my wife is pregnant.
Stupid 3D..
I know what you mean. I was thinking that we would design the throne first, seeing as its the centerpiece of the castle. So if the throne is an odd number of blocks, then we use off numbers for everything, the castle gate, the entrance hall... You get the picture
(Interested? PM me)
1. Don't stick to 1 or 2 materials.
2. Don't make it linear (Cobblestone cube)
3. Search the forums for inspiration.
4. Experiment with designs with different materials on creative.
5. If you have to, be free to alter the landscape.
Don't have one yet... Looking for as many tips, tricks, and inspirations before I start
(Interested? PM me)