Mobs spawn in light level 7 or less. Torches have an inherent brightness level of 14, which diminishes by 1 for every block the light has to travel, including upward/downward. In other words, every single surface mobs are allowed to spawn on has to be no more than 6 blocks (horizontal and vertical combined) from the closest torch.
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"Sometimes, I just wanna give up, say 'I'm done with this mess' and go to bed. But you know what; you can't shrug off your responsibilities. You got to pull yourself up and meet the challenges head on. That's the only way you're gonna get ahead in life."
If you hit F3, you can open the debug menu. The number next to "BL: " is the block light level, which is the light value created by torches and lava and whatnot.
"Sometimes, I just wanna give up, say 'I'm done with this mess' and go to bed. But you know what; you can't shrug off your responsibilities. You got to pull yourself up and meet the challenges head on. That's the only way you're gonna get ahead in life."
If you hit F3, you can open the debug menu. The number next to "BL: " is the block light level, which is the light value created by torches and lava and whatnot.
Note that the number displayed is the light level at your head, which is one block off the ground. But the mobs spawn on the ground, one block down from your head level. So, unless your torches are on the ground, don't forget to subtract 1 from the displayed value to see if the floor is actually dark enough to spawn a mob. (If you do put your torches on the floor, then ground level will actually be one level brighter than the displayed value.)
One mistake some people make is placing torches too high on walls. Of course torches do not keep mobs away, just keeps them from spawning if light level is high enough on all floor surfaces. Light level on ceilings doesn't matter.
Note that the number displayed is the light level at your head, which is one block off the ground. But the mobs spawn on the ground, one block down from your head level. So, unless your torches are on the ground, don't forget to subtract 1 from the displayed value to see if the floor is actually dark enough to spawn a mob. (If you do put your torches on the floor, then ground level will actually be one level brighter than the displayed value.)
Huh, I wasn't quite sure about that. That explains things.
Actually, I find really strange that neither Mojang, or any moder has found a way to create a block (or something) able to recognize a room, and keeping every block in that room at the same light level. Right now, the only way to keep a place well iluminated is placing light sources every 4 - 5 blocks... which looks awful sometimes. And if the ceiling is very high... you will even need lights in the floor/walls, making the design of nice rooms even harder.
Block architecture sprang from Minecraft, not the other way around. Minecraft shouldn't have to change to suit architecture; architecture should have to change to suit Minecraft.
Actually, I find really strange that neither Mojang, or any moder has found a way to create a block (or something) able to recognize a room, and keeping every block in that room at the same light level. Right now, the only way to keep a place well iluminated is placing light sources every 4 - 5 blocks... which looks awful sometimes. And if the ceiling is very high... you will even need lights in the floor/walls, making the design of nice rooms even harder.
Personally, I find it fun to have an enormously high ceiling - in a tower or a quarry - with no light at all up there. It looks creepy as hell, and you get the ambience noises. But monsters don't spawn on the ceiling or the walls - only the floor.
Block architecture sprang from Minecraft, not the other way around. Minecraft shouldn't have to change to suit architecture; architecture should have to change to suit Minecraft.
Yup, architecture didn't exist before minecraft. And everything in the real world is modeled after the systems built in minecraft.
It would be nice to have a brighter block/torch. I wouldn't want the blocks to be visibly lighter than 15, but it would be nice to have a block that acted like light level 20 or so, just so I can make a room with one overhead lighting and have it work out. (You know like my bedroom has).
I've not had mob spawns in my houses for quite a long time. It's all in how you build your homes really when you get down to things. You have to build and keep in mind how light sources work and you can really make some nice looking places. Real world stuff doesn't always translate well in to the Minecraft world so you have to change things and adapt sometimes or play on peaceful and not worry at all.
Another thing to do is to use half slabs for the flooring, that should keeps mobs off if you like having dark areas in a house. They work great to keep em off my roof.
Another thing to do is to use half slabs for the flooring, that should keeps mobs off if you like having dark areas in a house. They work great to keep em off my roof.
I usually make my roof flat with spider-proofing,fences and well lit.
I haven't played in about 6 months, so did some patch come out that suddenly made torches useless? Does glowstone work better now at keeping mobs out?
How do you check your light level?
If you hit F3, you can open the debug menu. The number next to "BL: " is the block light level, which is the light value created by torches and lava and whatnot.
Note that the number displayed is the light level at your head, which is one block off the ground. But the mobs spawn on the ground, one block down from your head level. So, unless your torches are on the ground, don't forget to subtract 1 from the displayed value to see if the floor is actually dark enough to spawn a mob. (If you do put your torches on the floor, then ground level will actually be one level brighter than the displayed value.)
Village Mechanics: A not-so-brief guide - Update 2017! Now with 1.8 breeding mechanics! Long-overdue trading info, coming soon!
You think magic isn't real? Consider this: for every person, there is a sentence -- a series of words -- which has the power to destroy them.
Huh, I wasn't quite sure about that. That explains things.
Block architecture sprang from Minecraft, not the other way around. Minecraft shouldn't have to change to suit architecture; architecture should have to change to suit Minecraft.
Yup, architecture didn't exist before minecraft. And everything in the real world is modeled after the systems built in minecraft.
It would be nice to have a brighter block/torch. I wouldn't want the blocks to be visibly lighter than 15, but it would be nice to have a block that acted like light level 20 or so, just so I can make a room with one overhead lighting and have it work out. (You know like my bedroom has).
I usually make my roof flat with spider-proofing,fences and well lit.
Before that, a creeper spawned in a single square in the entire structure that was block light 6.
Good thing I have excellent accuracy with a bow
I am ninja'd far too often.