Today me and my friend found a stronghold while strip mining. when we got in all the loot we found was some books and alot of stone bricks. I find that pretty lame.
What did you expect? Ancient ruins that have booby traps and Indiana Jones style puzzles to get to a chest filled with 10 million diamonds? No, next update has the end portal in them, be even other than that they stay the exact same. The thing that is cool about them is they are hard to find, that's really it.
Strongholds are just for show at the moment.
Stated like 3 times above this post, there will be the end portal added soon making strongholds more useful.
I find Stone blocks and Iron bars very useful.
Thats just my opinion though isn't it?
Really, it's just the POV of the player. If it comes down to only what's in the chests, then most mob spawners and mineshafts could possibly also be described as being "lame." Mostly, all I've ever gotten from them is a few bits of string and some iron ingots and some cocoa beans. With all the cobwebs in mineshafts, finding string inside the chest feels like even more of a bummer. Sometimes, there's a saddle; but how many times can you ride a pig?
However, as other players have indicated, the iron bars and doors in strongholds can be quite useful, just like all the rails in Mineshafts. In survival island games, the wood and string in a timely Mineshaft find can mean the difference between having a bed and not having one. A timely find of some iron ingots can give you an iron sword or pickaxe just when you need it most, a loaf of bread can save your life... it just depends on where you're at in the game and what you really need at that point in time.
Really, it's just the POV of the player. If it comes down to only what's in the chests, then most mob spawners and mineshafts could possibly also be described as being "lame." Mostly, all I've ever gotten from them is a few bits of string and some iron ingots and some cocoa beans. With all the cobwebs in mineshafts, finding string inside the chest feels like even more of a bummer. Sometimes, there's a saddle; but how many times can you ride a pig?
However, as other players have indicated, the iron bars and doors in strongholds can be quite useful, just like all the rails in Mineshafts. In survival island games, the wood and string in a timely Mineshaft find can mean the difference between having a bed and not having one. A timely find of some iron ingots can give you an iron sword or pickaxe just when you need it most... it just depends on where you're at in the game and what you really need at that point in time.
I moved in to the first stronghold I found in my world - now my wife complains it looks like I live in a prison! NO amount of paintings on the walls will change that either!
However, I did feel that it was a bit lame when I realized that a portion of my stronghold got cutoff by the world limit. (no books for me!)
I got over it, turned around, and started mining in another direction! Now, if I could only find that horde of diamonds I located before that creeper forced me to rage quit without saving!
What did you expect? It's generated structure... Not a generated looting structure.
That would be terrible, a structure that steals from you?
Back on topic:
I thought about this some more, they're actually quite useful, as states above, you save 6 iron for each iron door and iron bar you find, you can find cracked and mossy stone bricks (which are only found in strongholds currently), and free stone bricks (might just be me, I hate making them).
I mostly use them to mine out the Iron bars and Iron doors when I need them. And the occasional mossy or cracked stone.
I did find a dungeon connected to a stronghold once though. Ive found they're so vast they usually connect to something cool, like giant lava lakes for diamond mining or ravines, probably even a few with mineshafts.
Strongholds aren't so much abundant with loot as they are massive and fun to explore. I happened to stumble upon one in my creative world. The structure is absolutely massive. There are at least 4 floors to it, and at least two separate mines running below, above and through it. Grand-total, the structure must take up at least 4 maybe 5 chunks (a chunk is a16x16 space of land) side by side. With the exception of a lava fountain as a reference point for navigation, torches, signs, and literally a few added blocks for convenient corridors...the stronghold is what you see.
I spent about 8 hours completely restoring it and adding signs for easier navigation. Without the signs, you can easily be lost in a matter of seconds. Anyone reading this may feel free to join my game and explore the stronghold, if they are interested. Again, there are signs, so navigation should be a walk in the park.
so true
Stated like 3 times above this post, there will be the end portal added soon making strongholds more useful.
I find Stone blocks and Iron bars very useful.
Thats just my opinion though isn't it?
However, as other players have indicated, the iron bars and doors in strongholds can be quite useful, just like all the rails in Mineshafts. In survival island games, the wood and string in a timely Mineshaft find can mean the difference between having a bed and not having one. A timely find of some iron ingots can give you an iron sword or pickaxe just when you need it most, a loaf of bread can save your life... it just depends on where you're at in the game and what you really need at that point in time.
However, I did feel that it was a bit lame when I realized that a portion of my stronghold got cutoff by the world limit. (no books for me!)
I got over it, turned around, and started mining in another direction! Now, if I could only find that horde of diamonds I located before that creeper forced me to rage quit without saving!
That would be terrible, a structure that steals from you?
Back on topic:
I thought about this some more, they're actually quite useful, as states above, you save 6 iron for each iron door and iron bar you find, you can find cracked and mossy stone bricks (which are only found in strongholds currently), and free stone bricks (might just be me, I hate making them).
I did find a dungeon connected to a stronghold once though. Ive found they're so vast they usually connect to something cool, like giant lava lakes for diamond mining or ravines, probably even a few with mineshafts.
Strongholds aren't so much abundant with loot as they are massive and fun to explore. I happened to stumble upon one in my creative world. The structure is absolutely massive. There are at least 4 floors to it, and at least two separate mines running below, above and through it. Grand-total, the structure must take up at least 4 maybe 5 chunks (a chunk is a16x16 space of land) side by side. With the exception of a lava fountain as a reference point for navigation, torches, signs, and literally a few added blocks for convenient corridors...the stronghold is what you see.
I spent about 8 hours completely restoring it and adding signs for easier navigation. Without the signs, you can easily be lost in a matter of seconds. Anyone reading this may feel free to join my game and explore the stronghold, if they are interested. Again, there are signs, so navigation should be a walk in the park.
XBL GT: Master Buttchin