So over the course of the past month or so, I have been working on a project to construct a "dam." With the way water works in Minecraft though, it just looks like a dam in the end. The reality of the project was drying thousands of water blocks with gravity-based blocks (I used gravel so I could tell where the natural sand started, leaving the ocean floor unaltered). Keep in mind, I play 100% vanilla without Peaceful mode. So this meant gathering quite a lot of gravel, working on my dam mostly only by day (Creeper damage on sand... not enjoyable), and some fairly extensive quarry work and sheep abuse for the fortress's floor.
That being said, the project is "done." Done in quotes because, well, nothing is ever really done with me. I'm sure I'll decide to add on to the fort, perhaps cannons or a basement dungeon or who knows. But the initial project as I began it is now finished. For all of you, here's a treat: progressive screenshots of the project at various stages. The Sugar Cane off-center is the marker for where the water level had begun. It was there naturally so I just left it as I drained the water out from around it.
Enjoy!
The interior of the fortress's ground floor:
View of the drained area from the fortress's parapet:
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"There but for the grace of God go I, Suicide Hedge."
Including hunting down enough gravel, cobblestone, and wool - I would estimate it was about a 100 to 150 in-game hour project. Not including time spent AFKing in my bunker through the night cycles. I didn't really keep track of how long it took, but all said and done it was almost one month of gaming time to the day.
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"There but for the grace of God go I, Suicide Hedge."
So over the course of the past month or so, I have been working on a project to construct a "dam." With the way water works in Minecraft though, it just looks like a dam in the end.
Okay am I missing something besides a lot of effort to reclaim land that could just well have been found higher up? I mean I would have understood if you were actually building a dam and it was supposed to be holding back the water, but without it all I can do is marvel at the work put into doing something really silly. Maybe I'm just too practical, but I would need a reason to go through all that effort.
*EDIT* Nevermind, I see the tiny little dam by the castle. More like a dike if you ask me.
The only thing I don't like is the excessive use of cobble stone, I prefer :stone:, I know its more of a pain in the ass b/c you have to run cobble through the furnace to get it, but I think I looks a lot cleaner. Other than that, I think Its pretty damn cool! GET IT?
So over the course of the past month or so, I have been working on a project to construct a "dam." With the way water works in Minecraft though, it just looks like a dam in the end.
Okay am I missing something besides a lot of effort to reclaim land that could just well have been found higher up? I mean I would have understood if you were actually building a dam and it was supposed to be holding back the water, but without it all I can do is marvel at the work put into doing something really silly. Maybe I'm just too practical, but I would need a reason to go through all that effort.
*EDIT* Nevermind, I see the tiny little dam by the castle. More like a dike if you ask me.
The initial inspiration for the project came from the fact that my entrance to the area through a Nether portal - and the small bunker I built nearby - came to be across that body of water from a cave system I was exploring, including a dungeon I set a trap in. I began to grow tired of swimming/boating over the water or walking around it, so I thought to myself "what if I simply removed the body of water?" Liking to keep a natural feel to my world, I decided the best way to be able to do this would be to make it appear that it had been dammed off. I also liked the idea that much like an ice sculptor, I had created a unique opportunity to create something by taking away rather than adding on to.
Much the reason anyone constructs anything in Minecraft, it seemed like a fun undertaking. So I set to it, and I'm proud of the finished product. It was a lot of work to move all that water, but the end result was exactly as I pictured it.
Also, the dam is pretty nice closer up. I believe the screenshots from so far away may not give due credit to it's construct.
Quote from Bellshazer »
The only thing I don't like is the excessive use of cobble stone, I prefer :stone:, I know its more of a pain in the ass b/c you have to run cobble through the furnace to get it, but I think I looks a lot cleaner. Other than that, I think Its pretty damn cool! GET IT?
I actually prefer the cobblestone look, myself. All a matter of preference I think. Cobblestone gives it that natural, but man-made feel I think. I would love if the user-made smooth stones looked different than the naturally occurring ones, but as is when building with them I can't help but feel -regardless the structure - that I am living in a cave.
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"There but for the grace of God go I, Suicide Hedge."
That being said, the project is "done." Done in quotes because, well, nothing is ever really done with me. I'm sure I'll decide to add on to the fort, perhaps cannons or a basement dungeon or who knows. But the initial project as I began it is now finished. For all of you, here's a treat: progressive screenshots of the project at various stages. The Sugar Cane off-center is the marker for where the water level had begun. It was there naturally so I just left it as I drained the water out from around it.
Enjoy!
The interior of the fortress's ground floor:
View of the drained area from the fortress's parapet:
-Ben "Yahtzee" Croshaw
Love your fortress's floor design, I also use that similar design in my buildings.
Including hunting down enough gravel, cobblestone, and wool - I would estimate it was about a 100 to 150 in-game hour project. Not including time spent AFKing in my bunker through the night cycles. I didn't really keep track of how long it took, but all said and done it was almost one month of gaming time to the day.
-Ben "Yahtzee" Croshaw
I'm surprised it took that many replies for that pun to surface. Thanks. =P
-Ben "Yahtzee" Croshaw
I thought he had just misspelled it. Now I feel dumb.
Okay am I missing something besides a lot of effort to reclaim land that could just well have been found higher up? I mean I would have understood if you were actually building a dam and it was supposed to be holding back the water, but without it all I can do is marvel at the work put into doing something really silly. Maybe I'm just too practical, but I would need a reason to go through all that effort.
*EDIT* Nevermind, I see the tiny little dam by the castle. More like a dike if you ask 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..
The initial inspiration for the project came from the fact that my entrance to the area through a Nether portal - and the small bunker I built nearby - came to be across that body of water from a cave system I was exploring, including a dungeon I set a trap in. I began to grow tired of swimming/boating over the water or walking around it, so I thought to myself "what if I simply removed the body of water?" Liking to keep a natural feel to my world, I decided the best way to be able to do this would be to make it appear that it had been dammed off. I also liked the idea that much like an ice sculptor, I had created a unique opportunity to create something by taking away rather than adding on to.
Much the reason anyone constructs anything in Minecraft, it seemed like a fun undertaking. So I set to it, and I'm proud of the finished product. It was a lot of work to move all that water, but the end result was exactly as I pictured it.
Also, the dam is pretty nice closer up. I believe the screenshots from so far away may not give due credit to it's construct.
I actually prefer the cobblestone look, myself. All a matter of preference I think. Cobblestone gives it that natural, but man-made feel I think. I would love if the user-made smooth stones looked different than the naturally occurring ones, but as is when building with them I can't help but feel -regardless the structure - that I am living in a cave.
-Ben "Yahtzee" Croshaw