Actually that explains it. The tutorial code I was using doesn't have the comma there either now that I look. Shows what I get for blindly trusting people on the internet eh?
But thank you, thank you very very much. I spent three days tearing apart the tutorials, copying and re-copying the code. I thought I was an idiot. (Well, still am but for different reasons)
Thanks. I can finally get on with the mod
E: Oh yeah...github. I shouldve thought of that. I will be sure to keep that in mind in the future. Sorry for that
Alright, Im frustrated enough to bump this again now. Sorry to keep pushing but I really am at my wit's end with all this.
As far as I can tell I have named and placed all of the JSONs exactly right, but I still can't get them read. Ive been at this for a few days now, with no changes. So if someone can PLEASE tell me whats wrong with the src folder I posted up Id be so grateful.
What do I need for the "tutorial" and "tutorialBlock sections?
Do I need the folder name, the MODID, the class name, the block's name variable?
Please spell this out for me exactly. Every tutorial Ive seen names everything the exact same (IE the MODID is the same as the folder name, etc.) I did not name everything the same and so now Im all lost.
For reference THIS is the main tutorial Ive been using
Great guide! I have one suggestion however. Could you maybe add a guide that shows a bit about dimension? Like, not just having a one block thick wall that looks boring, you know? Thanks!
Yeah sure, Ill get into that once I finish the stuff Ive outlined already!
Do you recognize this? You probably do. Its the basic cobble cube that almost everyone makes for their first dwelling. While its fully functional, it isnt very pretty. Its cramped, its dim, and it probably smells like pee.
This guide will cover six different topics.
-External (such things as walls)
-Internal (floors, windows, and the like)
-Furnishing (beds, bookshelves, and lighting)
-Advanced Building (for when you need to expand your cozy cottage)
-Misc. (Stuff that doesnt fit anywhere else)
-Tips/Tricks (Duh.)
Lets get started, shall we?
EXTERNAL
The first thing we're covering is the outside of the house. Its the first thing a guest will see, so lets impress them shall we?
Walls
So, Lets start with this:
The basic wall. Its solid, its durable, and it keeps baddies from eating your face. But, its ugly.So how can we fix it? Well first and foremost lets add some variety. Variety its gonna be the big keyword of this guide.
Material
So, first of all, try adding more than one material to the wall like so:
Simply breaking up the monotony of the wall massively improves how it looks. Again, variety. Its the spice of life, dont ya know.
Shape
Walls in their most basic form are just rectangles, but they dont have to be.Add some pillars and outcroppings and pillars to a wall to give the shape some variety (Theres that word again!)
Adding trim to the top of a wall also helps:
This is especially good for any castle type builds.
Windows
In any survival world, windows are a must. They allow you to see any potential threats lurking outside of your dwelling.Windows in their most basic form are...well basic.
They dont provide much to the wall, theyre hard to really see out of, and they just kinda...suck.A great way to improve windows is just make em bigger:
Couple this with a variety of materials as mentioned above and you end up with:
Looks pretty good.So if we take everything we've learned about walls and mash it all together we end up with:
Which looks so much nicer than a basic cobble rectangle.
Interior
So, Now that we've covered how to build walls, lets begin working on the inside of our little cottage.
Space
Space is VERY important to making a house look good. If you have a small room thats only 2 blocks tall...well you don't have a lot of space to work with.
This room, while a little plain, is plenty big. See how tall the ceiling is? See how long the room is? theres a lot more space here than you really need, but to make a room look good you're going to WANT the space.
Floor/Ceiling
So, lets spice up the dull cube a bit shall we? Now, remember the lessons learned with walls? Again, the big word for this bit is variety. A lot of the lessons that we applied to walls can be applied here, too.I wont go into great detail again, but observe:
Again, variety. I will keep saying it until its the only word you know.
Furnishings
Lighting
Lighting is very important, it prevents monsters from spawning, it helps you see whats going on.So: basic lights
A torch on a wall. Nothing is wrong with it, but its just kinda...there. It works, but like the cobble cube it lacks form.A simple way to improve it is to merely place the torch ion a block to make a stand:
Or you can set it up on a fencepost, it makes a good scone
Even combining the two works:
Another good trick using torches and fences is to make chandeliers by suspending a block from the ceiling:
Also, feel free to substitute torches with glowstone or glowstone lamps. Those lamps require redstone wiring though, so good luck.
Furniture
Furniture is essential for making a good room. Notch was kind enough to put a bed in the game a while back, but what about seating and tables? Were are we gonna eat our mushroom stew? Plus, without furniture your house is just...really boring. Theres nothing to do!
So, lets start with the basics: A chair
Its just a stair block with signs on the ends, but it works pretty well.A couch can be made by extending the concept:
Taking it a step further you can make a nice homely corner unit:
Also, if youd like to put your feet up, any half slab block makes an excellent footsool
But what about a table? Gotta have something to eat off of. Well, if you put a pressure plate on a fence youll get one!
You can also do that with carpetingBookshelves make a great accent for any room:
And we also have carpets now. They can be used to cover a whole floor, or they can be used to make rugs and welcome mats:
There are a lot of different colors, so go nuts with em. Make awesome patterns, or pictures. Theyre versatileSpeaking of pictures, we cant forget paintings, they make excellent accents
The last thing we'll discuss is more...obscure combinations. There are a ton of ways you can combine things to make new types of furniture. I have no desire to list them all, but Ill give one example, a sink:
Made with a cauldron and a lever.
Combinations like that can add something special to the room. Experiment around, blow your own mind with what some simple blocks can do!Also remember: Chests, furnaces, workbenches, etc all count as furniture. Plus youre gonna need em, so go nuts.
So, putting it all together we can make one rather pretty room:
Advanced Building
Now we're getting to the good stuff. Ive already showed you some ways to make a basic one room cottage look better, but what happens when one room just isnt enough anymore? Its time to expand! We can go two ways: Build up or build out. We'll start by building up.
2nd Floors/staircases
Ok, so you've built a basic cottage, and it looks pretty good:
However, it's time for more space. So, what do you say to adding a second floor? We'll start by building a staircase up through the roof.
Now, you could do it like this:
But the problem there is that the staircase is...kinda huge. It takes up a third of the bottom floor. Itd work pretty well in a huge mansion but...we have a cottage.
We have to shrink it down.Try making it wrap around itself like so:
See? Much more compact and it works just as well. The most important thing with making stairs: Build them according to the rest of your house. Consistency is aesthetically pleasing.
Of course, you can also use ladders instead of stairs. They're the most compact of all, but theyre not as pretty.
We climb the stairs, and here we are:
The roof, and wow what a view! But, we need to get some walls up. Remember how to build a good wall? Good! Go for it!
As you can see, I made the wall out of mostly glass. I like having a good view, but you can make it however youd like.
So, we have walls, but the top is still wide open which brings us to:
Roofing
Roofs are important, they keep the heat in and the rain out. Plus they stop spiders from walking up your walls.
Now, the most basic roof is just a rectangle again. It works, but as usual its a little dull. Try adding some variety *cough*
You could make a pyramid type roof:
Or you can make a barn style roof:
Or many other fun shapes.
Also, note the skylights. Those are great for letting light into the room, I highly recommend you add them. Or dont, I mean, its your house after all.
Now, say we even need MORE space. What do we do? Well, we can build up again, but that will end up looking decidedly tower-ish. Now, thats fine if you like towers, but if you dont we could just add a new room. Which takes us to:
Room divides
We need another room on the ground floor, and Im thinking we expand in this direction:
Of course, those stairs are in the way...
Much better.So, now I say we tear down that wall and add a new room!
Nice! We have more space. But it looks kinda...odd dont you think? Theres a sudden switch between rooms, plus everything still looks really rectangular.The best way to fix all of this is to build a divider between the rooms.
Even a simple archway looks great:
Or build a half wall with some space in it:
Another fun idea is to actually elevate the new room a bit with some stairs:
In the end, I went with a combination of ideas:
Looks much better doesnt it?
if we head upstairs we can see the new room out the window:
And what do you know, its right at walking level. Itd make a perfect porch. Say, thats a great way to segue into...
Porches
Alright, so we have a great opportunity to turn part of the first floor ceiling into a porch. So, first thing to do is punch out the wall:
Awesome. Now, to make a simple porch we can just throw a door in there and put up some safety railings:
Viola, a porch.
But, lets spice it up a bit shall we? What say we put a roof over some of it, it does rain pretty frequently after all:
Nice.
Of course, this isnt the only way of making porches. After all, who says they need to be built only on top of a room?
A nice standalone porch in case you just want to go outside and take in the view.
Also keep in mind that porches arent just limited to upper floors, a nice front porch leading up to your door can look wonderful and inviting:
Of course, your house might have to be elevated by a block to accommodate, but its a small amount of extra work for something to look a great deal better.
Misc
Stairs
Ive already illustrated how versatile stairs can be as furniture, but they are also so much more.
They make great edges around walls:
They makes pillars:
They even make good roofing!
Stairs are awesome
Fences
Fences are also awesome. Besides being good for chandeliers they do
Roof supports:
Path lights and lampposts:
Even walls!
Fountains/Statues
Gardens
Tips/Tricks
Alright, I'm just about done here. Theres just a few more things we need to go over.
Have a theme
Having a theme to your build is very VERY important. If you live in a cozy little beach cottage, don't put a fire moat around it. It'll look very out of place. The same goes for your epic medieval dungeon: having a floor of brightly colored wool will detract from the feel just a tad.
Build beyond function
Don't just make what you need, because in this game all you really need is a dirt cube and some torches. After that, you're set.Instead build everything you can think of. Make libraries, hotels, bars,fountains, fireplaces, anything you want! Minecraft is your toy, make what you want of it.
Use ALL the blocks
This guide is just a starter, there is much MUCH more you can do with the blocks we have.Make wool carpets, make walls look old with mossy stone and bricks, use piston or double doors via lever. The possibilities are ENDLESS.
Some blocks are purely decorative. USE THEM!
Wools, vines, mossy stones, lily pads, leaf blocks...none of these have a use outside of aesthetics. Using these blocks right will turn your build from good to epic.
Get a texture pack
Everything I posted in this thread was done in vanilla Minecraft. However, most people seem to feel that the vanilla textures are...lacking.
Find yourself a texture pack that you like. I have seen some marvelous creations that looked even better because the builder had a texture pack that fit the theme.There is a terrifying number of texture packs available, go give them a look sometime.
FINALE
Thats pretty much it for the basics. I shall continually update this topic as more blocks are added, or new designs are discovered.I hope this guide has helped you escape your confining cobblestone cube, and I hope you enjoy your wonderful new home.
0
...One comma.
Actually that explains it. The tutorial code I was using doesn't have the comma there either now that I look. Shows what I get for blindly trusting people on the internet eh?
But thank you, thank you very very much. I spent three days tearing apart the tutorials, copying and re-copying the code. I thought I was an idiot. (Well, still am but for different reasons)
Thanks. I can finally get on with the mod
E: Oh yeah...github. I shouldve thought of that. I will be sure to keep that in mind in the future. Sorry for that
0
Alright, Im frustrated enough to bump this again now. Sorry to keep pushing but I really am at my wit's end with all this.
As far as I can tell I have named and placed all of the JSONs exactly right, but I still can't get them read. Ive been at this for a few days now, with no changes. So if someone can PLEASE tell me whats wrong with the src folder I posted up Id be so grateful.
0
Please help? This still aint working.
0
Alright, I renamed and moved things around, but its still not working right. At this point Im at a loss as to why.
HERE, Ive uploaded my new src folder. Can you please tell me what Ive done wrong?
And Im sorry about the weird names, Ive been trying to build this first mod as a template of sorts, giving me blanks to fill in basically.
Thanks so much for the help so far
0
Thanks, that really clears things up!
One last bit though, specifically in the models/block JSON what is it looking for after the block/
"parent": "<domain>:block/,<THIS?>"
Block class name? Block object from the main file? Something different?
And what do I need to name the JSON files? After the class, the object, the name variable, what?
0
OK so I have a few questions pertainign to the exact syntax of these JSON files.
Start with the texture one:
{
"parent": "block/cube_all",
"textures": {
"all": "tutorial:blocks/tutorialBlock"
}
}
I know that where is says "tutorialBlock" I need the name of the texture PNG, but what EXACTLY do I need in the section that says
"tutorial"?
Do I need my MODID string?
Do I need the name of my mod's main class file?
Do I need the name of the folder the mod is stored in?
What about the other two JSONs?
{
"parent": "tutorial:block/tutorialBlock",
"display": {
"thirdperson": {
"rotation": [ 10, -45, 170 ],
"translation": [ 0, 1.5, -2.75 ],
"scale": [ 0.375, 0.375, 0.375 ]
}
}
{
"variants": {
"normal": { "model": "tutorial:tutorialBlock" }
}
}
What do I need for the "tutorial" and "tutorialBlock sections?
Do I need the folder name, the MODID, the class name, the block's name variable?
Please spell this out for me exactly. Every tutorial Ive seen names everything the exact same (IE the MODID is the same as the folder name, etc.) I did not name everything the same and so now Im all lost.
For reference THIS is the main tutorial Ive been using
0
Hello everyone,
Ive been following some tutorials on adding custom blocks to 1.8
Ive run into a problem where my block textures won't load, and Im not sure why.
Everything else works fine, the scale JSON works, the lang file works, it all works except the texture.
HERE is my src folder, so if someone could help Id be most greatful.
1
Yeah sure, Ill get into that once I finish the stuff Ive outlined already!
0
0
0
0
Now youre getting it
33
Do you recognize this? You probably do. Its the basic cobble cube that almost everyone makes for their first dwelling. While its fully functional, it isnt very pretty. Its cramped, its dim, and it probably smells like pee.
This guide will cover six different topics.
-External (such things as walls)
-Internal (floors, windows, and the like)
-Furnishing (beds, bookshelves, and lighting)
-Advanced Building (for when you need to expand your cozy cottage)
-Misc. (Stuff that doesnt fit anywhere else)
-Tips/Tricks (Duh.)
Lets get started, shall we?
EXTERNAL
The first thing we're covering is the outside of the house. Its the first thing a guest will see, so lets impress them shall we?
Walls
So, Lets start with this:
The basic wall. Its solid, its durable, and it keeps baddies from eating your face. But, its ugly.So how can we fix it? Well first and foremost lets add some variety. Variety its gonna be the big keyword of this guide.
Material
So, first of all, try adding more than one material to the wall like so:
Simply breaking up the monotony of the wall massively improves how it looks. Again, variety. Its the spice of life, dont ya know.
Shape
Walls in their most basic form are just rectangles, but they dont have to be.Add some pillars and outcroppings and pillars to a wall to give the shape some variety (Theres that word again!)
Adding trim to the top of a wall also helps:
This is especially good for any castle type builds.
Windows
In any survival world, windows are a must. They allow you to see any potential threats lurking outside of your dwelling.Windows in their most basic form are...well basic.
They dont provide much to the wall, theyre hard to really see out of, and they just kinda...suck.A great way to improve windows is just make em bigger:
Couple this with a variety of materials as mentioned above and you end up with:
Looks pretty good.So if we take everything we've learned about walls and mash it all together we end up with:
Which looks so much nicer than a basic cobble rectangle.
Interior
So, Now that we've covered how to build walls, lets begin working on the inside of our little cottage.
Space
Space is VERY important to making a house look good. If you have a small room thats only 2 blocks tall...well you don't have a lot of space to work with.
This room, while a little plain, is plenty big. See how tall the ceiling is? See how long the room is? theres a lot more space here than you really need, but to make a room look good you're going to WANT the space.
Floor/Ceiling
So, lets spice up the dull cube a bit shall we? Now, remember the lessons learned with walls? Again, the big word for this bit is variety. A lot of the lessons that we applied to walls can be applied here, too.I wont go into great detail again, but observe:
Again, variety. I will keep saying it until its the only word you know.
Furnishings
Lighting
Lighting is very important, it prevents monsters from spawning, it helps you see whats going on.So: basic lights
A torch on a wall. Nothing is wrong with it, but its just kinda...there. It works, but like the cobble cube it lacks form.A simple way to improve it is to merely place the torch ion a block to make a stand:
Or you can set it up on a fencepost, it makes a good scone
Even combining the two works:
Another good trick using torches and fences is to make chandeliers by suspending a block from the ceiling:
Also, feel free to substitute torches with glowstone or glowstone lamps. Those lamps require redstone wiring though, so good luck.
Furniture
Furniture is essential for making a good room. Notch was kind enough to put a bed in the game a while back, but what about seating and tables? Were are we gonna eat our mushroom stew? Plus, without furniture your house is just...really boring. Theres nothing to do!
So, lets start with the basics: A chair
Its just a stair block with signs on the ends, but it works pretty well.A couch can be made by extending the concept:
Taking it a step further you can make a nice homely corner unit:
Also, if youd like to put your feet up, any half slab block makes an excellent footsool
But what about a table? Gotta have something to eat off of. Well, if you put a pressure plate on a fence youll get one!
You can also do that with carpetingBookshelves make a great accent for any room:
And we also have carpets now. They can be used to cover a whole floor, or they can be used to make rugs and welcome mats:
There are a lot of different colors, so go nuts with em. Make awesome patterns, or pictures. Theyre versatileSpeaking of pictures, we cant forget paintings, they make excellent accents
The last thing we'll discuss is more...obscure combinations. There are a ton of ways you can combine things to make new types of furniture. I have no desire to list them all, but Ill give one example, a sink:
Made with a cauldron and a lever.
Combinations like that can add something special to the room. Experiment around, blow your own mind with what some simple blocks can do!Also remember: Chests, furnaces, workbenches, etc all count as furniture. Plus youre gonna need em, so go nuts.
So, putting it all together we can make one rather pretty room:
Advanced Building
Now we're getting to the good stuff. Ive already showed you some ways to make a basic one room cottage look better, but what happens when one room just isnt enough anymore? Its time to expand! We can go two ways: Build up or build out. We'll start by building up.
2nd Floors/staircases
Ok, so you've built a basic cottage, and it looks pretty good:
However, it's time for more space. So, what do you say to adding a second floor? We'll start by building a staircase up through the roof.
Now, you could do it like this:
But the problem there is that the staircase is...kinda huge. It takes up a third of the bottom floor. Itd work pretty well in a huge mansion but...we have a cottage.
We have to shrink it down.Try making it wrap around itself like so:
See? Much more compact and it works just as well. The most important thing with making stairs: Build them according to the rest of your house. Consistency is aesthetically pleasing.
Of course, you can also use ladders instead of stairs. They're the most compact of all, but theyre not as pretty.
We climb the stairs, and here we are:
The roof, and wow what a view! But, we need to get some walls up. Remember how to build a good wall? Good! Go for it!
As you can see, I made the wall out of mostly glass. I like having a good view, but you can make it however youd like.
So, we have walls, but the top is still wide open which brings us to:
Roofing
Roofs are important, they keep the heat in and the rain out. Plus they stop spiders from walking up your walls.
Now, the most basic roof is just a rectangle again. It works, but as usual its a little dull. Try adding some variety *cough*
You could make a pyramid type roof:
Or you can make a barn style roof:
Or many other fun shapes.
Also, note the skylights. Those are great for letting light into the room, I highly recommend you add them. Or dont, I mean, its your house after all.
Now, say we even need MORE space. What do we do? Well, we can build up again, but that will end up looking decidedly tower-ish. Now, thats fine if you like towers, but if you dont we could just add a new room. Which takes us to:
Room divides
We need another room on the ground floor, and Im thinking we expand in this direction:
Of course, those stairs are in the way...
Much better.So, now I say we tear down that wall and add a new room!
Nice! We have more space. But it looks kinda...odd dont you think? Theres a sudden switch between rooms, plus everything still looks really rectangular.The best way to fix all of this is to build a divider between the rooms.
Even a simple archway looks great:
Or build a half wall with some space in it:
Another fun idea is to actually elevate the new room a bit with some stairs:
In the end, I went with a combination of ideas:
Looks much better doesnt it?
if we head upstairs we can see the new room out the window:
And what do you know, its right at walking level. Itd make a perfect porch. Say, thats a great way to segue into...
Porches
Alright, so we have a great opportunity to turn part of the first floor ceiling into a porch. So, first thing to do is punch out the wall:
Awesome. Now, to make a simple porch we can just throw a door in there and put up some safety railings:
Viola, a porch.
But, lets spice it up a bit shall we? What say we put a roof over some of it, it does rain pretty frequently after all:
Nice.
Of course, this isnt the only way of making porches. After all, who says they need to be built only on top of a room?
A nice standalone porch in case you just want to go outside and take in the view.
Also keep in mind that porches arent just limited to upper floors, a nice front porch leading up to your door can look wonderful and inviting:
Of course, your house might have to be elevated by a block to accommodate, but its a small amount of extra work for something to look a great deal better.
Misc
Stairs
Ive already illustrated how versatile stairs can be as furniture, but they are also so much more.
They make great edges around walls:
They makes pillars:
They even make good roofing!
Stairs are awesome
Fences
Fences are also awesome. Besides being good for chandeliers they do
Roof supports:
Path lights and lampposts:
Even walls!
Fountains/Statues
Gardens
Tips/Tricks
Alright, I'm just about done here. Theres just a few more things we need to go over.
Have a theme
Having a theme to your build is very VERY important. If you live in a cozy little beach cottage, don't put a fire moat around it. It'll look very out of place. The same goes for your epic medieval dungeon: having a floor of brightly colored wool will detract from the feel just a tad.
Build beyond function
Don't just make what you need, because in this game all you really need is a dirt cube and some torches. After that, you're set.Instead build everything you can think of. Make libraries, hotels, bars,fountains, fireplaces, anything you want! Minecraft is your toy, make what you want of it.
Use ALL the blocks
This guide is just a starter, there is much MUCH more you can do with the blocks we have.Make wool carpets, make walls look old with mossy stone and bricks, use piston or double doors via lever. The possibilities are ENDLESS.
Some blocks are purely decorative. USE THEM!
Wools, vines, mossy stones, lily pads, leaf blocks...none of these have a use outside of aesthetics. Using these blocks right will turn your build from good to epic.
Get a texture pack
Everything I posted in this thread was done in vanilla Minecraft. However, most people seem to feel that the vanilla textures are...lacking.
Find yourself a texture pack that you like. I have seen some marvelous creations that looked even better because the builder had a texture pack that fit the theme.There is a terrifying number of texture packs available, go give them a look sometime.
FINALE
Thats pretty much it for the basics. I shall continually update this topic as more blocks are added, or new designs are discovered.I hope this guide has helped you escape your confining cobblestone cube, and I hope you enjoy your wonderful new home.
Cheers,
BenJ.
0
I had honestly completely forgotten about it.
But now that I know its here, and its still getting veiws...I think its time for a huge update. Ill get to work on it right away!
Expect a new post in a day or two. I think Im gonna create a whole new topic though, this one is getting a bit cluttered.
But yeah, BENJ'S ULTIMATE GUIDE TO MAKING THINGS LOOK GOOD v2.0 will be out shortly!
0