The Minecraft cult game

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Feed the Beast

If you are looking for a quick overview of the world of extensions for Minecraft, try out the mod package "Feed the Beast" (Figure 4).

Figure 4: With "Feed the Beast," you can play using the graphics of older versions.

The Java file FTB_Launcher.jar on the project website [10] does not install mod packages into the actual Minecraft installation. Rather, it installs complete systems for each package set, which allows you to play them separately.

The Blocky Future

The Minecraft game is continuously evolving. Version 1.7, for example, provides a few new landscapes, plans, and raw materials, and it shows some small steps toward modern graphics.

Sunsets are more dramatic, and the options include a Supersecret Settings button that allows you to turn on very experimental lighting effects. Additionally, you can try out a 3D mode, however, this mode requires you to wear polarized glasses (Figure 5).

Figure 5: Not a misprint: Minecraft's 3-D mode provides a more realistic gaming experience with polarized glasses on.

The community around Minecraft receives these developments positively, but the simple graphics together with the open concept are really the main charms of this program. The aesthetics of block composition not only make Minecraft unique, but also contribute to its attractiveness.

Additionally, if you think Minecraft has become "too realistic" at some point, the open culture that has grown up around the game also provides "Primitive Blocks." This particular mod will restore Minecraft to its look from the good old days.

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