Since I updated to 1.7.4 a while back, I decided a week ago to start a new survival world for fun. Since then it has yielded 86 diamonds, 5 emeralds, nearly 1000 iron, about 250 gold and more coal than I can possibly use. Most of that over 3 nights, in as many hours. Either there's a few errors in the generation numbers, or I happened on a very nice world indeed.
Has anyone tried the new 1.8 snapshots yet? The addition of new blocks (granite and a couple of others) is pretty darned cool. Also, you can use your slimeballs to create a slime block - which bounces (and seriously slows down approaching mobs). The new rock types make caving a much more interesting experience (at least visually). As for servers, I've never been on one - but it sounds like fun. I watch the Mindcrack vids on youtube, of course. Seems like a server works best when you can interact with lots of people.
I haven't tried the snapshot, but I've watched a review video of it. Yeah, the blocks are cool, but slime blocks and all these rocks make me miss the old days when there were three types of wood, one type of stone and a bunch of ores. Granite is excusable, but slime blocks to me just seem not minecrafty.
1.8? mine didn't say anything about that today, must be later in the UK. Anyway the world seed for 1.7.4 from earlier is: -7428659593708537542
Yeah, the developmental snapshots for 1.8 have started. If you edit your profile in your launcher to "enable experimental development versions" and select 14w038b, then, when you generate new terrain, the new rock types (granite, diorite, and andesite) will naturally generate. They can also be crafted using quartz. Keep in mind, they also changed the enchanting and villager trading systems. So, it's not "officially" 1.8 ... but you can see a lot of what they are likely to include in the update.
There are people from everywhere, so you just have to be patient. Someone will eventually log in, or you'll have the server to yourself
I do still play. Just not as much as I used to. I started Skyrim all over(barehanded).. Still doing GTAV and KSP. Plus, i just got got RUST on steam. I just have to many games on my plate right now.
So, don't know if anyone's heard, but apparently Notch struck a deal with Warner Brothers to create a movie. A movie? Err... yeah. Honestly don't know what to make of this. It at least makes sense to have a Lego movie as there are characters that you can draw from and create stories with. For a Minecraft movie to work, it would have to more or less be an adventure map done in character like the Dead Workers Party do along with their fancy editing. http://kotaku.com/warner-bros-is-working-with-notch-on-a-minecraft-movie-1532868330
Given how popular Minecraft Let's Play videos are, I can certainly see a studio trying to ... ahem ... craft a movie out of the game. I absolutely think it can be done. The real question will be: Will they use vanilla Minecraft? Or will they take liberties and make it, essentially, a modded version (which, I suppose, could be sold as a movie tie-in).
Hmmm, maybe, I guess so. It would have to be done really well. I hope the DWP get involved somehow. They turned adventure map playthroughs into an art form practically. I'd think they'd use a modified version of the default texturepack, though maybe a higher-res version more suitable for a big screen, and maybe shaders as well. Of course, that's all contingent on if they end up doing it all in-engine. For all we know, it could be 3D animation made to look like Minecraft.
There's no way they'd do it in-engine. That's just too experimental and the engine is too limited. They would just borrow the game's look, polish it up so it's good enough for a film, and render it more "traditionally."
An example of the potential animation style (though hopefully not the story, lol) might be found HERE.