Like a Redstone Cowboy
neonsignal writes "Machine creations in Minecraft are becoming increasingly complex as people build on each other's ideas. Some notable examples include a Rubik's cube simulator, a 5-channel music sequencer, a 3D color printer, a 16-bit processing unit, and Conway's Game of Life. My own recent contribution is the world's slowest Universal Turing Machine. I'm now waiting for someone to implement Tetris in Redstone logic."
First boast!
Disclaimer: I haven't ever played Minecraft, so I might not understand the fuss properly. Please feel free to educate :)
Haven't games within games been around for a heck of a long time? There are loads of mods that either emulate classics or offer a totally new unrelated game to players. Heck, I recall even playing texas hold em with guildies during raids through an ingame mod when I was playing Warcraft.
What is so special about minecraft that it makes so many stories? Is it just purely flexibility and users being imaginative, or is there a particular reason that /. loves it so? I recall a post a few months ago about a guy who recreated a good portion of a Star Trek ship in minecraft. Was it merely a slow news day then as well?
Moved to http://soylentnews.org/. You are invited to join us too!
I've been walkin' these streets so long
Singin' the same old song drunker-ina-skunk
I know every crack whore in these dirty sidewalks of Broadway
Where hustle's the name of the game
And nice guys get washed away like the snow and the rain
There's been a load of compromisin'
On the road to my horizon
But I'm gonna be where the lights are shinin' on me
Like a rhinestone cowboy
Riding out on a horse in a star-spangled rodeo
Like a rhinestone cowboy
Getting cards and letters from people I don't even know
And offers comin' over the phone
Well, I really don't mind the rain
And a smile can hide all the pain
But you're down when you're ridin' the train that's takin' the long way
And I dream of the things I'll do
With a subway token and a dollar tucked inside my shoe
There'll be a load of compromisin'
On the road to my horizon
But I'm gonna be where the lights are shinin' on me
Like a rhinestone cowboy
Riding out on a horse in a star-spangled rodeo
Rhinestone cowboy
Gettin' cards and letters from people I don't even know
And offers comin' over the phone
Like a rhinestone cowboy
Riding out on a horse in a star-spangled rodeo
Rhinestone cowboy
Gettin' cards and letters from people I don't even know
Call us when it runs Python Fiddle.
This looks kind of like Little Big Planet for the PS3
http://saveie6.com/
My son got bit by the electronics bug over the summer. He then proceeded to implement logic gates in Minecraft, and used them to build binary adders and other circuits. Is that nerdy enough for /. or what?
More to the point, I am pretty impressed with Minecraft - that one can use it to create such things.
Enjoy life! This is not a dress rehearsal.
I mean who would want to know stuff like Mozilla's Community Lead Tyler Downer leaving due to crap QA processes or perhaps the fact Nokia's Developer Network was hacked revealing the personal details of thousands of developers when we can learn about the bloody wonders of Redstone in Minecraft, land of the unoptimised shitty coding and memory management. Stop putting up this crap or at least post (Since this is games.slashdot.org) some of the PAX 2011 stuff rather then another Minecraft article.
I'll take that as a compliment :-)
The next step will be patenting everything in Minecraft by using existing patents and adding "in the Minecraft" at the end.
In love, war and slashdot discussions, everything is allowed.
sir timothy, thy headline stands out as a true beacon of nerdy-ness in a sea of news for nerds. gaze on proudly at thy screen, o noble warrior, and ponder whither thine own universe or ye olde nefarious existence might stand tall as the universe's slowest possible Turing machine.
He once inserted random mutations into his code, just so he could have the experience of debugging.
n/t
what a sorry place we've come to as a species if every time someone has the drive, passion and concentration required to do something extraordinary like this they're labeled as having some kind of disorder.
Michelangelo? Asperger's definitely, right?
At least this guy's not some spaz that can't sit still for more than 10 seconds...
I say, DOKTOR !! I say, DOKTOR !!
How come I got this in me skull and can get rids of it ??
They very well may have Asperger's, the problem is in assuming that someone with Asperger's has a "disorder", and is not merely "different". Indeed, they are simply better at, guess what, envisioning a specific project and exhaustively accomplishing that goal.
Guns don't kill people, "with glowing hearts" kills people.
My thoughts exactly. When did a place who's slogan is "News for Nerds" become such the antithesis of that? Once upon a time (I've read for much longer than my UID indicates) we'd discuss things because they were interesting. We'd discuss just about anything that inspired the imagination. Now the big stories are world events, and the really interesting things (peoples doing things just because they're interesting and trying out new ideas) are shoved aside, or they get comments like "Two words... Asperger's Syndrome."
Asperger's (mild autism) is a disorder. I can "envision a specific project and exhaustively accomplish that goal" yet I do not have Asperger's.
It's like saying that someone agoraphobic is "merely different" because, by not finding it easy to leave the house, they are less likely to become distracted so are better able to "exhaustively accomplish" some mind project. While the confines of a disability might make it more likely for the disabled person not to become sidetracked, it is foolish to describe it as something neutral. Moreover it is harmful to the developing child on the autism spectrum - he has a real chance in his early years of being helped to overcome the disorder, but Internet autism heroes (suspiciously often self-diagnosed) want to deny that the problem even exists, reducing public understanding.
And when the public lack understanding for something, funding and research always dries up.
While interesting, your reply does not address the "assumed" aspect.
The least that it is, it is a natural evolution of IRC; one can interact with other people's avatars, but the digital environment is much more appealing.
Already in the game there is a stereoscopic mode; one can choose to set the display in red-blue 3D, and that is only one of the aspects that make this game so immersive.
Imagine when VR displays and even more immersive technology are commonplace, wouldn't you just appreciate it that such a piece of software exists, one that allows you to create your own virtual interactive on-line environment, and it is ridiculously cheap because its indy developer absolutely loves what he is doing? They (he and his team) went viral just from word of mouth, and made enough money to "exit gracefully" to some undisclosed island- yet they chose to hire more people and develop like crazy. And he was not put down by PayPal withholding his income, embarrassing him to his clients.
Not only that, but Persson (the creator of Minecraft) has stated that "Once sales start dying and a minimum time has passed, I will release the game source code as some kind of open source."
C'mon, what more do you want.
The three laws of thermodynamics:(1) You can't win. (2) You can't break even. (3) You can't even quit.
That all depends on what you see as harmful. Some people merely like doing different things than other people. So while you may see it as "harmful" and think they need "help," other people simply don't care.
Filthy, filthy copyrapists!
The animations I've seen make translation look neat, I bet it'd look neater with 3d blocks in a video game. Somehow.
Corruption is convincing someone that the selfless ideal is the same as their selfish ideal.
Until players game battle it out in their own self designed battle cruisers....modders willing offcourse, we got Build Craft, Industrial Craft and the Zeppeling mod...just fine tune it and add some newton diagrams into the zeppelin mod and we're good to go.
My -1 Troll is actually a +1 funny. And my -1 flame is actually a +1 insightfull.
Hazel addresses the "assumed" aspect by implying that those people who claim their own Aspergers' is not a disorder but a benefit don't really have Asperger's at all. In the same way that it's possible just to have unusual focus without having a disorder, it's possible to be socially uncomfortable or awkward without having Asperger's, and Asperger's is one of the most common self-diagnoses out there. It's something people almost want to have.
Being normal is boring anyway. The loonies are the interesting ones to hang around.
Random Thoughts From A Diseased Mind (Not For Dummies)
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/recovery-follies/47734-how-calvin-hobbes-really-ended.html
Agree 100% with you.
MMO Quests are like orgasms:
You may solo them, I prefer them in a group.
That isn't the only part of Aspergers and you know it. Aspergers sufferers also have a hard time coping with others and generally interacting with people.
Just because you can sit and create something huge and complex doesn't mean you feel irritated being around people.
And even if you do, doesn't mean you are an aspie either, you could generally just hate, I dunno, meetings, or hate your fellow peers because you want to get that grant, or whatever other reasons.
Some people just genuinely hate large rooms of people. Still doesn't make them an aspie. They can interact with people fine.
Mind you, some people hold introversion as a disorder as well. Who made up these rules exactly?
It's not like introversion can lead to a species dying out. If it did, there'd be no introverts left.
Turns out, it's about a freakin cellphone game.
It is not available on any phones, nor has it ever been.
thinking this was going to be something about space exploration
Are you really fucking serious? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhinestone_Cowboy
"The song is about a cowboy who has no interest in leaving the big city. He is an aspiring Broadway performer who dreams of fame and success while walking down the dirty streets of New York City."
Yeah, that really says "space travel". (rolls eyes)
And that post currently stands at +2. No wonder I rarely stop by here any more.
I really hate how everytime somebody does something impressive someone shouts Asperger or autism at them.
And Minecraft only has two types of circuits: wire and NAND gate. If you need Asperger's to figure these out it means that every computer scientist has Asperger's, too.
I got all excited seeing the title, thinking this was going to be something about space exploration and Redstone rockets or something of this nature. Turns out, it's about a freakin cellphone game.... what a gyp
Actually, it's a PC game. There isn't a cellphone client, yet.
Maybe a little research before making an idiot of yourself would be worthwhile.
Heck, maybe you should play the game and see what the fuss is about. It's free to play classic, and I'll bet you your lunch money that you can waste an entire lunch break just playing around with it.
To see some of the incredible things some people have done, just hit youtube and search for minecraft. There's everything from single-digit calculators to full 8-bit computer implementations.
You are too easily dismissive of things that do not fit your mold.
Disclaimer: I don't play MineCraft, mostly because paying 20 euros for a beta does not fit my budgeting needs.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.
Disclaimer: I don't play MineCraft, mostly because paying 20 euros for a beta does not fit my budgeting needs.
besides, it's attack of the clones, copies of MC are coming along gradually... paying is for early adopters, I'll play my old games for now :)
"You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
http://xkcd.com/505/
I've gotten sucked into the Minecraft vortex, and amongst my several major sculptures I've also gotten fairly handy with redstone wiring.
I produced a 50 meter bust of Hatsune Miku (modeled in Blender), and inside the head, a friend of mine collaborated and we made a fully operational "Dance Dance Revolution" game complete with 3 row scrolling step display, a reward/prize dispenser for good "dance" moves, and a programmable music system. Every block and circuit was harvested, traded, and placed legit... no World Edit used at all.
http://www.planetminecraft.com/project/digital-diva-hatsune-miku-exterior/
On server.serenitymc.net, guests can log in and issue a "/warp diva" command to check it out, even without signing up for builders rights. Check it out.
[
It is not available on any phones, nor has it ever been.
My Sony Ericsson PLAY runs the official Minecraft for Android absolutely perfectly, thankyou.
https://market.android.com/details?id=com.mojang.minecraftpe
it's in my head
Actually, it's a PC game. There isn't a cellphone client, yet.
Maybe a little research before making an idiot of yourself would be worthwhile.
https://market.android.com/details?id=com.mojang.minecraftpe
it's in my head
This is usually above a little "drive, passion and concentration". These people are designing 3D Printers and CPU's inside a GAME using basic logic built in, that wasn't really planned for anything else than closing and opening doors.
You go build a 16-bit CPU, and see how you feel when everyone says "nothing special, move along". You WILL feel pride for your project, and you will be saddened when no one shares that pride.
And when those first videos popped up, the CPU being one of the earliest, there was no guide or any documentation n how to do it. They used regular information from the real world, and translated that to the game's built in logic.
So stop bing such a tool and appreciate what these people have done with their minds.
what a sorry place we've come to as a species if every time someone has the drive, passion and concentration required to do something extraordinary like this they're labeled as having some kind of disorder.
Michelangelo? Asperger's definitely, right?
I reproduced the Mona Lisa on my graphing calculator, and also have a mental condition that causes nerd-like behavior. Where's MY fanfare?
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and all that. This is a slashvertisement, so lower that pedestal a notch or two.
as a species
Hang on, I'm wiping the tears from my eyes.
NOR. Not NAND.
Ok. Here aspie goes wondering how was their above comment off-topic for this thread of discussion. Maybe aspie was not clear. Stupid ADD. Now I would like to point out that "labeling" and "disorder" (pejorative-sounding as they appear to me in the context of the comment in question) may have not been what the commenter with the two words had in mind. Maybe they meant them in a loving way? That's how this one will choose to take it, anyways.
If people succeed and are happy with their situation, then maybe they won't be asking for help. At that point the question whether they fulfill whatever criteria or not is not that important.
Some need help. They should get some.
Is it measured in MEGA Bloks/second?
Yes, I agree. If people aren't happy and do want to change, I think they should be able to get help.
Filthy, filthy copyrapists!
Good points.
However: Should a patient not be entitled to feel some fondness of (for example) the nerdy aspects of the disorder?
I like taking things literally and diving into details about every hint of an ambiguity even in everyday conversation and even if I understand what the person talking to me intends to say with the words they use. Should I or should I not like some parts of the disorder, in your opinion?
(I'm not very much diagnose-patriotic, though, and haven't joined a club or anyting. Or gotten down with the lingo (like using "neuro-typical" for non-aspies, I think)).
But just the moment before that, it's totally like this:
http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2010/09/17
You'll never top the universe ... until the end when get to pop out our own bubble universes. Mine's going to have blackjack and hookers. Course the Me in Mine is an amalgamation of entities spread out over space-time. You know, on second thought .. forget the blackjack.
Atlas Shrugged : Thematic Story
Depends on which state you define as true and which as fault. Personally, I use different interpretations in different parts in my machines, so I can use them as either NOR or NAND and even OR and AND if necessary. Makes everything a lot faster since you don't have to add inverters everywhere.
It would be disingenuous to not mention world editors when talking about "cheating" in minecraft. Not to say I even agree with that label (and it usually comes from ones that haven't created huge in game constructions), however there is editor haters and in-world builders are keen to emphasize the methodology used (often recording it). Again, I think art can be judged on the product (e.g. "classical" ) AND/OR the process (e.g. sand mandalas). Creating something in a computer modeler/editor takes some skill and good eye for symmetry, lines, and details as well. Does it take as long? Of course not; the process/product is just a different school of art. Adversity can produce great art, but it is not the only progenitor.
Google "minecraft ghibli world" and read some of the comments by the "haters". I don't even know (or care) if it is editor or in-game created, and maybe it was just one or two comments. I should know better than to read youtube comments.
For something almost purely process, see "minecraft far lands or bust". I would argue that this too is art.
Atlas Shrugged : Thematic Story
I think it's great that people have been this creative with Minecraft, and I think it's cool that Minecraft is capable of doing it. On the other hand I question the usefulness of doing bigger and bigger things like this. Of course, this is coming from an adult with a job and a half who is also married and taking classes so I might be a little more judicious with my time.
I don't have time to make a sig
Should a patient not be entitled to feel some fondness of (for example) the nerdy aspects of the disorder?
I like taking things literally and diving into details about every hint of an ambiguity even in everyday conversation
Should someone with OCD be entitled to feel better when they have checked X enough times? Or should they feel bad that they've had to check X so many times before they feel satisfied? Or something else?
Should an alcoholic be entitled to feel good that he can drown his problems in drink?
etc.
Decoration and ambiguity are normal in natural language. Handling it (and interpreting it correctly) is completely routine for the "neuro-typical"; studying it is an appropriate part of linguistics. If you occasionally have trouble with and/or have a casual interest in the features of human communication then you're as any other intelligent human. Whether this stems from mild autism or not really doesn't matter.
But if you find it difficult to handle or you obsess over studying it to the extent that it affects your ability to function then you may want to find out how to overcome this. And you may want to accept the input of others in the question of whether it is affecting your ability to function: neither the autistic nor the alcoholic may be able to acknowledge how his condition affects him.
Thanks.
I think I'm gleaning a stance of "there is nothing to celebrate in Aspergers in and of itself". I think you're probably right. From my appreciation of logic and big questions doesn't follow that Aspergers is the shit. I'll still go on liking nerdiness and appreciating people who care to join me waxing philosophical.
while i love minecraft, i personally think the whole "lets use the worlds slowest and most combersome circuit simulator to simulate a really complex circuit" to be an utterly pointless endeavor. Or at least, not news worthy. To me these things always read as "nerd uses circuit simulator to simulate a circuit", and wow thats a slow news day.
I doubt very much people are actually mining to get the minerals to build something like this (what i mean is using inventory editors and the like, and if they are mining it, they're crazy) and the second it became possible to do generic circuits in minecraft, anything really became possible. So its really not about "wow, look what this does" as much as "look how much time i can waste" to me. Realistically there is nothing to stop you simulating just about any circuit at all in minecraft (physical machine limitations not withstanding).
So when did it all become newsworthy? Yes its interesting seeing people translate real circuits to redstone, but thats all it is. Its like when google go came out, its a new programming language so do we get excited everytime someone does something with it? if i coded a database server in google go, would it be worthy of a slashdot post? I think not, not unless my database did something no other database does. To me, thats what this is, its a new language for doing circuit design, but not a particularly good one even if it is quite capable.
I can understand people wanting to do it, but is it really news worthy? at least, thats how it is for me. I've wasted alot of time in the game but its still just a game with a set of capabilities that arent really all that ground-breaking.
Dont get me wrong, i dont have a problem with people wasting their time doing all this, but it still all boils down to "nerd uses circuit simulator to simulate a circuit" and hence isnt exactly mind-blowingly impressive stuff to me.... or am i just becoming jaded? it reminds me of a big-bang episode where they installed a internet-connected home automation system and got all excited about people around the world switching on and off a light. Yeah, i'd get excited too (10 years ago maybe), but its not news.
Now if amd came out tomorrow and said "we're doing all our circuit design in minecraft because of x" then that to me would be interesting cause it would mean minecraft had some functionality of a circuit design tool that was actually noteworthy.
Interesting. I would have sworn it wasn't in the list when I searched for "minecraft" on the market a week or so ago. Might have been two weeks ago, though, which would explain why I didn't see it (It was released August 16th).
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.
err... I think you missed the point a little. Well, quite a bit, actually.
wait, was all that supposed to make some kind of sense?