Jesse Stay & Thomas Stay 
Minecraft For Dummies 

Don’t be a Minecraft tourist – get expert tips and advice
in this full-color primer

Minecraft For Dummies is the complete guide to playing
within the Minecraft world. With easy-to-follow guidance from a
team of Minecraft experts, you’ll develop programming and
engineering skills as you build amazing creations using in-game
blocks and mechanical devices. Whether you prefer the PC, console,
or portable platform, this helpful guide will walk you through the
process of setting up and beginning gameplay, and engage with other
users from all around the globe. With this trusty guidebook in
hand, you’ll navigate the infinite world of Minecraft with
confidence, skills, and a storehouse of expert advice.

Minecraft is the sandbox construction game that has become a
mainstream phenomenon with over a hundred million players. A
virtually infinite world and versatile style of play offer endless
possibilities for both the hardcore gamer and the total noob, and
Minecraft For Dummies shows you everything you need to know
before you break your first block.

* Choose your platform, download the game, and play in all three
modes

* Gather resources, place and break blocks, and use circuits and
logic gates

* Defend your creations against spiders, skeletons, zombies, and
the Creeper

* Travel across the biomes and defeat the enderdragon to win the
game

Whether you play to win or just like to explore, there is a
style of Minecraft that will spark your imagination. Create or
destroy, make war or peace, attack or defend – the game is
whatever you want it to be. If you’re ready to leave your mark on
this digital universe, Minecraft For Dummies is the primer
you need to get up to speed.

Table of Content

Introduction 1

Part I: Getting Started with Minecraft 7

Chapter 1: Entering Minecraft 9

Chapter 2: Surviving the First Night 25

Part II: Learning the Basic Skills 47

Chapter 3: Surviving Hunger 49

Chapter 4: Discovering Blocks and Items 65

Part III: Mastering Techniques 83

Chapter 5: Understanding Biomes and Mastering Farms 85

Chapter 6: Mastering Mines 115

Chapter 7: Increasing Resources through Villages and Excavation 125

Chapter 8: Developing Redstone 139

Chapter 9: Progressing Through the Later Block Ages 163

Chapter 10: Powering Up 193

Chapter 11: Advancing to the Nether, the End, and Beyond 213

Part IV: Expanding Your Minecraft Experience 225

Chapter 12: Playing in Multiplayer Worlds and Cheats 227

Chapter 13: Customizing Your Experience 241

Chapter 14: Minecraft in the Larger World 267

Part V: Making Minecraft a Family Affair 275

Chapter 15: Choosing the Platform That Works for You 277

Chapter 16: Understanding the Minecraft Game Modes 283

Chapter 17: Understanding What Every Parent Needs to Know about Minecraft 295

Part VI: The Part of Tens 313

Chapter 18: Ten Helpful Survival Tips 315

Chapter 19: Ten Helpful Building Tips and Tricks 325

Chapter 20: Ten Helpful Redstone Tips and Contraptions 339

Index 357

About the author

Jesse Stay is a social media technologist consultant and developer.

Thomas Stay, Jesse’s 12-year-old son, eats, drinks and breathes Minecraft.

Jacob Cordeiro won an award for his game entry in the 2011 Scholastic Art and Writing competition.