Minecraft Questions

[elbenn]

We have minecraft on the ipad (the $7 app) and we have bought the full version on the laptop. However, DS1 says that our minecraft isn't as fun as his friend's minecraft game. His friend's minecraft game is on the ipad and when I asked his friend's mom, she said she didn't know much about it but she thought maybe I should update my app. We updated the app, but DS1 still says it's not as fun and he can't do as many things as his friend's game allows. He also says that the laptop version of minecraft is too difficult. I am clueless about minecraft. Anyone know if there are any simple tips or things to download to make our minecraft game more fun?

[SnuggleBuggles]

It could be that other parents let their kids download "mods". They give you extra stuff. But, I don't let ds1 download them either b/c I just don't feel comfortable downloading random people's stuff. Don't want it screwing up my computer. Ds1 often complains but he still has fun and continues to play.

[elbenn]

It could be that other parents let their kids download "mods". They give you extra stuff. But, I don't let ds1 download them either b/c I just don't feel comfortable downloading random people's stuff. Don't want it screwing up my computer. Ds1 often complains but he still has fun and continues to play.

But this friend's is on an ipad--would you be able to download mods on an ipad? I agree with you that I don't want to download anything that isn't officially from the minecraft site.

[SnuggleBuggles]

I haven't told ds1 that he could play Minecraft on anything but the computer so I don't know how the mobile version works.

[pastrygirl]

I just googled a bit and it seems complicated to modify the iPad version (Minecraft PE). Could it be just a different world that looks like more fun? Survival vs. Creative? Does your son maybe not have as much "stuff" if playing in survival mode? It can take a while to find good things! My youngest son has my favorite world on our old iPad. It's "more fun" than the other worlds we have on the iPad Mini and iPod Touch. But, it's the same exact game on each device. In one world, I can pretty much only find coal. In my son's world, I found diamond ore. The nice thing is that when we're together on the same wi-fi network, we can log into each other's world on our iDevices.

As for the computer version, you can download and mod like crazy! I did download a new world for my kids, it's called FunLand and it's an amusement park. It's pretty impressive! I set up a local server so the boys can play together on different computers here in my house. We also use an online server that is kid-friendly and seems well-monitored (you get banned for bad or suggestive language, or sharing personal identifying info, etc.). I don't have any mods installed. I'm not terribly interested in that right now, but that might change someday. Right now, they're happy with FunLand and the online server world.

[Simon]

How do you get to different worlds on the same device? My understanding is that the PC version is very customizable but can be difficult to figure out for new players. The happy medium seems to be the gaming system versions (xbox, etc) where there is more opportunity than the pocket edition (PE=ipad) version but easier to get started.

[pastrygirl]

How do you get to different worlds on the same device?

Create a new world. When you click Play, click the New button instead of picking an existing world. You can choose whether it will be Creative mode or Survival mode. It also has a space for a world "Seed" but I don't know anything about seeds.

ETA: I find the controls easier to use on PE, and it's 1,000x easier to craft things. There are only two levels of difficulty for Survival mode on PE, though, easy (no monsters) or not easy (monsters). I like the varying levels of the computer version better.

[new_mommy25]

Yes, I agree with others that he is probably playing a different world. The apps are the same!

[Globetrotter]

Is the IPAD app any good? DS says the PC version is so much better, but he uses my ipad and doesn't have a PC.

[elbenn]

Thanks so much to everyone who answered this thread! I now understand it a little better and I think we will be able to figure out how to make it more fun.