Minecraft Mastery: Build Your Own Redstone Contraptions and Mods

First, I wish the publisher would add a look inside, but to help, the contents include:1. Intro. This book is NOT for beginners, and if you haven't even survived your first night, you've got to get into a larger learning curve before tackling these projects. There are brief snippets about the game, but remember, this book is about Redstone (electronics) and mods, including professional level programming. So if you're thinking of getting this for your advanced Lego child, rethink that.2. This does start with the basics of Redstone. If you're new to Minecraft, it is a sim world that allows you to use cubes (ala Maya but with skinning and beziers above the Python and Java level to start-- programmers, read polygons) to build objects you'll need to succeed in the game. Redstone takes this a level further-- it is a sim material that allows you not only to build "lego" like structures and tools, but actually electronic components, circuits, weapons, traps, and entire computers! Redstone, and mods, are the reason Minecraft is far from just a game. Java, Python and Lua programmers have demonstrated entire computers from 0/1 on up, then linked their worlds to the real world with Raspberry Pi!3. The rest of the 11 chapters and numerous websites and code, progressively advance projects of increasing complexity in construction and programming. These move between Redstone and mods. 3 is logic gates, 4 advanced Redstone locks and blocks, 5 a TNT cannon and more advanced electronics, 6 how to use Raspberry Pi as a "server" including MCEdit functions and "hosting" with Python (this is advanced material, but not as advanced as setting up a secure Microsoft server, for example); 7 Mod: qCraft (the quantum physics mod that allows very cool teleportation and other effects); 8 ComputerCraft mods with Lua (programming language) turtle projects and other deeper and detailed computing projects and examples; 9 using Forge and Eclipse tools for modding; 10 Thorium mod (blocks, skinning, textures, carts); 11, final, "item" mods like armor, and also details like GUI right clicks.This is a one of a kind reference for the right reader, and is absolutely outstanding. McGraw Hill has been meticulous in checking the code, and the online code I've run is flawless if you've installed the mods correctly. You can even download an example starter world that's been tested with these mods, but here is a warning: mods are HARD!Since mods are outside the manufacturer, and part of the ad hoc developer community, you can't just use them as a template or plug in as you would with factory components, or even other software or programs like Maya and Photoshop. To get a little technical, since the manufacturer does not yet support or offer API's, developers (I'm one) have to screen scrub and use other code capture techniques that are "ugly" to develop mods. This means installing one that works is a chore in itself, and you have to know what you're doing.There are good instructions here on using numerous beginner mods, but to be very clear, I don't think you should start with this book if you have NEVER worked with mods! Once you've got the routine going, there ARE great details, but they assume you're at minimum a player and more likely have SOME experience with mods, if not redstone. The Redstone pieces are a little more forgiving, and the author takes those more from the beginning, plus there are a LOT of online cheats and code you can use as a library, pattern and template instead of coding from scratch.If you search Amazon under the keywords: "Minecraft Mods" you will see a LOT of beginning titles, including one free on Kindle Unlimited and many for under $10 US that will lay the foundation you need to at least get installed and working. After that, this book has enough detail for an intermediate builder to get a lot. BUT the book does go a LOT farther with actual projects and programming, so the caveat for less experienced is a recommendation if you're at all into more advanced projects. And, if you're comfortable with Java, Python, Lua, etc. or a Pi user, you'll not be able to put this down.Highly recommended for the right audience, but be careful if you're buying as a gift for a younger or newer player. The real "intro" material does include Redstone, and although there are a LOT (eg github) of good Redstone materials online, this gives far more complete instructions if you tend to get stuck, since no really good error checking IDE's and SDK's exist yet for Redstone-- you do have to learn as you go, forums notwithstanding. The book's code IS on github as well as the book's website.

Can't review it properly because I haven't read it. But Amazon's sent me this email so I'll post this to get it over with.I bought the thing because my son borrowed a copy and I looked at it. Not the first 'teach you minecraft' book I've ever looked at. It didn't take long for it to make a good impression on me. It is the best minecraft book I've seen.Of course, it talks about 'mastery'. It is not a basic book. It is about mods and redstone. i.e. it is about the advanced stuff, the interesting stuff from the point of view of programmers, I guess you could say, or those with a similar bent.The black and white pictures of minecraft constructions are as awful as any other book, though. Minecraft block constructions just don't lend themselves to informative black and white pics. They may be good for practiced Minecrafters but for novices such as me, reading up first before jumping in, they're pretty useless.They would all be far better off resorting to diagrams, drawn representations.But the main stuff is the text and this text is well written, clear, understandable. And that's the big thing.I've bought it because it looks like the best I've seen. I can say that much. But remember: I haven't read it through, put it to work yet.caveat emptor.:)

Good explanations, though in the book format, the black-and-white pictures don't work well with the circuit diagrams. On the XOR gate, for example, I still had to look online to see why my circuit didn't work: It turned out that there was redstone wire over the top of several blocks, but since the picture was in black-and-white, it wasn't visible. Still, it is an excellent reference that I will be returning to again and again as I learn the nuances of redstone.

First I’ll start by saying the quality of the content in this book is good. There is great information and a lot of it - so from that standpoint this is a solid buy.With that said, I cannot recommend because it is a smaller paperback that is in black and white - and with it having instructions on how to build things in game - black and white pictures just don’t cut it.Also the physical quality of the book poor. The first time I opened it page 118 fell out, and many of the other pages are not held in well to the binding with cheap glue. This was my experience, but seeing as it’s a small paperback that you need to reference you’ll be bending the pages to hold it opened and I imagine this book won’t hold up.Again a lot of good content, but there is nothing in here that isn’t done better in other books. There are other MC books in color with beautiful laminated pages I would get other this.

My son loves anything minecraft related and he loves to read. He said he likes the book so I'm giving it 5 stars. He's a pretty picky reader but whenever he likes a book, he won't put it down until he finishes it.

Great book with a wonderful explanation about building bit systems and more complete gates. I am very glad I bought this book.

If you want something extremely technical for the PC, this is for you. If you play a system version (PS3, XBox, etc) it is NOT for you. Also, this is something for really advanced players, high teens and above. I was super disappointed, not for kids :(

Lots of good redstone projects.

Good

Awesome! Just what we were looking for to expand our 'minecraft' world. Tons of practical activities and opportunities to learn. Great!