This year, the event known as E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo) focused significantly on the new game Minecraft Dungeons. Additionally, the organizers invited popular foreign bloggers Strawburry17 and Graser to evaluate another new augmented reality game, Minecraft Earth. In the video attached below, you can see how they experienced it. Based on their expressions, I can confidently say that they enjoyed it!
These two were highly anticipated guests, and the organizers had been eagerly preparing for their arrival. I didn’t want to stay on the sidelines, so I devised a little plan: to get them to let me play even just a bit, I needed to pretend that I was paying. No one would believe me, but it worked! I entered the room and saw a table in front of me. It was an ordinary table, nothing special, just like the one I have at home. I looked around it hoping to find a cup of tea somewhere, but there was none. Everything was empty.
Then someone approached me and handed me a phone with Minecraft Bedrock running on it. I took it, pointed it at the table, and simply froze in amazement. On the table lay a modest yet truly magical setup! The phone was giving me commands, and I began walking around the table, examining every detail of the creation. It was something fantastic!
And this wasn’t just a delightful projection; there was no such thing as “hands off.” The game was completely interactive; everything I could do in Minecraft, I could do here: open doors, activate pressure plates, and of course, build. However, the last part didn’t come easily; I had to adapt a bit. For those used to playing the Minecraft Pocket Edition, there would be no issues at all. A couple of attempts, and you’ll be building like a true professional! One could say that the mobile version of the game serves as a tutorial for the new one.
In augmented reality, one might expect numerous differences from the regular game, but surprisingly, everything is nearly identical. As I approached the mobs, they seemed to notice me and started behaving differently: pigs began to scrutinize me closely when I got near, parrots flapped their wings in annoyance, and villagers glared at me with disdain as I calmly opened doors and walked into their homes, pfft, as if they owned these places. Next time you’re unhappy about my visit, check your rental agreement, villager!
After we enjoyed the setup, we decided to place it on the floor to see the house in full scale. We removed the surface from the table and set it in the far corner of the room. Then I picked up the phone again and aimed it at the house. It was quite unexpected! I had just seen a small house that fit comfortably on the table, and now it had become so enormous that I could walk through it! I stepped inside the house and found myself in the world of Minecraft! I was overjoyed, even more than when I met my idol on the street!
During the game testing session, I was accompanied by other players. When I aimed my camera at them, their avatars and usernames appeared on my screen. One of them attempted to plant a rose bush to obscure my view. While playing, an intriguing idea struck me: “What if we renamed the game from Minecraft Earth to Stealth Gardening?” Everyone was so engrossed in the gameplay that they didn’t even notice me. Perhaps it was for the best!
I describe everything as if there are no issues in the new game. However, problems do exist. Firstly, there’s an overwhelming number of hostile mobs. They just swarm towards me, but fortunately, I can simply tap on the bow in my quick access panel to equip it and aim my phone at the mobs while tapping the screen to shoot. It sounds straightforward: pull out the bow and strike. But when so many large mobs come charging at you, panic sets in—at least for me. Clearly, I’ll be useless in serious battles. Let’s shift our focus to a new mob instead!
The Perfect Spotted Pig
In the world of Minecraft Bedrock, pigs have always been the most charming creatures. When it comes to the little piglets, I find it hard to contain my excitement. So when the developers mentioned adding another type of pig, I warned them that this could end badly, as players were already overwhelmed with cuteness. But did anyone ever listen to me? They went ahead and did it anyway. A new pig has arrived! Hold back your emotions, gather all your cheers and shouts… and meet the muddy pig!!!
To celebrate this occasion, I logged into my Minecraft account and set all my pigs free. With delight, I watched them wobble out of their pens, discover a puddle of mud, and joyfully roll around in it. As I approached one of the pigs and brought my phone closer, it looked up at me! It felt like an eternity before I regained my composure. My heart was racing, and I thought it might just leap out of my chest. On its head was a flower that seemed to turn off the mud. Shock.
Now, let’s return to some less cheerful news. Imagine how terrifying it is when you’re enjoying the game, and a horde of Creepers approaches you. One question arises: “Could they explode right here, and what would happen to me?”
Swift action is essential for their removal. Once everything calms down and all the Creepers are dealt with, a worthy reward awaits you: tons of gold ore blocks! I gathered them all, but was kicked out of the building. In fact, during my roughly twenty minutes there, I spent time explaining to a confused pig how much I adore it and that I’m willing to do anything it desires. I think I remained misunderstood, yet I have no regrets about the moments shared with it.
