Long ago, someone told me that any creation can be improved after 10,000 hours of practice. Certainly, the world is filled with prodigies, virtuosos, and geniuses, but we often spend those hours on trivial activities like sleeping or shopping. Are we satisfied with this? Do we roll around in our beds thinking we’re sleep experts? Personally, I never do. I’m not the wisest or most experienced person, but I believe that 10,000 hours won’t make you perfect at everything.
I have no idea how many hours Mutereu has spent in Minecraft PE, but I suspect it’s very close to that magical mark of 10,000 hours. His project, Rumpelstiltskin’s Castle, is truly remarkable.
The entire project is centered around a grand castle inspired by Rumpelstiltskin, which appeared in the fourth installment of the famous ogre series – Shrek. Spoilers ahead(!). In this part, the villain Rumpelstiltskin deceitfully takes away everything Shrek had before by signing a small document. This document allows Shrek to experience a day in a world where he doesn’t yet have a wife, children, or responsibilities. It’s a sort of “It’s a Wonderful Life” version featuring a big green giant (ask your parents about it).
Rumpelstiltskin possesses immense wealth, but as they say, money doesn’t smell, so he decides to build an enormous castle. If one were to describe his castle, it could be likened to a Russian church marrying a pineapple.
And although the castle is inherently hideous, the creator managed to transform it and express the unique architecture of the structure. The green hedges are intricately carved into patterns, the stunning blue-and-gold roof appears to be cut from a royal picnic blanket, and atop it sits a pineapple crown adorned with a large letter “R,” symbolizing the owner of the edifice.
“I’m the kind of person who watches movies and pays great attention to the tiniest details. I always note attractive landscapes, admire views of city facades, and literally drown in delight when I see shiny marble floors in royal palaces,” says the project’s author.
“The same thing happened to me when I watched ‘Shrek Forever’ – I saw the main villain’s castle and immediately fell in love with its white walls, blue roof, blue towers, and the massive dome rising like a Christmas tree. Since then, I’ve been waiting for the day when I could present this wonder to the entire Minecraft Pocket Edition community.”
And that day has finally come. The artist dedicated over 200 hours, along with plenty of sweat and tears, to create this project. The building reaches a height of 256 blocks—the maximum allowed in Minecraft PE. Seriously, the structure physically couldn’t be taller.
The building features a scale of 1.5:1. That means it stands one and a half times taller than the original! “Why? Because I love details, and the larger the scale, the more variety I can incorporate.”
What materials did Mutereu use in his project? “Sandstone, gold, acacia, tropical wood. Didn’t you notice? Of course. I developed specific textures for my project. That’s why sandstone is white, acacia became blue tiles, and tropical wood turned into golden blocks, stairs, or slabs,” reveals the builder.
“And it was quite challenging. I had to pay attention to the smallest details to ensure smooth block joints in Minecraft PE.” At this point, I wondered how such work could fit into just 200 hours?
“The most labor-intensive part of the project was the dome that rises at the center of the building. On my first attempt, it looked like a deflated balloon. Perhaps I need to learn to plan my structures better, but I tend to go with the flow,” said the expert.
Typically, in this section of articles, I leave brief advice for our readers, like “study hard in school, kids” or “cherish your friends in Minecraft PE“, but unfortunately, our author isn’t one to possess ancient secrets passed down by spirits. Here’s what he shared about his project:
“I often hear that gardens suit me best. But what I’m most proud of is the goose. I don’t know why, but I’m really pleased with how the goose turned out. The golden beak and legs perfectly complement the white and burgundy coloring. Poetry. It feels like it was written with a quill,” reflects the author.
Indeed. A true piece of poetry.
