I cleaned up some weird spots in the base and raised the roof inside by one block. I also constructed a furnace room/smithy and placed many signs, the most important of which detail our system of mining in the "Diamond Mine of Unending Ferocity" (it's called that now) at the bottom of the vertical transit system.
I saw the work people did on the library... much appreciated! I didn't even know there were pictures, and I like the bookshelf-to-non-bookshelf setup that was placed better than my planned one.
But I've got quite a bit more to go as far as excavation and layout, so if it's okay with everyone here, I'd ask that bookshelves not be placed until everything's excavated, shelled, and ready to go. Not because I don't want outside creative input on this, but just because bookshelves cannot be moved once placed. Destroying them yields nothing, and I wouldn't want all that wood and sugar to go to waste.
Also, I'm digging the rest of the pad... this is really coming along nicely.
Did someone actually build some stuff? I got Mario and Graeme to help me clear out the top portion, but I dunno who decided to build stuff, glad it worked out though I guess.
Edit: NINJA'D!!! Apparently it was Mario. I probably should have known...
No no, no need to apologize. Like I said, I'm REALLY happy with the new layout, and part of the fun of this game is the addition of unexpected input from outside sources! It's just that bookcases are so permanent (and I'm not sure why they decided to make bookcases that way and other complex constructions movable) and so resource expensive that I didn't want to waste people's time. If it was any other blocks it would be absolutely no big deal and I'd say "go crazy!"
And you're right, Mario... I didn't intend to keep secrets, I was kinda aiming to have it be a surprise. But I also didn't expect people to jump in and help so readily (which is awesome), so I'll upload the blueprints that I've made for the upper level so people can get an idea of what's in my head and so we can make adjustments and have a common idea of where this may be heading.
Here's a top-down view of my plan for this library. What's graphed here is a 30x30 room with walls of wood and books (thus why I had a 32x32 space dug out originally). The room as it is is going to be 30 wide and 31 tall, but really it's not a big deal. What you see here is a balcony overlooking the room below; my plan is to have the upper level be 4 blocks tall, have a layer of wood, and make the lower level 5 blocks tall for a total of 10 blocks of room height. So we'll need to dig out the room down to 11 blocks tall so we can put in wood flooring.
At the top of the sheet you'll see a thirty-long line of bookshelves and ladder/torches. This was my plan for the walls of the entire room, but I actually like the top floor that we have now better than the previous arrangement. I think, though, that I'd like to keep that arrangement for the lower level; 20 bookshelves per row and 10 columns of alternating ladders/torches on wood blocks.
As far as the layout of the lower level goes, I was thinking of having part of it be stacks and part of it be a lounging area with tables and chairs.
Finally, as you can see on the diagram, there are also four wooden beams I'd like to have run from floor to ceiling, 5 chandeliers (layout of chandeliers is at the bottom of the page, thinking of making them stone), and a small reference desk area near the entrance to the library. I also planned on there being two spiral staircases at the corners noted.
I'm thinking of building us a nethergate, but I know that (rarely) Ghasts and other things can get through. With that in mind, would y'all prefer it be inside the main base or in a separate nearby building?
Library status: I've finished laying out the top balcony level, so decorating can begin! All the stone hollows in the walls are designated for bookcases, but beyond that, feel free to put furniture, decorations, whatever!
I'm working on the lower level right now. I've got the outline of the floor down, though in most places I'm going to eventually have to hollow out an extra layer to put down the walls and bookcases that will form the outside of the library's shell. On the north (relatively speaking) side of the lower level, I've already placed down the block walls where they're going to go; empty spots indicate where bookshelves will go (but probably best to still avoid putting bookshelves on the lower level until everything's cleared and ready to go.
So, if people are wanting to hack away at stuff, feel free to use the spiral staircase at the north-west side and start working on excavating the massive amounts of stone inside the wooden floor outline or go through the hole in the railing and start digging down (we're digging down 6 blocks from the edge of the balcony).
As for the nether gate... I am not experienced enough in these matters to really know either way. But I'm excited about the possibility of getting glowstone.
Yeah, you can't actually go into the Nether in SMP. I've seen online videos of portals bringing ghasts through, but I'm not sure that'll happen in normal play.
That said, play it safe and distance it from the base. Too much ignitable wood.
Granted, but like, if we had like a dire need of glow-stone or something we COULD get it.
Alternative idea: We could like, trade in a whole bunch of one thing, say, diamond or gold or something, for the server to give use something from the nether? Be like, really expensive just in case you want to be really fancy and use nether rack or something.
It's a collaborative creation system without consequence. We would never have a need for glowstone. That said, the gods of the server would consider rewarding good/awesome behavior with interesting items.
I'm adding a third floor to the library, just a small one, one fourth the size of the other floors. I just couldn't stand that the library had no corridors of books. I've yet to decide if I'm going to keep the spiral stairs I have there and line the room with wood, or lock an entrance with an iron door, line the room with cobble and make it "book storage" or "forbidden/dangerous books"
I could still see stacks in the main library lower level, but I do also really like the idea of a separate cobblestone area for "forbidden books".
Also, the walls of the library are completely filled in and I've got done what I want to get done, so, as it says on the sign above the library, feel free to redecorate!
And a big thank you to everyone who helped out with excavating, placing books, pictures, couches, etc, and for creative input. I'm very pleased with the final result.
I've blocked the hall to the forbidden archive with iron doors, but I've also done some digging and placed some gravel to make it look like someone or something broke into the archives. When you're on I'd appreciate if you placed some books in there, in piles, in stacks, in the walls, or in a shelf.
Well, I'm not the only one that can place books, and like I said, I was initially a little wary of others putting books down just because they're so permanent.
I hope I didn't give the impression of being control-hungry with this project. =(
I know you're against such things, mario, but could you spawn in some Netherrack? I'm working on something and I need some sort of eternal flame to make it really stand out, and since we can't access the Nether in multiplayer, it'd be a big help...
I logged into the server today to find the doors to the base had been removed and water allowed to flood in by the removal of the glass ceiling in the base entrance.
Comments
But I've got quite a bit more to go as far as excavation and layout, so if it's okay with everyone here, I'd ask that bookshelves not be placed until everything's excavated, shelled, and ready to go. Not because I don't want outside creative input on this, but just because bookshelves cannot be moved once placed. Destroying them yields nothing, and I wouldn't want all that wood and sugar to go to waste.
Also, I'm digging the rest of the pad... this is really coming along nicely.
Also: SECRETS
Edit: NINJA'D!!! Apparently it was Mario. I probably should have known...
Except for meddling.
And you're right, Mario... I didn't intend to keep secrets, I was kinda aiming to have it be a surprise. But I also didn't expect people to jump in and help so readily (which is awesome), so I'll upload the blueprints that I've made for the upper level so people can get an idea of what's in my head and so we can make adjustments and have a common idea of where this may be heading.
Here's a top-down view of my plan for this library. What's graphed here is a 30x30 room with walls of wood and books (thus why I had a 32x32 space dug out originally). The room as it is is going to be 30 wide and 31 tall, but really it's not a big deal. What you see here is a balcony overlooking the room below; my plan is to have the upper level be 4 blocks tall, have a layer of wood, and make the lower level 5 blocks tall for a total of 10 blocks of room height. So we'll need to dig out the room down to 11 blocks tall so we can put in wood flooring.
At the top of the sheet you'll see a thirty-long line of bookshelves and ladder/torches. This was my plan for the walls of the entire room, but I actually like the top floor that we have now better than the previous arrangement. I think, though, that I'd like to keep that arrangement for the lower level; 20 bookshelves per row and 10 columns of alternating ladders/torches on wood blocks.
As far as the layout of the lower level goes, I was thinking of having part of it be stacks and part of it be a lounging area with tables and chairs.
Finally, as you can see on the diagram, there are also four wooden beams I'd like to have run from floor to ceiling, 5 chandeliers (layout of chandeliers is at the bottom of the page, thinking of making them stone), and a small reference desk area near the entrance to the library. I also planned on there being two spiral staircases at the corners noted.
I'm working on the lower level right now. I've got the outline of the floor down, though in most places I'm going to eventually have to hollow out an extra layer to put down the walls and bookcases that will form the outside of the library's shell. On the north (relatively speaking) side of the lower level, I've already placed down the block walls where they're going to go; empty spots indicate where bookshelves will go (but probably best to still avoid putting bookshelves on the lower level until everything's cleared and ready to go.
So, if people are wanting to hack away at stuff, feel free to use the spiral staircase at the north-west side and start working on excavating the massive amounts of stone inside the wooden floor outline or go through the hole in the railing and start digging down (we're digging down 6 blocks from the edge of the balcony).
As for the nether gate... I am not experienced enough in these matters to really know either way. But I'm excited about the possibility of getting glowstone.
That said, play it safe and distance it from the base. Too much ignitable wood.
Alternative idea: We could like, trade in a whole bunch of one thing, say, diamond or gold or something, for the server to give use something from the nether? Be like, really expensive just in case you want to be really fancy and use nether rack or something.
Also, the walls of the library are completely filled in and I've got done what I want to get done, so, as it says on the sign above the library, feel free to redecorate!
And a big thank you to everyone who helped out with excavating, placing books, pictures, couches, etc, and for creative input. I'm very pleased with the final result.
I hope I didn't give the impression of being control-hungry with this project. =(
EDIT: Dude, sweet. I just took a look. I love it.
I hope that was sarcasm. In case it wasn't, the everburning wood glitch was fixed, so that wouldn't work.
I wasn't suggesting that would be a solution, I was just subtly threatening to burn the continent to ash.
Just in case, I'd better build a harbour!
I logged into the server today to find the doors to the base had been removed and water allowed to flood in by the removal of the glass ceiling in the base entrance.
How did this happen?
But that's not the worst of it... Someone has totally wrecked the library...
Would it be possible to put a password on this world?
Here's the library: