As a parent I wanted to know what all the fuss was about with the Minecraft game. The last time I came across something as big as Minecraft, it was Second life. I didn't know anything about that either, so this time I wanted to get a bit of knowledge.
I was looking for a book which would give the basic knowledge without going into too much detail, because I'm not sure if it's my cup of tea. Minecraft for Dummies is that book, maybe not for the hard-core player, the Redstone handbook might be a better place to start.
Anyway as with all the dummies books, the text is nice and clear, the author goes to great lengths to explain all the Minecraft terminology and abbreviations etc.
Over the last few months I’ve been dipping in and out of the game without getting anywhere or progressing, with this book I have learned more in the last 3-4 days , which is how long it took to read it, that I have in those first couple of months. I have to admit with the knowledge gleaned over the last I have started to enjoy the game, not only a bit of fun in the evening but from a parents perspective I think it would benefit any teenagers out there, as it`s educational and also involves some good problem solving.
Anyway the point of the blog is to review the Minecraft for Dummies book, not the game Minecraft itself. So to recap, as with all Dummies books, its excellent got getting up to speed really fast, it will teach you fairly advanced techniques in a short space of time. You could, potentially be building mansions, crafting new items and exploring strong holds in a short space of time. This all helps to increase the enjoyment of your playing experience. That the pro’s.
The cons are pretty much the same as the pros, in that the amount of time to “grow” out of the text would be fairly fast. At the same time, if you haven’t been using the game for a few weeks, it’s a great reference guide for getting up to speed again.
It's a must have for new Minecraft players, I would highly recommend it. The Redstone handbook might be a better option for those with a couple of months playing experience under your belt.
So get out there and recommend it to all the Minecraft players. I've a suspicion that older (younger people, playing the game longer) players will fly through the book, but as a relatively inexperienced "Minecrafter" , it will help to bridge that gap.