Getting Started - Building a Base for Protection

Want to build your own world but having trouble getting started in Minecraft? This Blog will be written to help you do just that. I'm showing the following few screen shots taken in "spectator mode" after getting killed in a Hardcore world. These show SOME of the possibilities for your creations.

These cattle are peacefully grazing down on level 12. I brought them down using a grass stairway from the surface.

Here you can better see the stairway and the ladder that I first descended. 

I plant many gardens, grow trees, large mushrooms, etc... all below ground.

Closer to the surface I have Sugar Cane and work areas.

First, let me say that I'm a Retired so I have time on my hands to play Minecraft. I can remember watching the Tutorials made by Notch. How to survive the first night by digging a hole and making it so no mob could get you until morning.

I'm by no means an expert at Minecraft but I have found a few things that may help others.  I am currently playing MC 1.13.1 and devoting most of my time to the Hardcore Mode of play.  I've died 7 times so far in as many days so I'm taking a bit of a break to play a standard Survival game and make a few notes about how I start my games.  I have come up with a bit of a standard Base setup that lets me expand as I get new materials. My base lets me lead hostile mobs into an area where they are easily killed without them being able to hit me back. Recently I've started adding a way for me to look at the world outside my Base to see if it is daylight or night.  I have a favorite SEED that I use for my games so that I pretty much know where resources will be found.  I hope that I provide you with information that you can use.

Just to give credit to some fine programmers (I used to do a bit of programming myself), I use "Screen Capturer" (free) to grab pictures from the game.  By pressing Shift-Print Screen it will grab the whole screen without making Minecraft jump into the Menu. Then, I use "Paint.net" (also free) to edit my pictures, to cut out just the Inventory box, etc. I use "Screencast-O-Matic" (fairly cheap, annual subscription to use) to capture video from the screen.  If I need to edit my video then I use "Pinnacle Studio" (not free, NOT cheap, but I've been using it for a long time so I just keep upgrading because it does what I want it to do.)  In order to edit the saved game I use "NBTExplorer" which happens when I can't figure out the syntax for an in-game "Give" cheat.  I use "Notepad++" (free) to keep notes on commands or other items so they are easily copied and pasted into the chat bar or programmed into a Command Block.  A LOT of stuff has changed in the last few versions of Minecraft. I'm using MC 1.13.1 right now. The commands have a new syntax and when you try to type them into the chat bar you get an annoying "popup selection"  that either makes you keep typing or press <tab> to get to the end of the word it is giving you.

I'll call my new World "Blog World"

I'll enter my favorite Seed, select Cheats and Bonus Chest ON:

And this is where I spawn:

I harvested some Oak logs before going to the Bonus Chest.

Then I crafted a Work Table to be placed next to the chest so I can store stuff that I make or harvest later.

I placed the Work Table and used it to make some wooden items

So, here is my inventory before I open the Bonus Chest

Good!  It has a stone Pickaxe and some food, and wood and sticks.

When chopping a tree that I can see the 3 bottom logs, I chop out the 2nd and 3rd ones, then jump on top of the bottom log to take out all above it.  Then I take out the bottom log. This way, if the tree is tall I can take it all out without placing something to stand on.  It normally works well for Oak and Birch trees. Not always on Spruce because they can be quite tall, but then all I have to do is hop up and add logs under me until I can shop it all.. then chop back down to ground level.

Now I have enough Oak logs to start. I will go to my Base area, harvesting along the way using some item in my inventory that does NOT have a durability, like a stick, log, torch, but NOT a weapon or tools. The Violet sparkles are from an Enderman that took an interest in my harvesting. They don't bother me as long as I don't look at their eyes!

I found Pumpkins, I'll harvest them.

This is the area where I'll build my Base.

First, I will make a large flat area. Normally I would go down to stone but it is getting dark and I'll need a safe place for the night so I just did this much.

Digging into the hill I make it so I will have 4 blocks in with stone. At the last part, just before the step up, I will dig out the last 2 blocks on the bottom right. These missing blocks will make an "Attack Hole" where I can attack mobs but they cannot attack me.  I then make a step up and go in 4 more blocks. Then I step down a block, go 2 blocks, step down another block, go 2 blocks, turn right, go 2 blocks, turn right and come back to uncover the "Attack Hole."

Then, looking away from the Attack Hole, I dig out an area that is 3 wide and 5 long. I see a bunch of coal ore here.

Looking in from the start of my entryway you can see the two missing blocks that will make up my "Attack Hole."  you can see the step up, and the following 4 blocks.

Here is what my inventory looks like at this point. I did a bit of gathering along the way to my Base Area.

Now I create another Work table, some chests, and a couple of furnaces. The furnaces are in the ceiling on this side of the Work Table. I will add another  large chest later.

Now I make an Oak door.  I like the Oak doors because you can see out through the windows.

And, I make a couple of Oak Trap Doors. I use Oak because I didn't want to use the other wood I have so far.

To place the Entry Door, hug the left side of the entryway facing the Step-Up and aim down a the top left of the Step.  Right click to place the door.

This places the hinges on the left side of the door. If you hug the right side and click down on the top right, then the hinges would be on the right side.

Now you can see the open door, and the 2 Trap Doors on the bottom right inside the Attack Hole.

Beyond the Entry Door looking after the 4 blocks of the Step-Up.  This is 3 blocks tall to get ready for steps at a later time.

From inside, the placement of the Trap Doors, at the bottom of the top blocks. This prevents the short mobs and animals like sheep, chickens, pigs, etc. from getting inside. It will NOT stop rabbits!

So, here is my inventory now, with 2 Jungle Logs that I will use later to grow Cocoa Beans.

I will turn these Pumpkins into seeds to grow.

OK, so there is my starting base.  All safe and sound inside it. If a mob follows me in then they are stopped at the door and I can attack them above the trap doors but they cannot attack me. Skeletons cannot shoot me unless I open the trap doors and step up next to the entryway. Just stay back at arms length and kill them. When all mobs are dead, open the trap doors and step forward to collect the loot that fell.

Now I have shelter. Next I will need food so the next page will deal with expanding the Base to produce food.