Dingyfried – Minecraft: How to Build a Story (EP09)

♪ ♪ Some people speed run while others take their time ♪ ♪ Some search for geodes, wire redstone gizmos or farm slime ♪ ♪ But no matter how we choose to play this game ♪ ♪ We’ll always know that no two worlds are the same ♪

♪ Even if this seed was used to start a game from scratch ♪ ♪ All these biomes would remain but that world couldn’t match ♪ ♪ Because the blocks that tell our story would’ve been wiped clean ♪ ♪ Plus all this world gen got messed up by 1.18 ♪

♪ And so, today we’ll look at ways to tell a story ♪ ♪ Using nothing but the items from our inventory ♪ ♪ Like how a shipwreck tells of a bygone storm ♪ ♪ Or how villagers descended from a zombie swarm… ♪ ♪ …give a cherished memory living form ♪

♪ So let’s journey into days of yore ♪ ♪ and explore all the lore this world has in store ♪ ♪ and if you enjoy this story of a deep dark tribe… ♪ ♪ …then leave a like and please subscribe! ♪ ♪ [spoken] So, if you’re ready let’s begin!

Today, we’re looking at ways to add story, world-building and lore to your minecraft worlds Stories have always played a crucial role in the appeal of this game, and based on the name of the 1.20 update

We’re about to get our hands on a huge collection of new blocks, tools and mechanics designed specifically to help us discover and share our very own tales Whether they’re told through build projects, adventure minigames or interactions with other players, stories are what connect us to the worlds we play in

They make a pile of blocks feel like a vast and immersive universe and they make our accomplishments feel special, important and earned And while each world seed is already bursting with unique myths and mysteries for the player to explore, Minecraft encourages us to interpret and build upon those clues using our own imaginations

I’m setting out to tell a brand new story of my own – one based right here in this cave! The deadline for the village upgrade contest is a matter of days away. In fact… by the time this goes out it will have already passed

So we need to make a lot of progress in this episode to get this place ready for the judges As we do that, we’ll use every villager, every block and every item to add new chapters to a Deep Dark Tale! So… the first question I guess is… where do we start? ♪

♪ Our story can be anything ♪ ♪ but before I start narrating ♪ ♪ we just need to do one tiny thing and that’s narrow it down… ♪ ♪ …from everything! ♪

[spoken] So yeah with uh… lets see.. uh… one two three four fi-infinite options to choose from, we’ve got our work cut out for us! Let’s start with something easy, like picking the theme or genre… ♪ It could be a storied and gloried fantastical fiction ♪

♪ [Helga-Zoe] A precise and concise historical depiction ♪ ♪ [Sogaishin] A one-sided, misguided lie or malediction ♪ ♪ [Helga-Zoe] Or a contemporary… ♪ ♪ [Sogaishin] …visionary… ♪ ♪ [Helga-Zoe] …legendary… ♪ ♪ [Sogaishin] …dark and scary… ♪ ♪ [Edee] …cautionary tale or prediction! ♪

♪ [Everyone] But no matter what category we pick for our brand new story ♪ ♪ We can pair it with a palette of blocks from our inventory! ♪ [spoken] Alright! So we need a colour palette and build style that match the main themes of our story

We already know that this tale of ours takes place in the elusive deep dark dimension So I’m gonna model every building after a different ancient city structure [magical chime] I also want our subterranean city to feel dark, but not deadly So to make sure our builds look vibrant after the lights go out,

I’ve picked the most saturated blocks I could find that match the game’s underground colour palette Ok so let’s see.. what’s next? Well… ♪ [Villagers] Now we know what blocks we’re getting ♪ ♪ [Villagers] Let’s pick some characters and a setting ♪

♪ [Villagers] We just need to do one tiny thing and that’s narrow it down… ♪ ♪ [Villagers] …from everything! ♪ ♪ [Helga-Zoe] Like maybe a president’s residence with gardens so pretty ♪ ♪ [Sogaishin] A steeple of people in an ancient city ♪ ♪ [Edee] A villager-pillager friendship committee ♪

♪ [Dingyfried] Or a lodge-style hostile mob community ♪ ♪ [Meerkats] The list goes on and on ♪ ♪ [Meerkats] To infinity and beyond! ♪ ♪ [Meerkats] So once an idea has dawned, just… ♪ [Dingyfried] Put it together with a wave of your magic… [Meerkats] Wave your magic… ♪

[spoken] …wand! So just to catch you up… A little while ago I discovered that a stick in my ‘Valuables’ shulker has gained some magical properties from the dragon egg next to it If you wave it around, all your ideas come to life around you!

I was kinda hoping to use this Idea Stick to help me make this cave village but I’ve either lost it, or it was stolen by a certain nosy neighbour… Hopefully it’ll turn up, but for now I guess we’ll have to make this town the old-fashioned way No time to waste… let’s get building!

♪ ♪ [Meerkats] So… ♪ ♪ [Meerkats] In order to make a start building stories that won’t fall apart ♪ ♪ [Meerkats] Pick a style paired with colouring Choose some characters and a setting… ♪ ♪ [Sogaishin] …ing ♪ ♪ [Dingyfried] Then just do one thing ♪ ♪ [Dingyfried] And narrow it down… ♪

♪ [Meerkats] …from everything! ♪ ♪ [Edee] You just need to do one thing ♪ ♪ [Sogaishin] Then just do one thing ♪ ♪ [Helga-Zoe] It’s à la carte! ♪ ♪ [Baby Villagers] La la.. La la.. ♪ ♪ [Sogaishin] And narrow it ♪

♪ [Birds whistle] ♪ ♪ [Edee] And find a song to sing ♪ ♪ [Helga-Zoe] Follow your heart! ♪ ♪ [Edee] And choose from every- ♪ ♪ [Sogaishin] down from every- ♪ ♪ [Helga-Zoe] Just make a start! ♪ [Meerkats] -thing! ♪ [laughter] Okay! That’s a wrap – thanks everybody! That was perfect

Phew! Okay… so our choices of colours and blocks have officially set the scene By picking palettes that match the moods and themes of our story, we’ve give our judges visual clues about what to expect Will this be a fantasy or a history? A comedy or a tragedy?

It might even be a bit of both… And beyond genre, our choice of architectural style tells our audience that this story is set in the deep dark If you’re not sure where or when to set your own stories, try to think of settings that might offer your audience valuable context

For example, some viewers of this video might not understand why someone like me is so passionate about story-building Those viewers would benefit from knowing that my story is set in Canada: A land brimming with both stories and story-tellers It’s even the birthplace of the real life Winnie the Pooh

By setting this story in the deep dark, we’ve invited our audience to imagine what life might’ve been like for the citizens of an ancient civilization and speculate what catastrophe might have conjured such a vile and villainous beast… …and with that our story can begin

Now, story-building is just like any other kind of Minecraft project It doesn’t matter how ambitious your plans are, it’s always wise to start small So let’s start simple by introducing a few characters I moved our first three deep dark denizens into the cave last episode

And I’ve been gathering the rest of our cast in this temporary waiting area just across the water from me and Edee’s villages Adding mobs to our build will give it plenty of movement and life But unfortunately, villagers aren’t great conversation partners They sort of just mumble and repeat themselves over and over

Actually speaking of Canadians, have you guys ever noticed that villagers kinda sound like Etho? [Villager] uh huh… Uh huh… So yeah… unless the judges speak villager, they’re not gonna learn much through conversation But luckily, you can learn a lot about a person by studying their home, so let’s give these buildings some interiors

In each of these first four houses, we’ll focus on a different method of rounding out a cast of characters But in all of them, we’ll use our story to guide our choice of blocks That way, we can make sure these new decorations give the audience all the information they need

For our first fable, let’s give a villager some strengths and weaknesses Alright, so… This is the home of Artemis the Butcher Artemis relies on others for ingredients, but makes a scrumptious sculky stew and a mean glow calamari As a result, this is quite a happening spot around lunchtime

With so many regulars, a lot of the interior space is taken up by a customer waiting area forcing Artie to live out of the tiny back storage room And there you have it! Our first short story told entirely with blocks But there’s much more to a person than their occupation, right?

Let’s give our next character some goals and motivations Take our Cleric for example: why did they choose this profession over another? And why did they choose to live here? Well this is actually a pretty ideal spot for our Cleric, Homura, who’s driven by her interest in new inventions and discoveries

This perch is a little precarious, but it puts Homura in the perfect place to collect samples of sculk which she loves to study and use in her experiments This also puts her right nextdoor to the library where she can archive her findings and spend long hours poring over old accounts and records

Searching for clues to new brewing techniques and ingredients But not everyone loves their neighbours, and besides… No good story is complete without a little conflict! Our third tale involves our young Fletcher, Marwa The town recently elected her as their Protector

So she lives up here in the portal’s gatehouse and fights off any hostile intruders She’s new to the job, but what she lacks in experience, she makes up for in talent and bravery Marwa needs armour to protect herself while she learns how to combat the various threats lurking beyond the gate

But Grissom, the town’s Armorer, is a stubborn and canterous old codger He doesn’t like the Fletcher, and refuses to make her the suit of armour she needs Therefore, Marwa has to collect the gear she wins from her enemies in battle

Okay so we’ve looked at how to use skills, goals and conflicts to decorate a space, now let’s use them to decorate time! Now I should quickly mention… just as the spacial dimensions work differently in the Nether I like to think that time might work differently in the Deep Dark

But regardless of how slowly time might be passing in this plane of existence this place still has a past, a present and a future and as time marches on, people learn new skills and lose old ones their aspirations change, and conflicts come and go Take our elderly Weaponsmith for example

When he was young, his weapons laid waste to countless terrible foes But one day when faced with a tremendous beast, he decided that life – even in its most corrupted forms should always be spared when possible

After that, he retired from smithing and stashed his deadliest weapons down in his cellar, where no one could be tempted to use them Then, to atone for the death that stains his memories of youth he grinds the bones of any creatures who have fallen to his blades into bonemeal

Most of this bonemeal goes to the Farmer, George, to cultivate new life Then he uses what’s left on his own lush and lively flower garden And there you have it! By assigning characters a unique set of skills, goals and conflicts the build starts to feel more important, more meaningful and more alive

Houses become homes, soulless citizens become relatable or hate-able personalities and before we’ve even brought over any of the new villagers our cave already feels like it contains a close-knit and active community So this first volume of chapters has set our story in motion, but where is it going?

It’s not enough for you and I to know how all these puzzle pieces fit together Our audience should be able to follow along even when we’re not there to guide them So just as buildings need a framework of beams and columns, and cities need road networks with maps and signs

We need to establish a story structure So with that goal in mind, let’s pay a quick visit to the game zone where two Meerkats called Henners and Monsieur Patisserie have recently put together a perfect example of a well-structured story ♪ [thunder] ♪ ♪ ♪ If you’re hoping for a calm and emulsive ♪

♪ experience, the news is rather grave ♪ ♪ Equal parts alluring and repulsive ♪ ♪ Only enter if you’re feeling brave ♪ ♪ There’s no skipping ahead, no perusing ♪ ♪ We must begin at the very start ♪ ♪ Will this tale be grim or amusing? ♪

♪ We won’t know until we’re departed… ♪ ♪ ♪ Right away my nerves are easing ♪ ♪ This tale is quite calm and pleasing ♪ ♪ While the pace is slow no detail is missed ♪ ♪ Then a change in flow… ♪ ♪ …brings a plot twist! ♪ ♪ [evil laughter] ♪

♪ This development has me disconcerted ♪ ♪ What was comforting now fills me with fright! ♪ ♪ My understanding of this world has been inverted ♪ ♪ In the darkness I’ve seen the light ♪ ♪ In this tragic web, I’m entangled ♪ ♪ I’m under a fantastical spell ♪

♪ Though its characters are tortured and mangled ♪ ♪ and it’s leading me straight to hell ♪ ♪ My soul has left, I need embalming ♪ ♪ but this narrative shows no signs of calming ♪ ♪ Unyielding, it drags me down ♪ ♪ So immersive, I might drown ♪

♪ I try to get out, I’m incapable ♪ ♪ Now there’s no turning back ♪ ♪ I’m trapped, my fate is inescapable ♪ ♪ This story never veers off track ♪ ♪ Every twist… ♪ ♪ Every turn… ♪ ♪ Every bend… ♪ ♪ …I must follow to my bitter end! ♪

[spoken] Phew! So… it doesn’t matter what kind of story you’re telling you can’t just hand your audience a garbled mess of characters, settings and plot points They need to know were to start, where to end, when to take it slow and focus on details

And when to gain momentum as things spiral out of control So let’s start structuring our tale First, we’ll decide how the audience is gonna experience our story We could have them read a book and quill novel, admire custom map artwork or comic strips

Or, like Henners and Mr. P, we could physically carry them through our story using a thrill ride I want to have the other Meerkats walk through our story so our tale is literally gonna be a trail Okay… second, we’ll work out how to divide it up

Novels are divided into volumes and chapters, and plays are split into acts and scenes I’m gonna divide up our story into neighbourhoods and buildings Just like earlier in the video, we’ll design each home using the story and perspective of a different villager

Then just as a narrative might be spread out over all the chapters of a book I’m gonna scatter hints to larger plot lines and mysteries throughout the village Our third task is to arrange all these chapters from beginning to end

The order in which we give the audience information will dramatically alter the way they comprehend our story In fact, just by shifting the position of a single chapter we can turn heroes into villains, or transform a tragic thriller into a light-hearted comedy

Everyone’s got their own techniques, but I actually find it easiest to do this stage in reverse: starting at the end and working my way back toward the beginning There are a few buildings whose clues would offer Meerkats a satisfying conclusion

But I think the library, with all of its books and scrolls, is a clear winner There’s lots of ways we could make sure Meerkats don’t head down to the library until the end For example, we could lock it behind a gate and hide the keys in the other houses

But a much simpler solution would be to physically move this chapter to the end of our tale’s trail The path to the library meets the main road at this junction here, right by the entrance But remember, this portal isn’t just the way in – it’s also the way out

That means if I give this intersection a very sharp-angled turn and block certain sight lines using some innocent-looking decorations I can make this path hard to spot for anyone walking into the cave but unmissable for anyone walking back out Now for the main body of our story

There are a lot of well-established methods and online tools for arranging story beats But since Minecraft doesn’t share the same limitations and constraints as most other story-telling mediums we have an insane of creative freedom in this stage, so don’t be afraid to try something new or think outside the box

For example, most stories are told linearly First this happens, then this, then this, and so on But I really like the idea of letting our visitors choose how the story unfolds using their own instincts and preferences What perspectives will they learn from first?

How deep are they willing to dive to uncover this cavern’s mysteries? Having said that, some of these chapters hold more clues than others and I want to make sure all of our puzzle pieces are evenly spread out along this main road and plot line

Therefore I’ll introduce barriers such as cliff faces and sculky cascades to separate any houses that are physically close, but aren’t meant to be narrative neighbours Next up, we need to think about pacing If our story unfolds too slowly, Meerkats will get bored

Therefore when I want the pace to pick up, I’ll run our trail along shortcuts and direct routes On the other hand, if I throw too much information at the audience too quickly, they won’t be able to absorb any of it

So whenever Meerkats to slow down, immerse themselves or process what they’ve just learned I’ll make the path longer and windier Alright, I’m happy with our fantasy’s framework so far, so let’s add another new chapter to our tale and work out how story structure can help us communicate it to the audience

Before the villagers chose the Fletcher as their Protector of the Portal, the highly revered role belonged to Garan In his time, he was known as the Guardian of the Gateway and he was one of the best Protectors this community has ever had… but certainly not the greatest of all time

That honour belongs to his predecessor Garan was strong, but she had been stronger Garan fought hard, but she fought harder Even when the town gathered to celebrate Garan’s glorious victories, they’d sing songs of her legendary valour and might

Garan grew tired of always being second best, so he set out to defeat the Warden that lurks beyond the gate hoping to prove once and for all that no one – not even his predecessor – was as mighty a warrior as him But he didn’t just lose the fight, he lost everything

His unprovoked hostility proved he was unfit to be the town’s Protector and his job and home were taken from him and given to Marwa Angry, embarrassed, ashamed… he exiled himself from the town setting himself up in this miserable and lonely shack where all he can do is pass the time fishing Okay!

So once again, we’ve given our character plenty of depth using the usual traits But remember – not all the Meerkats are gonna watch this video so they’ll need to piece together Garan’s dark backstory using a series of clues I’ve hidden throughout the cave

But perhaps the biggest clue that there’s a rift between this villager and the rest of the community is that the path to his house is so absurdly long I mean… I’ve literally recorded this entire segment while walking down this path and I still haven’t reached the- okay… yeah, there we are…

Alright now that we’ve worked out the end and the middle, we’ve finally reached the beginning of our tale Last episode, we built this dimension-defying Ancient City entrance chamber taking players through the portal gateway and into our story’s Deep Dark realm

I’m happy with how it turned out, but at the moment it’s pretty much impossible for players to find their way in and out of here from the surface In fact I’ve literally had to come online multiple times to help guide Meerkats out from all the skylight wiring

To be successful, our story needs an inviting introduction and a grand ending So let’s bookend our build with a slightly more welcoming experience What I’m thinking is I could build a more natural-looking deep dark cave that winds up to meet Edee’s surface village

I don’t think I’ll have time to finish today, but for now I at least want to dig it out He.. hello? Edee? [Edee] Or I was thinking about this space that I cleared up [Edee] uh… w… what? Dingy? [Dingy] uh… [Edee] What are you doing?

[Dingy] What is all this? [Edee] What are you doing digging down here? [Edee] Well actually I was thinking about building a nether portal for the both of us to use [Edee] You know, one goes up to my pier and then the other one goes down to your smelly cave

[Edee] Oh by the way I’m glad I ran into you, I have something of yours [Edee] It’s kinda broken, it doesn’t work anymore [Dingyfried] Edee… how do you have this? [Edee] Yes? [Edee]: Umm… funny story… I was on the server, and then there was some lag [Dingyfried] mmhmm…

[Edee]: And then all of a sudden it was in my inventory [Dingyfried]: Ok it’s interesting because [Dingyfried]: I’m pretty sure this was in I believe a shulker named ‘Valuables’, right next to a dragon egg [Edee]: Oh I don’t know anything about that…

[Edee]: I did use it – I created the village with it, but now it’s broken so you can have it back [Dingyfried]: Okay so to recap – you’ve stolen my valuables, you’ve broken my valuables, and now-

[Edee]: I definitely didn’t break that Idea Stick, it just kinda stopped working once you popped out of thin air [Edee]: and then after you ran off, I encountered another guy – some random guy named Alpine1? What’s the deal with that?

[Dingyfried]: Oh well I… uh… it’s a little complicated but I may have accidentally travelled to a new world, but I made a new friend there… Yay! [Edee]: Okay so if he’s gonna stay here in the village area he’s gonna be down in the dumps with you, okay? [Dingyfried]: Right well okay but that-

[Edee]: There’s no room upstairs [Dingyfried]: That… I mean… it kinda seems like there is a lot of room but yeah I mean that’s fair [Dingyfried]: but he does have his own egg so he’s probably gonna just come and go as he pleases [Edee]: Okay… magic dragon egg okay… I’m with you now…

[Edee]: But that doesn’t explain why the Idea Stick doesn’t work anymore [Dingyfried]: It does work, you’ve just gotta focus [Dingyfried]: Can’t get distracted. [Edee]: Focus? Well.. oh.. okay so [Dingyfried]: Yeah, so like

[Dingyfried]: for example what do you have in mind for the portal room? [Edee]: Uh yeah – I wanted to bring in some of the block types [Edee]: from my wall down here – you know, deepslate, maybe some kelp blocks, some polished deepslate sla- [Edee]: OW! What the heck, man! What was that for?

[Dingyfried]: Well isn’t this exactly what you were talking about? [Edee]: Yeah, but rude! [Edee]: You didn’t have to hit me… unless… [Dingyfried]: You’re right but uh… [Edee]: That’s how it works? [Dingyfried]: No well it… no it… [Dingyfried]: I mean you don’t strictly have to hit somebody, but you were stealing my stuff

[Edee]: Wha- Hey! Man.. that’s the last time I do you any favours… [Dingyfried]: Well actually it’s funny you mention that cos I could do with a favour a little bit later [Dingyfried]: You know how it’s like crazy fun to do with villagers and move them around and stuff? I need help…

[Edee]: You need help moving villagers? [Dingyfried]: Yeah it’s so awful and I hate it so much [Dingyfried]: I’ll be honest I don’t really ever use this stick much… I think it’ll make us pretty even – if you help me with the villagers, you can have this stick

[Edee]: Uh… Okay. Yeah, sure! Alright cool! [Edee]: Um I actually have stuff to do right now at the moment [Dingyfried]: Alright [Edee]: Yeah I’ll send you a message I’ll come by later when I’m ready. Alright? I gotta stop by the shopping district actually [Dingyfried]: Oh… Edee!

[Edee]: What? [Dingyfried]: You couldn’t have thought of a nicer… you obviously ran out of ideas as soon as you hit this area [Edee]: Here.. hold on [Dingyfried]: I mean it’s fine… [Edee]: Alright… alright I’ve gotta go to the shopping district [Dingyfried]: It’s fine I’ll do it the hard way

[Dingyfried]: Alright have fun [Edee]: See ya [Dingyfried]: byeeee Okay I’ll be real with you guys… I don’t know if any of you have tried to breed, transport and gather villagers from every biome before but in case you haven’t… If a friend is offering even a tiny amount of help

And all it’ll cost you is one measly all-powerful artifact, it’s worth it! But yeah… before the villagers can move in, we’ve got one last thing to do here in the cave In terms of scale, so far our chapters and fables only feel as big as the builds they’re made of

Don’t get me wrong – this is a big cave but I want this story to feel grand… epic… legendary! So just as we’ve combined characters to build chapters then combined chapters to build a story now we’re gonna combine multiple stories together to create an expansive fictional realm…

…In other words, it’s time to do a little world-building! In our Tales & Trails analogy, you can imagine that these new stories would have paths of their own and as we open up more of these sidequest sidestreets, B-story boulevards and historical highways, the scale and complexity of our story’s world will expand

And finding these intersections is actually pretty easy! All we have to do is ask the right questions Or more accurately… we need to ask the wrong questions Relevant, plot-driven questions will only lead us further down our story’s path, so instead we’re gonna question blocks that were placed randomly, thoughtlessly or even naturally

Who painted these paintings? Why did Marwa decorate her home with this particular type of flower? And what caused this cave to form? Once we have our questions, we just need someone to answer them Up ’til now, I’ve been the one answering today’s questions and deciding what directions our story should take

I tell our characters where to live… What to do, think, feel… When to be forgiving or hold a grudge… I even tell them what they want out of life That’s uhh… that’s kinda messed up, right?! And besides, my answers to these questions would only provide insights into the world I live in

So let’s flip the script and give our characters the freedom to choose their own journeys, walk their own trails and write their own tales We’ll ask them our questions, and use their answers as a road map guiding our story down exciting and unexpected new paths

Let’s interview a villager we haven’t heard from yet I don’t want to be rude, so we should probably get to know them a little before we start grilling them about this town’s culture, history and lore So first question: What was it like growing up in this deep dark village?

♪ [Villager]: My whole life, I’ve been told I must choose a destination ♪ ♪ That every villager finds a path one that ends at their workstation ♪ ♪ In their pursuit of happiness my friends have found their bearings ♪ ♪ Their passion seems to guide them but meanwhile, I’m despairing ♪ ♪

♪ In books I’ve scrawled I farmed the land, I learned to brew ♪ ♪ I’ve tried it all but there’s still no job I love to do ♪ ♪ How come every occupation feels like I’ve resigned? ♪ ♪ I feel so lost… if the way is clear I must be blind ♪ ♪

♪ The Elders always warn me of the worlds beyond this cave ♪ ♪ whose monsters and mutations led my mother to her grave ♪ ♪ But they also told me to be brave… ♪

♪ It’s clear my destination isn’t here at home so I must fight my fears and find new lands to roam ♪ ♪ ♪ Before the dawn the mobs attacked, I missed my friends ♪ ♪ I carried on, still searching for my journey’s end ♪

♪ I’m still so lost this world is so unfamiliar ♪ ♪ But after all these twists and bends I see my path was never meant to be linear ♪ ♪ My whole life I’ve been told I must choose an occupation ♪ ♪ That fulfillment awaits me at my journey’s destination ♪

♪ Despite what people may say I know my path hasn’t lead me astray ♪ ♪ thanks to all the joy I’ve found along the way ♪ ♪ [Dingyfried]: and there you have it! Just by asking a simple question about a few randomly-placed paintings, we’ve added an adventurous new chapter to our story

One that I love, but also one that I probably wouldn’t have thought of if I hadn’t tried to experience this story from the perspective of one of its characters This Cartographical chronicle might not be a vital key to unlocking any major plot points

But compared to the Butcher’s bistro or even the Weaponsmith’s workshop, this chapter makes our story feel way more expansive All the artwork in the village suddenly gives our guests an opportunity to gaze into the world surrounding our story and imagine what adventures might be depicted in each one

This chapter helps tie our story into the blocks of the game itself, but if – like me – you’re lucky enough to share a world with lots of other story-tellers, you could also set your story in the same fictional realm as theirs

In fact come to think of it, the story of an explorer with brewing experience and a rucksack full of paints and dyes, who sporadically travels the world collecting trinkets, might sound a little familiar to some of the other Meerkats… But world-building isn’t just about expanding outwards to add context and grandeur

We can also expand the story inwards to add nuance and complexity In our analogy, that means adding looping crescents and hidden shortcuts to our Tale’s Trail These might reveal new perspectives that change how the audience perceive certain events or outcomes Or they might expose an unexpected link between two characters…

For example, our second question asked why Marwa chose this type of flower to decorate her home Well this flower was actually a housewarming gift from a forbidden love, and I’ve already given you all the clues you need to work out who that is

If you think you know the answer, let me know in the comments Then we had our final question: How did this cave form? Was it shaped by magic? Was it grown organically by some kind of deep dark coral? Maybe it was just some good ol’ erosion

But the answer… honestly? I don’t know! But that’s absolutely fine because when we leave some questions open-ended, we give our world a sense of mystery and intrigue Ok so those of you who are paying attention will have noticed that we’ve now got a home for every villager and every profession

But even the less eagle-eyed viewers may have noticed that – for all this talk of Tales & Trails – I haven’t actually used a single one of the new blocks or features yet

That’s not because it isn’t out yet… in fact between builds I’ve been teaming up with the other Meerkats to check out the new blocks and biomes, dig up trail ruins, play around with the sniffers, we’ve even finished collecting all the new armour trims and guys… I’ve been having the time of my life

As usual, this update adds plenty of new tools for every type of player Beyond that, it reminds us that no matter how we choose to enjoy this game, each and every one of us is telling some kind of story

But despite being such a vital part of each player’s experience, stories aren’t something we talk about much as a community and the metrics we use to rank and rate new features are often tied to individual player types

So in this episode I’ve tried my darnedest to demonstrate all the things we could accomplish using the tools that were already in the game and now that we have a point of comparison, we can get a better appreciation for the new tools we got in this update

First, as we narrow down our options, we have new colours, themes and genres to choose from We’ve also got lots of new story settings, including new structures, biomes, and even a brand new season! Then we talked about characters

Not only does this update make it easier for players to take part in their own stories, It also gives us and our characters more tools for self-expression through decorative blocks and mechanics, as well as new skills, interests, conflicts and backstories for us to expand upon

Next, when structuring the plot, survivalists and creative map-makers alike can communicate to the audience using a much wider variety of mediums and use the new features and improvements to give their story more flexibility, interaction and immersion And finally, we talked about world-building

For over a decade, we’ve been surrounding by an immense network of abandoned mineshafts, crumbling bastions and infested citadels But we’ve never had any way to communicate or connect with this bygone civilization, so their grand temples and ruins have… honestly never felt all that special

But thanks to 1.20, we get to see and experience the old world for ourselves by bringing flora and fauna back from extinction And while we can’t speak to these ancient citizens directly, Mojang have given us the chance to learn more about them by studying their homes

For the first time ever, we can meaningfully connect our own stories to the legends hidden within the game and create lore that feels as vast and infinite as the world itself So… while we still didn’t get that bundle crafting recipe, this update did introduce what we always hope for: a brand new dimension

Alright it looks like Edee’s still not quite ready to help me with the villagers, so while we wait let’s read one last story We’ve already covered all of our chapters, but who’s to say fictional characters can’t write stories of their own?

This library’s bound to have some kind of… I don’t know… bedtime story or something Ah here we go… the Tale of Kaiw-… Kai… Kaiwi… K-A-I-W-I… Kah-ee-vee? I think that’s how it’s pronounced… [clears throat] Okay here we go… Kaiwi’s Tale ♪ ♪ Herein lies the tale of a boy named Kaiwi ♪

♪ Who lived by himself on a hill with a tree ♪ ♪ Each day he set off to explore Always hoping for more than the remnants of war ♪ ♪ But the friends he’d once known were now zombies and bone ♪ ♪ So each sundown he’d lock up his door ♪ ♪

[thunder] ♪ One night the beasts marched to the hill with the tree ♪ ♪ They bashed down the door and hunted Kaiwi ♪ ♪ He dared not make a sound… ♪ ♪ …But alas! He was found by the corpse of a drowned ♪

♪ His luck turned around as it fell to the ground ♪ ♪ “I’m Cecilia,” she said, “and you’ll be safe with me” ♪ [Thunder] ♪ ♪ By night, she would ward off the beasts of damnation By day, they explored the remains of their nation ♪

♪ But what had once been a great civilization Had succumbed to disease and mutation ♪ ♪ As the years passed them by, they made it their mission To find more survivors and collect ammunition ♪ ♪ But the scale of their dread was beyond comprehension The corruption had spread to every… single… dimension! ♪

♪ ♪ Every new soul they saved Attracted more of the depraved ♪ ♪ But Kaiwi learned to mold nether metals with gold ♪ ♪ And Cecilia’s might was a thing to behold! ♪ ♪ She brandished his weapons as they built their stronghold ♪

♪ She vanquished the blaze and the Wither’s three heads rolled ♪ ♪ Kaiwi delighted, they had no competition! ♪ ♪ But Cecilia had a suspicion… ♪ ♪ ♪ [Cecilia]: The greed of our ancestors gave us this curse The monsters grow stronger, each night it gets worse ♪

♪ [Cecilia]: We don’t have much time left – soon they’ll break through Our story’s at an end… ♪ ♪ [Kaiwi]: There’s one thing we can do… ♪ ♪ [Kaiwi]: Lost to time are most tales of our people, it’s tragic ♪

♪ [Kaiwi]: But as a boy, I once read that a dragon’s egg is magic ♪ ♪ [Kaiwi]: It can unlock a portal To the land where our kind is immortal ♪ ♪ ♪ [Cecilia]: If this is true… ♪ ♪ [Villagers]: We can’t fight forever! ♪

♪ [Cecilia]: …Life could start anew! ♪ ♪ [Villagers]: So we must endeavour! ♪ ♪ [Cecilia]: Leave at dawn with the others, I’ll catch up to you ♪ ♪ [Villagers]: It’s now or never! ♪ ♪ With powerful might ♪ ♪ [Kaiwi]: One last glance at the light ♪

♪ And the sword of her friend ♪ ♪ [Kaiwi]: Before I descend ♪ ♪ Their valiant knight brought the dragon to an end ♪ ♪ Toward them she sailed ♪ ♪ [Kaiwi]: Their army arrives! ♪ ♪ [Villagers]: How long will she take? ♪

♪ Her ship was assailed ♪ ♪ [Villagers]: We won’t make it alive! ♪ ♪ [Kaiwi]: I can feel the ground shake! ♪ ♪ Their swords met their mark Their arrows hit true Their tridents impaled ♪ ♪ She strugged to fight ♪ ♪ [Cecilia]: Their lives are at stake ♪

♪ [Villagers]: She has to survive! ♪ ♪ [Cecilia]: This mission can’t fail ♪ ♪ [Everyone]: Our goal is in sight ♪ ♪ [Villagers]: In the darkness we will thrive! ♪ ♪ [Cecilia]: All I need is the strength to prevail! ♪ [Edee]: Dingy! Hey… [Edee]: You ready to go? [Dingyfried]: What the… Hey…

[Dingyfried]: Oh hey Edee! That wasn’t the… [Edee]: Hey! Uh… [Edee]: No [Dingyfried]: Okay, I just that was a regular stick… Are you ready to go get the villagers? [Edee]: Yeah I’m ready, but uh… what were you reading? [Dingyfried]: Awesome

[Dingyfried]: Hmm? Oh this? Oh it’s nothing.. I mean I was pretty done anyway. Alright do you wanna head off? [Edee]: ♪ Are you ready to explore? ♪ [Edee]: ♪ Go out and find what we’re looking for ♪ [Edee]: ♪ Go beyond the banks of the shore ♪ [Dingyfried]: umm…

[Dingyfried]: I mean- [Edee]: ♪ And all you need to do is go out that door ♪ [Edee]: ♪ da da da da da dah dah ♪ [Edee]: Are we doing the song and dance thing again? [Dingyfried]: I feel like we’re out of time, but maybe for the straight to VHS sequel?

[Dingyfried]: Now that you have the Idea Stick, do you have any ideas you’re gonna start with first? [Edee]: No… I think it’s kind of cheating just having things pop up so I’m gonna put it away for now and just try to build on my own

[Dingyfried]: Do things the hard way? [Edee]: da da da da dah da dah… yeah… you know, it’s more vanilla that way [Edee]: So I watched your most recent episode… why didn’t you just tower up? That would’ve just saved you so much hassle from getting bit and turning into a zombie

[Edee]: I mean it looked cool… the intro was cool and everything, just, you know, just like 2… 3 blocks up [Dingyfried]: mmhmm… wow you know… [Dingyfried]: Yeah… I mean it would also have been quite a lot easier if someone hadn’t dumped a whole bunch of zombies into my cave in the first place

[Dingyfried]: but you know I mean… [Edee]: yeah who did that? [Dingyfried]: mmm…. Mmmm… I dunno hmmm… [Edee]: so where are we going? [Dingyfried]: We’ve gotta head to a swamp over this way, yeah [Edee]: I’ll follow you

[Edee]: Can’t we just fly there and craft boats over where your villagers are? [Dingyfried]: Okay your hindsight is 20/20 today… [trails off] ♪