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If I want to build a really, really huge structure in Minecraft, say, a castle with towers, walls, several floors and over a thousand of squaremeters/tiles per floor, what is the way to go?

How can I effectively accomplish the task without running, climbing etc. around a lot, trying to get up to a wall in order to reach somewhere etc.? Give general ideas and don't focus on my example (the castle) too much. What is a good way to plan such structures before starting to build them?

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Are you willing to use cheats? – AttackingHobo Apr 18 '11 at 19:18
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@AttackingHobo: They are ok, but I prefer not to – Anto Apr 18 '11 at 19:19
The best way is to use 3rd party apps or SMP plugins or something. Doing it by hand is...time consuming. – Shinrai Apr 18 '11 at 19:46
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possible duplicate of What tools do you use to help you build structures? – user3389 Apr 18 '11 at 22:08
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My two rules of thumb are to always build from the bottom up, and lay water temporarily around the base of your structure for quick return to the bottom. – Keaanu Apr 18 '11 at 22:08
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5 Answers

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Rule number one when taking on a big project: Don't do it alone! Recruit some friends to help you out.

You can use a pixel based editor (Photoshop, Paint, etc.) to plan your constructions out. Each pixel can be one block and then you just design what you want.

I don't know of any off the top of my head but scripts can help if you plan to do vrey repetitive actions. Stuff like backing up while placing blocks to create a wall. I'm sure there are macros that would let you capture keyboard/mouse commands which you can use to build your structures.

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I have to slightly disagree here. I think the #1 rule is plan ahead. Without a good clear plan, adding more help can result in chaos. – Zoredache Apr 20 '11 at 19:26
Not saying it's the first thing you should do, just that it's my first rule when tackling something big. :) – Drew Apr 21 '11 at 20:02
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Copy and Paste. You'll probably want to design the unique elements somewhere (in-game or in an image editing tool), then build them once in-game and copy and paste them in-game using a mod to create the large structures you're looking for.

WorldEdit has copy/paste support but loading it in Single Player requires some careful modifications. It's a bit easier to install if you're working on an SMP server.

For designing your project... Minecraft is really best. Be prepared to build a lot of temporary stairs to stand on as you test out designs. Or install a flying mod.

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up vote 1 down vote

I would highly recommend the WorldEdit feature.

You could also use the TooManyItems mod for an in game inventory editor and you could install zombe's modpack for the flying ability.

Looking up a few tutorials can't hurt either. Check YouTube.

You can use Paint or Photoshop or indeed any image manipulation program for planning and you could ask a few friends for faster construction.

But in my opinion, MCEdit is the top of the hill when it comes to building giant structures.

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Creative mode can be a major boon for this if you just want to build. Flying helps with tall structures.

Otherwise, I suggest doing it in multiplayer, since you'll probably want some people restocking supplies while others use them up.

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Creative mode is a good idea because you will have unlimited resources to use plus the ability to fly. This sounds like just what you need for this kind of tall and complicated project.

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