Minecraft for Makers: Minecraft in the Real World with LEGO, 3D Printing, Arduino, and More!

by John Baichtal

Minecraft has sold more than one hundred million copies worldwide (about 25 million of those units for the PC and Mac). According to Mojang, since the beginning of 2016 Minecraft continues to average 53,000 copies sold per day. Microsoft bought Minecraft (and Mojang) in 2014 for $2.5 billion. In 2016, Microsoft released a version of Minecraft specifically for educators called MinecraftEdu that is used by thousands of teachers around the world.

Minecraft for Makers explores the intersection of this creative and beloved electronic game with the real world. It gives readers the opportunity to take familiar objects from the game - such as blocks, jack o'lanterns, and mobs - and make real-world versions of them. Begin with simple crafting projects using wood, paint, and LEGOs. Then move up to projects that involve basic electronics with LEDs. And, finally, advance to Arduino microcontroller projects that teach programming skills and basic robotics. The skills build progressively on one another, from chapter to chapter, and the emphasis is on fun all the way!

Chapters

Basic Projects (Item Frame with Diamond Sword, LEGO Minecraft Block, Minecraft Chess Pieces)LED Projects (Glowing Minecraft Block, Glowstone Chandelier, Minecraft Chess Board)Arduino Projects (Minecraft Jack O'Lantern, Night and Day Clock, Robot Creeper)

178 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 10, 2017

About the author

John Baichtal has written or edited over a dozen books, including the award-winning Cult of Lego (2011 No Starch Press), LEGO hacker bible Make: LEGO and Arduino Projects (2012 Maker Media) with Adam Wolf and Matthew Beckler, Robot Builder (Que 2014) and Basic Robot Building with LEGO Mindstorms NXT 2.0 (Que 2012), as well as Maker Pro (Maker Media 2014), a collection of essays and interviews describing life as a professional maker. John lives in Minneapolis with his wife and three children.

Reviews

[Allyson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a great book with amazing projects...if you have some amazing tools. I even think determined Makers could adapt some of the projects using cardboard instead of wood. But if you are looking for a book to get your Minecraft-obsessed teen or tween off the computer and making something in the real world, this is not the book for you. However, if you are a handy type of person and interested in investing in some tools and spending some time with your Minecraft-obsessed child in the garage or workshop, then you should definitely get this book.

[to'c · Rating 3 out of 5]

I grabbed this book on a whim of curiosity, not being into Minecraft in any way. Don't know the rules, never played it, never watched anybody else play it. But it looked like a fun book.

And, boy howdy, if you're into Minecraft and making (they do kinda go together) then this will be a fun book for you. Pre-teen and teen makers should especially find it fun. The projects vary from simple to slightly challenging but nothing anyone with an interest in Minecraft shouldn't be able to pull off.