Minecraft challenge

[druid91]

So, I'm considering putting together a bit of a D&D esque adventure for some friends in minecraft. Right now my plan for the story segments is to largely exposit the story via journals left in their path.

But I do also want to build on Minecrafts strengths rather than attempting to imperfectly replicated D&D, so I'm trying to think of challenges to throw in the players path that aren't just 'room full of monsters, fight."

Right now, I think some of the more particular ones are construction, and exploration. So building obstacles that require building. For example, the main one I was thinking of was a floating 'dungeon' that has several entrances that can be gotten into with different means, like a fountain with an open bottom that you can fire yourself into via TNT cannon. Or an entrance high up the side that you could build a tower to access.

One thing I'm thinking of doing is a sort of "Wrath/Favor of the Minecraft God" and setting up a guideline for construction. So while you CAN build a single block wide dirt bridge to cross a chasm. Doing so will anger the minecraft god, allowing me as the DM to inflict some sort of related punishment later. For example, planting TNT beneath one side of the bridge, so that when they try to cross again, it explodes. Or that bare wooden incline mysteriously goes up in flames. Generally the punishment should involve destroying the offending construction at an inconvenient time for the constructor.

On the other hand, if you go out of your way to build something in a manner that looks GOOD, then you might just find that normally inaccessable items will show up in your storage. Or powerful weapons/tools.

[Velaryon]

One thing I'm thinking of doing is a sort of "Wrath/Favor of the Minecraft God" and setting up a guideline for construction. So while you CAN build a single block wide dirt bridge to cross a chasm. Doing so will anger the minecraft god, allowing me as the DM to inflict some sort of related punishment later. For example, planting TNT beneath one side of the bridge, so that when they try to cross again, it explodes. Or that bare wooden incline mysteriously goes up in flames. Generally the punishment should involve destroying the offending construction at an inconvenient time for the constructor.

This idea can work in theory, but you've got to be really careful in how you implement it, otherwise it's the Minecraft equivalent of railroading. If you want to reward/punish based on the quality of construction, there ought to be a clear understanding of what constitutes an acceptable construction. And as far as destroying it goes, if you have server admin powers I think you can just spawn creepers on the aforementioned one-block-wide dirt bridge.

I'd say that other strengths and challenges in the game would include resource gathering and management. Maybe your team of adventurers needs to infiltrate a fortress made of obsidian. They can try to find a passage to sneak in, or tunnel under the walls, but if they want to go to the trouble of mining enough to equip everyone with diamond pickaxes, they can tunnel right through the wall, and have obsidian blocks as part of their reward for overcoming the challenge.

I've heard of a game challenge mode where instead of having swords, you get shovels as your only combat tool. The encounter takes place on a platform made of dirt (or snow, if you prefer) suspended over a lake of fire. So the challenge is basically to shovel out from under your opponents and try to cause them to fall into the lake first. Maybe you could use this somewhere?