Tutorials/Getting started

Some people are a little daunted at the no-instructions aspect of Minecraft. This page is to help them out.

Basically, as a sandbox game, there are no "rules" and no right or wrong way to play. However, it is important to know the controls and have a plan of action for the first day. When darkness falls, monsters can spawn and attack the player, so it's important to find safety and create light.

Controls

 * WASD to move.
 * Mouse to look around.
 * SPACE to jump.
 * Left-click to use the item in your hand to dig, mine, or harvest blocks.
 * Right-click to use the item in your hand, such as placing a block or torch, or attacking with a sword
 * Right-click also activates special blocks such as Workbenches and Furnaces.
 * I or B (depends on the game version) to view the inventory screen.
 * 1-9 or mousewheel to select an item in your inventory "speed bar."
 * Left-shift, when held, allows the player to sneak, which prevents falling off of ledges.

Basic tasks

 * Chop at a tree with your hands to get Log blocks. (If you chop leaves, you'll get Saplings, which can be planted on dirt to grow more trees.)
 * With 1 Log block, you can make 4 Wood blocks. (see crafting page.)
 * With 4 Wood, you can make a Workbench, which you will need to make many items, such as most tools.
 * With 2 Wood, you can make 4 Sticks.
 * With 2 Sticks and 3 Wood, you can make a wooden pickaxe at the Workbench.
 * Once you mine stone, 2 Sticks + 3 Cobblestone will give you a stone pick, which has much more durability than a wooden tool.
 * Coal can be mined once you have a wood pick.
 * 1 Stick and 1 Coal makes 4 torches which will provide light. Monsters won't spawn in well-lit areas, allowing for places of safety.
 * A path of torches can make it much easier to navigate once night falls and it is dark.

At this point, a good start can be made towards building a small house that's kept well-lit for safety at night. Once this initial camp has been set up, it's much easier for the player to mine or explore without having to worry about being caught stranded or losing all of their items. Another option is putting the difficulty on peaceful, although you don't get the real essence of the game, you can work during the night in open space.