Minecraft Redstone For Dummies

Jacob Cordeiro has been playing Minecraft since the Alpha pre-release. He attends Stanford Online High School and is the author of Minecraft For Dummies, Portable Edition.

• Introduction 1About This Book 1Foolish Assumptions 2Icons Used in This Book 2Where to Go from Here 3Chapter 1: Introducing Redstone 5Exploring Redstone Basics 5Understanding How Redstone Works 7Discovering the Applications of Redstone 8Chapter 2: Getting Started with Redstone Programming 11Gathering Redstone Dust 11Laying Out Redstone Dust 12Carrying a charge 13Measuring redstone strength 15Connecting machines 16Crafting and Implementing Redstone Items 17Redstone torches 17Redstone repeaters 21Redstone comparators 25Redstone blocks 28Powering Blocks 29Understanding which blocks can be powered 30Making a block powered 30Applying powered blocks 31Preventing blocks from being powered 32Chapter 3: Using Redstone to Power Mechanisms 35Using Mechanisms to Activate Redstone Devices 35Powering Machines with Redstone 38Using Minecart Mechanisms 40Minecarts 40Rails 42Connecting Mechanisms 43Assembling simple creations 44Connecting machines with redstone 45Chapter 4: Understanding the Laws of Redstone 49Exploring the Laws of Redstone 49The laws of power production 50The laws of power reception 51Designing Space-Efficient Redstone Machines 52Building Some Essential Redstone Devices 53Producing sensors 53Building automatic minecart machines 55Chapter 5: Designing Logic Gates, Loops, and Other Devices 57Designing Basic Logic Gates 57The NOT gate 58The OR gate 59The AND gate 60The XOR gate 62Examining Loops 64Constructing a loop 64Implementing loops 67Manipulating Redstone Strength 68Constructing Various Useful Redstone Devices 69Implementing memory 70Designing a block update detector 72Building redstone vertically 73Chapter 6: Using Physical Machines in Redstone Devices 75Moving and Sorting Items between Containers 75Implementing and connecting hoppers 76Using hoppers to distribute items 78Building item-based circuits 80Pushing Blocks Around with Piston Machines 82Hooking pistons together 82Pushing powerful blocks 83Sticking blocks together with slime blocks 86Managing Entities with Redstone Circuits 87Moving entities around 88Using entities as input in redstone circuits 89Building Circuits and Machines with Minecart Tracks 89Understanding Other Applications of Physical Machines 91Building an automatic farm 92Programming fancy doors and locks 93Bouncing entities with slime blocks 93Chapter 7: Introducing the Command Block 95Obtaining a Command Block 96Programming and Activating a Command Block 96Applying Different Commands 98Basic commands 99Advanced commands 103Autocompleting Commands on the Chat Menu 118Implementing Special Arguments in Commands 119Examining relative positions 119Applying selectors 120Managing a Scoreboard 122Creating scoreboard objectives 122Acquainting players with the scoreboard 125Creating teams with the scoreboard 127Chapter 8: Using Data Tags to Customize Objects 129Understanding the Syntax of Data Tags 129Introducing Data Tags Belonging to Entities 132Integrating attributes and modifiers in entities 144Summoning customized villagers 146Throwing blocks around with the FallingSand entity 148Equipping and posing armor stands 150Implementing Data Tags in Items 151Modifying attributes through items 155Implementing the display tag 158Creating custom fireworks 159Containing Data Tags in Blocks 161Fixing Bugs in Commands and Their Data Tags 168Trying out some general debugging methods 168Identifying specific error messages 169Chapter 9: Combining Commands 171Discovering the Applications of Combined Commands 171Exploring interesting command-block combinations 172Connecting command blocks and comparators 173Using the scoreboard to combine commands 177Applying Commands to Redstone Machines 178Creating impossible machines with command circuits 178Setting command blocks on loops 180Using Generalized Variables to Create Commands Efficiently 182Using one command block in place of many 182Mastering relative coordinates 183Using command block minecarts 184Chapter 10: Building a Custom World with Redstone 187Introducing Custom Worlds 188Customizing a Map for Other Players 189Setting up the map 189Controlling the adventure with redstone 190Using Redstone to Produce Coordinated Events 191Performing tasks determined by active player input 192Triggering events with passive player input 193Constructing Challenges 195Planning out and assembling a minigame 196Constructing an adventure 198Chapter 11: Ten Redstone Tricks for Survival Mode 201Self-Harvesting Farms 201Adjustable Implements 202Dungeon Farms 203Fast Transportation 204Defense Mechanisms 205Mechanical Lights, Walls, Bridges, and Other Elements 206Elevators 206Handy Dispensers 207Automatic Notifications 207Redstone in Battle 207Index 209