The Fall of zaq: Day 2

On a side note, I posted my 1,500th seed photograph today (not including maps). Huzzah!

Continuing with my Fall of zaq series, here are the seeds I checked out that didn't make the cut:

zaq20	all biomes boring, x3 villages
zaq19	all biomes boring
	324.92.-19 - sheer half-hill 370.107.188 - sheer half-mountain (photo)
zaq18	awesome mountains in southeast corner
	15.12.-292 - x6 diamonds, lava room 368.94.341 - cool mountain tunnels (photo)
zaq17	thick jungle with nice flat desert mid-to-northwest
	-5.65.42 -- medium flat desert
zaq16	long peninsula east and a nearby island west
	-219.64.164 - entrance/ great lava caverns

TU9 Seed & Map: pfplum

Total Score
19.4 / 30.0 ( 64.7% )
RIM Scores (MAX: 10.0)
REAL	5.5	INT	9.1	MAG	4.8

Rating

• Beginner
• ++ Intermediate ++
• Advanced
• Expert
• Suicidal Expert
• Nightmare

Technical Details

Seed Number: -990 859 126
Version: XBL 1.4 (TU9) (no PC equiv)

Etymology

Plums are drape fruits from the plant subgenus Prunus -- hence, when you dehydrate them they are known as "prunes". But why aren't the plums called "prunes" and the dried plums called "dried prunes"? Blame the cavemen. The word "plum" apparently predates all records and plums, grapes, and olives have been found at sites dating to over 10,000 BCE.

Notes

I can't recall a single seed that has more flatland areas than this one. It's as close to superflat as I've been able to dig up. Ironically, I also found a cliff diving event.

Villages

• [342.70.355] village, x8 buildings, blacksmith, water well, x1 gold

Underground

• [207.27.52] ender portal; x1 eye
• [-98.43.-339] monster underground black ravine
• [-389.41.-235] dead drop into deep cave

Above Ground

• [198.69.242] large flat grassland
• [38.68.348] medium flatland desert
• [-189.65.294] small flatland desert
• [-320.71.396] small mushroom island
• [-354.71.-103] small flat grassland
• [-120.65.-316] dead drop for cave to black ravine; flatland medium desert
• [-17.63.-376] underground cave system
• [136.65.-326] pumpkins
• [145.66.47] small flatland swamp
• [140.67.-74] lava pit
• [247.107.-128] lone mountain; cliff diving event
• [-180.65.102] medium flat desert
• [-194.72.172] erosion
• [-24.64.52] large bay

TU9 Seed & Map: missscarlet

Total Score
16.9 / 30.0 ( 56.3% )
RIM Scores (MAX: 10.0)
REAL	3	INT	8.8	MAG	5.1

Rating

• Beginner
• ++ Intermediate ++
• Advanced
• Expert
• Suicidal Expert
• Nightmare

Technical Details

Seed Number: 131 368 7422
Version: XBL 1.4 (TU9) (no PC equiv)

Etymology

In the movie (and book) Gone With the Wind, Scarlet O'Hara is a fiery brunette with a short temper. She gets that from her father Gerald -- an Irish laddie who was forced to flee his homeland after he murdered a man.

Notes

Well constructed villages and some nice rock formations highlight this seed.

Villages

• [-189.74.-219] village, x11 buildings, guard tower, water well
• [293.70.-204] village, x9 buildings, water well
• [84.75.275] village, x8 buildings, blacksmith, water well, guard tower, lava pit

Underground

• [-4.24.-1] x6 red stone
• [-3.24.24] ender portal
• [-396.12.301] obsidian
• [202.53.-177] lava pit in cool cave

Above Ground

• [-246.67.207] basin and lake
• [-349.63.322] large cave
• [-334.65.-215] large flatland grassland
• [-170.65.-323] large flatland desert
• [71.71.-362] lava pit
• [101.114.-396] epic spire
• [104.66.-370] awesome cave system
• [294.72.-315] medium flat grassland
• [395.98.-356] tiny floater
• [175.65.-34] tiny ravine into medium cave
• [-62.66.125] lava pit

TU9 Seed & Map: colmustard

Total Score
14.1 / 30.0 ( 47.0% )
RIM Scores (MAX: 10.0)
REAL	8.3	INT	4.4	MAG	1.4

Rating

• ++ Beginner ++
• Intermediate
• Advanced
• Expert
• Suicidal Expert
• Nightmare

Technical Details

Seed Number: -380 973 526
Version: XBL 1.4 (TU9) (no PC equiv)

Etymology

The mustard on your cheeseburger is the ground-up seeds from the Sinapis hirta (mustard) plant. It is yellow. However, there are other colors of mustard. Brown, for instance, as well as black.

Notes

I know I have a lot of islands below, but this seed actually has a nice primary mainland with some nice flat areas and a good tree balance. I would highly recommend this seed for someone just starting out.

Villages

• [-188.72.-236] village, x4 buildings, guard tower, water well

Underground

• [29.45.111] ender pearl
• [28.43.144] ender portal, x1 eye

Above Ground

• [-168.65.389] medium mushroom island
• [-31.66.-311] medium flatland desert
• [304.70.-184] lava pit
• [344.71.89] small mushroom island
• [196.70.124] large mushroom island
• [-22.68.19] medium thin ravine

TU9 Seed & Map: blackmamba

Total Score
19.8 / 30.0 ( 66.0% )
RIM Scores (MAX: 10.0)
REAL	6.6	INT	10	MAG	3.2

Rating

• Beginner
• ++ Intermediate ++
• Advanced
• Expert
• Suicidal Expert
• Nightmare

Technical Details

Seed Number: -162 559 8279
Version: XBL 1.4 (TU9) (no PC equiv)

Etymology

The Black Mamba (Dendroaspis polylepis) -- a silver snake with a black mouth -- is a seriously troublesome snake in Southern Africa, but only because it likes to chill out (literally) in people's houses. Sadly, often they are killed by frightened locals. Currently, there are education programs and such to help people understand the importance of relocating the snakes to different locations because of their role in balancing local ecosystems.

Notes

Underground is ten times better than what you'll find above ground. There are also several erosions that make finding resources much easier.

Villages

• [308.80.21] village, x8 buildings, blacksmith, water well
• [261.70.341] village, x2 buildings, guard tower, water well

Underground

• [175.43.18] library
• [160.40.18] dungeon, zombie, x1 chest
• [236.31.33] dungeon, spider
• [209.33.31] ender portal, x1 eye
• [-164.27.-80] abandoned mineshaft

Above Ground

• [-187.65.394] pumpkins
• [-382.66.-54] lava pit
• [-382.64.-240] lava pit
• [-99.64.-254] deep hole to cave system
• [313.83.-388] small overhang
• [339.71.-387] deep cave
• [324.60.-203] waterfall cave
• [308.68.-134] medium ravine
• [162.66.355] medium erosion
• [147.67.237] medium flatland desert
• [36.68.282] pumpkins
• [-156.70.184] large ravine, great cave complex
• [-105.73.-150] medium erosion

TU9 Seed & Map: stenograph

Total Score
22.4 / 30.0 ( 74.7% )
RIM Scores (MAX: 10.0)
REAL	5.9	INT	7.7	MAG	8.8

Rating

• Beginner
• Intermediate
• ++ Advanced ++
• Expert
• Suicidal Expert
• Nightmare

Technical Details

Seed Number: 171 225 6393
Version: XBL 1.4 (TU9) (no PC equiv)

Etymology

A stenograph is a typewriter that produces shorthand -- a faster writing system used in courtrooms to take dictation as the witnesses are speaking.

Notes

Plenty of villages and -- if you visit them all -- you'll have at least six free gold to start with. There's also some good flatland here for people who like to build little towns and such.

Villages

• [85.70.101] village, x5 buildings, blacksmith, water well, x3 gold
• [102.70.356] village, x5 buildings, guard tower, water well, blacksmith, x3 gold
• [324.70.308] village, x7 buildings, guard tower, water well

Underground

• [42.45.110] x6 red stone, x1 gold
• [41.41.84] ender portal, x2 eyes

Above Ground

• [143.64.-328] medium flat erosion
• [120.65.-365] lava pit
• [-45.65.-357] small cave system
• [-363.80.-297] long medium cave
• [-332.110.-137] tall medium butte
• [-199.65.246] wide medium ravine
• [-4.62.320] medium cave complex
• [19.65.279] lava pit, obsidian generator
• [72.75.-237] mineral spring
• [164.69.-14] medium flat grassland

TU9 Seed & Map: tropicofcancer

Total Score
15.7 / 30.0 ( 52.3% )
RIM Scores (MAX: 10.0)
REAL	3.7	INT	8.2	MAG	3.8

Rating

• Beginner
• Intermediate
• Advanced
• ++ Expert ++
• Suicidal Expert
• Nightmare

Technical Details

Seed Number: 158 307 0288
Version: XBL 1.4 (TU9) (no PC equiv)

Etymology

The sun is often portrayed in movies and such as being directly overhead. However, in actuality that is quite rare and happens only near our equator. In fact, because the Earth has a weird orbit around the sun, the lines that indicate the furthest distance north and south from the equator that you could experience a moment when the sun was directly overhead change. This year, the Tropic of Cancer (the north one) will be at 23° 26′ 15.143″ north of the Equator.

Notes

Ironically, this one is full of snow and ice. There are also plenty of trees and lots of pumpkins. This seed has all the makings of a snow-golem invasion!

Villages

• [20.75.52] village, x9 buildings, guard tower, water well

Underground

• [-49.28.209] ender portal, x1 eye

Above Ground

• [-268.77.-300] pumpkins
• [-265.70.-347] pumpkins
• [-309.71.-384] medium cave
• [-353.64.-353] large ravine, awesome waterfall
• [-334.66.28] medium flatland grass/desert
• [-309.68.387] cave down to massive open ravine
• [-190.64.74] large flatland desert
• [70.65.-226] lava pit
• [33.67.195] medium ravine

TU9 Seed & Map: hortensia

Total Score
14.9 / 30.0 ( 49.7% )
RIM Scores (MAX: 10.0)
REAL	8.8	INT	2.8	MAG	3.3

Rating

• Beginner
• ++ Intermediate ++
• Advanced
• Expert
• Suicidal Expert
• Nightmare

Technical Details

Seed Number: -159 939 9015
Version: XBL 1.4 (TU9) (no PC equiv)

Etymology

While pressing their feet together, a ballet dancer leaps into the are and pulls their feet as high as possible. Simultaneously, they allow their knees to bend outward. This forms a diamond shape with their legs.

Notes

There is a massive desert island in this one and on it is a large amount of flatland for those of you who like to build villages and such.

Villages

• [-170.70.36] village, x10 buildings, water well, blacksmith, full iron gear

Underground

• [80.35.-97] library #1
• [32.29.-60] ender portal
• [45.14.-142] x5 gold

Above Ground

• [113.63.288] medium cave
• [294.66.328] medium ravine
• [377.66.272] pitfall into medium cave system
• [402.64.-266] medium ravine has cut this island in half
• [212.93.-344] large mushroom island
• [109.76.-370] medium mushroom island
• [-336.68.-108] large flat desert
• [-261.65.3] small collapsable sand dune

TU9 Seed & Map: tollgate

Total Score
11.3 / 30.0 ( 37.7% )
RIM Scores (MAX: 10.0)
REAL	3.7	INT	5.5	MAG	2.1

Rating

• ++ Beginner ++
• Intermediate
• Advanced
• Expert
• Suicidal Expert

Technical Details

Seed Number: -106 891 6602
Version: XBL 1.4 (TU9) (no PC equiv)

Notes

The southwest corner has some alright hills, but the big draw of this seed are the large deserts. I found a really cool ravine that was split into two by a hunk of land in the middle and the ender portal stronghold is another one of these broken affairs.

Villages

• [4.74.-219] village, x13 buildings, guard tower, water well

Underground

• [1.15.-7] x2 chests, x1 diamond
• [22.19.50] ender portal

Above Ground

• [207.68.187] dead drop, Y=29
• [277.65.-50] divided long ravine
• [273.65.-176] small tunnel
• [12.65.-342] medium flat desert
• [164.71.-127] pitfall with waterfall
• [-42.67.-141] open air dungeon, spider, x1 chest, gunpowder
• [241.90.-372] tiny floater
• [-277.68.393] pitfall, follow waterfall down/dig through gravel for gold and red stone
• [-5.69.249] lava pit, flat desert
• [-12.60.91] dead drop v