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

TU12 Seed & Map: knifework

Total VRIM Score
30.5 / 40.0 ( 76.3% )
Individual Scores (MAX: 10.0)
VIS	3.3	REAL	8.7	INT	10.0	MAG	8.5

Photos
Map

Rating

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

TU9 Seed & Map: mrspeacock

Total Score
21.8 / 30.0 ( 72.7% )
RIM Scores (MAX: 10.0)
REAL	7.3	INT	8.2	MAG	6.3

Rating

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

Technical Details

Seed Number: -197 140 6414
Version: XBL 1.4 (TU9) (no PC equiv)

Etymology

Peacocks are fabulously lovely birds who make a horrific racket all day long. Hugh Hefner has a couple dozen peacocks living on the grounds of the Playboy Mansion. Are they there for camouflage to keep the neighbors from complaining about more sordid noises? Tricky, tricky Hef!

Notes

The dark cave behind the waterfall is a really unique find. Yes, it's on the edge of the map and may be a pain to get to depending on where you start, but I've got to say it's totally worth it.

Villages

• [308.70.3] village, x8 buildings, water well, guard tower, x3 gold
• [-395.76.-154] village, x10 buildings, water well
• [-155.73.52] village, x2 buildings, guard tower, water well

Underground

• [-111.40.-19] ender portal, x2 eyes

Above Ground

• [-150.61.367] small cave, dig down at bottom for more cave
• [279.99.-119] large floater
• [315.92.-143] danger: dead drop in shadows
• [316.87.-200] medium floater
• [308.91.-340] medium spire
• [306.65.-332] dead drop to medium cave, Y=32
• [135.99.-329] small land bridge, lava fall
• [274.64.-391] dark cave behind waterfall
• [-24.93.-192] one small, medium, and large crater
• [102.68.169] small cave complex
• [-62.72.-21] large ravine tunnel
• [-391.65.18] medium ravine

Seed & Map: waves

Rating

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

Spawn Coordinates

32.86.2

Seed Score MH 4.3 DW 6.5 C 5.7 W 2.3 SP 5.1 VR 3.7 AF 4.2     31.8

My Review

This level is half icy and half grassy, but there are enough trees, caves, and formations breaking up the monotony that I rate this seed acceptable for players of all skill levels -- including beginners. After I finished mapping out this level, my friend GVdaMan and I went back to the dead drop at 187.73.166 and jumped down the hole. After a little exploration, I was able to break through into a massive hidden cave complex full of gold, red stone, and other goodies.

The Nether

So, my buddy GVisDaMan and I have been playing this level for a little bit and we took a little trip into the Nether to see what was up. Boy, were we in for a surprise. The Nether is entirely open, with lava on the floor as far as you can see. There are multiple lava falls and getting to the glowstone on the ceiling is a project and a half.

We spawned on a ledge on the side of a cliff surrounded by a drop to our death and a flowing river of lava that cut off our path. We had to build a bridge over the lava flow just to have a look around. Later on, I went back and dug through the cliff in the opposite direction and found some good flatland/soul sand on which to build a fort.

Items of Interest

Warning: the following list contains coordinates and descriptions of the majority of resources and other features in this seed. If you prefer to discover these things on your own, skip ahead to the final paragraph.

• [-24.89.102] coal in crevasse
• [-99.67.221] lava pit with water (obsidian)
• [-48.77.158] medium overhang over deep basin
• [-118.65.266] sugar
• [-114.67.317] zombie sound
• [-20.82.315] zombie shortcut cave
• [345.66.120] gravel
• [379.65.108] small lava fall, sugar, and coal
• [367.81.37] coal
• [390.96.-3] big cliff dive experience
• [400.69.-7] tall waterfall
• [395.68.-49] medium floater
• [364.72.-48] pumpkins
• [256.64.-55] hidden lava pit, instant obsidian
• [248.65.-66] other side of hidden lava pit, iron
• [320.68.-403] northeast corner, landmark: "The Tortoise and the Hare"
• [210.69.-328] hidi-hole with iron and coal
• [44.66.-334] small flat beach
• [-28.79.-352] small floater
• [-63.87.-232] high cliff dive experience
• [-201.65.-202] overhang and cave
• [-235.68.-362] pitfall
• [-358.69.-220] large overhang over water
• [-326.65.-211] sugar
• [-330.76.99] medium lava cave with coal
• [-338.73.126] medium cave and nearby stout spire
• [-354.71.224] deep cave
• [-232.65.268] medium lava pit
• [-215.65.228] medium lava pit near water (obsidian)
• [-170.64.97] deep hole
• [156.73.-156] small waterfall, coal, and medium cave
• [157.66.-120] medium hole
• [177.65.23] dig down for hidden cave
• [187.73.166] deep dead drop hole; descend to Y=52, mega coal, medium iron, dig west and down for more goodies
• [168.39.177] underground tunnel, gold, coal
• [138.13.152] a cavern full of gold
• [149.20.124] iron and a lava fall

Images

You know, most levels have very few landmarks that you can identify just by looking at them. This, however, is a landmark formation I call, "The Tortoise and the Hare". If you stare at it long enough, it makes sense. At right, this is a medium floater hanging out just past a large cliff.

There are two photos of the Nether. The first is a view looking southwest from the ledge that we got spawned onto. Digging through the side wall will take you to a nice flat area for a fort. The second image is a shot from that flat area of a nearby lava fall.