TU9 Seed & Map: corpsdeballet

Total Score
20.8 / 30.0 ( 69.3% )
RIM Scores (MAX: 10.0)
REAL	6	INT	9.3	MAG	5.5

Rating

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

Technical Details

Seed Number: 206 311 5192
Version: XBL 1.4 (TU9) (no PC equiv)

Etymology

In ballet, there are three categories of performer -- the principal, the soloist, and the corps. The corps consists of all the dancers who are not members of the first two categories.

Notes

What a cool seed. There are a lot of quirky rock formations -- some with waterfalls pouring out of them -- as well as some lava-floor ravines. Take care when approaching the ender portal; the floor outside the room has fallen away to reveal a small pitfall.

Villages

• None

Underground

• [-328.20.79] medium ravine with lava floor
• [-362.12.13] lava cave
• [417.12.-124] x5 gold
• [408.47.-125] dive down for great cavern
• [81.32.300] abandoned mineshaft and library
• [62.32.322] ender portal, caution: pitfall hole just outside of door

Above Ground

• [-400.99.320] large sailfin mushroom island
• [-273.74.-377] tall waterfall, secret cave, dig down at bottom for abandoned mineshaft with ravine in the middle
• [-215.118.-270] medium overhang
• [-117.117.-282] massive butte
• [-64.96.-307] awesome spire
• [-57.70.-355] pumpkins
• [56.64.-384] medium cave
• [366.66.-136] this is where the comet hit
• [143.64.-179] great ravine
• [-224.101.-156] medium waterfall
• [-123.68.-34] long ravine
• [-221.72.-36] lava pit
• [-188.107.193] large mushroom island

1.8.2 Seed & Map: chiaroscuro

Total Score
51.5 / 170.0 ( 30.3% )
Ratings
FLAT	2.5	V	--	M/H	2.1
RAV	3.9	C	5.5	AMS	6.5
HOLD	--	DW	8.8	OH	1.2
LB	2.1	FLOAT	--	SHADE	1.6
W	1.9	CLAY	6.6	LAVA	3.7
WF	3	LF	2.1

Awards

• Abyssal! 8.0 or higher in deep water.

Rating

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

Technicals

Seed Number: 1360937512
Version: XBL 1.8.2 (equiv PC 1.2)

Etymology

Chiaroscuro is the interplay between light and shadow. This applies to most artistic works like photographs, sculpture, and traditional painting.

My Review

This is a seriously challenging level. Both the nether and the top world have very little land to work with. However, there is a significant collection of underground features that will easily keep you busy and make trying this one worth the time to see. Also, if you're into clay, this is a level you'll want to check out.

The Nether

This is a wide open nether with plenty of lava, however the most interesting feature that I found was a lava fall that, due to the topology, splits into four different streams that then pour through the "fingers" of a rack shelf like maple syrup. It's a really cool thing.

The rest of the level is almost exclusively shelves, so unless you're playing creative, getting from one place to another is going to require some serious week-long bridge building.

Map

The southern portion of the northwest island is quite possibly completely hollow.

Underground

• [-60.20.90] abandoned mineshaft with gold
• [-64.22.30] chest, x1 diamond, red stone, and melon seeds
• [-46.37.123] underwater ravine, y=12
• [369.44.-73] tiny underwater cave
• [211.12.-260] x2 diamonds
• [-402.13.-64] x2 diamonds
• [-414.12.-45] x6 diamonds
• [-387.18.-32] x14 gold
• [-374.13.7] x16 red stone, x2 lapis, x2 gold
• [-42.28.333] x6 gold
• [-65.15.281] x4 gold
• [-88.25.320] x4 gold
• [-63.32.303] medium underground ravine, waterfall, two lava falls
• [-69.67.309] island; dig down in this spot to safely find ravine
• [-32.63.250] small underwater ravine, obsidian generator, Y=12

Above Ground

• [12.70.-209] small flat island
• [-314.63.-385] clay field, x5 deposits
• [369.72.366] lava pit

Images

[TOP] This is a really weird, bulbous spire? Butte? Overhang? What the hell is this thing?

[ABOVE] This is a view of the inside of one of the underground ravines (-63.32.303). The ceiling is open to the water above, so the entire midsection is difficult to pass because you're constantly being thrust down toward the floor.

Seed: sableandindia

Special Achievements

• Premium! This seed has scored higher than 40 out of 70 in the overall score.
• Anseled! Higher than 8 out of 10 in awesome features.

Rating

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

Spawn and Version

Spawn: -150.67.-250
Version: XBL 1.1.1 (equiv Beta 1.7.3)

Seed Score MH 7.7 DW 5.0 C 7.5 W 4.1 SP 5.5 VR 4.3 AF 8.2     42.3

Etymology

India ink is a standard black ink used by cartoonists and graphic novelists. A sable brush is a brush with particularly soft hairs made from the tail of a kolinsky -- a type of weasel. So technically, it's a weasel brush.

My Review

This is a fantastically beautiful and scenic seed. The pack of mountains around the monster volcano-style crater at -184.105.-184 could easily keep you busy for an entire game and you would never have to leave. But you should, because this level is gorgeous and some of these other features are to die for. Mountains abound on this seed, but really they are only shells for caves. Some of these caves go down to even Y=30, but none of them cut past the diamond/lava barrier. I found one real dungeon and one false dungeon.

Can't Miss

With so many things to see on this map, you'd think that there would be more than one can't miss, but this one is extra special. This underwater gravel deposit is absolutely massive and it sits precariously above an underground cave. If you dig in the wrong spot, you can easily destroy the cave and kill yourself -- although it is fun to run from the falling gravel (save game before attempting). There is already an entrance to the cave, but it's underwater so it's going to take some time to get there. Once inside, the cave is beautiful. Enjoy.

Underwater

• [-10.66.-351] humongous underwater gravel deposit
• [-33.64.313] deep underwater hole, down then west for huge cave
• [-61.63.324] underwater hole

Items of Interest

• [-109.65.-188] two medium overhangs and large land bridge
• [-168.65.-146] monster lava fall, so big you can find it on the map
• [-179.83.-199] tiny gorge with large coal
• [-184.105.-185] huge volcano-like crater
• [-194.114.-225] tall waterfall (cliff dive)
• [-159.120.-227] tallest point
• [-239.90.-239] cool valley
• [-251.77.-222] hidden cave and small land bridge
• [-273.73.-244] dead drop cave and small flatland
• [-281.72.-237] medium pitfall cave, Y=45
• [-363.70.-263] medium cave, Y=39
• [-263.87.-333] small sinkhole
• [-186.87.-315] small overhang and shortcut cave
• [-132.73.-367] large overhang and medium waterfall
• [-133.71.-325] medium overhang
• [-107.67.-314] sugar
• [121.76.-359] deep cave
• [216.73.-223] deep cave
• [245.70.-254] dungeon with one chest, 3 saddles and a hidi-hole, medium floater, and medium overhang
• [252.76.-319] massive overhang/land bridge, deep pitfall cave
• [217.80.-392] large overhang/land bridge combo, tall waterfall
• [346.67.-263] false dungeon
• [349.66.-228] medium clay
• [363.65.-95] large lake
• [329.68.-58] two small waterfall streams
• [306.69.38] two small overhangs
• [-160.69.326] medium flatland
• [-284.77.274] large hidi-hole
• [-373.69.362] medium spire
• [-357.71.242] large overhang
• [-359.68.76] deep dead drop cave, Y=32
• [-215.73.137] erosion with coal
• [-96.65.136] hidi-hole with coal
• [79.69.-102] large tabletop overhang
• [156.67.-98] large tabletop land bridge

Images

This level is so scenic that narrowing all of the photographs down to five actually pained me. The top image is of a beastly overhang/land bridge combo. As for the image right below it, how about that shot! It's like standing inside the visor of a massive space trooper. It was taken from inside the same formation looking out at the next formation, which was also beautiful. You can find it at 252.76.-319.

Moving on to the smaller images at right, the first is of a medium-sized butte as seen from between the legs of a medium land-bridge. It's a weird formation because this area was mostly desert.

Below that, I took this shot from almost the same spot where I spawned. This image and the one below it are from the same circular range of mountains that form a massive crater. These mountains go up to Y=120 and have a lava fall flowing out of them. So really, this formation is as close as you're ever going to get to volcano in Minecraft -- unless they program volcanoes into Minecraft (which would be awesome!)

Seed & Map: moonburn

Rating

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

Spawn and Version

Spawn: 6.93.0
Version: XBL 1.1.1 (equiv Beta 1.7.3)

Seed Score MH 6.8 DW 5.9 C 7.4 W 3.8 SP 3.9 VR 4.2 AF 4.7     36.7

Etymology

Uncle Fester -- a character from the fictional world of the Addams Family -- used to take pleasure in "moonbathing" to keep his milquetoast complexion looking its palest. Conceivably, because the moon does reflect rays of UVB, you could get a "moonburn" if you stayed out there long enough. Of course it could take days, but we're talking science here.

My Review

If for no other reason, the underwater zombie spawn is worth checking this one out. The one thing holding this seed back from being a premium seed is the lack of wood. It's so inconvenient, I just can't let it slide. Beyond that, you're going to find huge, flat stretches of sand speckled here and there -- perfect for someone looking to set up a waterfront condo or anti-creeper, Normandy-style beachhead. The north end of the map has many interesting formations, some of which are featured in the photographs you see here. All in all, a good challenge.

Dangerous Drops

• [-156.84.-367] dig down for large dead drop cave
• [203.59.383] pitfall cave inside of hidi-hole
• [235.73.-123] medium pitfall cave

Overhangs and Land Bridges

• [296.65.338] small land bridge
• [139.75.-334] small overhang with hidi-hole
• [119.81.-307] large land bridge
• [-91.71.-358] small land bridge hiding a deep cave with coal
• [-310.80.-361] small overhang

Items of Interest

• [127.71.-209] large floater
• [-2.82.-356] medium squat spire
• [-381.65.-45] medium sugar, small gravel
• [-326.68.283] grassland, small gravel
• [-362.79.325] stalagmite cave
• [360.74.312] medium cliff dive event
• [339.65.212] large cave complex with iron
• [335.65.137] underwater zombie spawn
• [359.67.52] small clay
• [300.65.-80] large sugar
• [353.63.-139] hidi-hole with river
• [380.67.-229] medium cave complex
• [247.68.-305] exposed stone with iron
• [235.69.-292] hidi-hole with coal
• [155.67.46] suspicious hole
• [-108.65.136] sandbar

Images

This large land bridge appears to drip rock from it's midway point. In the background, you can see that this is the entrance to a complex of unusual rock formations. Feel free to have a look around, but don't turn your back on the shadows for too long. You'll regret it. At right... don't go in there.

Seed & Map: E=mc2

Rating

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

Spawn and Version

Spawn: 35.84.191
Version: XBL 1.1.1 (equiv Beta 1.7.3)

Seed Score MH 5.5 DW 7.3 C 6.3 W 4.8 SP 3.3 VR 6.2 AF 5.1     38.5

Etymology

Einstein's famous equation (known as the Mass–energy equivalence) is the stuff of legend. It allows physicists to explain mathematically the resting potential energy of any object and links energy with mass -- a theory which at the time was revolutionary. Little known fact, E=mc2 is not the entire equation... only the part that people remember. The full equation adds a term that incorporates the energy at rest. However, when I tried the full equation, I was not impressed, so I used the one we all know and it worked great.

A reminder -- the "E" in the above seed name is capitalized. Obviously, since the Xbox doesn't do superscript, the "squared" is just a "2".

My Review

This was a really nice level. There are many interesting features to see above ground, some interesting caves and complexes to explore, and a higher-than-average amount of resources floating around for the taking. But beyond that, the one thing this level will probably become known for are the really cool bays, coves, and inlets that are scattered everywhere -- especially the islands. I spawned in a tree; while usually a harbinger of good wood, the forests in this level are a patchwork mostly confined to the northwest island and the spider-web archipelago. This seed as a ton of sugar. The barren and icy-cold northwest portion of the map is the only major flaw in this otherwise excellent seed.

Video

This seed appears in episode two of my groundbreaking Xbox Minecraft seed tourism series, This Old Seed. In this video, I show you how to get into the underwater hole at -59.65.370.

Sugar and Clay Deposits

• [16.65.39] medium sugar
• [-115.65.-49] medium sugar
• [-189.66.-122] small sugar
• [-99.66.-246] small sugar

• [-351.65.-342] small clay
• [209.65.-304] small clay, collapsing sand
• [73.65.-102] small clay
• [313.66.206] mega clay deposit
• [-402.65.84] small clay

Other Items of Interest

• [0.67.67] small hidi-hole
• [3.68.57] medium coal
• [4.65.39] deep cave with waterfall and skeletons
• [-287.65.-225] deep pitfall look suspiciously like a zombie spawn in stone, but I had no pickaxe and there were no sounds
• [-358.68.-275] small cave complex with zombie sounds
• [244.67.-258] tall waterfall, medium floater, sheer cliffs, and coal
• [311.70.-249] large coal in cliff face
• [160.65.-195] small land bridge, small floater, small coal
• [305.68.259] really nice small cove
• [376.70.344] pumpkins
• [265.69.350] large spire
• [-11.67.340] medium gravel
• [-53.65.364] cool bay, good place to dock a pirate ship
• [-59.65.370] deep, underwater hole with iron, coal, and medium lava fall leading to a large underground cave system
• [-254.65.311] wolves
• [-396.65.194] lava pit and ocean equals obsidian
• [-362.72.-167] shortcut cave with medium waterfall pouring out of it
• [-323.68.-265] small cave
• [-330.72.-96] medium coal
• [-303.72.57] medium lava pit
• [-12.73.101] small lava pit
• [-11.77.128] medium lava fall
• [-37.18.374] diamonds, obsidian generator, and red stone

Images

From underneath, this cluster of overhangs and land bridges scar the sky. The sheer cliff walls on either side create a valley that houses (among other things) a waterfall and a thick forest. At right, this is a medium-sized cave complex. At foot (out of frame) is a pitfall cave and there are some good coal spots in here.