The immense and enduring popularity of Minecraft is difficult to understate. Launching a decade ago, the indie title features an expansive building system that has given players the opportunity to push their creativity to its limits. Whether it be a replica of a location from another video game, massive sculptures, or creative architecture, Minecraft players have a penchant for going big.
Large-scale Minecraft projects have particularly come into their own over the past few years. One such project saw the recreation of Super Mario Bros iconic 1-1 level on a massive scale, including Mario himself, hidden blocks, and power-ups. While previously thought of as near-impossible, Minecraft players can now build to the scale of reality, thanks to new modding technologies. Now, projects by teams like Build The Earth New Jersey are possible, with the group crafting a true replication of the real-world state in the digital realm.
The team behind the ambitious project, known as BTE New Jersey, aims to recreate the entire east coast state in a highly detailed 1:1 scale. Work on the Garden State replica began just shy of a year ago, on April 19, 2020. The team has grown immensely in size since it began, now consisting of over 1,200 users. The entirety of the project is also supposed to exist on just a single Minecraft server. While the build is far from complete, several detailed screenshots have been released. Players interested in contributing towards building New Jersey (or any other BTE project for that matter) simply need a copy of Minecraft: Java Edition and to download and run the appropriate OS installer.
If the rest of the build matches what fans have seen already, the project will solidify itself as one of the most impressive Minecraft builds out there. One exciting prospect of recreating New Jersey in Minecraft is that not only can players see what the I-95 looks like without traffic, but can also fast travel straight to the state’s greatest landmarks using in-game mechanisms. The structures already created, like Metlife Stadium and Pulaski Skyway, are promising, but there is still a long way to go until the full scope of New Jersey is replicated. Detailed North American cityscapes have been built in the game before, but the projects take years, even for just a single city, meaning the BTE build team certainly has its work cut out for itself.
The New Jersey 1:1 build joins a roster of Minecraft creations that prove the iconic title isn't going anywhere anytime soon, with the game still growing its community long past its initial release in 2011. Recently one fan recreated U.A High School from the immensely popular anime and manga My Hero Academia, while another shared an impressive build of Braithwaite Manor from Red Dead Redemption 2 they designed. Although the game has been in the public eye for years, it seems creative fans are always finding new ways to experiment with Minecraft's world, whether that's through imaginative mods or jaw-dropping creations.
The large-scale projects being created by Minecraft players everywhere is a testament not only to the game's sound building mechanics but also to its player base's creativity. However, the amount of time required to create meaningful progress on to-scale locations is undisputedly gargantuan, and warrants the effort of a full-time job. One UK landscaping company is offering a Minecraft job, although it probably didn't expect the flood of applications from kids.
Minecraft is available on Mobile, PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.
Source: buildtheearth.net