WorldEdit: Easier Minecraft Building

Streamlining Construction in Minecraft with WorldEdit

Minecraft centers around the manipulation of blocks, offering players unparalleled freedom in constructing virtually anything imaginable. This building process, akin to working with digital Legos, can become remarkably time-consuming and even monotonous when projects exceed a modest scale.

Addressing Repetitive Tasks

For structures extending beyond a few blocks in dimension, the inherent repetition involved in building can be a significant drawback. The task of filling large areas or swapping block types, for example, can prove tedious.

Introducing WorldEdit

WorldEdit is a plugin designed to alleviate these challenges. It functions by simplifying the more repetitive aspects of construction within the game.

Specifically, WorldEdit excels at automating tasks such as rapidly filling in walls and efficiently replacing large quantities of blocks. This allows players to focus on the creative aspects of their builds, rather than being bogged down by laborious manual work.

By automating these processes, WorldEdit significantly enhances the building experience, making larger and more complex projects far more attainable.

Installing WorldEdit

WorldEdit functions primarily as a server plugin, though a singleplayer mod is also available. For users preferring a cautious approach to mod installation, establishing a Spigot server and downloading the WorldEdit plugin is a viable option.

Alternatively, if server setup is undesirable, the Forge Installer for version 1.8 can be downloaded and executed. Forge is a mod API designed to simplify the installation process through drag-and-drop functionality. It’s important to note that it is only available for version 1.8, not 1.8.1 or subsequent releases.

However, given that later 1.8 versions largely consist of bug corrections without significant feature additions, downgrading is acceptable. Within the Minecraft launcher, select 'release 1.8' from the 'Edit Profile' menu. The Forge installer will then add necessary files to your Minecraft directory and create a new profile labeled 'Forge'.

After Forge installation, download Liteloader for version 1.8. Liteloader operates similarly to Forge and can be installed on top of it. During the Liteloader installation, ensure you choose the 'Forge' profile as the base.

With both installed, launch Minecraft and select the 'Liteloader with Forge' profile. Allow the game to initialize; the initial run involves setup processes. Once loaded, close the game and access your Minecraft folder using Windows Explorer or Finder.

On Windows, searching for %appdata% in the Windows menu will reveal the 'Roaming' folder, containing the .minecraft directory. Mac users can access this by holding Command while clicking 'Library' in the Finder's "Go" menu, then selecting 'Application Support'.

Inside your Minecraft folder, locate the "mods" folder. This folder is created by Forge and Liteloader and serves as the destination for mod files. You will require the following:

WorldEdit Singleplayer
WorldEdit CUI

These files, one a litemod and the other a standard jar file, should both be placed within the "mods" folder. Upon restarting Minecraft, WorldEdit should be successfully installed.

The Forge/Liteloader combination is recommended for single-user scenarios, as it eliminates the need for a separate server. Furthermore, it enables the installation of the WorldEdit CUI mod, which provides a convenient visual selection indicator. Even if a Spigot server is chosen, installing Liteloader and WorldEdit CUI remains highly advantageous.

Constructing with WorldEdit

Upon successfully installing and launching WorldEdit, it’s advisable to locate a level building area to begin with. This minimizes interference from the existing terrain. For this demonstration, a super-flat world will be utilized.

Initially, obtain a wooden axe. This serves as WorldEdit’s selection tool, though it can be configured to use other tools. Currently, the axe is employed for defining block regions, not for felling trees. Left-clicking with the axe establishes the first point, while right-clicking sets the second; the area between these points constitutes the selected region:

Begin by selecting a grass block with a left click:

Move a distance away and select another grass block using a right click. This defines the floor area for your structure. This selection can be modified using commands. For instance, to transform the grass into stone for the floor, use the following:

//rep stone

This command will replace all blocks within your selection—excluding air—with stone:

Walls are essential for any shelter. To construct them, you must expand the current selection, which presently only encompasses the floor. Expanding a selection is straightforward:

//expand 6 u

This expands the selection upwards by 6 blocks. Alternative directions can be specified using 'd' for down, and 'n', 's', 'e', and 'w' for north, south, east, and west, respectively. If no direction is given, WorldEdit will utilize your current facing direction.

With a selection established, walls can be created using a dedicated WorldEdit command:

//walls cobble

Replace 'cobble' with the desired block ID. A comprehensive list of block IDs is available on the Minecraft Wiki.

The cobblestone structure appears plain, and crucially, lacks a roof. Begin by selecting one corner of the cube with a left click:

Then, move to the opposite corner and select it with a right click:

This creates a new selection, replacing the previous one. Attempting

//rep wood

would not fill the roof, as it only replaces cobblestone, not air. The correct command is:

//rep air wood

This specifically replaces air with wood.

Now possessing a floor, walls, and roof, the structure remains somewhat box-like. To add a second floor, a staircase is required.

Place two stair blocks some distance from the back wall. Select one with a left click:

And the other with a right click:

Stand on the floor directly in front of the first stair and execute:

//copy

Move up the stairs and then enter:

//paste

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This creates two staircases. The new set is positioned one block higher and forward due to your location during the copy and paste operations. Copying and pasting are relative to your position.

Repeat this process to reach the desired height (you may need to create an opening in the ceiling):

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The ceiling now serves as the floor for the second story, necessitating the construction of more walls. Place a block on top of a corner of the house and select it with a left click:

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Repeat the process on the opposite corner using a right click. Now, execute the commands previously used to build the cobblestone walls:

//expand 4 u

to define the build area, and

//walls wood:1

to construct the walls. Note the colon and number following 'wood'; this specifies a different wood type, creating a visual distinction between the floor and walls.

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The structure still appears blocky. Adding accents significantly enhances its appearance. To better separate the cobblestone and wood sections, consider adding 'reinforcements' to the wall, expedited with WorldEdit. Construct a similar pattern near the wall's edge and left-click one of the corners:

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Right-click the opposite corner:

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Then, facing the rest of the wall, enter

//stack 6

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This command duplicates the selected area in the specified direction. The direction can be defined as with the 'expand' command.

Repeat this process around the building, and create openings for windows. Also, alter the wood color near the floor for a trim effect by selecting both corners and running:

//rep wood wood:2

This changes the wood to a different color.

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To easily create windows, avoid manually placing glass panes. Select one corner with a left click:

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And the other with a right click:

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Ensure you only select the window frame, not the interior, and run

//rep air glasspane

Repeat this around the building:

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This provides a finished look, except for the roof. Instead of a flat roof, consider a triangular shape:

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This was initially built manually, but the rest can be replicated. Select one edge of the roof with a left click:

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And the other with a right click:

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Enter:

//expand 10 u

to select the entire roof area. Then, facing the rest of the house, run:

//stack 12

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The stacking may be imperfect; use

//undo

and

//redo

to correct any errors.

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The roof overhangs on one side but is incomplete on the other.

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Copying it over with WorldEdit is the easiest solution. Align yourself with the wall of the house; precise positioning is crucial.

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Stand on the roof, aligned with the wall, and facing the overhang. The current selection only covers a portion of the roof, so run

//expand 10

to select the entire overhanging section. Then, enter:

//copy

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Run:

//rotate 180

to flip the overhang. This command can have issues with direction-specific blocks, so use caution. It should function correctly in this instance. Stand on the opposite edge of the roof and run

//paste

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The positioning may be incorrect initially. If so, use //undo and //paste in different locations until correct. Remember, copying and pasting are relative to your position.

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After adding accents and finishing touches, the house is complete. It may take time initially, but proficiency will increase with practice. A build like this takes approximately 10 minutes with WorldEdit, compared to over 30 minutes in standard creative mode. Certain tasks, such as terraforming and constructing massive structures, are nearly impossible in vanilla Minecraft.