What's Coming in Our October Projects? (How About a Little Minecraft?)

I had a booth last week at a local Maker Faire, where one of the SketchUp models I had on-screen contained Minecraft blocks. So for five hours, I heard "MINECRAFT!!!!" followed by a stampede of small feet toward one of our laptops, and a request to learn how to build something. Exhausting, but fun.

When I explained that SketchUp only makes "stand-still" models, you can't actually play with the blocks like you do in Minecraft itself, I thought the kids might get discouraged. Not so. They sat quietly assembling blocks into houses, fortresses, towers, and more, and usually got up reluctantly when their parents told them it was time to move on (and to give a turn to the kids lining up!)

So I thought I'd try a Minecraft project this month, as well as a timely pumpkin model, for our Projects of the Month subscribers.

Minecraft House

This project actually has two parts: setup and build. The first project describes how to take an existing model of blocks from the 3D Warehouse and set it up so that you can easily use the blocks in future models. The second part shows how to use your setup starter model to make a house with windows, a roof, grass, and even a pool, using different kinds of blocks.

(Note again that this project creates a SketchUp model, NOT a building you can use in Minecraft. There IS a way to import SketchUp models into Minecraft, which will hopefully be the topic of an upcoming project book, but this project stays within SketchUp.)

Pumpkin

Just in time for Halloween, you can make your own 3D pumpkin. This project shows one technique of organic models - building a model in small steps that, put together, result in a smooth and natural-looking object.

If your kids (or you!) are Minecraft fans, this is a set of projects you don't want to miss! Still just $24.95 for a year, sign up for our Projects of the Month.

Anyone can design anything in 3D! http://www.3dvinci.net/

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