Traveling in the Wilderness Frontier / Questions

Discussion in 'Frontier and Player Outposts' started by Envie42, Apr 18, 2014.

  1. Hi - I am learning to navigate my way around the EMC worlds. It's a little confusing but the Wiki and guides have been a great help.

    [Disclaimer] This post is long and has lots of questions! No TLDR version, sorry. Looking for detailed responses. Thanks! :)

    As I stated in my other thread asking about Outpost lists, I'm particularly interested in working in the Wilderness, but am having some confusion so please bear with me as I learn. I appreciate all the feedback I've gotten.

    In another thread, NZScruffy said:

    Thanks for your feedback on this topic!

    After playing a day or two more in the wilderness, I'm starting to see how vast an undertaking it would be to go far out into the unknown (black areas on maps) to land your own outpost. I'm learning a bit about how to make the nether portals work in that regards.

    I am now revising my opinion that travel to and from town from the wilderness, or outpost protection are going to diminish the 'wilderness' survival aspect. I think I just need to learn more about how the Wilderness and Outposts work and how players survive out there!

    My biggest complaint right now is that when I die in the wilderness, I reset all the way back at the main spawn point. This makes travel very far out quite difficult.

    How are players getting so far out there to create these very remote Outposts?

    Another question regarding death and travel because I'm new to this and confused:

    If there's no way to create a new spawn point (ie sleeping in a bed) in the wilderness the way you do in single-player mode - how do players go so very far out there and spend weeks working on communities without dying and having to make the long trek back?

    And another question which piggy backs onto that one:

    I notice people saying you should not plan to settle or create Outposts on the same server you have your residence on because of long travel times. Why is that? I guess I need some clarification on this process ...

    And a final question about travel and storage:

    I've learned about nether chests and I also understand the basic concept of a nether portal and how to create one, but I'm wondering how this process works best for people traveling far out into the wilderness to create, or join Outposts? Is there a guide for this?

    ---

    I appreciate all of the great people on this forum helping as I learn (for the first time) how to play on a multiplayer server system like EMC.
  2. First, you can create a spawn point with a bed just like in single player. Second, you just have to have a lot of supplies. Outposts over 100k out a lot of the time have a nether rail, which means a mine cart system leading to a portal. One block in the nether is 8 blocks in the wild (correct me if wrong). So, if i go 20k nether blocks out, I will end up 160k wild blocks out if i go through a nether portal. Also, do not have a outpost on the server where your res is because, if you want to be able to build on a res and the wild on one server, you have to travel back and forth frequently. 20k out is a VERY long walk or quite a while of carting, and it can be a pain.
    Equinox_Boss likes this.
  3. Thanks for these replies.

    Am I doing something wrong with the spawn point process? I created a bed and slept in it (night cycle is longer than typical SSP game cycle, yes?) - but when daylight came and I did the 'Leave Bed' thing, I don't think that created a new spawn point because I died and reset back to main spawner area later that day.

    Ahh... Nether rail. Another mysterious thing I have yet to learn about!

    Someone needs to write a more detailed Wilderness survival and Outpost settlement guide maybe. ;)
    Equinox_Boss likes this.
  4. I don't understand why you did not respawn near your bed Envie, unless it was obstructed. You would have seen a message if that were the case. I assume you also did not remove the bed after you slept in it.

    When I first started playing on EMC I shared a shop with someone. It quickly became apparent that if I needed to be in Town to stock the shop I couldn't go far into the Wild on my server. So when I have made a project in the Wild, I have done it on other servers. Of course, there have been other things like drop parties and other events that I have missed on those servers because I didn't want to bother coming back into Town.

    In addition to your Town server, keep the servers with special events in mind when you choose a location to start a Wild outpost. If you like to participate in mob arena or fire floor, you'll want to take that into account when you choose which servers you want to use and how far out you want to go.

    Probably the thing I have crossed servers for the most is enchanting. I might have myself at a grinder on smp3 when I need to repair a tool on smp7. All I need to do is change servers then come back. If I were only using one server, I would have to run out to my grinder then come back. It reduces what might have been an evening's activity into just a few minutes. Another advantage to is that I can enchant or repair in Town or on another server and don't have to risk dying with a load of picks in my Inventory while running back to Spawn.

    Something you might want to try is joining an established group and see how they do things. Most people here would gladly let you join them and show you the things they know and like to do. I remember coming here after playing for a year in SP and being surprised at how much I learned in just a few months playing with other people.
    Equinox_Boss likes this.
  5. I don't know what I did wrong, but obviously I did mess it up somehow. I only tried that one time and when I went back to town, I asked in chat and got three different answers so I had no idea if I was able to create a spawn point via a bed or not. :rolleyes:

    I will try this again when I play this weekend and make sure I got a message or removed the bed. I'm supposed to remove the bed after I sleep in it? How does this set the spawn point if the bed is no longer there? I assumed I had to leave the bed behind so I'd have a place to spawn. I'm obviously confused haha.

    Ahh! Ok the light bulb just went on. :cool: I had no idea that when you change servers it creates a 'copy' of yourself. Is that the process? I couldn't find anything about this in the wiki and I admit I'm still confused! So you're basically just switching servers to play a different style (with a copy of yourself) on that server only - your character doesn't actually travel between them freely back and forth, correct?

    Thank you! These are all helpful things to take into consideration as I make a decision about which server I'd like to take off into the wilderness on for a grand outpost adventure! I think I'll just wait awhile and get to know the community and then choose to join an already established outpost for help / companionship since I came here solo. :)
    Equinox_Boss and Pab10S like this.
  6. apparently outposts are being frequent this week.
    but NZScruffy is pretty good with portals and nether rails, ask him to help.
    ive seen his portals and rails and they are very good and accurate
    Equinox_Boss and Envie42 like this.
  7. Do not remove your bed unless you actually want to go back to Spawn when you die. I was just making sure that you were leaving it in its place.

    Also, when I have gone out a long ways I have taken planks and wool with me or collected them as I went then left beds wherever I stopped. It has helped me avoid a lot of heartbreak.
    Equinox_Boss likes this.
  8. Ah ok I misunderstood then. And yes I think I destroyed the bed so that would have destroyed the spawn point too...duh! So is that how players are getting far out into the wilderness without a nether portal... a long trail of beds along the way? :p

    I want to make an expedition out into the unknown regions so I will be sure to collect a lot of wood and wool along the way!
    Equinox_Boss and Pab10S like this.
  9. Hmm.. there are a bunch of things happening that are pushing me more and more towards creating tutorials and other helpful tools for new players, especially around wild survival. So I'm going to figure how best to do that and get something out. (Might take me a while, as it's a fairly huge topic)
  10. I just realised the all-new method on using Nether Travel.
    Build a Nether Tunnel to anywhere,does not matter where you end up.
    Equinox_Boss likes this.
  11. A newbie guide to survival and travel in the Frontier stickied to the top of this forum would be really helpful!

    Also - this thread is very useful and contains some super awesome tips for those ready to head out and found a new outpost:

    http://empireminecraft.com/threads/tips-for-setting-up-a-base-in-the-wild.38196/

    I found much of the info given there by players to be useful to me even though I'm not at the point yet I'm ready to start an outpost myself.
    Equinox_Boss and PandasEatRamen like this.
  12. I'll explain how I approach wilderness survival and travel. Perhaps other players have other pro tips as well? (I have written extensively on another thread about forming a wilderness base, and when i find it, i'll link it here as well)


    Travel can actually be very safe, and very easy. Here is how the pros do it:
    • First you want to have an idea of exactly where you want to go. Look at the livemap, check out as much as possible where you want to go, and what is there already, and write down some exact coords of where you want to end up, or explore.
    • Then prepare for the trip, and the most valuable starting out items you can carry. (I will give an example of what to take with you later)
    • Nether travel allows you to move 8 blocks in the overworld for every 1 block you move in the nether. (As already stated). So ideally, you want to use portals to travel through the nether than portal into overworld at final destination. (Also helps to hide your overworld travel on livemap).
    • Ideal nether travel is done by tunneling near the very top or near bottom of the nether, where it is almost completely solid netherrack, very little lava, very few caves. IE. Height 120-122 or 5-10.
    • 1 Diamond Pick with Unbreaking 3 can mine aprox. 1.5DC's of blocks before it runs out. = 5184 blocks. Digging a straight 2 high tunnel = 2592 block long tunnel. So for every 2500 blocks you want to travel in the nether, bring +1 unbreaking 3 Dia pick. (Purchased for 2300r at 10034)
    • Netherrack is very easily broken. using an Efficiency 4 Diamond Pick, you will 'instant-break' netherrack. Using a Eff 4 Dia pick, you can dig a 2-high netherrack tunnel while Sprint while Sprinting. Which means, you can travel through the nether at springing speed while digging a tunnel.
    • I recommend you travel at least 5k blocks out from main Nether spawn, which will be 40k out in the Overworld Frontier (go far enough that you are over 3k into the black unexplored area). Start by heading to any Wilderness Frontier outpost that isn't Main (ie. North, South, East, or West) depending on what direction in the nether you are heading. Use, or create a portal to the nether, and you can start tunnelling from 1250 blocks away from Central nether spawn (cuts down some travel time, and helps to hide from griefers)
    • When you reach your Nether destination coord (overworld coord divided by 8), build a portal, and step through. Arm yourself, stash what you don't need, set your bed spawn, and have a look around. Explore the area really well, for 1000's of blocks all around. Remember, this is the where you will be building your base for many months/years to come. 1000's of hours spend building and living. Make SURE it's where you want to be.
    • If you are happy, place a lock on a chest, and lay your establishment claim on forums. Once Established, it's 100% all yours, begin PHASE 2.
    • If not happy with location, gather up all your stuff, step through portal again, and tunnel somewhere else. Repeat.
    Here is a quick list of stuff you may want to take with you, and why:
    • Full set of Tools, Armor, Weapons + Extra Picks for nether tunneling: - You want to get started at your base as quickly and efficiently as possible. Use the best gear you can get to get a massive head start on basic farms. + Flint and Steel
    • 1 stack (64) of each animal spawn egg: Mooshroom, Sheep, Chicken, Villager. - To create farms for produce resources, iron farms, mooshroom = isntant food + shear to make normal Cows.
    • 1 stack each of: Iron Blocks, Diamond blocks, Redstone Blocks, Gold Blocks, any type wood logs, Carrots, Potatoes, Seeds, Netherwart, Pumpkins, Melon seeds, Slime balls, Obsidian, Any wool. - These are all things you can easily carry in 1 slot each, but give you a huge head start in crafting and building of any items or farms you will need.
    • If you wish to get straight into helpful potions: bring a stack of any ingredient you'll need.
    • Other than that, bring items you'll immediately need in travelling there, and scouting, such as: Stacks of enderpearls to travel around. 2-3 fire resist potions in case you fall into lava.
    • To be continued.... (I ran out of time right now to finish writing)



    All players can create bed spawns. Supporters can set bed spawn any time of day/night. non-supporters can only set bedspawn at night.
    Make sure your bed is placed so that you have space to spawn nearby at the same level as bed is placed. Or respawning will fail. Also ensure that your bed won't get broken, or your spawn point will be removed. (hide it in a stone room with torches to avoid mobs spawning, etc.

    I think Pab and others covered this. Basically, choose a server that you don't see any reason to return to town on. So no residence, no server events that you wish to attend. So that you never have to make the trip. OR build a nether rail to your base and go AFK while you ride it. :)
  13. If you are going to sprint through NetherRack with an Efficiency Pick be prepared to fall or run into Lava pockets. Traveling the high road sometimes reminds me of one of those cartoon characters that runs off a cliff then finds himself running in mid air. The high or low road can put you hip deep in lava before you realize it.

    I like to wear Fire Protection Armor and kind of stutter run while watching ahead of me. Whatever your strategy, be careful doing this or you'll most likely end up back at your bed minus your equipment.
    Equinox_Boss and Envie42 like this.
  14. True. I'm rather a veteran explorer, and i react quickly to lava. I also wear full diamond god gear, and carry a fire protection pot on me at all time (not so much to survive, but rather to protect my armor from sustaining hideous durability drop from fire).

    It's not a bad idea to continually gulp down 8min fire resistance. it'll only cost a few pots to travel 5k+ at a sprint.
    Equinox_Boss, Envie42 and Pab10S like this.
  15. Your previous long post was FANTASTIC - thank you! It's definitely the type of post you should create separately (just copy / paste the work you've already written) - and sticky to the top of this forum for a newbie travel guide.

    As for being a veteran explorer and some of the suggestions you gave... while all are valid and helpful tips, some of them won't be as easy to accomplish quickly by true newbies to both the game and EMC, like me. Perhaps you could break your guide down into one section being a 'true beginner's guide' (Frontier Survival 101) for players starting out with absolutely nothing, and then a more advanced guide for those who have been collecting up the materials they'll need to create nether portals and enchanted armor/weapons and all the other things you listed. Breaking it down into two sections will help players get a reasonable idea of the time investment and skill needed to travel 40-50k out into the wilds if they are contemplating starting their own outpost.

    After reading all of your helpful information, I've decided to stick near town for awhile and do some resource collecting in the Wasteland until I'm ready to make the long journey in some random direction and either start my own outpost or join an established one.

    I'm getting better at not dying now - so that's one step in the right direction! Thousands of steps (blocks) to go before I'm ready to do a 50k sprint Overland or a Nether rush either one!
  16. Yes, when i do a guide, I'll break it into 2 categories. the 'ideal' best preparation and expensive. And a 'bare essentials' newbie guide. I'm drawing up plans for a youtube series for EMC wilderness survival. Hopefully from the planning stage all the way through building a multi-player community. I fear this may be too large a project though, but we'll see. :) I will try to release written guides to go along with the video, for more info as well.

    One thing I will try to stress is that using Diamond gear, and taking spare diamonds for repairs is a MUST. regardless of how poor a newbie you are, your best investment by far, is fully enchanted diamond gear. IMO. Just don't loose it to lava.

    Yea, that is the best idea TBH. You can head straight out and survive. But it's much faster if you earn some money, and build up some supplies before you go. Just depends what kind of experience you want i guess. :)
    Being that i've played survival a dozen times before, i have little interest in struggling the first few days/weeks. I'd rather go out fully prepped and begin work on huge projects. :) But the more I think about it, for this 'guide' project, I might start out with only what a new player to EMC would have, and go from there.

    There is just SO MUCH to EMC that I could go over, I don't know where to start. :) But i'll plan it out first, as best I can to give new players as much help as i can think of.
    Equinox_Boss and Envie42 like this.
  17. I'm pretty sure you only need efficiency 2, not efficiency 4. No use wasting xp :)
    Equinox_Boss and NZScruffy like this.
  18. cool, ok. :) I don't enchant anything below eff IV (natural enchant), so wouldn't know. lol

    But Eff 2 would make repairing easier.
    Equinox_Boss and supereskimo like this.
  19. Update: I've been asked to join the Nation of Volt in the wild territories of East smp9 and moved as of yesterday.

    I hope this thread gets saved as it's a great resource from NZScruffy, Pab105 and others for those seeking to strike out and found their own Outpost.

    For myself, I decided joining an already established Outpost / City / Nation would be most beneficial and fun. I'm having a great time out there!

    I'm an eco-biologist specializing in endangered Ocelot studies out there. ;)
    Equinox_Boss likes this.
  20. My favorite method for fast travel is to go to a mall, buy 8-9 efficiency 2 diamond pickaxes, a stack or two of steak, and the rest of my inventory speed potions, and you can mine as fast as you run, so once you get to about 10k blocks, you can make a portal and end up about 80k blocks out.
    Equinox_Boss likes this.