Minetest
Introduction
This page explains what Minetest is.
Basic concepts
Minetest provides a builder, or player, with virtual worlds to visit and do things in. The worlds break down into maps and _games. We’ll come back to both concepts.
Servers and clients
Minetest can be used in offline mode. This mode requires a PC.
In offline mode, the user creates one or more worlds on his or her PC and visits them. No Internet is needed.
Minetest can also be used in online mode. In this mode, worlds are created by world hosts on the Internet. Users run a Minetest client program to visit the worlds.
Standard copies of Final Minetest include both the server program needed to create online worlds and the client program needed to visit them.
Final Minetest runs on Linux, Windows 7 and 10, BSD, and Devuan on Raspberry Pi.
As of 2023, there is no native Final Minetest client that runs on Android or iOS. However, the MultiCraft client program is able to visit Final Minetest worlds. MultiCraft runs on Android and iOS phones and tablets.
Minetest releases
Final Minetest is compatible with everything for now. This means servers and clients from Minetest 0.4.X Classic, Trolltest 5, MultiCraft 1 and 2, and Final Minetest itself including both old and new releases.
Warning: Final Minetest may not support post-2023 releases of Trolltest and MultiCraft.
Purpose of a Minetest world
There are four main types of worlds: Creative, Survival, Social, and Puzzle.
- In a Creative world, it's easy to obtain building materials. Food isn’t needed or it’s also easy to obtain. The point of the _game is to create interesting buildings and structures.
- In a Survival world, one must work to stay alive and to obtain building materials. The point of the _game is to succeed at both and to build interesting things as well.
- A Social world starts out as Creative or Survival and adds elements such as kingdoms, factions, trade, and/or warfare.
- A Puzzle world is about solving one or more puzzles. It may include elements of the other types.
Minetest maps
A Minetest map is the terrain in a world – mountains, valleys, etc. – and the buildings which visitors have created.
Minetest _games
A _game is a set of pieces that gives a world its personality. The pieces include tools, blocks to build with, rules, types of animals, etc.
Final Minetest offers a number of _games. Important examples include Bucket Game, MineClone 2, and MeseLite.
Bucket Game is a general-purpose _game with piles of features. It can be used to create worlds of any type. This _game might be too heavy for some mobile devices.
MineClone 2 has a look and feel similar to that of MineCraft (tm). It’s used to create Survival worlds.
Note to attorneys: Click here for a disclaimer related to MineCraft (tm) intellectual property.
MeseLite is a _game for Creative worlds that has plenty of features but is small, light, and fast. It works fine with old hardware and mobile devices.
