Slioch Croft

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Slioch Croft
Survival 4 Beagle
Slioch Croft Overview Feb-2021.png
Slioch Croft in Feb 2021
Base
WorldSurvival 4 (Beagle)
Builder(s)20.png Donmn
FoundedAugust 2020
Map
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Slioch Croft was the base of 20.png Donmn on the Beagle Survival 4 world of the Dogcraft Server and was founded in August 2020.

About

Slioch Croft was the homestead of 20.png Donmn. It featured a relatively low profile on the surface: a small log cabin and some simple farms, but opened up underground with extensive mining, farming, storage and trading areas. It was named after a beautiful mountain in the Scottish Highlands. Further into the bases construction, Slioch Croft came under attack by a large dragon, following a rash attempt by locals to steal one of its eggs.

History

A simple start

Following a rather frantic first few days on Beagle (including my first death to a trident wielding drowned, 15 blocks out of Camp Beagle), Donmn eventually discovered a cove that was to become Slioch Croft.  Previously unknown to the Beagle population, it was a tranquil place where the bees roamed freely, the turtles and dolphins played and pirate treasure was unlooted.  The log cabin, a design by 20.png Keralis, went up first, followed by crops and a bit of mining.

Home sweet home

While Donmn's needs were simple, over time the area grew into a productive plot which emphasised function over beauty.  A simple 9x9 crop field built on the first day still provided all the wheat, carrots and potatoes for the croft.  Small enclosures for sheep, cows, chickens and rabbits ensured a farm-like feeling. A small turtle aquarium supplied turtle eggs.  Chance discoveries from around Beagle and the Mall provided all tree types and chorus plants which growing around and about.  The first automated farm was a pumpkin and melon farm, followed later by wool and honey equivalents.  Underground, following some significant mining activities, a villager trading hall, iron farm, kelp farm, mob farm, storage room were set up around a lucky slime chunk.  A cave spider spawner was turned into a grinder for string and wither roses.

Gallery


The Dragon

Slioch Dragon
Survival 4 Beagle
Dragon Build - Feb 2021.png
Dragon Build - Feb 2021
Build
WorldSurvival 4 (Beagle)
Builder(s)20.png Donmn
Map
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The Build

In December 2020, in the midst of a COVID lockdown, Donmn made the decision to start an Omega challenge and the Dragon project was born. Fascinated by 3D modelling, they began to learn how to get a 3D model into Minecraft. The start was made with a DAZ3D dragon model and with the help of WorldEdit, BinVox, Litematica and hours spent on Reddit and Youtube, a large stone dragon loomed over their creative world. Unfortunately, despite its size (roughly 256x256x170), the model's wings were too thing to voxelise and had to be filled in by eye. With a basic body and wings in place, Donmn started transposing the build to Beagle, block by block.

The sheer size of the structure, the resources required and the challenges provided by playing in survival made this undertaking and overwhelming task, which was elevated by the decision to change it from a simple sculpture to trying to make it look alive. But eventually, following long resource gathering sessions and working out the best techniques for building the dragon in survival, the beast started to take shape. In February 2021 the main body of the dragon was completed in netherrack, with a pair of fully textured wings done as well.

The next steps were the full texturing of the body, which included a lighter belly, some claws, texturing the skin and tackling the head (teeth, eyes, fire). This process was followed by terraforming around the structure to fit it into the landscape and drafting a story around the dragons power and destructive might.

Build Gallery


How to build your dragon...

A few have asked how this came together so here is a quick guide to building something from a 3D model:

WARNING: You cannot run any of the mods below on the client that connects to Dogcraft!

  • Step 1: Export model as an obj from 3D tool such as Daz3D
  • Step 2: Scale and convert obj model to MC WorldEdit schematic (such as BinVox)
  • Step 3: Import Schematic to Fabric server running MC with WorldEdit mod and Litematica mod
  • Step 4: Tidy up imported model and fill in any missing bits
  • Step 5: Identify areas and mask off using different materials
  • Step 6: Paint model with final materials
  • Step 7: Use Litematica mod to capture final model and then present in layers
  • Step 8: With Litematica running on left and Dogcraft on right, place blocks for each layer


How to gallery