This freaking game. We just moved to South Carolina and Minecraft has become my job.
BONUS. Welcome. Your life is NOT your own.
Let me share with you. ONE bit of advice. But first, some history.
In my world, survival. I have 3 "Houses" going. My first one where it started out as a "Hidey Hole" and has since become my "Mining center".
Then my castle. HUGE above ground structure with turrets and spires reaching for the sky. Patio terraces where I sit and overlook the land and plot my next moves by the light of the moon.
Then there is a woodsman hut, in a woodsy area. Where I replant trees, grow gardens (Trying to LOL. FAILING at that miserably) and hide and cower if I get caught out late at night.
Last night, I an building a cobblestone staircase off my terrace at my castle, that will take me to the top of the mountain. I am NOT good about walking to the edge and placing cobblestone below me trying to do that WHOLE ANTI GRAVITY thingy. (Thank you NOTCH.That does ROCK) So I fell off. And I was building at night. I am feeling pretty cocky. So I eat to replace the lost hearts. Leather armor. Check. LETS ROCK.
Well, in 45 seconds. I am getting my arse kicked. Skele's HURT.
So I run like a little boy deep into the night. Well. Guess what. I'M lost! Dig a new hidey hole. No clue where I am. Wait for dawn. Go exploring. I NEVER left this "supposed" island. So just follow the shore. I will find my first place. Yes? 4 day/night cylces. Each one with a new simple hidey hole. Well, on the 4th one. I jumped out a little early. The Zombies in the distance were on fire but the ones ABOVE ME WERE NOT as the sun beams had not hit them yet. DEAD. DEAD. Respawn. Walk the whole day cycle to my mining complex. And thats when it hit me. COMPASS ROCKS.
I NEVER BUILT ONE BECAUSE I THOUGHT THEM A WASTE. My 'homes" are SO far from my spawn point. But I do know how to get to my Mining complex from my spawn point. Albeit long. So now, I must lament that 128 torches, that were going to be lanterns, are now lost to the 7 minute death timer this goes away thingy.
Had I had a compass. Perhaps I could have gotten closer to my homes and 128 torches would still be ready to become lanterns. (Yeah, that is what I was most upset at as coal and IRON are SCARCE in my world.)
BUILD A COMPASS. Trust me. Build a compass.