Human beings are extremely adept in navigating through three-dimensional space. In minecraft , that's the way the world operates. But try to add an additional dimension to something as simple as like Minecraft and suddenly things turn into the tangled.
4D Miner is, as such confusing. It's available as a demo for free on Steam (opens in new tab) Developer Mashpoe's multi-dimensional version of Minecraft is a lot to grasp even after completing an instructional video that explains the concept of dimensionality way of the cute frog.
The playable tutorial introduces you to the concept of rotating through dimensions by showing you a 2D platformer, and a visualisation of how the "slice" of the world is representative of an entire 3D space. Scroll the mouse wheel and the slice will rotate, changing the 2D view.
You can play the game, and you will get the same experience. You are able to explore a 3D environment, as per regular Minecraft. But scroll the wheel and your "slice" of the larger 4D space rotates, shearing the world against itself. If it sounds confusing, it's because I'm still trying to visualize how the dimensions are connected to one another-at first appearing to fold the world into itself, a cubic universe discovering diagonals as a hidden plane turns against, or within or on top of it, and oh god it's all very confusing isn't it?
When you look around from an 3D perspective, you'll need to rotate your way through the fourth dimension in order to continue exploring. Things could fall from rock blocks or trees outside of your current view caves may open up into valleys of forest or you might be attacked by horrendous Hyperspiders that don't fit into your current frame of reference.
There are tools available to aid you in understanding 4D space. You can make 4D glasses using a mystery ore, allowing you to see things from a different angle. A compass is a different matter, will give you an accurate representation and help you find out where you are.
As of now, 4D Miner is a pretty basic emulation of Minecraft's mechanics. However, the added dimension adds an infinite amount of complexity to something as simple as "how do I construct an apartment in four dimensions?" The developer even plays with the idea of a four-dimensional multiplayer, which sounds like a wonderfully chaotic method of getting confused with a friend.
"On the surface, this game may appear a little like Minecraft and the inspiration is unquestionable," Mashpoe said in a YouTube explainer. "But things like building, gathering resources and even navigating within the game are entirely different. This is a big difference in every mechanic in the game.
"I intend to expand this aspect of the game further in the near future, so that most of my new game mechanics are focused on how the player interacts the fourth dimension."
Mashpoe attempted to Kickstart 4D Miner last month and failed and has since resorted to Patreon (opens in new tab) to further develop the game. In the end, it's difficult to decide if 4D Miner will be able to stand on its own merits as a gaming experience, or if it will remain a tech demo that's too confusing its own great.
But I would like Mashpoe to continue his research in 4D space. Let me take a moment to rest, all this dimension-bending has given me a headache.
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