How to build a Minecraft town in 30 minutes

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Minecraft is a sandbox construction game involving players creating and destroying various types of blocks in a three dimensional environment. The player takes an avatar that can destroy or create blocks, forming fantastic structures, creations and artwork across the various multiplayer servers in multiple game modes.
As such it is a hotbed of virtual cities and towns which when stepped back from has notable potential for data visualisation, community planning and even public GIS. The movie below is a neat time-lapse detailing how to build a town in 30 minutes:

We will have more on Minecraft in future posts...

ARhrrrr! Augmented Reality Mobile Phone Gaming

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ARhrrrr is an augmented reality shooter for mobile camera-phones from the Augmented Environments Lab. The phone provides a window into a 3d town overrun with zombies. Point the camera at our special game map to mix virtual and real world content. Civilians are trapped in the town, and must escape before the zombies eat them! From your vantage point in a helicopter overhead, you must shoot the zombies to clear the path for the civilians to get out. Watch out though as the zombies will fight back, throwing bloody organs to bring down your copter. Move the phone quickly to dodge them. You can also use Skittles as tangible inputs to the game, placing one on the board and shooting it to trigger an explosion:

By merging graphics with props in the physical world, handheld Augmented Reality games pull the player through the small screen and into a larger merged play-space. Take a look at the project page for more info...

If you want to start experimenting yourself see our Quick and Easy Augmented Reality Tutorial.

Thanks go to Marek for sending us the link via Engadget.