FOSS gamedev and creative worlds

I've discovered Minetest about 3 days ago and have that much experience in it so far, so if these are questions that have been hacked out over and over again, please let me know and point me in the right direction if possible.

I'm running Ubuntu 12.04 and I believe my girlfriend is running the same. I seem to have downloaded a Minetest C55 0.4.7.

In my brief overview of googling Minetest-related questions, I've noticed that there is a preponderance of versions and mods to work with. My first question regards being able to play with my girlfriend, who is on a different computer in the same room. For the life of me, I can't seem to find the webpage where I originally downloaded Minetest (I found one that gave me directions using the Ubuntu terminal), and everywhere else I look all the versions appear different from mine. Does my girlfriend need to be running the EXACT same version as I? And if so, how can I make sure that she has that one?

Second, can our computers connect with each other directly or do we need to connect to a server? If the latter, do I need to make that server or do I access ones that already exist?

Third, regarding iron, searching through forums I've noticed this stuff is particularly hard to come across. I found a bunch in my game right in the beginning as I started to dig into the side of a mountain, and now it seems I can find nothing but coal. Then annoyingly my character glitched out and fell through the ground, leaving me to make another character who had no steel tools and until now no way of replacing them. So, is there some strategy for finding iron or should I just jump for joy whenever I find it?

Thanks!
-Vyst

Finding iron isn't too difficult, just dig downwards. It's uncommon but it can be found. I quite often find a few hundred pieces within a few hours of digging.

You usually won't find iron above sea level (altitude 1).

To play on the same server, it is highly recommended all clients use the same version.
Yes, you can start a local server, by going to the "Advanced" tab, leaving the address field empty and connecting. Other clients use your internal IP to connect, which you can get by typing ifconfig.

Also, you could try compiling from Git. 0.4.7 is quite old now.

Calinou wrote:You usually won't find iron above sea level (altitude 1).

To play on the same server, it is highly recommended all clients use the same version.
Yes, you can start a local server, by going to the "Advanced" tab, leaving the address field empty and connecting. Other clients use your internal IP to connect, which you can get by typing ifconfig.

Also, you could try compiling from Git. 0.4.7 is quite old now.

If you are using minetest-dev, it should be under "Server"

Found lots of iron, guys! I just kept mining deeper and deeper. :)

Calinou wrote:Also, you could try compiling from Git. 0.4.7 is quite old now.

Hah, great. Could you explain how I do that or point me to a source that does?

Thanks!
-Vyst

Vyst wrote:Found lots of iron, guys! I just kept mining deeper and deeper. :)

Calinou wrote:Also, you could try compiling from Git. 0.4.7 is quite old now.

Hah, great. Could you explain how I do that or point me to a source that does?

Thanks!
-Vyst

When you read the instructions under Compiling on GNU/Linux: , scroll halfway down the README.txt here: https://github.com/minetest/minetest you can copy/paste the commands.
2 things:
- For Lubuntu I put "sudo" before apt get etc..
- cd minetest-minetest-286edd4 --> look in your homefolder for the current 'name'. 286edd4 is just an example.

To get a more recent windows build, just search for fess build which is 64 bit and then sfan5 or blockmen build for 32 bit windows versions. Start looking from the last post going towards the first and you will find their latest build all ready to run on windows.

Okay, I seem to have compiled for myself and my girlfriend the latest version of Minetest. I wanted to attach a screenshot but I can't seem to figure out how.

I still can't seem to get us to connect. Right now I made a new world (SchmuckadaliusLand), typed in my name, left the server blank, kept the port at 30000, checked the Public box, then started the game.

The game started fine, then on my girlfriend's computer I went to the Client tab, had her type in my name, left out the password, put in my IP address under Address/Port, then clicked connect. Her connect bar loaded to 100% then didn't move.

Granted, my girlfriend's computer is ridiculously slow, is there anything I'm doing wrong here? I can get very little information via googling.

Thanks for any help!
-Vyst

Vyst wrote:I wanted to attach a screenshot but I can't seem to figure out how.

Upload it to a place like imgur and paste the link in img tags.

Vyst wrote:The game started fine, then on my girlfriend's computer I went to the Client tab, had her type in my name, left out the password, put in my IP address under Address/Port, then clicked connect. Her connect bar loaded to 100% then didn't move.

Try starting Minetest from a terminal; did you see her connecting in the server console?

Your girlfriend should be entering her own name its just the IP she need's. However i am not sure if you can connect to a internal IP when the host has selected the public box. I assume "public" works the same as LAN/Internet check boxes on other games switching the host IP from Internal to External but i am not sure. Try without the public box ticked

Vystto wrote: So, is there some strategy for finding iron or should I just jump for joy whenever I find it?

Actually once u get used to mining u can find about 500-800 iron in a single hour. Tips--look for caves and lava pits around -100 to any lower

nolan wrote:

Vystto wrote: So, is there some strategy for finding iron or should I just jump for joy whenever I find it?

Actually once u get used to mining u can find about 500-800 iron in a single hour. Tips--look for caves and lava pits around -100 to any lower

Under -1024 get the ressources also common, even without lava lakes

Got it working! Thanks guys.

Not very many people are answering the version question... just iron. You need to be running similar versions, like both 4.7 but different releases or somthing like that, not 4.4 and 4.7. It's fine to have different versions, because they mostly seem to be compatible. I think 4.7 is somewhat compatible with 4.8...

Also, you can create a public server or a server like PilzAdam described.