QuickStart Guide

This page works off the assumption that you are a brand new player to the BTW mod and are looking at how to get a very quick start to the mod. If you are instead interested in reading up a bit more it is suggested that you take a look at the Beginner's Guide. First off this mod is not like a lot of other mods, in that there are some changes to the core game mechanics so if you are coming from Vanilla or other mods, please be prepared for strange stuff, and with that we shall start.

Tools

First off we will go over some crafting changes that have been made from vanilla, more so the early game changes. If you have already been playing for a bit you may have noticed that you can not make a wooden sword, hoe or axe. The sword and hoe may only be crafted with iron or higher resources. The axe may be crafted with stone and higher and the pickaxe and shovel are the only tools that are able to be crafted with only wood (noted that the wooden pick has the ability to only mine one block, so use it wisely) There have also been changes to the recipes for the axe and fishing rod.

Also note that in order for the fishing rod to be useful it should be baited. Bait can be anything of that of fleshy monster drops. And if you happen across a bow and some rotted arrows, Steve must have the arrows on hand in order for them to be used in conjunction with the bow.

Food

Food is one of the aspects of Better Than Wolves that catches many players off guard, first of the fact that food goes down much faster, and second off the whole thing about how hard it is to gather food. Some good early game plans are to clear the land of livestock (because if you don't, someone else may) And to make sure to hide or pen up 2 breeding pairs of each animal (if possible) for later game use. From there the player may eat the flesh of their victorious battles, or they can sit down to a more humble meal of seeds and chicken eggs (think about it, you don't just throw a whole egg into the pan, you crack it first) It may also be noted that in order to cook food it is advised that the player does not use old dinosaurs but the byproducts of their punching of wood.

Game Mechanic Changes

Here we will note on some of the more early game changes to mechanics:

• Hunger Depletion
  1. For the love of your deity of choice, do not sprint or jump
  2. You can get fat, having a bit of fat is more healthy than just skin and bones
  3. If you get too hungry it will negatively affect your physical abilities.(i.e unable to jump, decreased speed of mining, etc...)
  4. Try to make a Dirt Slab. Use this instead of jumping to conserve your hunger greatly.
• Punching Things
  1. Your fists are fleshy, they absorb shock. Use something harder.
  2. Again your fists are fleshy, therefore slower than a tool.
  3. Of course if you punch something its going to run away.. unless it's mad.
• Seed Sources
  1. Pumpkin seeds: They're bright orange beacons.. keep an eye peeled
  2. Hemp Seeds: You have to use a hoe
  3. Other Seeds, just because there is a village doesnt mean its occupants are alive anymore.
• Beds| Death
  1. Beds do not save your spawn point like in Vanilla Minecraft.
  2. If you die, you will respawn at a random location with no tools or items. It will be difficult to locate your last base.
  3. Construct a compass to point you towards your original spawn location which is your only fixed point of navigation.
• Darker Harder Stone?
  1. Darker = Harder
  2. We like to call it Hardcore Stratification

Dying

Yes it really sucks now, yes you are in a different place and yes it is possible to get back, there seems to be some sort of strange magnetic field within the minecraft world. Do it lots and you aren't punished badly, don't do it in a long time and you shall pay dearly. So don't die.. much :)

Tips

• 1. Mining is much more difficult in Better Than Wolves, one of the best ways to get Iron/Redstone is to locate a natural trench and use ladders to reach the ore. This is much more efficient than digging your own mineshaft. Wooden Pick = 1 use, Stone Pick = 6 uses.
  2. Staying alive is your number 1 priority. Death usually means you will waste several hours to build a compass to return to your original spawn.