The Minecraft Mini-Guide.
Written by ZanderArch.
Version 0.0.1
Written 7/17/2010
Version of most recent Minecraft: Alpha v1.0.6_03


Navigate this document by using the Find function and entering the word inside the {}, including the {} around it.

[TABLE OF CONTENTS]
Section the first: Introduction {INTRO}
Section the second: Help {HELP}
~~Subsections:
	~~Where are my saves located? {SAVES}
	~~How do I install terrain textures? {TERRAIN}
	~~How do I install sun and moon textures? {SKY}
	~~How do I get those maps of my game? {MAPS}
	~~How do I install player skins? {MINER}
	~~How do I make my own player skins? {MAKER}
Section the third: Helpful links {LINKS}

--Introduction {INTRO} --

Hello fellow miner, I am ZanderArch. I'm an Anon on /v/ that usually provides helps and answers questions in the Minecraft threads on /v/. You may know me by my first name, Jeffrey, if you have seen me posting the directory and forgetting to redact my name. Although I do enjoy helping newer miners, answering the same questions over and over again gets a little bit tiresome, so I decided to make a handy little guide to help you with your first steps into the world randomly generated by Notch.
This guide was written with a Windows machine in mind. Sorry to our Mac Miners, I cannot help you.
I hope you enjoy this guide and enjoy Minecraft.

--Help {HELP} --

---Save Locations {SAVES }---
Saves are stored in the directory:
C:\Users\<Account name>\AppData\Roaming\.minecraft\saves
To locate this folder easily, open the Run program (Windows + R is the shortcut) and type in "AppData". Press OK and you should be taken to that folder. Then open the directory as seen above.
Inside the saves folder, a World# folder will be present for every world you played. The # corresponds to the slot you used for your game.

---Texture Installation {TERRAIN} ---
Terrain textures are commonly posted on /v/. They are usually a 256x256 or 512x512 image with every block type on it.
On the bottom left are the cracks that progressively get worse when destroying blocks and on the bottom right are the water and lava textures. These two features should help when trying to determine if you are looking at a proper Terrain.png.
To install these, the file must be named "terrain" and the image type must be .png. Since 4chan saves images with an number code, it would be wise to save / drag and drop the posted terrain image to your desktop and rename it.
If you have Minecraft running, you should save, quit, and close the window/tab/program as you will be unable to add the terrain file due to an "In use" error.
Now, to install it, you must locate the "minecraft.jar" file. This is located in the directory:
C:\Users\<Account name>\AppData\Roaming\.minecraft\bin
To locate this folder easily, open the Run program (Windows + R is the shortcut) and type in "AppData". Press OK and you should be taken to that folder. Then open the directory as seen above.
Since minecraft.jar is a .jar file, you will require a program that can handle them. WinRAR is the most common and best choice for this.
Simply open the file and drag the terrain.png into it.

Some of you may have noticed people posting a 1024x1024 high definition terrain.png. I advise you not to use it as Minecraft cannot support resolutions that high and will not properly run, usually giving the player a pure black screen.

---Sun and Moon textures {SKY} ---
Suns and Moons are commonly posted on /v/. They will be a square resolution .png. They are sometimes posted looking like they have been rotated. They have, this is to work around the fact that the Sun and Moon maintain the same orientation as they cross the sky. An upright image would be right side up while rising, but upside down while falling.
To install these, the file must be named "Sun" or "Moon" and the image type must be .png. Since 4chan saves images with an number code, it would be wise to save / drag and drop the posted terrain image to your desktop and rename it.
If you have Minecraft running, you should save, quit, and close the window/tab/program as you will be unable to add the terrain file due to an "In use" error.
Now, to install it, you must locate the "minecraft.jar" file. This is located in the directory:
C:\Users\<Account name>\AppData\Roaming\.minecraft\bin
To locate this folder easily, open the Run program (Windows + R is the shortcut) and type in "AppData". Press OK and you should be taken to that folder. Then open the directory as seen above.
Since minecraft.jar is a .jar file, you will require a program that can handle them. WinRAR is the most common and best choice for this.
Once in the minecraft.jar, open the "terrain" folder. Drag the Sun or Moon file into there.

---Maps {MAPS} ---
There are currently two popular map rendering programs.

1. Notch's Official "Minecraft Visualizer" that runs in browser located at:
http://minecraft.net/infdev/preview.jsp

2. ZomBuster's Cartograph - 'Minecraft carographing tool'
The thread with the download and information is located on the Minecraft Forums here:
http://www.minecraftforum.net/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=13134

---Player Skins {MINER} ---

Player skins are commonly posted on /v/. They are 64x32 .png images. They will have most of the color content on the top left, bottom left, and bottom right, as this is where the skin is for the main body. Some may have the top left filled in as this is where the optional headgear is skinned.
Installing skins only requires you to go to your Preferences page on Minecraft.net and upload the image. The exact location of this is:
http://www.minecraft.net/skin/
You must be logged in to do this and have a Premium account.

You can also use the Skin Index, located at:
http://skins.tkte.ch/

---Making your own Player Skins {MAKER} ---

All you need to make your own player skins is an image editor that supports transparency and .png images. Paint.net is a free download that can do this and is located at:
http://www.getpaint.net/

It is easier if you have the reference skin, which can be downloaded from Minecraft.net from the /skin/ page, located here:
http://www.minecraft.net/skin/
http://www.minecraft.net/img/char.png (Direct link)

It gets even easier if you use Swedman's SkinEdit, located on the official Minecraft Forums here:
http://www.minecraftforum.net/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=4843

I would suggest using both SkinEdit and an image editing program together as SkinEdit is great for testing, but poor for editing due to it's limited tool selection.

--Links {LINKS} --
Minecraft Wikia: http://www.minecraftwiki.net/wiki/Main_Page
Minecraft Wikia's Crafting recipe page: http://www.minecraftwiki.net/wiki/Crafting
Minecraft Wikia's Furance and Smelting recipe page: http://www.minecraftwiki.net/wiki/Furnace
Notch's Minecraft Visualizer: http://minecraft.net/infdev/preview.jsp
ZomBuster's Cartograph: http://www.minecraftforum.net/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=13134