Mineways: Turn your Minecraft creations into real-world models
So you've invested time in Minecraft and built some pretty faithful block-renditions of different models. But what if you want them to be timelessly kept on your shelf, forming a time capsule of remeniscence? Well worry no more, dear reader, as new software Mineways has your back.
Export them into models and texture maps, ready to send to a 3D printer. The steps are simple, use a birds-eye view and select the area that you want to print, save it as a model and send it over to your standard 3D printing service (shapeways is used as the example in the video below). Mineways may not be perfect; but it's both good at identifying objects in floating space (getting rid of impossible to build bits) and the interior holes in your designs (stop overusing materials and reduce cost). It's been done before by different systems; but this is the first with full colour exports.
Mineways is free and open-source to everyone, Developer Eric Haines has demonstrated it's power by reproducing the Eiffel Tower model he created into a model of just under 5 inches tall, costing just over $25. It might be pricey on the printing; but it's quite a novel idea.
We'll just stick with building lego models for the meantime.
Alongside the scientists, 50% of the British public and the future health of young people across the nation, I have one simple request: delay Freedom Day, please.