Human beings are very good at navigating the three-dimensional world. This is the way that reality works. However, try adding an extra dimension to something that's as easy as like Minecraft, and suddenly things take a sharp turn into the confusing.
Confusing This is the way I would describe 4D Miner. It's available as a demo for free on Steam (opens in a new tab) developer Mashpoe's unique take on Minecraft is a lot to comprehend even after completing an instructional video that introduces the concept of dimensionality through the way of the cute frog.
This tutorial will introduce you to the concept of rotating through different dimensions. It will show you a 2D platformer and help you visualize how the "slice" is a representation of a larger 3D space. Scroll the mouse wheel and the slice will spin, changing your 2D perspective.
You can play the game, and you'll get the same experience. You're exploring a 3D world like normal Minecraft.extremecraftscroll the wheel and your "slice of the greater 4D world" rotates, cutting the world from itself. If it sounds confusing, that's because I'm still trying to visualize how the dimensions even relate to each other-at one appearing to fold the world inside itself, a cubic universe that is able to detect diagonals, as a obscure plane rotates against or within or over it, and it's all quite confusing, isn't it?
As you explore the world from an 3D perspective, you'll have to rotate through the fourth dimension to continue exploring. Items could fall from rocks blocks or trees outside of your current perspective, caves could open into valleys of forest or you might be attacked by terrifying Hyperspiders that don't fit into the current frame of reference.
There are tools available to assist you in understanding the 4D space. You can create 4D glasses from a mysterious ore, allowing you to see things from a different perspective. A compass, on the other hand can provide a solid visualisation and help you determine the exact location you are.
As of now, 4D Miner is a very basic emulation of Minecraft's mechanics. But that additional dimension adds a lot of complexity to something even as simple as "how can I build a house in four-dimensional space". The developer even plays with the idea of four-dimensional multiplayer, which could be an amazing way to get confused with your friend.
"On the surface, this game does appear to be a bit similar to Minecraft, and the inspiration is evident," Mashpoe said in an explanation video on YouTube. "But things like building, collecting resources and even navigating within the game are entirely different. This affects pretty much every game mechanic.
"I intend to expand this aspect of the game much further in the future, so that most of the new game mechanics and features are focused on how players interact with the fourth dimension."
Mashpoe attempted to kickstart 4D Miner last week but was unsuccessful. He's now moved to Patreon (opens new tab) to further develop the. Ultimately, it's hard to decide if 4D Miner will be able to stand on its own merits as a game or remain a nebulous tech demo that's too confusing for its own great.
But I do absolutely want to see Mashpoe's experiments in 4D space go on. I'll take a moment to relax this, as all this dimension-bending has given me a headache.
