Mineways

With the free Mineways program you can interactively select a model from a Minecraft world map and have a 3D printing service make a real model for you. Or send it to your own 3D printer, or just enjoy rendering it. Some results, so far, all but the last in the $10 to $65 price range from Shapeways - click on an image to see the full series, or the Mineways Flickr group for the latest results:

Super-fast quickstart: Download and unzip Mineways to some directory, like the desktop. Double-click mineways.exe to run. Use "File | Open World" to select a world. Use the left mouse button to drag the map around, use the mousewheel to zoom. Drag the right mouse button to select an area on the map and to adjust this rectangle. Optionally use the middle mouse button to select a depth, or "]" and "[" keys to change this bottom depth. Export the model for 3D printing by "File | Export Model for 3D Printing..." - just hit "OK" on the Options dialog.

BUG ALERT: if you have problems reading or writing files with Mineways, please read the workaround for this bug.

Exporting creates a .wrl, .png, and .zip file. To preview your model, install the free SAP Visual Enterprise Viewer Complete, then view your model by double-clicking the .wrl file. If you want to 3D print your model, create a free Shapeways account and upload the .zip file. Once the model is processed by Shapeways (a few minutes), you can order it - make sure to select "colored sandstone" for the material. As an example, here's my non-profit store. Note that no part of this process will cost you anything, unless you actually order something.

The most useful links:

Download the latest Windows version of Mineways (version 1.12, updated 1/25/2012). NON-ENGLISH USERS: if you have problems loading your world or saving, please read the workaround for this bug.
- Mineways v1.11 for Mac - ported to the Mac OS X platform by Psp4804 by using WINE. You must use the Update:Uninstall.command file in this download to remove any previous version before installing. This program requires X11 for Mac OS X, which comes with the xcode tools, as found on the Mac OS X Install DVD. How to install xcode can be found here. To load your world, you need to navigate to ~/Library/Application Support/minecraft/saves/ and select your save.
Video Playlist - includes tutorials, such as a quick run through, a walkthrough of the basics, and more advanced methods, like how to turn off the export of glass blocks.
The main Mineways page - go here for an in-depth version of this page, including source code download, Linux version advice, etc.

L'Effie Tower. From left to right the images are: in Minecraft, selected in Mineways, previewed with the SAP Viewer Complete, delivered from Shapeways, and under glass. Click on an image for more about it.

Subscribe to Mineways - for just important announcements, like new version releases

Email:

Visit this group

For more information, tutorials, related tools, bugs, etc., go to the main Mineways page.

contact Eric Haines (homepage)
Last updated 1/25/2012