The Return of Events! - CluelessKlutz

Welcome to The MeepTimes, the twice-monthly update to keep the community in the loop with what’s new, behind the scenes, and in the works. This will be published every other Friday.

Take advantage of the MeepCraft 4th of July Summer Sale while you still can! Receive 25% off all ranks and packages purchased on the server store! Now is the perfect time to make your MeepCraft dreams come true!

Server Updates

Traveling Merchant
The traveling merchant from the last issue of the MeepTimes is now live! The villager visits random towns each day with exclusive trades!

CTF Update
After the most recent updates to the CTF plugin, you now get coins for capturing flags and kills, along with a 1,000 Meeble prize!

Bugs Squashed

Villager Trades
Issues regarding the traveling merchant becoming a normal villager have been patched!

Community Events

Events
Thanks to our developer team, events are working again! To celebrate the momentous occasion, one Supermod decided to host a series of events. Rounds of Anvil Drop, Sumo, Skeleton Drop, Tag, and Snowball Fight later, the party came to an end. See images from the events here.

The Project - Minigame Maps!

What are the Minigame Maps?
Minigame maps have been the main focus for the architect team over the past few weeks, this week’s The Project will focus on three of the new maps: Chernobyl (Infected), Moria (CTF) and Castle (CTF).

Chernobyl is the latest infected map, inspired by the Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster. Following the theme of the existing infected maps, this map is in a state of ruins after the world became infected with the deadly virus.

Moria is one of the new CTF maps! It is a large, underground map inspired by the mines of Moria from the famous LOTR trilogy. At the ends of the map lie the flags that both teams desperately want to capture, but surrounding the flags and all across the map are pools of lava! Be careful not to fall in!

Castle is another new CTF map, structured similar to Ice and Moria with two castles at either end, each containing a flag. Surrounding these two castles is lush green grass, trees scattered around and several bodies of water. A beautifully built map, Castle is sure to impress all who play it!

Galleries: Imgur: The most awesome images on the Internet, Imgur: The most awesome images on the Internet.

Who’s been working on it?

@alex77034 and @0zblox have been working together on Chernobyl.
@Zarduck has been working on Moria.

Let’s Talk!

Over the past week questions have been sent off to some of the key people involved in this project. Using their answers, let’s get some insight on this week's project - Minigame Maps!

What was your role?
My role with 0zblox was to create a new infected map that would excite infected players. - @alex77034

My role so far has been to create a CTF map. - @Zarduck

My role so far has been working on a new infected map with Alex. - @0zblox

What was your experience working on your maps?
Although we haven't finished yet, there was a lot done so that we can not only prepare but make a successful map. Because the new infected map is based on a past disaster, we had to take some time to look up information and pictures on everything. With every build we make, we strive to keep it as authentic as possible. - @alex77034

Overall I had a good experience making my mini map although they are time consuming and take real effort they do have a worthwhile payoff of a great finished product. - @Zarduck

I have really enjoyed creating my maps so far. Although I am used to working alone, creating the infected map alongside alex has been great. In addition to the building, a really interesting part is looking into the images and information before I begin to build as we strive to keep builds as authentic and realistic as possible dependant on the theme. I have not been an architect on Meepcraft for very long now but I feel like I am really happy with what I have accomplished in the time I have been an architect. - @0zblox

Did you enjoy working on them?
I really do, and I think 0z does as well! It's been fun working with him and steadily working towards a common goal. - @alex77034

I greatly enjoyed making it yes it was fun and worthwhile. - @Zarduck

How do you think these new maps will affect the server and general gameplay?
What I think will be interesting about this map is it'll combine aspects of the old and bring in some of the new. The map will be very varied and will have many distinct parts. It'll be an experience that's new to all players, but it will also be consistent with the themes of the other maps. The map will be pretty large, but it'll be less concentrated and more focused on levels too. - @alex77034

I think that they will improve the gameplay as new, fresh things always bring new life to the server so i think it's all positive. - @Zarduck

New is always positive and to see a team work as hard as they do makes for a bright future. - @andrewrobins

I think that players will really enjoy the maps I have and will share with them because of the style and uniqueness I (or we) have created. Even though I have only worked on two maps so far as architect, I feel like I have already made a great contribution to the community. - @0zblox

Can you rate your maps out of 10 and why you scored it that way.
I think a 10 because from a creating standpoint it was very fulfilling to do research and to prepare yourself before the project. From a player's standpoint I think it'll be exciting to see all the new things that this map will offer. - @alex77034

Id rate my map an 8 probably because I've seen plenty of people thoroughly enjoy exploring it and looking at it but i also want to be modest lol. - @Zarduck

Although I think my maps are amazing so far, I can’t rate them a 10/10 because there is always room for improvement but that doesn't stop me giving them a 9.9/10 ;) - @0zblox

Do you have anything you would like to add?
I can't wait for everyone to see the new map! :) - @alex77034

Architecture in Minecraft is very much based on personal build styles. Each architect brings a new outlook and a new way of building to the team. In the mini-games realm, this really shows in the depth some maps can take on. I'm excited to see what people think of the infected map 0z and Alex have worked on when it is released. It's great to see how two building styles and builders can make something that will be enjoyed by our community, and look amazing. - @L0stCleric

:turtle::turtle::turtle: - @Zarduck

As I have only worked on two maps so far, I struggle to really pick one that is my favourite. So I chose both for different reasons. My first map I enjoyed because I thought outside the box, and tried something quite risky that had all the potential to fail, I am pleased it worked well and I think it has made a great first impression for my role as architect. I have also enjoyed creating the second map with Alex which was equally as fun. I have never really had the opportunity to build something on such a scale with somebody else. We could collaborate our ideas to produce a brilliant map which I am sure you will enjoy. - @0zblox

Storytime with the Crew - Halo
The sun was shining over the town of Legend, its many residents going about their business and working towards improving and building in their hometown. It was a great feat, one of many on Meepcraft, and the residents were proud of all they have achieved.

Yet, as the Mayor walked through this town to rest for a short while in his house, Legend was the last thing on his mind. The upcoming Halo tournament was only a couple of days away and he was itching to get started. Things didn’t always happen the way he wanted; for instance, he’d hired a co-mayor that was intent on blowing up his house, some people still didn’t accept that Star Wars was one of the greatest things of all time, and he was the resident fun police. However, after all that, he was pretty good at Halo if he said so himself. And if he didn’t say so himself, the leaderboard said it for him.

CluelessKlutz was more than just the Mayor of the most successful town on Meep, he was the current Halo champion. With being the Halo champion, the upcoming events would determine whether he would stay that way, or if the other top players could knock him down a peg or two.

The door creaked slightly as Clueless stepped into his house, almost collapsing onto a purpur chair by the table. He was always off doing something or other so a little peace and quiet was always apprecia-BOOM.

Clueless sighed.

***

In the recent months, Clueless had been grinding halo to make sure his technique and quick-thinking were up to scratch. He may be at the top but he couldn’t get complacent, and the best way to do that was to spend a couple of hours in the arena. Lady_Hestia and Smkorpi were there to keep him company, testing his wits, and as Clueless was vaporised once more he groaned with frustration. Hestia had got him from behind, he’d let his guard down for a split second.

“Come on, slowpoke!”, she shouted from the other side of the room, hidden slightly behind a stone brick pillar.

Clueless spotted Smkorpi from his spawn point and quickly pulled his sniper rifle round to hit him twice while he wasn’t looking, earning himself some points and a vaporised Smkorpi. However, Hestia had moved from behind the pillar and was nowhere to be seen. She was good at dancing around players, sneaking behind them and obstacles in order to find the best angle. Suddenly, he was hit from behind and struck with a blow from Hestia’s sword.

“Wake up, Clue!” Hestia was laughing to herself, it wasn’t like Clueless to be so absent-minded. As he respawned again, watching Smkorpi obliterate Hestia, he bent his knees and jumped into the rafters, keeping close to the walls and using tunnels to avoid his foes. He caught a glimpse of a red and orange piece of cloth disappearing round the corner in front of him and raced in pursuit. Clueless switched to his sword and managed to get some more points by taking Hestia down before she could even turn around.

“That’s more like it”, he said to himself. Clueless looked to the leaderboard and saw Viperfan17 had joined the game not long before it was ending. He could get a few more kills under his belt. He was more of a close-combat sort of player, preferring his sword. This meant Clueless had the upper-hand as long as he didn’t get too close.

Quickly dispatching Hestia once again after spotting her sneaking up on Smkorpi, he made his way round the room, dodging grenades and gunfire. He managed to get the one-up on Smkorpi and turned him to dust, hearing him respawn on the other side of the room with a “damn”.

Viperfan had seen Clueless and tried to run towards him, holding his sword tightly; however, Clueless was quicker and shot twice into the other player’s chest in quick succession. Then he did the same again as Viper respawned not far away.

As Hestia was pronounced the winner of that round and the players were warped to another arena, Clueless shook his head at himself and made his way out into the new area. Cracking his knuckles and gripping his sniper rifle, he stealthily walked around the obstacles and kept to the shadows. He looked for any sort of movement. The sandstone map left little room to hide so Clueless used the stone and jumped quickly to avoid being hit.

He thrived on this map and quickly worked his way to the top of the leaderboard, racking up 20 kills in the first minute. Smkorpi wasn’t too far behind, with Hestia and Viper bringing up the rear in the battle for third place. Since this was his favourite map, Clueless easily scored enough points to be declared the winner of the round, he had dominated the field.

After his easy win, the players were warped into a map straight out of the Nether for the last game. The rules disallowed grenades on this map, which made things a little easier for dodging projectiles but also meant the players had no advantage of a secondary weapon. This caused its own problems for Viper and Hestia, who both used their main and secondary weapons interchangeably.

Smkorpi was grinning from ear to ear, he absolutely loved this map so automatically played better and had the tactics to fit the environment. Clueless knew this so he made sure to keep an eye on Smkorpi at all times, not letting him out of his sight. The map was dim and Clueless used this to his advantage, keeping up with Smkorpi and using it to kill both Hestia and Viper numerous times. This got the kill numbers going sky-high, and Smkorpi and Clueless were neck and neck, matching one kill for another.

“Oh my god, it’s so hot in here.” Hestia stopped quickly to catch her breath and got struck by Viper’s sword, respawning on the other side of the map. “Damn. Good move.” She rarely let her guard down but Hestia had been playing with Clueless for hours and she was getting tired, so she stuck to trying to sneak up on people, succeeding often.

In the meantime, Viper was being strategic and while Clueless and Smkorpi were fighting each other, he was swinging his sword after they’d been hit once and finishing them off. This meant his kills were racking up too, so it was making for a close match. Viper had quickly caught up to be in with a chance of winning the round by using this.

It wasn’t long before the lead was switching and changing between all of them, Hestia had found a second wave of energy and was back up to her usual standards. For Clueless, this made a good match for him, he liked the close-knit scores. He knew it would make for a good show at the tournament, but this also meant he would not be guaranteed the win. As it turns out, due to it being his favourite map and his enthusiasm for the game, Smkorpi actually ended up winning the round, much to his satisfaction.

“This tournament’s going to be fun, hey Clueless.” He winked, reloading his sniper before the next round.

“Yes, it certainly will be. It will make for an exciting show anyway. Viper was on form in the last round.” Clueless looked towards Hestia who had left the arena to get into the cool air, the last round being her final one for the day.

“Playing again, Ck?” Viper asked as Epixaid and MasterofBoom walked into the lobby.

“No, you guys have fun.” Himself and Hestia decided to leave the game, both out of breath. They stood in the halo lobby, looking at doubles of themselves in the top players area.

“That was a close call.” he smiled at Hestia.

“Well, I’m not slowing down just because you are! Pick up the pace, noob.”

“Yeah, I probably should. It’s not long to go now, I should probably practice more-” He turned back towards the free-for-all warps but Hestia caught his arm.

“Relax, Clue. You’ve already been in there for hours, let’s just take some time off. You’ll wear yourself out and then you’ll lose on the day. Which actually would be pretty good for me, I’d only have to deal with Epixaid, really.”

“I suppose a break wouldn’t be so bad, I could come back later.” Hestia smiled and they made their way out to spawn, walking over to the Towny warp and disappearing into it.

They walked through Legend spawn, making their way back over to Clue’s house, smiling at fellow residents as they went.

“Adrian, put that down! Now!” Clueless rolled his eyes and Hestia smiled when they heard Ellie’s shout.

“Do you want me to deal with that?” Hestia asked, turning to look towards Ellie’s house.

“That would be amazing.”

With the tournament looming closer and every player in the top 10 having a chance of taking home the final prize, Clueless was feeling a little less confident.

Look out for Part 2 in the next Meeptimes!

Players featured: @CluelessKlutz @Lady_Hestia @Viperfan @Epixaid @smk @Adrian @EllieEllie @MasterofBoom

Humans Of MeepCraft - Feat. @OKNEM

How did you first find Meep?
Well, I was scoping around on the internet for a ctf server, and I came across Meep. I logged on and the community was great, so I decided to stay and enjoy some other activities. :D

What’s your favorite part about the server?
I think my favorite part is the towny. It’s a great way to connect with the community by playing together and building together, and you can do all sorts of things in one world. Also, the parkour is great. #bringbackplanetparkour

What is the best parkour map?
City’s the one I’ve known for the longest, and I like that one. I like Chillroom the most. The amount of effort put into that map is amazing, and it’s certainly very challenging to beat. Also, Cactus is horrible with Australian internet. xD Edit: The hardest is Ck’s Evil Parkour

Which Star Wars movie do you like the most?
Surprisingly, I have seen all of them, and I gotta say, A New Hope is the best. The new three ruined the series, but I’m looking forward to the Last Jedi and Episode XI coming out soon.

If you were to pick only one holiday to celebrate, what would it be, and why?
My birthday, it’s a great time to relax and do something to enjoy, and I get to do whatever I want for the whole day! In fact, my birthday’s on the 10th, and I’m gonna go see a movie with my friends :D

Anything else you’d like to add?
Can I ask you a question?

Yea - @CluelessKlutz

Where did you come up with the name “CluelessKlutz?”

I actually played as kcschmidt for a few months, then I tried flower parkour and knew it must be changed to this. - @CluelessKlutz

Welcomes and Farewells

We say goodbye to @DarkKnight49x, one of our hardworking moderators - Good luck with your future endeavors!

We also say farewell one of our skilled developers, @Cherrykit. We wish you all the best!

Social Media!
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Get involved with the MeepTimes
With every release of the paper we will pick a cover photo and a (free) advertisement submitted by the community. The owner of each piece of content will receive 4,000 meebles and have their name featured in the article, below their content. Fill out the form here to submit content. Happy Meeping!

The next issue of The MeepTimes will be released July 21 2017! See you then!

This issue was created by @CluelessKlutz @Midnight_Galaxy @Vamp1re_Man @EllieEllie