Stumbled on another's cavern

[Zego Profile]

What's the friendly thing to do if you stumble on a cavern with torches already placed around? It's at the bottom off where I've been building, but there are a couple buildings around since I was inactive for a long time.

There is a ton of ore and coal, so it doesn't look like it is an active site for someone... yet.

Lots of dark places and tons of mobs, too.

Don't want to trespass, but since this is at the bottom of my building, I could use the resources.

Any thoughts?

[Mr_The_BOSS Profile]

this is a good question... whenever i see those I just leave it be. I'd like to see some others views on this subject

[Timberwolf1777]

The accepted policy on the underground is this: anything below y:45 or so is fair game for mining regardless of what the surface property lines are. So if someone lays torches, they don't automatically "own" a cavern.

When Building: That said, of course there are also the standard grefing rules and region protection abilities in effect. So if you dig out a room below your house and line the walls with smoothstone bricks or obsidian, etc, then someone else was digging through the surrounding smoothstone looking for ore; they would be griefieng if they dug through your wall. In other words, if you build anything below your house (a basement, etc) dont make it out of smoothstone otherwise it looks like the surrounding caves and wont be greifing if someone digs through. You must line it or make it out of something obviously player placed (like sandstone). Region protection is also valid underground. You can protect the area below your house if you want to prevent people from digging into your basement (Just make sure all the access caves are sealed off at your region boundaries if you do this).

When Mining: you can dig almost anywhere you want deep underground and lay as many torches as you want. Just don't dig into other peoples obvious basements or structures (aka: NO Griefing!) and don't move other peoples torches without replacing them. Also try to be aware of where you are digging. I know a friend of mine would be very very upset if someone came along and obsidianed the lava lake below his home. His basement floor is all glass and looks straight down a huge cavern (35 blocks deep) onto a lava lake with two lava falls. Its a really cool basement. Although it wouldn't technically be griefing to obsidian the whole thing as they are natural structures, it would be really mean spirited.

I think that's it. I hope it helps.

[TehRage Profile]

Speaking of digging into peoples areas that aren't marked well. Timberwolf I dug into your nether passage that is at an angle that has cobble for a floor and a locked wooden door at one end. I didn't venture to the other end. I build my rail underneath it in that section.

[Timberwolf1777]

Thanks for letting me know TehRage. I don't play on TWiTCraft anymore so no big deal. That tunnel was from my nether gate to my old mine by the airfield (pretty cleared out by now).

[Zego Profile]

Thanks for the reply.

I found his tunnel back to his basement, and it was pretty lengthy, so I don't think he expects to 'claim' this section. It is almost directly under my buildings. I think he was exploring or on a diamond hunt.

Most of it is only a few layers above bedrock, so it's pretty deep.

I'll mark my areas accordingly (lining the walls, fences, etc).

[thornton77 Profile]

If its out in the wilderness and someone left some coal in the wall I'd say they didn't need coal and you do. If I'm out and about and I find some red stone that someone didn't grab. I'm garbing it.

The best place to just whole sale mine is the resource world, The portal is south of spawn ( look twin beacons)
you can go crazy in there with out worrying about much. You can take an ender chest over and fill that up also.
it get's reset almost every week.
and in there you have at least a chance of finding new stuff like emeralds in the wild.