Ultra Hardcore

Basic Info

Ultra Hardcore is a type of Minecraft player versus player (PvP) contest where, unlike a standerd PvP, players do not regain health natually. The only ways to regain health is by eating a golden apple or drinking a health potion. Obtaining the resources to craft these items can yield more damage then they cure as hostile mobs spawn around the players in dark areas an attempt to take some health from each of the players. The Nether is a high risk and high reward place. Players can obtain the abilty to craft potions though a succeussful visit to the Nether at the risk of being set on fire with no way to put the fire out, causing massive damage to the player. Most Ultra Hardcore contests done by Mindcrack, have more than two teams, forcing each team to decide if they want to attempt to defeat another team and take their gear and lose some health in the process, or attempt to stay out of conflict until the remaining teams have far less health, but better gear. This is Ultra Hardcore.

Combat

Combat in a Ultra Hardcore is a lot more bow oriented than a standerd PvP as close combat takes away alot of health from both teams making the combat basically not worth the reward of taking the other teams gear. This makes combat last longer than it would with two teams running at each other with swords and creates the possiblity of another team finding this conflict and taking the distracted teams out with ease. Enchantments become a major advantage in these contests as they defend against an extra percentage of damage that could be taken and every half of a heart counts in a UHC and many battles have come down to half of a heart. Enchantments also increase the damage a player can deal making enchantments that much more valueable, but they still do not make up for a huge health disadvantge. In the end, health is the most important factor.

Mindcrack

Mindcrack does a lot more than make Ultra Hardcore contests and post them on YouTube in 20 or 30 minute episodes. Mindcrack is a group of thirty YouTube Let's Players that play the video game Minecraft on the same server. It was started by Guude in October 2010 simply as a way to make Minecraft more interesting for him. It truly became a server in December 2010, and although it was initially made up Guude's friends, other people have joined the server through contests or invitation. Mindcrack has evolved to become much more than just an SMP server, with members regularly collaborating on non-minecraft content, conventions, meet-ups, public servers and the occasional secret project.