Minecraft Game Adds Ordnance Survey GB Terrain Data

2 min read
22 September 2022


Minecraft game includes Ordnance Survey GB terrain data By Matthew Wall Technology reporter, BBC News



23 September 2013



Minecraft, the highly popular video game that combines monsters and building, can now incorporate accurate Ordnance Survey terrain data of Great Britain in its blockwork virtual world.



The game's 33,000,000 players can create worlds on top of geographically accurate landscapes that cover 224,000km (86,000 miles) of Britain.



Joseph Braybrook, an intern with OS's Innovation Labs, created the GB Minecraft world in just two weeks.



It is based on free OS OpenData products.



Graham Dunlop, OS Innovation Lab Manager, stated that "we believe we've created the biggest Minecraft world ever" based on real-world data.



"The resulting map shows the enormous potential, not only for using Minecraft for computer technology and geography purposes in schools, but also the huge scope of applications available for OS OpenData too."



Minecraft was developed in 2009 by Swede Markus "Notch" who was an online world made up cubes of different materials like sand, rock and lava.



Players can co-operate in building shelters, constructing things from raw materials and fending off a variety of monsters.
Rock it like a hurricane



More than 22 billion Minecraft blocks are in the OS GB world.



After downloading the map to Minecraft, players can access the 3D virtual world via OS's headoffice in Southampton. From there, they can recreate real-world features like Stonehenge or imagine buildings like Hogwarts castle.



OS Terrain 50 and OS VectorMap OS VectorMap are OS map products that work together to create a 3D model overlayed with features such as water roads, woodland roads, and woodland.



You can design your own structures and structures on top.



OS is the country's main mapping authority. Its maps cover the mainland and the islands surrounding it, but not Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland, Isle of Man, or Channel Islands.



Ordnance Survey

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