Hello there, everyone!  Just to let you know, there's going to be a bit of a change to the overall format of WiR.  Instead of just doing a reading of this blog, the video version of WiR will now be very different from the blog version.  The video will feature Wilfred J. Pemberley's take on all the projects featured here.  Needless to say, the video version will be more of a comedy, while this blog will be a more critical analysis.

So, having said that, don't forget to check out the video version over on the Week in Review - Video Archive!  We've got a fairly large list of special guest stars this week.  You won't be disappointed.  ;)

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This week, the winner of the map category was an incredibly close call.  There were three projects vying for the #1 spot, and all of them were well worthy of being featured.  However, there was one that had a more unique style than the other two.  That map is Rosendorn - Project HIKARI chapter I, created by RebirthOfShien.



While not as large as Ravenswick and not as layered as Gallia-Sea, Rosendorn brings something else to the table.  Rosendorn is completely novel, both in terms of architecture and in terraforming.  There really is nothing else quite like it.



The architecture here is composed almost entirely of sharp, curving shapes.  It’s more or less a city made of razor blades.  I trust that the residents here get tetanus shots on an annual basis.  Seriously, you could lose an arm walking out the front door.



And then there’s the terraforming which is similarly composed of spiky, root-like clusters of gray rock.  I don’t think I’ve ever seen terraforming quite like this, and that’s probably because it’s ridiculously time-consuming to make.  As if that wasn’t enough, there also happens to be a couple of organic figures, each very well made and bearing some great anatomical precision.



But that brings us back to the thing that makes this map so great; the terraforming, the structures, and the organic work all come together in perfect harmony.  There’s a kind of undeniable symbiosis between the different components that’s rare to see.  The way the veinous terrain hugs the side of the perimeter walls is an almost seamless transition between the two.  Indeed, the terraforming was handmade to compliment this specific architectural style.



That’s what one comes to expect from top tier maps in Minecraft.  It’s not enough to simply place an epic castle on top of an epic terrain.  The castle has to be hand tailored to compliment the terrain and vice versa.  That’s a task that requires coordination between the builders and the terraformers, and that was easy enough for RebirthOfShien, considering that he built this thing BY HIMSELF!  So yes, coordination is pretty easy when you’re the sole member of your build team.



But let’s take a moment to let that last fact sink in.  This was a solo project.  And when you think of solo projects, you probably imagine a small suburban house, or a car.  This is much more than that, and it makes this build all the more impressive.  Very few people have the raw tenacity to stick with something for 365 days, and totally perfect something the way RebirthOfShien has done here.

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As some of you may or may not know, the mega-build category on Week in Review is not only for large-scale land structures, but also for large-scale air and water structures.  So it comes as no surprise that the best mega-build of the week is Battleship Yamato, created by squirrel-friend.



We’ve all seen our fair share of battleships here on PMC.  It’s not exactly a novel concept, and it’s been done practically to death.  But every once in a while, you see one that simply stands out amidst its competition.



How does one stand out against a veritable (and in this case, very ironic) ocean of war ships?  The key is layers, detail, and presentation.  Truly exceptional battleships are high-scale, full of refined nuances, and incorporate some exceptional renders.  Battleship Yamato does all of that and more.



Firstly, let’s take a moment to admire the utter and complete web (again, very ironic) of cobwebs that hang above the deck.  Credit to squirrel-friend for having the work ethic to carry out something as spatially crazy as this.  It looks like something you’d find hanging in a conspiracy theorist’s office.



Apart from that, you have dozens of guns, cannons, fluttering flags, and some of the best hull detailing I’ve ever seen.  It really is a spot-on rendition of the Yamato, and one that squirrel-friend brought to life through a lot of hard work and passion.



Oh, and did I mention the biplanes hanging in mid-takeoff position?  Yeah.  It’s details like this that take an ordinary idea and turn it into something extraordinary.

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It’s rare to see small-scale terrains shining here on PMC.  The overwhelming majority of PMC users have an unquestionable affinity for large-scale, multi-biome mega landscapes.  Some may produce small-scale terraforming projects to test a technique or practice their skills, but almost nobody actually specializes in bringing high quality, small-scale terrains to light on a regular basis.  Nobody but veloticy who, this week, created a terrain titled The Rumenhorns.



It’s understandable that some people don’t quite understand why something this small and simple is so positively received by the PMC community.  It certainly isn’t something that’s going to flat-out blow you out of your seat.



But believe me, this is a noteworthy and very impressive terraforming project.  The reason lies in texture.  Most terraformers rely on programs like World Painter to develop rich texture in their terrains.  Some rise above the norm and develop unique hand-made modifications and globular shapes to compliment their terraforming.  But veloticy has done something entirely different.  What we have here is a revolution in texture and it comes in the form of material combinations.



Still having trouble seeing what’s so special about this?  Then allow me to direct your attention to the rocky patches that make up the peaks of this mountain range.  Notice the colors.  Yes, veloticy has incorporated an array of contrasting materials into the ridges, which creates a beautiful and natural appearance.



There are so few people taking advantage of this dynamic besides veloticy and it’s something that, in conjunction with his adept mastery of the Conquest texture pack, gives his terrains a unique and identifiable feel.  It may not be a 4K x 4K, multi-biome mega terrain, but it’s an impressive feat none-the-less.



And this is only a small scale adaptation.  Imagine what veloticy might be showing us, a few short months from now, that kicks the scale up a notch.  You might find that a 4K x 4K, multi-biome mega terrain that incorporates this kind of texture might very well resemble the terrain that won Year in Review back in 2015.  ;)

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When it comes to organic work, there’s a vast array of techniques one can use to create different shapes and forms.  Some require a meticulous and formulaic process, resulting in the creation of very deliberate, structurally precise entities.  Others are rough around the edges, and require improvisation and a strong concept.  The best organic work of the week happens to be the result of the latter school of thought, and it’s Fight of the Elements, created by Lakarya.



This is an utterly chaotic scene, filled to the brim with bright colors and rich textures.  Fight of the Elements may not be an example of sharp, precise anatomical precision, but it certainly is an example of stunning visuals and great spacial composition.



This whole concept is predicated on a complete overhaul of pluming smoke, fiery explosions, and color contrasts.  There’s nothing sweet and simple about this scene, but it does give the viewer a lot to digest.



And who knows, maybe this is a metaphor for something larger and more relevant.  Maybe this is a symbolic allegory of what Donald Trump’s first year in office is going to be like.  Ahhhh, now it all makes sense.  God, I can’t wait for 2017.  Let’s burn this country down!  Life, liberty, and the pursuit of destruction!  Yeaaaahhhhhh!  Vote Trump in November.  Make America- er, well ‘great’ is perhaps not the correct word.  Make America blow up- no, that sounds unappealing.  Make America sink into the bowls of the earth and disintegrate in an atomic fireball of unholy death and destruction.  There.  That sounds about right.

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For the second week in a row, DragonAss98 has won the land structure category here on WiR.  That’s quite a feat, especially in the most competitive 3rd tier category.  Not unlike last week, the best land structure is a modern home titled Green Living - Eco Concept Barn.



There’s something about DragonAss98’s architectural style that I find really appealing.  And I think it lies in the fact that he’s unafraid to play with asymmetrical shapes and layouts.  Many builders, myself included, like to build with repeated segments and tend to stick with purely symmetrical designs.  DragonAss98 has no OCD problems when it comes to symmetry and continuity.



This gives his builds a sense of freedom and more versatility.  And this one is one of the most unique architectural entities I’ve seen in a while.  You simply don’t see houses that look like this that often.  Be it the tiered pool, the multi-level dock, the arrays of solar panels, or the insane amount of roofing, Green Living is essentially designed to stand out.



And even though I’ve never seen anything quite like this, it’s still a completely believable design, and one that I could imagine seeing in the real world.  It takes serious skill to develop a brand like that.

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Ok, I know that I’ve been featuring planes a lot in the past few weeks.  I’m actually getting kind of tired of it myself.  Luckily, I won’t have to talk about any planes this time, because the best air structure of the week is Airship - scout from the big fleet, created by nannehessel.



This is what I can only describe as a steampunk reimagining of a blimp.  It’s a very striking design, and one that makes maximal use of the space it occupies.  There are a lot of small details that really elevate this airship, including some neat hanging objects, and some nice interior work.



And, once again, it makes great use of the Conquest texture pack, and it seems to be a really smart overall design.  You don’t normally see something of this scale get the kind of attention and level of development that nannehessel gave this one.

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And in a shocking turn of events, not unlike the land structure category, someone has won the water structure category for the second week in a row.  That person is tillwill who, this week, created a nice boat titled Liberty Ship.



This ship has a relatively minimalist exterior, with a lot of heavy details applied to the interior.  It’s kind of the best of both worlds, and it’s actually pretty surprising to see so much effort put into the interior of this ship after seeing the restraint tillwill used on the exterior.



This is a sort of cargo ship.  It has an array of aptly built cranes that are designed to hoist cargo from the holds below deck.  So, of course, you can imagine the kind of things you’ll find on the interior.



As always, tillwill put a lot of effort into not only making the interior look nice, but also making it realistic and functional.  The highlight here is the cargo holds, which are filled with a variety of goodies.  Some are filled with crates, others are filled with TANKS.  Yes, you heard me.  Tanks.

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The hub category is quickly becoming one of the most competitive shows of skill here on PMC.  This week, we’ve been graced with a truly remarkable hub called Somnium, created by LesCailles.



This hub is saturated in organic work, structures, and even terraforming.  It embodies virtually everything you can make in Minecraft, and it does so in glorious fashion.



There was an incredible amount of whimsy and creativity loosed upon this hub, and most of the structures are, well, interesting.  Okay, fine, it’s pure insanity.  I mean, what could be more insane than a giant cat dressed as Wonder Woman, with a huge set of- um . . . credentials . . . among other things.  o_o



I think it’s important for hubs to exercise a bit of reckless abandon.  It’s okay to be a little bit whacky when it comes to hubs.  Most hubs are used as an introductory lobby for servers, so it’s always important to attract as much attention as possible.  First impressions are lasting impressions.

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Breaking from the norm of medieval plots that I’ve been rambling about over the past month, I now have the distinct pleasure to ramble about something a little more modern.  The best plot of the week is Omega Base, created by Lord_Therd.



This is the corner of a building.  Yes, you heard me right, a corner.  I know, it’s not exactly a complete idea, but hear me out.  This is a nice little taste of some excellent architectural motifs.  The layered roofing, the grandiose doors and windows, and the incredible pillars are all well executed, albeit slightly incomplete.



But isn’t that kind of the point of plots?  Isn’t it about leaving a piece of your work for all to see?  Could this be a bit of a clever take on plotting?  Perhaps it’s a statement about how the inherent limits of plots inhibit creators from really developing their creations to their maximum potential.  Maybe working with limitations is a good thing.  Maybe it’s better to work without limits.  Make of it what you will.

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Keeping with the trend I’ve just started, it seems that modernity reigns supreme yet again in the decor category.  And when it comes to modern interior work, it’s hard to find something that truly stands out amongst the mishmash of wooden stairs, buttons, bookshelves, and paintings.  However, this week there was something that stood way out, and it’s called New Modern House, created by the self-described valiant piece of furniture named HeroicSofa.



This is some absolutely stunning interior work.  There are a lot of people making modern interior decor these days, but this one feels extra special.  One of the things I really love is the tiered nature of the main living space.  Putting the kitchen on a slightly lower level, with tiled flooring is a great way to divide up the space without using actual barriers.



The space is further spruced up with hanging foliage, creative ceiling shapes, and carpeting with brilliant color patterns.  It really is one of the best composed rooms I’ve seen in ages.



The other rooms are a bit more confined, but they contain some nice material combinations.  The bathroom, in particular, makes great use of stairs, glass panes, and banners.

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The last two weeks I’ve featured vanilla mods in the gadget section, but this week I want to get back to the roots of what this category is all about.  This category is about redstone, plain and simple.  And this week I saw a redstone creation unlike any I’ve seen in recent history.  Redstone Skyscraper - Twiistz Towers is a massive redstone amalgamation created by TWIISTZ.



This is a mind-blowing collection of redstone devices, crammed into a single building.  The redstone elevators are a convenient addition, since it makes navigating that much easier.  And believe me, there’s a lot to see in this one.  You’ve got security systems, locking mechanisms, hidden doors, farms, item storage systems, and much more.



People have always made redstone collections and shared them on PMC, but it’s rare to see someone organize and compress them into a relatively small space like this.  It’s the next level of redstone displays and it’s a great way to entice people into checking out your hard work.

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Everybody loves tower defense games.  It’s a classic form of entertainment that usually pops up on the internet in the form of a flash game.  One of the classic tower defense franchises is Bloons Tower Defense, which has existed for many years now.  This week, the best Mini-game is a homage to that series, and it’s called Bloons Tower Defense, created by McMakistein.



I have enormous respect for people who make vanilla mods as complex as this one.  It really takes Minecraft in a new and innovative direction.  I mean, I don’t know exactly how someone uses commands to make tiny balloons follow a fixed path, while being shot at by tiny turrets.  That’s completely beyond me.



But I’m willing to suspend disbelief and just accept it.  Whatever McMakistein did to make this happen, I’m tremendously grateful that he did it.  And you have to respect the hard work and programming skill that goes into projects like this one.

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And finally, topping off a huge list of qualifiers (and by huge I mean there was only one :P), the best coaster of the week is Mustang, created by Steven-Lukes.  Congrats on coming out ahead of the competition, dude!



You know, one of these weeks, there’s not going to be any coasters to talk about.  Not.  A.  Single.  One.  And then what?  People will take to the streets and engage in acts of cannibalism!  Cannibalism, I say!  You just wait!



Regardless, this is a nice coaster.  There are a lot of dips and dives, some timed redstone functionality, and some surprising drop offs.  Drop offs, in case you’re unaware of them, are when the coaster flies through the air, from one rail to another.  There’s no way that would pass safety regulations on a real coaster, but I suppose it’s a neat aspect in a video game.



And while this isn’t a particularly long coaster, it is a well built one.  Steven-Lukes took the time to incorporate some basic support structures, as well as some smooth curves in the track.

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Thanks very much for stopping by!  I hope you enjoyed this episode, and I look forward to bringing you more Minecraft goodness in next week's episode.  See you then!