Getting lost in Minecraft

[mirror's edgy]

I got Minecraft yesterday and I'm having a good time with it, save for one big problem. I like building things and digging tunnels... but I can never find them again! I just recently made a compass, but I still feel humbled by this huge ecosystem. I expect I'll get a better feel for it after I've been around the world once or twice, but do the rest of you have any tips for those of us who already lost our summer homes?

 

[spartan1077]

Always, and I mean always, make landmarks! Right beside my spawn, I have signs telling me where things are. As I follow those signs, I have landmarks that I will remember mean, "Oh, mine this way." or "Oh, my town this way". Just make your mark on the land and you will never get lost again! Above ground. Underground is a different story. When in doubt, dig up.

 

[rabidmidget]

I use fire. Basically when I go exploring, there will be a trail of burning trees leading the way.

 

[Diablo2000]

That used to happen to me, until I started to put signs pointing the way... That make your mining life much easier.

 

[Scout Tactical]

I use trails of torches. Very easy to see at night and create "safe" lanes where monsters won't spawn (but may enter, of course). This method also lures in a lot of animals, so you can harvest food easily if you choose to travel at night, though I wouldn't if it's not peaceful or you aren't well armed.

 

[SpAc3man]

Signs, marker structures, torches and big torches are your friend. eventually you will end up making roads, pathways and rail lines to various places.

 

[mirror's edgy]

Thanks for the good tips so far, and I'm realizing that I'm getting lost because my inclination to see every biome is greater than wanting to stay in my nice little tower. I just HAVE to see the nether.

 

[mcattack92]

At the main entrance to my underground base, I build a massive tower 1x1 size that reaches the highest possible point. It can be seen from a long way away.

 

[DasDestroyer]

To get home I use a compass and usually build a 1 block tower all the way into the clouds near my home, just so that I can see it from further away.
Under the ground I follow the torches, and if I have a cave branch that leads to a dead end, I take some cobblestone and cover the entrance to it, leaving a few gaps so that I know not to dig there.
And if you've hopelessly lost your summer home, I suggest getting the cartographer program, and finding it there.

 

[Nexoram]

Yeah, getting lost sucks. I'm a bit of a noob; my house is tiny but i just have some sort of connection with it. Your talk of a compass has enlightened and inspired me though. I read about it on the Minecraft wiki and it says that it points towards the spawn point. Excellent. Thank you. Now i just need to find some redstone.... Any tips?

 

[mirror's edgy]

To get home I use a compass and usually build a 1 block tower all the way into the clouds near my home, just so that I can see it from further away.
Under the ground I follow the torches, and if I have a cave branch that leads to a dead end, I take some cobblestone and cover the entrance to it, leaving a few gaps so that I know not to dig there.
And if you've hopelessly lost your summer home, I suggest getting the cartographer program, and finding it there.

I would build a similar tower, but I have to turn the draw distance way down. And what is this cartography??

 

[L4Y Duke]

I build really big things you can see from miles away. Like lava-powered lighthouses or really big pylons. That sort of thing.

 

[Throwitawaynow]

I made a 5 block high wall that leads from my spawn to my base when I started, I got lost a lot too. Now I have minecart tracks that go from the spawn under the mountain to my base. Although I'm having trouble getting it to work correctly I can't seem to get the powered minecart to move the minecart in front of it with me in it, because you gotta be aiming towards the direction you want to go. I wonder if you're supposed to hit it at an angle and then jump in before it leaves without you.

 

[DasDestroyer]

To get home I use a compass and usually build a 1 block tower all the way into the clouds near my home, just so that I can see it from further away.
Under the ground I follow the torches, and if I have a cave branch that leads to a dead end, I take some cobblestone and cover the entrance to it, leaving a few gaps so that I know not to dig there.
And if you've hopelessly lost your summer home, I suggest getting the cartographer program, and finding it there.

I would build a similar tower, but I have to turn the draw distance way down. And what is this cartography??

Basically, Cartographer is a program which you can use to make a .png image of your map from above or isometrically. You can also use it for finding certain types of blocks on the map (eg. Diamond Ore) or for mapping your caves, but that's beside the point.
http://www.minecraftforum.net/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=13134
Once it renders it, you have an eagle's eye view of your map, and unless you made your summer house blend in perfectly with the surroundings or underground, you should find it fairly quickly.

Thanks for the good tips so far, and I'm realizing that I'm getting lost because my inclination to see every biome is greater than wanting to stay in my nice little tower. I just HAVE to see the nether.

The easiest way to get to the nether is to get a bucket, fill it with lava, wall off a single empty block from all sides except the top, fill it with lava, fill the bucket with water, and pour the water over the lava to make obsidian. Repeat this 10 times, in the shape of a portal, and voila.
Brotip: bring lots of cobblestone to the nether, otherwise the ghasts will rape you and anything you try to make out of the blocks you can find there.

 

[aLivingPheonix]

I have a small house next to my spawn, which is my main base of operations. When I go exploring, I make redstone paths, because the redstone is easy to spot, and I have excess amounts. I also use signs, too, but only for forks in the redstone road.

EDIT: Fix'd typo

 

[Cogwheel]

Try getting lost in rooms you made yourself.

150x150x35. And to think they called me mad.

 

[Bobbity]

I tend to make huge towers covered in torches, plant trees on top of other trees and so on, because those really obvious things stand out. Also, something to note, the compass points towards your spawn, so unless you're far enough away, it's not going to remain a stable point of reference. You can, if you want though, follow it back to your spawn, building landmarks and trenches all the while, to prevent the loss of your hardwork if you die.