This build was the Arena Build. Students were to build an Arena for PvP. Something students had been asking for since the start of the school year. The first three weeks, students were really into it. Then one week, a student discovered they could use a dispenser to shoot fireballs to other builds – and the border blocks did not stop it. I knew I should have countered this new threat by placing barrier blocks as walls around each plot of land. But I was busy and told myself it would be okay. A Disasterous miscalculation, It was not okay.
Students lined up dispensers as cannons and unleashed massive volleys against each other. I instructed them this was not the time yet to start the PvP. I didn’t think it would damage the builds as fire was set to not spread and destructive items were turned off—another miscalculation. As the volleys continued, I thought I could make barriers with barrier blocks to stop the attacks—another miscalculation.
After about 5 to 10 minutes of thinking I could contain this outbreak, I realized it
was beyond my in-game ability and shut down the server.
In hindsight, the moment the first volley was unleashed I should have shut down the server and re-explained rule number one in Minecraft club; Respect each other’s build.
After school, I examined the damage. Two of the builds were damaged beyond recognition and hopelessly lost. But the rest were fine. As a consequence, those that participated will have their builds removed and plots of land reset (with Amulate) with the opportunity to start a new build in the same plot. So mistakes were made, and I am now a little wiser.
This hung over my head the whole day. It seems silly, but 2 weeks’ worth of student work was gone because I lost control of the situation. I will place barrier blocks around each build and be more proactive about such actions.
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