After seing Etho's gameplay, I really wanted to try out this mod, which I didn't knew existed! Is exactly the kind of experience that might rekindle my interess with Minecraft. Anyway, after a several world spawns, some better than other, I settled on what appears to be a large island with plenty of trees. From spawn point I traveled a bit on the coast and found lava, with sulfur ! Considering it a easy point of orientation, decided to go inland, in search of potable water. Soon I came to a large system of lakes, more like marshes, filled with trees: birches, oaks and sicomores. Next few days I was busy evading mobs, chopping trees and built a log cabin right on the edge of a lake, with a very thin dirt entrance, to make it hard for the mobs. My 1st adventure trying to cook some pottery ended in distaster: I built the pit in the middle of my house, hoping a 5x5 empty area (house interior) will be sufficient. It was not, my house went up in flames. Thankfully I managed to save all the goods, the fruit bushes I planted around, plus half of the house: being next to water has its benefits. With lots of clay vessels and large pots filling the inside of the house, I started to explore. Found imense quantities of squash, tomatoes, peppers and wheat. I replanted most of them, and I stumbled across cows. I decided I have to concentrate in getting a few to my base, before the winter hits. On a flat piece of land next to my base, I dig 2 7x7 x 2 deep pits, in dirt, one for cows, one for pigs. First cattle drive netted me 3 bulls and cow. I killed one bull to get my first protein meat and manage to save the other 3. Next drive I managed to get just a cow, completing two couples. A lonely hog joined the cows in adjacent pit. On the next trip out I went pretty far north, 500 blocks and discovered rice, 2 bears, 4-5 horses and 5+ cows. My thought process was: lets make the area safe for a cattle drive, so I went for a bear, naked, armed with 5 stone axes. Long story short, bear won. Luckily respawn is 100 ish blocks away from my base, and from there I got to death location pretty quickly so I managed to recover all my things (1 full stack of wheat I just collected). In one of my travels found a wolf, which I gave some bones. He followed me home, bringing great hapiness at the thought I have a friend. I discovered with horror what a mistake that was. In the morning I went to feed the cows and the pig, to raise my familiarity and the dog imediatelly charged the pig. I ran away hoping the dog will follow me, which he did. Next morning, he charged a pregnant cow and killed it under my own eyes. I discovered with horror pig was gone, meaning he killed it the previous morning. Enough was enough so I went into the cow pit and slaughtered the dog. Winter is coming and food is more important than friendship! Third cattle drive netted me 3 cows. With the 2 surviving bulls and 1 cow, I feel confident I'm secure through the winter, with some calves on the way. In all my travels I kept en eye open for ores, sadly the area proves to be extremely poor. All I found was some galena deposits (uselss) one of limonite (for later) and 2 bismuth ores on surface (marked for later). No copper and no sphalerite. Atm, I travel arround with 2 stacks of gravel and 2 of sand plus a gold pan in my pack, stopping at every chunk around the marshes, making a small river and panning for metals. Managed to collect 25 copper and 5 platinum. Was hoping to be able to start up with tier 2 mats, like bismuth-bronze, but it looks like it will not be so: I have to start with copper prospector pick and pick. Area around the lakes is criss-crossed by huge ravines. One contains what it seems to be coal in the open and other one has some green rock, I hope bismuthite. Sadly is not possible to get to the bottom until I can craft some ladders, which means copper saw. I spent month of August cooking salads and experimenting with cooking. I have lots of vegetables, elderberries and found a fruit tree, a plum. Luckily, got a sapling from it and planted it next to my house. Killed some deer and I plan to terminate several of the roaming cows to get more meat and further experiment, but I don't know what I'm doing really. I could really use some advice with it. Another problem seems to be food preserving. I put everything in clay vessels (the small ones) and deposited them in a dark room, at the back of the cabin, hopefully they'll make it till the winter. That's about it so far, is 3rd of september, I'm and adept in agriculture and I'm about ready to smelt some ore, mine during winter and hopefully build a better cabin. Let me know what you think and if you have any advice regarding cooking and food preserving.