What’s the collective noun for hermits?
July 21, 2018 10:30 AM   Subscribe

Hermitcraft is a private, whitelisted, vanilla Minecraft server, supporting a number of YouTube Let’s Players and streamers, which is now entering its sixth season. Founded by Generikb - who describes himself as a “gaming hermit” - in April 2012, the server had a rocky start, including losing the first map only a few episodes in. Regrouping, the Hermits started over, but “genny” would leave after a year to focus his time on the older Mindcrack server, to which he’d been invited half-way through the first Hermitcraft season (and which had been the impetus for starting his own survival multiplayer server). The rest of the Hermits carried on, before deciding to reset the map for an official “Season 2” in June of 2013 as Minecraft’s “Horse Update” was approaching a proper release…

Season Three began a little over a year later in October 2014, shortly after the release of Minecraft 1.8 - the “Bountiful Update” - using the “amplified” terrain option. Season Four started in February 2016 to coincide with the launch of Minecraft 1.9, the “Combat Update”. Season Five began in April 2017, for the fifth anniversary of the founding of the server, and Season Six is coinciding with the “Aquatic Update”, Minecraft 1.13.

Over those years, nearly 60 Minecrafters have called Hermitcraft home, including the odd Mojang employee, as well as both ex- and current Mindcrackers. Spin-offs from the original vanilla server include various modded servers and competitive mini-series.

For Season Six, the Hermits plan to build in themed areas of a big island. The server also uses some small modifications (although not actual code “mods”, to keep the game as “vanilla” as possible), including a single-player sleep (as videos shot at night are less appealing), anti-Enderman-griefing (to stop Endermen dismantling builds) and every creature in the game has a chance to drop its head. You can catch up on all the first day's shenanigans with this “Day One Recap”.

The Hermits recording* on the server this season are:
* some Hermits do not participate in the Vanilla server, but remain members.

Xisuma [YT] [Twitch] [Offiical] – one of three remaining founder members, X isn’t the leader of Hermitcraft (if anything, Hermitcraft is organised as something of an anarchy) but does do much of the caretaking of the server. Season 5 (S5) saw X convert a mushroom island into a volcano, with his base inside the caldera. X notably never resets his episode counter for his Hermitcraft series, so is currently starting S6 with episode 709. Wanting to keep his privacy, X has never been seen in public, and covers his face in videos with a scream mask when showing his guitar playing. X's other Minecraft series include “Minecraft Myth Busting” and keeping up with Minecraft's updates. He also reviews albums.

Biffa2001 [YT] [Twitch] – another founder member, Biffa has admitted more of a preference for Modded Minecraft, but usually turns up for the opening of a new server (he joked he'd be around for 2 and a half episodes for S6). Noted for his love of tea, he also runs a couple of other YT channels where he plays indie and strategy games. Interestingly, if you turn the face of Biffa’s Minecraft skin upside down, it still works, which may be unique amongst Hermits. S5 saw Biffa plan to build his base in The End, although the project never came to fruition. For S6, should he keep going, he'll be building alongside Xisuma and new Hermit Grian in S6's futuristic zone.

Joehillssays [YT] [Mixer] [Twitch] – recording, as he always does, from Nashville, Tennessee, Joe was one of the first post-launch invites to the server. He often records his episodes live while streaming, giving watchers a look behind the scenes of how his episodes are made. Joe is quick-witted and silver-tongued, and can always be relied on to make even the most boring Minecraft activities enjoyable to watch. In S5 he built a scale copy of the Ravenloft castle from the Dungeons & Dragons module “Curse of Strahd”, with plans to run the module in-game. For S6 Joe plans to be a nomad, building location-appropriate features as he roams. Joe is also a member of Team Snow Day, who collectively make comics and role-playing games.

ZombieCleo [YT] [Twitch] – Cleo joined the server for the first reset (nb some swears in Cleo's early videos) in June 2013 after an invite from Joe Hills. A teacher in real life, she bring a sometime darker tone to the server, with builds focused on, well, evil, to be honest. S4 saw her build a dark tower above the all-seeing eye, whilst in S5, it was a temple to the Head God. For S6, Cleo's building “The Juggernaut”.

MumboJumbo [YT] – the server’s primary source of lag, Mumbo also joined at the start of season two. Something of the Fred Astaire of Hermitcraft – can’t build, can’t fight, can handle redstone a little – he’s one of the bigger Youtubers on the server, with over 2 million subscribers. Famous for his redstone contraptions, particularly doors, and his automated farms with thousands of lag-creating hoppers as much for his “spoon” moments. His base on S5 was built around a Guardian Temple. For S6, he'll be working in the Futuristic Zone to connect some islands, futuristically. Mumbo also makes small films on his second channel, including one previously on Metafilter

Tinfoil Chef [YT] – TFC is the oldest Hermit, and suffers much from the “rural crapnet” in Arkansas. He joined season two part way when those on Hermitcraft’s modded “Feed the Beast” server were invited over. TFC also has a long-running series where he’s attempting to walk all the way to the “Far Lands” - an area of Minecraft’s map where rounding errors cause extreme glitches in the generated landscape, unreachable in current versions of the game - whilst raising money for charity. S4 saw TFC build his base out of diamond blocks and glass, before he made a massive DNA strand sculpture. In S5 he made a tribute to one-time-Hermit Coestar, by re-building Coe’s “Dogfort” on the server. A version of one of Fallout's vaults is his goal for S6.

Tango [YT] [Mixer] – after helping Mumbo fix an iron farm he’d designed, the “Iron Foundry”, Tango was invited to S2 a few months later. He’s kept on designing iron farms whilst playing on the server. More recently, he’s messed with modding the game himself, supplying a series of “what if?” additions to the game. In S4, Tango built the server’s nether hub, producing a scale model of the Mesa the Hermits were living on. For S5 built a lava-themed castle atop four witch-huts (one of the things for which the world seed had been chosen). In S6, his plans include an “underground domain” below a lake.

iJevin [YT] [Twitch] – invited to join the server after meeting some Hermits at Minecon 2013, Jevin is another modded Minecraft fan, who can mix it up in vanilla. Also a regular streamers on Twitch, S4 saw him build an underground base, as well as making so many diamonds from selling the recently introduced Shulker Shells, which were used to make Minecraft's first portable storage, and in S5 he took over a Guardian Temple for his base. Jev has not revealed much about his plans for S6, but has said he's making a “mega-build”.

FalseSymmetry [YT] [Twitch] – False joined to help out making some pranks towards the end of S2, doubling the number of women Hermits. Probably one of the better skilled at Minecraft’s combat, she often acts as the server’s rescue service when the other members get in over their heads, especially with the Wither. Or when RenDog is RenDog. No slouch either in her building skills, False built a glass jellyfish in S4, whilst acting as the server’s Sheriff, until deposed after her corruption was uncovered. For S5, she took over a Mushroom island, converting it into a town with a seedy underbelly. For S6, False is building in the Fantasy Zone alongside RenDog,

ImpulseSV [YT] [Mixer] – invited to join when S3 had been going a few months, Impulse joined to help X, Mumbo and Tango utilise quad witch huts as a fellow “technical” Minecrafter. He’s famous for his item sorter, which many a Minecrafter has used to create massive storage systems, and, often in concert with Tango, for building massive farms in the nether. For S5, Impulse built “Atlantis” over a Guardian Temple he converted into a Guardian farm. In S6, Impulse has his own “spot” for his base, the “Bay of Impulse” (name may change). Outside of Hermitcraft, Impulse also has a long-running series with Skizzleman called Naked & Scared where, without armour, they have 21 Minecraft days to complete a random task.

Docm77 [YT] – Doc joined up to S3 after guesting in Hermitcraft UHC VII, “Achievement Hunting”. For S4, he teamed up with fellow Mindcracker Etho [YT] (albeit an ex-Mindcracker by the start of S4) to build the server's gaming district. In S5, they were joined by BDoubleO100 [Twitch] [YT] and VintageBeef [YT] (ex- and current Mindcrackers respectively) to form the New Hermit Order (or nHo), and show the.. er… old Hermits how to do things the old school way. This attempt to add heels to the server started well, but outside events (including Youtube’s ham-fisteed attempts to not give money to the wrong sort of people) meant none of them made it to the end of the season. At the start of S6, only Doc has returned, though the others remain official (if inactive) Hermits.

PythonGB [YT] – xBcrafted's [YT] [Twitch] guest in the “Bring a Friend” HermitCraft UHC VIII before being invited to the server proper in S3. S4 saw him build a sea town. Python took a break in the middle of S5 after wearing himself out building an underground base. Instead, he’s been wearing himself out playing in the snapshots for 1.13, even though everyone warns against doing this… Python is starting S6 in the Modern Zone. Prior to joining Hermitcraft, Python was on a server called KingdomCraft, and when S4 started, his fellow members GoodTimesWithScar, Welsknight, RenDog, Iskall85 and Cubfan135 followed him to Hermitcraft.

Scar [YT] [Twitch] – considered one of the best builders in Minecraft, and his landscaping skills are highly sought after. In S5, he designed and built much of the community area on the server - themed as the Hermits retreating underground after the overworld was overrun by evil - as well as his own modern ScarCity, complete with skyscrapers and helipads. Scar has a neuromuscular disease that causes physical weakness, so he uses a wheelchair and an oxygen feed. Possibly the only hermit more beloved than Scar is Jellie, Scar’s pet cat. For S6, Scar is building a pirate island, presumably as pirates don't have to follow the building codes, and he will be safe from his arch-nemesis, Bob the Creeper Building Inspector.

Wels [YT] [Twitch] – another talented builder. After making an underground “Dwarven” base in S4, his discharge from the US military allowed him to go full time Youtuber for S5, where he made a massive medieval castle and environs. In S6, Wels is starting out in the Medieval Zone, and plans to build in all the zones.

Iskall [YT] [Twitch] – Swedish for Ice-cold, he was actually in one of Notch’s early Minecraft test groups. A decent PvPer (and has killed your author in two different “Hunt the Hermit” UHCs) and redstoner, his S5 base was a collaboration with RenDog to turn a Mushroom Island into a “Plastic Fantastic” theme based on the concrete blocks added in Minecraft 1.12. Another S5 collaboration with Ren was the sadly unfinished “Moba Lisa 2”, a MOBA-style game played in survival minecraft. For S6, he plans to build in one of the new frozen ocean biomes. He really hates the diorite block. Really hates it.

Ren [YT] [Twitch] – a South African who inexplicably moved to live in England, and a real-life hermit as well as a Minecrafting one. Not the best at PvP, or Redstone, or fighting the wither (False has had to rescue him on more than one occasion), his orange and black colour scheme for the “Plastic Fantastic” island worked particularly well. In S4 he was responsible for Hermitron Go, a collection game in no way associated with Nintendo, and for his lush mesa river basin. S5 has the Ren diggity Dog living alongside False in the Fantasy Zone.

Cubfan135 [YT] [Mixer] – is known for his immense builds, and for shouldering the grind for resources to do them. In S4, he terraformed a massive area using obsidian blocks, adding in a volcano and lava flows (the volcano was also home to the 5k club, for Hermits who’d flown more than 5k by Elytra). In S5, like several others, he took over a Mushroom Island, leaving it sadly about to be destroyed by a massive meteor. His personal nether hub was another impressive project, featuring a nebula for a floor, and the Earth for a ceiling. S6 sees him having no plan at all this time.

Stressmonster101 [YT] [Twitch] – Stress is a another player from the Kingdomcraft server who was invited to play on Iskall’s Foolcraft series, and then officially invited to Hermitcraft for S5, nudging Hermitcraft’s gender imbalance slightly further in the right direction. Talented with terraforming and building, her base was an entire swamp. A physical trainer, she has also combined Minecraft and physical exercise in her “Musclecraft” series, as well as making pure fitness videos. In S6, she's working in the same frozen ocean as Iskall.

Zedaph [YT] [Mixer] – a friend of Tango, also invited for S5. He shut down his own single-player world, and entered the portal to Hermitcraft, where he built a crystal cave under and around two lakes (the Lake of Life, and Lake Honk), protected by twin skeleton archers. He has a whimsical style, turning the most prosaic of tasks (eg making a chicken farm) into something else (eg a competition between two chicken farms to see which could randomly shoot the most chickens). He was also responsible for the hit gameshow “Is That Sheep Looking at Me?” Zedaph's plan for S6 is “to not die”, and then to wander the server to collaborate with as many of the other hermits as possible.

Worm Man – No-one knows the secret identity of this shadowy figure, who protects the Hermitcraft server from all harm, nor why they didn’t appear until S5 was underway. Official Merch is available from the underground community area. He has no connection to Zedaph at all.

And, joining the Hermits for Season 6, is Grian [YT], well known for his creative building skills, this is his first time on an up-to-date Survival Multiplayer server, though he has been playing on the Evo server, which is slowly working its way through the versions of Minecraft from beta 1.2.

Of course, if keeping up with all these videos seems like too much, the Unofficial Hermitcraft Recap team keeps even the actual Hermits up to speed. Written by ZloyXP [YT] [Twitch] and voiced by Pixlriffs [YT] [Twitch], this weekly compilation of all the events and mishaps on the server has pretty much guaranteed neither Zloy nor Pix will ever be invited to join the server themselves. For an aural history of all the Hermits who have every played on the server, you can check out JRGPRocks’ [YT} 3-part Hermitcraft History [update 1] [update 2].

Pranks

Hermits, in common with many servers, love to prank each other. False’s alter-ego, PrankSymmetry, is infamous for her many escapades, but as the Convex in S5, Cub and Scar took it to new heights, pranking or rewarding every other Hermit depending on whether they’d left an appropriate offering in Wel’s cathedral. Meanwhile, Iskall is probably the recipient of the most themed pranks, as his hatred of diorite makes him an easy target, particularly when it was named “block of the week” on the official Minecraft site.

The Gaming District

As mentioned, Doc & Etho have worked extensively on this in several seasons, but other notable games on the server include Tango’s “The Tangler”, in S4, which trapped some in its fiendish puzzles for hours. Tango built a second Tangler in S5, which this time required two players to work in unison to solve its puzzles. The S5 district also saw Tango’s “Derp Dropper” and “Chorus Chaos” games, as well as Mumbo’s “Slabyrinth” filling out the gaps left by Doc & Etho being otherwise engaged.

Notable Other Hermitcraft Series

Hermitcraft UHC – “Ultra Hard Core” is a game mode where players, either alone or in teams, try to “gear up” and fight to the death, usually over a couple of hours. The last season of Hermitcraft UHC was in 2016. It was replaced by…

Hermit Wars/Hermit Quest – a three series, modded, PvP team battle - built by Iskall’s Build team (led by Scalda [YT] [Twitch]) - that saw Hermits and guests compete to invade kingdoms in order to get better gear for a final fight to the death.

Hunt the Hermit – Using the same mechanics as the UHCs, this saw the Hermits acting as a single team, albeit initially separated, and hunted by their twitch and patreon subscribers. Despite its popularity with fans, only three series were made, apparently ending with S4.

Hermit UHB – Ultimate Hermit Build-off, a build battle with combat. Each team had a private plot, but had to enter the rest of the world to gather materials. The final results were determined by the scores given by three Hermits who weren’t involved.

Hardcore Hermits – two series of asynchronous competitive games in the Minecraft 1.13 snapshots. Each team of hermits had their own world, and, either had to get advancements (in series 1) or collect different items (in series 2).

Modded Hermitcraft – including: Hermit Skies (Project Ozone 2 skyblock), Hermitpack, Gamemode 4 and Modsauce.
posted by Auz (9 comments total) 9 users marked this as a favorite
 
the fact that hermitcraft is still going strong makes what happened to mindcrack even more depressing.
posted by JimBennett at 11:01 AM on July 21, 2018 [2 favorites]


Auz, you have clearly swam in Hermit-waters much longer and deeper than I have. I'm torn between joining S6 as it begins or actually going back on S5 and watching the playlists from the channels of Hermits that I don't usually follow.

My thoughts:

Having only seen Grian's work in creative-mode builds, it'll be interesting to see how his builds change under survival rules, where you actually have to mine for the resources you need.

Mumbo's the feast-or-famine kind of poster, where sometimes he'll build an monstrous villager breeder/trading post in one episode, ignore it for months while he builds other things, come back to find it broken, and decide that it needs to have an execution room before he can re-activate it. However, he's the resident redstone contraption genius, and he built an AT-AT walker using only vanilla Minecraft. I just hope Grian can help him make a base that isn't a big pile of geometry.
posted by The Pluto Gangsta at 11:22 AM on July 21, 2018


I’d go forward with S6. S5 to some degree, was a little bit of a disappointing season, as the community was somewhat fractured by the decisions to not have a shopping district, and to build far apart. If you want to start an older season, S4 is maybe a better one to start with.

Meanwhile, right after I posted this, Jessassin tweeted out his Episode 1 thumbnail…

So here's the bit I wrote for him, before I knew who was starting S6:
Jessassin [YT] [Mixer]invited later in season 1, Jessassin last appeared on the vanilla server for the start of season 4, and like Biffa and Hypno prefers modded Hermitcraft. Eschewing Youtube, he mainly streams these days on Mixer (when not in the middle of a big cross-country move).
posted by Auz at 12:23 PM on July 21, 2018 [1 favorite]


I just watched Grian's first episode for S6, it was uncharacteristically tense.
posted by carter at 1:34 PM on July 21, 2018 [2 favorites]


Hermitage. But it s an older use of that word
posted by eustatic at 2:13 PM on July 21, 2018 [3 favorites]


the fact that hermitcraft is still going strong makes what happened to mindcrack even more depressing.


@JimBennett, please explain? Or this comes off as kind of trolly.
posted by BigBrooklyn at 10:23 AM on July 22, 2018 [1 favorite]


Auz, this post makes me super happy. I am a big fan of Hermitcraft (much to my son's embarrassment), particularly False, X, and Mumbo, and I'm happy to see them getting some press on a larger forum. What they're collectively doing is amazing, and super entertaining, and I'm so glad to see S6 come online and be more collaborative.

That being said, I wish there were more non-male hermits, and I can no longer watch anything that involves Iskall at all - he's just too much of an exemplar of the gamer dude bro for my taste. That being said, the map he and his team built for the last Hermit Quest PvP series is a work of art, and if folks are looking for an entry point for the players involved, Hermit Quest (a campaign like PvP series on a custom map) might be a good entry point.

The thing I hate most about playing Minecraft as an adult is that I don't have peers to play with on a server the way my kid does. So I have to live vicariously through the Hermits and their joint adventures.
posted by anastasiav at 2:28 PM on July 22, 2018 [1 favorite]


@JimBennett, please explain? Or this comes off as kind of trolly.

the whole hermitcraft model is based on what mindcrack was doing first: get a bunch of insanely talented minecrafters who mostly all do let’s plays on a server together and let them run wild. mindcrack collapsed because of mismanagement and the desire to become more professional and “legit” rubbing some of the biggest members the wrong way, who then left the server and for the most part stopped collaborating with the group at all.

today most mindcrackers would say it fell apart because of the shifting dynamics of youtube monetization and minecraft becoming less popular go watch on youtube. the continued success of hermitcraft proves this to be untrue.
posted by JimBennett at 6:22 PM on July 22, 2018 [1 favorite]


Kind of related - Mumbo has just posted a video showing how you can build redstone circuits made with leaf blocks.
posted by carter at 5:05 PM on July 24, 2018


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