Spelunking

[jakerman999]

Reading through the development diaries thread, I've noticed that a couple people use torches alongside the right-hand wall of caves in a "breadcrumb" manner, to find there way back out. This runs directly opposite to the mantra I've always used for navigating, and I'd like to ask others to share there own(or borrowed) methods of underground navigating.

The mantra I've always used is as follows:
Torches on the left, towards the depths.
Torches on the right, towards the light.

[shifty]

Same mantra as you. In mines I'll put a torch in the centre of any 'crossroads' and a torch on the wall at any dead ends. That way I can quickly check and see that a tunnel is a dead end from a long way away. If a cave system gets too complex I'll start blocking off sections I've fully explored and know to be dead ends.

[OldMarriedDude]

I dont really have a system for placing torches but I do block off tunnels leaving holes in the wall which tell me to explore it but if its a solid wall ive already been there.

[DocHussey]

I follow the rule of signs and stone. I come into a cave either from the surface or through lucky exploration, I pick a direction and wall off any others. Theres a stack of signs (Thank the Gods they are stackable now!) and I place one in the middle of the newly blocked section. "UNMINED & UNEXPLORED SEP27 1215" would be what goes on the sign, followed by five torches around the sign. I wander through the system, keeping a solid direction and wall-signing every offshoot before I begin mining. If it happens to be a chasm, I build a wall five blocks tall to stopper it off. Once I'm done, I start mining from the end to the first walled off section. I'll wall off behind me and begin again on the new unwalled section. Takes days to explore a really good system, but will save your ass in huge mine-shafts. Once I finish a section, I plop another sign on the wall "MINED OF R/A/R EXPLORED SEP27 1219". (R/A/R=Readily Available Resources)

[PatriotBob]

I guess I'm the only person on the planet that doesn't ever mark their cave systems.

I'm not saying it's not a good idea. I just never found it that useful, I don't ever get lost in caves. Everything about their shape and layout is unique so navigating them has always been a breeze... guess that's just me though...

[Poppycocks]

I guess I'm the only person on the planet that doesn't ever mark their cave systems.

I'm not saying it's not a good idea. I just never found it that useful, I don't ever get lost in caves. Everything about their shape and layout is unique so navigating them has always been a breeze... guess that's just me though...

Not quite, I'm the same.

I sometimes run in a circle once or twice, but that's about it. I recently found out that I even somewhat remember the layouts of caves I haven't been to for a good year.

[Graphite]

I always hang the torches on the wall in such a way that they point back the way I came. That allows me to put them on either wall in wide corridors.

[morvelaira]

I feel like the weird one here. I put the torches on the floor, and just always take the left fork in a path to explore. When I reach a dead end, I back track - raping resources along the way - and then seal off that branch at the last turn to the dead end with cobblestone - a non naturally occurring material. If I am in a small cave near my base/mob farm/etc. I will also fill those sections with any spare dirt or gravel that I have in order to ensure nothing spawns there. This gets rid of excess of those materials, though may be a little less relevant now that we have the Ender Spectacles. ;D

[DaveYanakov]

I do not entorchen the floor in order to protect against accidental flooding. A stack of pumpkins is usually easy to come by so I just shove torches in those and use them to illuminate the floors of larger rooms. As for marking intersections, I carry four stacks of mouldings into caves so I make signs as I need them to mark branches that warrant further exploration. Branches that I have fully exploited get sealed up with a wall of stone brick now that the crucible and cobble generators have rendered the stuff literally cheaper than dirt.

[AddyBaha]

I always hang the torches on the wall in such a way that they point back the way I came. That allows me to put them on either wall in wide corridors.

I do the same and in addition to this I close deadends and parts of the cavesystem I allready have completly explored and mined out. This way there is always just one lighted way from the Entrance to the most deph spaces in the System. And also with this method I know when there is a way light up and not closed - at the end of this way there are still resources to gather.

[Last_Jedi_Standing]

When I'm digging a mine or tunnel, I always put the torches on the right wall out of habit. I don't use that for navigation, because it's really hard to get lost in tunnels you've just dug. I generally don't leave intentional markers in caves. Like PatriotBob and Poppycocks, I'm pretty good at just remembering where I am in a normal cave system. The only place I get lost is in abandoned mineshafts. I've tried various techniques there, but they're so @#$%ing confusing that none of the ones I've tried have ever worked very well. I just take an extra pick and expect to dig my way back up to the surface.

[Sage]

I get lost. Simple as that. When I've enough, I pillar up >:)

[TheLordOfDerp]

I always put a line of cobble across explored cave branches.

[duartemad]

I always put torches on the right side of the walls and wherever I find a big room with multiple paths to take I put a ton of torches on the entrance of the path I came from, that is when I do want to fully explore a cave system if not I just go and get lost. :D
Most of the times I go mining I just go strip minning on level 10, not a big fan of caves...

[Thieme]

Torches on right side of the wall and left side on the ground (if i need them) Then i block off branches i have fully explored and are a dead end with a 2 cobble pillar.
If i notice i am going around in a circle i use a line of dirt on the ground most of the time with a torch on. If my entrance/exit is a small hole i put 2 torches above it or sometimes make an arrow with cobble and/or torches. Using this technique i have yet to get lost.

[Xekrom337]

I'm usually able to memorize entire cave systems. I've never gotten lost :D

[Dreambolt]

I Use TNT and blow strait sections out of cave systems for my long distance rails, they double as easy to find escape routes.

[CreeperCommando]

If I find one or more tunnels to be frequently used, I smooth out the jagged corners and put out stairs.
If I find a long and important tunnel, I mark it with coloured wool or coded wool combinations.
If I get really far in the tunnel system and can hear surface sounds, I create a new mining entrance (hidden or not).
Usually I don't need to close up dead ends as I usually remember the way out and later on the torches themselves tells me that I've already been there.

Other than that, right rule.

[Foxy Boxes]

I checkerboard of any emptied tunnels with cobblestone to prevent mobs (checkerboard for spiders) from advancing into my nicely lit caves. I use right hand rule, but it can get confusing with circlular cave networks.

[jorgebonafe]

The mantra I've always used is as follows:
Torches on the left, towards the depths.
Torches on the right, towards the light.

Thanks for that :P I use the "torch on the wall" rule thing, but sometimes I actually forget which side I chose and guess to go on (obviously when I don't have any torches near me, on new caves).... So... My different caves probably have torches randomly placed on the left or right deppending on my guesses :P Your mantra shall be useful