Millenaire NPC Village Minecraft Mod
What really sets Millenaire apart from other, similar Minecraft NPC mods, is the fact that it introduces both buildings, villages and NPC villagers that will not only trade with the player, but will actually reproduce and have children, to the game. It even adds a currency system, something Mojang should really consider adding to the game in some form. It would certainly come in handy in multiplayer. But we are getting wildly ahead of ourselves.
Let's start with the basics, shall we? Millenaire is a mod that adds Norse style NPC villages to the Minecraft game. At first villages are basic affairs with only a few inhabitants, but as you trade with the villagers and encourage them in their village-y works, they will start to create new and more wonderful buildings. They will also begin to reproduce to fill these new buildings.
When you've installed the mod correctly, you'll get a message on loading that informs you that the Millenaire mod is loaded. By pressing 'v' you will be able to determined where the nearest village is. Unfortunately the mod tells you what direction it is in the traditional N,E,S,W system, which is mildly confusing for those who can't tell which direction is which. Fortunately you can work it out by moving a few steps and pressing 'v' again. If you're closer, keep going that way, if you're not, try another direction. It's a game of hot and cold within a game of Minecraft!
You'll find your first villagers living in dirt huts, but they all have names, which I found to be a very charming touch indeed, especially as names like 'Dithilde' and 'Arnbjorn' are prevalent.
Basic NPC Types
Farmers grow wheat crops, Lumbermen chop down trees and collect apples and wood, and the wives of the lumbermen and farmers do all the rest. No, really, wives turn the apples into tasty beverages, and wheat into bread. When you first come upon a village, these are the only NPCs that will be in residence, however as they become more advanced and begin to expand their operations, all sorts of new NPCs are created, including Priests, Guards, and possibly more.
Building Types
Bakery
The villagers will build a bakery so that they have bread to help their children grow big and strong. Children who have bread in the house will grow a little bit every night. When they are fully grown, they will move into a home of their own.
Tavern
Where the villagers go to drown their sorrows and drink apple juice.
Church
Where the villagers go to pray to the flying spaghetti monster, FSM be his name.
Installation
Installing this mod is only slightly less painful than punching yourself in the face, so if you get a black screen the first time you attempt to install it, don't panic. There's a You Tube tutorial at the end of the article that will not only show you how to install this mod properly, but which will also direct you to a version of Mod Loader that works. For reasons best known to the mod creator, the install directions on the initial forum post tell you that you need to use Mod Loader 1.4v2, which is so wildly innacurate it would make me laugh if it hadn't taken the better part of half an hour to install this thing properly.