Unless it's changed in the last week, Multiplayer Survival mode is bugged (it's an alpha) so that monsters can't damage you. So most multiplayer servers are in

Unless it's changed in the last week, Multiplayer Survival mode is bugged (it's an alpha) so that monsters can't damage you. So most multiplayer servers are in Creative mode, where you just build stuff. Single player survival still works, and is a lot of fun. The first day cycle is about getting a pick, a shelter, and some coal for torches before nightfall and zombies/skeletons come out. Then you spend the next few day/night cycles building up, and people usually start exploring around Day 5-10. And get horridly lost and have to construct shelter as the sun is setting to avoid monster attack. And to get the good resources like iron and diamond and gold and redstone, you have to go spelunking in caves, where monsters can spawn in any dark spot. Even coal is only available in small amounts on cliff faces, so you have to either mine or spelunk for that too past the first few pieces.