Minecraft

[Drasir-Vel]

(this topic is about Minecraft Beta. Not the free classic version)

Have you ever as a child drawn images on paper of underground bases, and fortresses and caves and wished you could make it beyond the plain paper. Well, in this game you can. Like Stranded 2 it is a game about survival, but you are also able to dig underground and build upwards anywhere you want if you got the materials.




The homepage: http://www.minecraft.net/

[Zyx]

Seriously, what is it with this game? I haven't dared to touch it, but the people I know who have are completely hooked. There are bunch of YouTube videos of things people have built like working CPUs, Star Trek ships and so on.

It's like Lego brick for adults, right?

[Chroelle]

I have the same feeling. I dont really dare opening it up -fearing I might be lost for eternity if I do...

[Drasir-Vel]

It's hard to describe. Yes, the first impressions you'll get is that it's just block building. But i think it's the sheer freedom in this game that makes it immersive. The procedural level generator is one of the best, if not the best example of randomly generated game content i've seen in any game. But again, you have to play it to see what i mean.
If you need a good laugh, read this series: http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/tag/mine-the-gap/
And a silly video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVFTmqXFLX8

[Zyx]

It's hard to describe. [...] But again, you have to play it to see what i mean.

Sounds a like the perfect drug or conspiracy.

[Drasir-Vel]

It's hard to describe. [...] But again, you have to play it to see what i mean.

Sounds a like the perfect drug or conspiracy.

Sheesh, sounds like i'm a pusher selling drugs :p. "you have to try it to see how it is."

[Drasir-Vel]

The 20'th of december, Minecraft will change from, alpha version to beta. After that the game will cost 15 euro compared to the current 10. Copies of the game bought before beta will get all future updates for free.

http://notch.tumblr.com/post/2175441966 ... er-20-2010

[Chroelle]

Hm...It seems I will have to dodge bullets all the way, to avoid playing this one... I have seldomly before had a game that I wanted to play badly, but knew I needed to avoid not to loose myself, as much as this.

[Drasir-Vel]

I'm sorry if it seems like i'm trying to lure you into playing this. That wasn't intended.
I'd like to keep it all to myself ;)

[Chroelle]

I read an article about this game yesterday. It seems the developer already earned a couple of million dollars on doing this, and it is just going Beta... How come I can´t make games

[Zyx]

Here's an interesting thing, Minecraft is being used in classrooms. Some teacher uses Minecraft in first and second grade computer classes.

[Chroelle]

Based on your link there Zyx, I have decided to write an article on this in my blog, and have actually contacted the developer, hoping to get some answers regarding how you can use this in education and in general with kids.

[Zyx]

Well, I kinda knew you would be interested. =)

[Chroelle]

Still trying to figure out what to do on this one.... Should I open it up and give it a try or....
Lucas Gillespie of North Carolina, made a level where kids from his computerclass tried out the game for the first time. Amazing fun to watch how they go at it with different speeds, understanding, and some fall into the same pits over and over again...

[eMTe]

hoping to get some answers regarding how you can use this in education and in general with kids

My answer would be take them outside and learn them how tu use natural environment 1.0, after all these years it still appears to be the best educational environment for kids.

Im conservative, Id prefer my kid to play reallife blocks than Minecraft, even as a supplement.

[Chroelle]

Yep, but you can do both, and I am very much into that. It just seems that since computers are here to stay, you might as well teach them a positive approach to them instead of just letting the commercial market take care of letting the kids know what to spend their computertime on. I have a lot of sports oriented coworkers, and as you know I like doing sports myself, so the reason I am "THAT guy" who is talking about how to use computers with kids, is simply because no on else in my line of business is. The closest I come to this in my line of work, is people that believes the best way to introduce 8 year olds to computers is hooking up 10 PC's with Counter-strike....

[eMTe]

Well, I dont question existence of computers and their influence on our lives, but I think kids shouldnt be taught informatics too early. While using computers can increase their logical reasoning and cognition, reflex and various other abilities it can also cause losing (a little of course, not fully) natural lust for playing outside, curiosity about household objects etc. Life behind monitor screen is much more colourful than real life and completely safe to interact. So - it is deceptive.

Computers absorb lives of fully grown people, why do that to kids who are completely unprepared and psychologically defenseless?

[Chroelle]

Exactly my point actually. That is why I want to teach them skills and behaviour behind the screen that will keep them from falling into these traps too easily. A less blinking, colourful, zapped-by culture online, with options of creating and interacting instead of destroying, and dwelling on purpose-lessness. I am very much in agreement with your stance on that kids should be interacting with the world outside, instead of simply a virtual one, so that is why my projects always has an element of real-life. For instance, I make:
- webpapers with them, where they have to go and take pictures and interview people - grown-ups and adults alike,
- movies with them, where they have to sit down and plan what to do without a computer, and try to draw the scenes free hand first, before shooting them, and not until then going to a computer to edit,
- A photocollage where they have to go and talk to their parents about looking over private photos, and talk about their life-history, and then we set up the collage based on what pictures they believe should be in it.

I always try to put some relatively high demands on the outcome of the projects, as I want them to see the full potential of stuff, but not through force, but by example.

I hope you see my point regarding this. Because I would hate to come off as so many of my peers that just uninhibited sets up computers and say "Go play". If I should ever do that I would be certain that the "PLAY" meant play as in "imagine and interact" and not as "kill, kill, faster, kill".

[Chroelle]

I caved... I bought Minecraft...

[Zyx]

I caved... I bought Minecraft...

OK, see you next year!