Minecraft - I don't get it.

odusgolp
odusgolp Posts: 10,477 Member
in Chit-Chat
Dear Friends,

My 7 year old is obsessed with Minecraft, and I don't get it. Not that I really "get" any video games, but particularly this one. The graphics are awful - which I understand is intentional, but... why? It seems to me all he does is build things, which is cool and imaginative and all... but why not then build in The Sims or something a little more graphically stimulating? He has sheep & cows & chickens. He has no monsters or killing stuff, so (according to his father) he's in some sort of restricted mode.

Anyhow... I don't get it. And I WANT to get it. So please explain... there's clearly something I'm missing here, and I need to up my cool factor by understanding this damn game. Is there a goal? Is there a way to "win?"


Signed,

Totally confused, out of the loop, hopeless mother.
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Replies

  • escloflowneCHANGED
    escloflowneCHANGED Posts: 3,038 Member
    I don't get it either, it's boring as hell! My friends spend countless hours playing that game, it's lame.
  • amluvstld
    amluvstld Posts: 212
    Oh my lawd! My 3 boys love that game! They talk to me all excited about it, and I just nod and listen with my eyes glazed over. It's craziness. I don't get it, either. But that's ok, they get it and that's all that matter, I guess. LOL
  • RobTheGourmet
    RobTheGourmet Posts: 189 Member
    Dear Friends,

    My 7 year old is obsessed with Minecraft, and I don't get it. Not that I really "get" any video games, but particularly this one. The graphics are awful - which I understand is intentional, but... why? It seems to me all he does is build things, which is cool and imaginative and all... but why not then build in The Sims or something a little more graphically stimulating? He has sheep & cows & chickens. He has no monsters or killing stuff, so (according to his father) he's in some sort of restricted mode.

    Anyhow... I don't get it. And I WANT to get it. So please explain... there's clearly something I'm missing here, and I need to up my cool factor by understanding this damn game. Is there a goal? Is there a way to "win?"


    Signed,

    Totally confused, out of the loop, hopeless mother.

    digital lego to occupy the mind with digital fantasy exploring is my best guess.
  • LosinItAll2012
    LosinItAll2012 Posts: 238 Member
    I have 2 boys...ages 7 and 9...They absolutely love MineCraft as well....

    I don't "get" it either...but they like it... It's just building their own towns and villages, as far as I can tell.

    As long as they are happy...and this is one of the few non-violent games they play... I'm ok with it!! :smile:
  • odusgolp
    odusgolp Posts: 10,477 Member
    Oh my lawd! My 3 boys love that game! They talk to me all excited about it, and I just nod and listen with my eyes glazed over. It's craziness. I don't get it, either. But that's ok, they get it and that's all that matter, I guess. LOL

    I totally smile and nod too... "Oh that's cool, honey." ***no clue what i'm looking at***
  • skullshank
    skullshank Posts: 4,323 Member
    my 10yo is also obsessed. OBSESSED. he plays it on both xbox and ipod, watches videos about it on youtube, aspires to MAKE videos about it on youtube, insagrams screenshots of it.

    i prefer this over, say COD, though. i look at it as digital legos...its creative, and its pretty open-ended.

    do i get the draw? i can see how its fun, sure....but i dont understand the obsession.
  • odusgolp
    odusgolp Posts: 10,477 Member
    Don't get me wrong, I have NO problem with him playing it. He has times he's allowed and times he's kicked out to go play outside *LOL* But I just wish I understood it better. I'm a total accountant and I like everything to have an answer. I need answers!!!
  • luvJOJO
    luvJOJO Posts: 1,881 Member
    My 9yo is obsessed with Minecraft too. He plays constantly and when he's not playing it he's on youtube watching the minecraft videos. I don't get it either.
  • capnrus789
    capnrus789 Posts: 2,736 Member
    I am very happy not knowing what minecraft is. I'm very happy that my kid only has a Nintendo DS (which was my wifes anyway), but hasn't played it in over a month. I'm very happy that my kid would rather go outside and play frisbee than play video games.

    That said, he can't get enough of his Beyblade tops.
  • amluvstld
    amluvstld Posts: 212
    My 9yo is obsessed with Minecraft too. He plays constantly and when he's not playing it he's on youtube watching the minecraft videos. I don't get it either.

    Yes, the videos, too! Srsly? LOL
  • Tony_Brewski
    Tony_Brewski Posts: 1,376 Member
    Digital Lego's? So that's what I've been missing out on?! Why didn't anyone tell me!? Now I have to get this on Xbox thanks!
  • Gearjammer71
    Gearjammer71 Posts: 151 Member
    I didn't get it either. The graphics absolutely disgusted me. My 9 year old is enthralled by it, and I did not understand at all. I tried to play it and realized that he is quite a bit more creative than I thought. Instead of mindless blasting things to bits in a FPS type game he is spending his game time putting together virtual assemblies and constructing things of his own imagination.

    It suddenly seems somewhat cooler.
  • odusgolp
    odusgolp Posts: 10,477 Member
    I am very happy not knowing what minecraft is. I'm very happy that my kid only has a Nintendo DS (which was my wifes anyway), but hasn't played it in over a month. I'm very happy that my kid would rather go outside and play frisbee than play video games.

    That said, he can't get enough of his Beyblade tops.

    How old is he? I have about 20 my boy doesn't play with anymore :)
  • odusgolp
    odusgolp Posts: 10,477 Member
    And, I'm totally glad I'm not alone here. I'll quit wondering and just accept it as "digital legos" and carry on with my life :)

    Thank you :)
  • darkguardian419
    darkguardian419 Posts: 1,302 Member
    My 11 year old is obsessed with it.

    I like it, it's fun to explore, and see some interesting combos... but, it only goes so far before you HAVE to make it interesting.

    The game is open-source, so with some understanding of programming you can change what you want... establish "rules" to make the game more challenging, etc etc.
  • JenAndSome
    JenAndSome Posts: 1,893 Member
    My kids play it all the time, too. I like video games, but I really don't understand Minecraft. However, my kids, especially my six year old are determined to teach me about this game so it is all they talk about. Ever. So far this is what I know about Minecraft:

    There are creepers and creepers are bad and possibly like large spiders. They will kill you and/or blow up your house.

    There are mods and there are a lot of them, but I still don't know what that means.

    Your name is Steve.

    Herobrine is the main bad guy and he has a thousand lives and you can't beat him.

    Herobrine looks like Steve except his eyes are white because he is a ghost.

    You build stuff and look for gems like obsidian and diamonds.

    There are two modes. In creative mode you are given all the supplies you need to build whatever you want. In Survival mode you must find the things you need.

    Don't fall into lava or you will die.

    You can get eggs from chickens, but you need fire to cook the eggs.

    You can kill sheep.
  • darkguardian419
    darkguardian419 Posts: 1,302 Member
    I didn't get it either. The graphics absolutely disgusted me. My 9 year old is enthralled by it, and I did not understand at all. I tried to play it and realized that he is quite a bit more creative than I thought. Instead of mindless blasting things to bits in a FPS type game he is spending his game time putting together virtual assemblies and constructing things of his own imagination.

    It suddenly seems somewhat cooler.

    Graphics are part of a gimmick, but also... you are able to interact with literally EVERY SINGLE THING in the game... if you were to try to apply a better image (picture, vs windows 98-era pattern) most computers would not be able to handle the game.
  • BlueBombers
    BlueBombers Posts: 4,064 Member
    My two boys LOVE that game. They have tried to explain how it works to me and I still don't understand it.
  • odusgolp
    odusgolp Posts: 10,477 Member
    My 11 year old is obsessed with it.

    I like it, it's fun to explore, and see some interesting combos... but, it only goes so far before you HAVE to make it interesting.

    The game is open-source, so with some understanding of programming you can change what you want... establish "rules" to make the game more challenging, etc etc.

    I'll just go on record and say I prefer the Sims... making people dance and cry and stuff. But that's not free, so there is that :ohwell:
  • JenAndSome
    JenAndSome Posts: 1,893 Member
    My 9yo is obsessed with Minecraft too. He plays constantly and when he's not playing it he's on youtube watching the minecraft videos. I don't get it either.

    My kids do this, too. It's so annoying.
  • calibriintx
    calibriintx Posts: 1,741 Member
    My friend's almost-5 year old son is obsessed with Minecraft. My almost-4 year old daughter doesn't get it either. Whenever we go over there, he's SO excited to show her this game, and she's SO not interested. Last time she walked over to me with a heavy sigh and said "mama, I don't think he knows that his game is broken." :laugh:
  • capnrus789
    capnrus789 Posts: 2,736 Member
    I am very happy not knowing what minecraft is. I'm very happy that my kid only has a Nintendo DS (which was my wifes anyway), but hasn't played it in over a month. I'm very happy that my kid would rather go outside and play frisbee than play video games.

    That said, he can't get enough of his Beyblade tops.

    How old is he? I have about 20 my boy doesn't play with anymore :)

    He's 6 years old, going into the 1st grade. And we're total sucker parents. I think he has 8-10 tops now, I lost count.
  • darkguardian419
    darkguardian419 Posts: 1,302 Member
    I'll just go on record and say I prefer the Sims... making people dance and cry and stuff. But that's not free, so there is that :ohwell:

    The Sims was fun for a while, but you run out of options/combos, and can't manipulate everything. Minecraft allows for 100% freedom of creativity. You can spend your time in Creative building a 100ft tall statue of Mario, or you can spend time in Survival making your own functional city with a *cough* mine so you can gather resources...
  • odusgolp
    odusgolp Posts: 10,477 Member


    You can get eggs from chickens, but you need fire to cook the eggs.

    You can kill sheep.

    *LMAO* Just this weekend he showed me that he kills the sheep and has fire. Poor sheep. He said they're annoying :)
  • TheDoctorDana
    TheDoctorDana Posts: 595 Member
    Maybe the draw is the simplicity of it. Mine like it too. My son is also into his beyblades. lol
  • k8blujay2
    k8blujay2 Posts: 4,941 Member
    Wait? This is a "new" game? I thought it was an 80's throwback game? Or is it like My Little Ponies and is an 80's throwback that made a resurgance?
  • OBXbound4me
    OBXbound4me Posts: 245 Member
    My 12 year old son is obsessed, my 7 yr old daughter likes to play and all I know is they build stuff, kill zombies, spiders and animals, stay out of lava and when I try to watch the screen makes me want to have a seziure. As long as they still get outside some and get along, whatever. I like the comparison to digital legos.
  • WEB3
    WEB3 Posts: 121 Member
    sigh...my 26 year old "boss" is obsessed with that game.
    I always knew he was extremely immature but reading that everyone's 8-10 year old plays it too, proves it!
  • Shikonneko
    Shikonneko Posts: 187 Member
    Video games aren't all just graphics. Minecraft is basically a digital Lego world--different environments (biomes) that have different features that aren't restricted by invisible walls or random tasks outside what you assign yourself. Survival mode adds the wrinkle of needing food to survive and monsters that can attack you; multiplayer adds the ability to build even bigger structures and adventures with your friends. There's caves to explore, world to discover... It's not prefabbed, it's generated as you go so that unless you use a specific tool you don't know what you'll run into next.

    I know personally on the server I play on, I've built a sizable castle out of snow, a vacation home in the sky out of giant mushrooms, and a miles-long railroad system to connect to the rest of my friends. Some people like building pixel art out of all the different colors the blocks provide. Some people like building traps and exploring the mechanics (literal electrical engineering). Some people like building beautiful and grandiose things. It's... a fairly unique experience.
  • bennysammysofie
    bennysammysofie Posts: 331
    I don't get it either. My 9 yr old is on all the time. I tried to play with him once and I could hardly frickin move! I literally felt sick! Glad I'm not alone!!!

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