Minecraft - I don't get it.

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  • contingencyplan
    contingencyplan Posts: 3,639 Member
    Digital Lego is a good analogy. When I was a kid, Legos were expensive & my dad was a school teacher. So I got maybe one small set a year from my aunt as a birthday present. I would build & build. I also had: Lincoln Logs, Erector Set, Tinker Toys.

    All these toys are related to another concept all kids know: the sandbox.

    Build anything you want. Use your imagination. Invent. Take stuff apart & put it back together another way. So, so soooo much better than just run around a pre-built pretty world killing stuff.

    This is probably the problem at hand... I don't get the sandbox either. I never knew what to do in a sandbox. I'm seriously the least creative person ever. My mother still laughs at my inability to "tell a story" unless I'm regurgitating something from a book.

    Be an encourager, not a critic--even if you don't understand it. One of the greatest mistakes I ever made was listening to my father call one of my ideas (for a clutchless manual transmission...an "automatic manual") at age 14 "stupid." 5 years later, Porsche came out with their version of exactly that idea: Tiptronic. It was then that I began to listen to myself--seeing as I had recognized a marketable idea before anyone had seen it hit the marketplace.

    Just for the record, I have NO issues with him playing at all, and I'd never mock something he does. This was a serious attempt to understand it better... which frankly, I think I do now.

    Well, one thing I hope you can understand and respect is that when it comes to things that require creativity, you never really can outgrow them. You may not be able to do it yourself because you're not creative, but creativity in and of itself transcends age.
  • action_figure
    action_figure Posts: 511 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.

    There's no winning, it's hugely creative. (He's in creative mode, btw. That's why no monsters.) Look at it this way. Minecraft is legos you can't step on or have to pick up. And be happy he's not obsessed with a first person shooter simulation. No one ever went nuts chopping pretend trees, and building pretend barns to put chickens in. Also, pity those of us who have it worse than you. My 8 year old, 5 year old AND husband are obsessed. We are going to Minecon for family vacation this November. I've sworn that I'm NOT attending, but I will be renting a kayak and exploring the Everglades those two days. They don't care.
  • Ramberta
    Ramberta Posts: 1,312 Member
    Minecraft? Never heard of it.

    But your icon... ...I call shenanigans. *narrows eyes*

    :laugh:
  • ReneeReiser
    ReneeReiser Posts: 28 Member
    Lol. Yes it is digital legos! My kids like it, they even have an android app. Minecraft everywhere.
  • jofjltncb6
    jofjltncb6 Posts: 34,415 Member
    Same...but mine are 11 and 8.

    It could be because I won't let them play other "more fun" games...

    ...or because I won't buy them anymore of those horrible Skylanders characters. (Now <--- *that* is a truly evil game. Hundreds of dollars to "catch 'em all"*)



    * Yeah, I know, wrong game...but shut up...because don't care.

    ^^ wait! your kids don't want all of everything? like EVERYTHING?? I still have to buy stupid skylanders.

    Oh, they *want* everything...

    ...but in no way does that equate to my having to actually *buy* anything...

    ...because parent.
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
    Have you tried playing it yourself? I have a lot of friends my age obsessed with it.
  • Woomytron
    Woomytron Posts: 253 Member
    Its legos in a video game.. what is NOT to love. :laugh: I wouldn't say I'm obsessed with it but I do enjoy playing it once in awhile. I think its more fun to play with people rather then by yourself though.
  • amyk0202
    amyk0202 Posts: 666 Member
    My boys all love it--they're 8, 10, & 11. I have never played it myself--if I play a video game it's generally New Super Mario Bros. They watch all the videos as well. Last Christmas I made my 10 yo a 2 foot tall Creeper & Enderman.
  • LiftAllThePizzas
    LiftAllThePizzas Posts: 17,857 Member
    I don't get how someone could not get it.
  • sperocras
    sperocras Posts: 60 Member
    Minecraft? Never heard of it.

    But your icon... ...I call shenanigans. *narrows eyes*

    :laugh:

    I, uh....I don't know what you're talking about. ...yeah.
    I mean, I don't spend my free time rebuilding movie sets as Minecraft maps or anything. That would be crazy. ;)

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