Minecraft - I don't get it.

124

Replies

  • k8blujay2
    k8blujay2 Posts: 4,941 Member
    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?

    The graphics are very low resolution so that lower end computers can handle the resource load.

    The difference between building something in the Sims vs building something in Minecraft is basically the difference between building something with Playmobil vs building something with LEGOs. Playmobil *looks* way nicer, has much better "resolution", but it's much more restricted - if you don't want to build something that isn't one of their predefined kits, you're going to have a much reduced toolkit. LEGOs are blockier and maybe won't make as nice looking a fire station as a Playmobil, but try building an intergalatic space station with a fire station kit....

    Ditto Minecraft/The Sims. If you wanna build a house, you wanna go with The Sims where you can select from a variety of windows and doors and sidings and paint colors and furniture.

    But if you want to build an underwater city, or a giant tram connecting two villages, or a dungeon with a monster trap in the basement, or a castle with a moat and internal garden... Minecraft is what you'll want to use.

    So true. Good point. And back when I played the Sims (AGES ago) it did get boring after awhile. Making someone pee their pants is only fun the first 50 times or so...

    Or making them "woohoo" everyone in sight...

    Ok, maybe it's just me, but this *never* gets old >.>

    Ok... yeah you're right... it doesn't get old... because sometimes there is that one sim that is a challenge.. :wink:
  • Followingsea
    Followingsea Posts: 407 Member
    So true. Good point. And back when I played the Sims (AGES ago) it did get boring after awhile. Making someone pee their pants is only fun the first 50 times or so...

    Or making them "woohoo" everyone in sight...

    Ok, maybe it's just me, but this *never* gets old >.>

    Ok... yeah you're right... it doesn't get old... because sometimes there is that one sim that is a challenge.. :wink:

    I don't know if you ever got ahold of the ACR (Autonomous Casual Romance) mod for TS2, but WOW that really changed the nature of the game for me lol. Suddenly my neighborhood had more intrigue than your average soap opera...
  • Joreanasaurous
    Joreanasaurous Posts: 1,384 Member
    I'm more of a dungeon crawler gal myself. I like running around killing stuff, but Minecraft, while not typically my cup of tea is pretty amazing. It's interesting to see how creative yourself and others get with that game.
  • Mainebikerchick
    Mainebikerchick Posts: 1,573 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.

    ^^THIS!!!! My 11 year old is the most obsessed kid around! When he's playing, he's on Skype screaming at people while they play and when he's NOT playing, he's watching the how-to videos on You Tube. He is ALL about computers and says he wants to be a programmer, so I try to indulge him as much as I can.

    I have also had to ban Minecraft talk at the dinner table too!

    ETA: I don't get the game or the draw to it either...my son was a Creeper this past Halloween with a home made costume that his Dad helped him to make!
  • billsica
    billsica Posts: 4,741 Member
    I'm sorry to say. Your son is cool!
  • StarChanger
    StarChanger Posts: 605 Member
    I didn't read anything but the OP, but I just wanted to point out that for THOUSANDS of years, human children have had to MAKE BELIEVE with sticks and rocks and slimy crap they found on the ground. As recently a decade or so ago, entire countries and wars were made and lost with little green soldier men, and we could spend weeks building castles out of sand or legos.

    A "simple" video game may be "simple" to the adult mind....but to a child...........................
  • ryry_
    ryry_ Posts: 4,966 Member
    Buy him call of duty. Better game and easier to "get".
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 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.

    The same reason Lego are more addictive and fun than one of those fancy 3D puzzles.

    The freedom is unparalleled. You can do and construct pretty much whatever you want.
  • 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.
  • thrld
    thrld Posts: 610 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?
    There is a My Lilttle Ponies mod for Minecraft. "Mine little ponies"

    Bronies gotta dig.
  • k8blujay2
    k8blujay2 Posts: 4,941 Member
    So true. Good point. And back when I played the Sims (AGES ago) it did get boring after awhile. Making someone pee their pants is only fun the first 50 times or so...

    Or making them "woohoo" everyone in sight...

    Ok, maybe it's just me, but this *never* gets old >.>

    Ok... yeah you're right... it doesn't get old... because sometimes there is that one sim that is a challenge.. :wink:

    I don't know if you ever got ahold of the ACR (Autonomous Casual Romance) mod for TS2, but WOW that really changed the nature of the game for me lol. Suddenly my neighborhood had more intrigue than your average soap opera...

    Nope, I don't but that sounds interesting... I always love a little soap opera of my own making...
  • odusgolp
    odusgolp Posts: 10,477 Member
    Homer just shared this with me and I have to pass it along. It's pretty fabulous :)

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvBYRMYfSA4
  • pawnstarNate
    pawnstarNate Posts: 1,728 Member
    my 7 yr old daughter could care less....however, my 7 yr old nephew is obsessed. xbox and ipod.....also has walked into a few poles while playing it on his ipod. I don't get it either
  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 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!

    Meh... I still play neopets... playing games that look like it's for children doesn't make a person immature.

    This. I play all sorts of video games with my kids.
  • ChloeEliizabeth
    ChloeEliizabeth Posts: 20 Member
    My boyfriend is nearly 21 and not only does he play minecraft and have minecraft on his phone, but he also watches videos of OTHER PEOPLE playing mincraft. I really don't understand.
  • sperocras
    sperocras Posts: 60 Member
    Minecraft? Never heard of it.
  • silhouettes
    silhouettes Posts: 517 Member
    My game messed up so I can't play anymore :( I loved it after awhile. It's more like lego's than just building. You have to collect blocks and put them together to make stuff. In the Sims, which I play to, it's a lot easier to build.. you just need money, no collecting and the walls are just walls... in Minecraft you have to stack blocks to make walls. The searching for the right material... and digging into caves and exploring them.. man I wish my game hadn't broke I'm not one for starting over and now I want to play!!
  • eahill4
    eahill4 Posts: 60 Member
    My 4 year old is playing it right now. I don't get it either and the music makes me want to fall asleep.
  • MamaCatO
    MamaCatO Posts: 100
    My 15 year old son plays it too. I don't get it either. And I play video games. I know several adults who play it. I asked my son to help me explain to you what is so great about this game. And he tells me he can't even explain it. It's just imagination and creativity. I know he has much more fun when he plays online in groups. One of my adult friends just recently started his own server for him and his friends to play on together. So it's not just the kids that get hooked.
  • Bumdrahp
    Bumdrahp Posts: 1,314 Member
    I never understood minesweeper... anyone wanna splain that one?

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