I love Minecraft. Notch has created one of the best and most revolutionary games of our time. He has given us the purest form of the sandbox game. It is a sandbox where you can not only destroy, you can build. A game where the goal is not to win, but survive and create. Where what you are, what you have and what you create is defined by no artificial systems of achievement telling you how great you are, but by your own capacity of creativity and wits.
But what Notch has made he can also destroy.
To my horror, and I hope I am not the only one, he seems to have unwittingly turned down this path of destruction. To add such gamey techniques as blocking and sprinting seems pointless to me, but does not undermine the core values of what make Minecraft great. Levelling does.
What can levelling add to this game? The best we can hope for is some completely artificial sense of achievement, when the game tells us we are 'Now Better!!!'. Since when has this been what Minecraft is about?!?! Minecraft is great because the achievement is real and tangible (in a wierd digital way): "I Just Built A House!!! IN YO FACE, MONSTERS!!!!"
But what can levelling take away? Let's face it. Levelling is like digital dog treats. It's all about withholding. You play the game for long enough, it rewards you with more or better abilities so you keep playing the game. It's a system for stretching poor gameplay out for more game hours by unlocking the full experience piece by piece. MINECRAFT DOESN'T HAVE POOR GAMEPLAY!!! So why would I want to wait to experience it's fullest form until the game decides I've played for long enough?!?! I Believe levelling will be pointless at best, and slavery to an unwanted caste system at worst.
I Believe in Minecraft.
But I'm losing faith in Notch.
May your diamonds be many and your torches be bright.
Kerthialfad
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Name: Christopher
In Game Name:Kerthialfad
Age:28
Country:USA
Favorite type of play on vanilla Minecraft: Exploration/small scale builds
Least Favorite Aspect of Online Play: Lag
Referral by Apollo player, if applicable:GrizzlyTrotsky
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I love Minecraft. Notch has created one of the best and most revolutionary games of our time. He has given us the purest form of the sandbox game. It is a sandbox where you can not only destroy, you can build. A game where the goal is not to win, but survive and create. Where what you are, what you have and what you create is defined by no artificial systems of achievement telling you how great you are, but by your own capacity of creativity and wits.
But what Notch has made he can also destroy.
To my horror, and I hope I am not the only one, he seems to have unwittingly turned down this path of destruction. To add such gamey techniques as blocking and sprinting seems pointless to me, but does not undermine the core values of what make Minecraft great. Levelling does.
What can levelling add to this game? The best we can hope for is some completely artificial sense of achievement, when the game tells us we are 'Now Better!!!'. Since when has this been what Minecraft is about?!?! Minecraft is great because the achievement is real and tangible (in a wierd digital way): "I Just Built A House!!! IN YO FACE, MONSTERS!!!!"
But what can levelling take away? Let's face it. Levelling is like digital dog treats. It's all about withholding. You play the game for long enough, it rewards you with more or better abilities so you keep playing the game. It's a system for stretching poor gameplay out for more game hours by unlocking the full experience piece by piece. MINECRAFT DOESN'T HAVE POOR GAMEPLAY!!! So why would I want to wait to experience it's fullest form until the game decides I've played for long enough?!?! I Believe levelling will be pointless at best, and slavery to an unwanted caste system at worst.
I Believe in Minecraft.
But I'm losing faith in Notch.
May your diamonds be many and your torches be bright.
Kerthialfad
http://www.flickr.com/photos/65584565@N05/5972478388/