Talking About Minecraft #4: Surprise, Surprise

More than any other word, surprise would be the one I'd choose to describe my experience playing Minecraft, and the subsequent impact it has had on my life. Hearing Mojang's (well, Notch's) masterpiece be referred to as Minecrack doesn't bring up a negative image like it might when associated with, say, World Of Warcraft, but rather it sums up exactly how I see it: it is an addiction and while the chances to get my fix may vary, the interest in it and the desire to play never wanes. It has become a part of my life just like an iPad (for example) has for others, and one of the biggest reasons for why I think that is resides with its strong element of surprise.

Think about it: what the game offers -- aside from wonderful freedom, creativity and exploration -- is unique to each of its players. On the creative side, things like buildings and cities are limited only to a player's imagination, and as more and more experiment, the amazing builds that show up on places like YouTube are only going to increase. More interesting, perhaps, is the game itself and how its unique worlds, frequent updates and vast community surprise through their cohesion, and on their own merits, too.

As everyone knows by now, Minecraft's worlds are procedurally generated, essentially meaning that my world is going to be different to yours, as well as everyone else's worlds too. They will be similar, sure, but each beach, mountain and forest will be unique to each individual who plays the game. I'll have a more thorough look at this aspect of Minecraft soon but, for now, I think it is safe to say that one of (perhaps even the) the reasons this approach is so successful is because of its surprise. Exploring my world reveals a large desert, empty grassland after a (natural) forest fire, and a giant cave network that, literally, stretches for miles. Exploring your world might have yielded an interesting, naturally-formed archway, an underwater cavern, or an extremely large, snowy, mountain range. As we continue to explore, who knows what we will find? That's the beauty of Minecraft -- the unknown -- and the end result is constant surprise. Strange rock formations, a deformed tree, an underground lake or a pool of lava -- each are common in all of our worlds but each, also, surprise us through their unique, exclusive-to-our-world, appearance. Minecraft's environment is remarkable, then, and it certainly highlights how beautiful nature can be; perhaps even how much we've lost of Earth's beauty through civilisation. But that, too, can be beautiful, and it can also be surprising.

The community that has formed around Minecraft is amazing, both because of what it can produce and because technically Minecraft is not a full, proper game. Yet. Over 2.5 million sales and counting is astonishing for a game still in Beta and surely sets a precedent not just for Indie games, but for the entire industry, too. It is proof that word of mouth is a powerful thing, but it also proves that player freedom and agency is, arguably, the way of the future -- give people the chance to make their own experience, defined by what they are interested in, and they'll respond positively; respond enthusiastically. Minecraft's community is passionate: their love for the game permeates through their collaboration on the many multiplayer servers, support for incredible builds and designs, and reception to things like Let's Plays on YouTube -- Minecraft is particularly popular for LPs, I think, because each adventure (and indeed, world) is unique -- and fan made stories. There's even songs about the game because its players need to express their appreciation for and dedication to it. Taken together, that's a surprise in itself, but taken individually these various outlets for Minecraft's various players bring surprises each and every week. Everyone knows about the Star Trek Enterprise replica, but did you know about the underwater city Lumina Nocturnale? What about the Minecraft song or any of Bobby Yarsulik's work? Ever heard of Coe's Quest? What about the Ocarina Of Time project? Furthermore, did you know that you can go on a Zelda adventure in Minecraft, complete with dungeons and puzzles and everything? Or perhaps a visit to the LOST island is more your thing? The creativity Minecraft inspires in its players is astounding, and while impressive builds are most common on servers due to the power of collaboration, wherever you look and whatever you find interesting, there's a Minecraft surprise out there waiting for you, created by its wonderful community; by its passionate fans; by you. What amazes you tomorrow will be completely different to what captivates you next week, and it is this regular dose of surprise -- of the unknown (sound familiar?) -- that defines the community and explains why we all love the game so much. It's an experience that's deeply personal yet inherently shared, and that's an accomplishment few other games can achieve; that few can ever hope to deliver. The game is made by its community, then, but it's also made by Notch and Mojang, which leads us to another form of surprise the game regularly delivers.

Minecraft's unfinished, Beta status means that it gets updated regularly -- both to add new features and enhance the game, and as a response to its players who are, essentially, testing it. Every single player can, potentially, decide the game's future, all because they are playing the game how they please and relaying that back to Mojang as they work on the game. It's a relationship that benefits all of us and keeps Minecraft interesting pre(and, presumably, post)release. But it's ultimately Mojang who controls the game and its future, and that fact, too, can produce constant surprise. Do you remember when the Nether was introduced and how different (and freaky) it looked? What about when the wolves were added? Biomes and weather? These updates and many more have changed the game and made it better. Whether it's something as subtle as coloured wool or significant as the forthcoming adventure update, they all play their part in defining and redefining the Minecraft experience. And we all respond to it because we know it'll improve the game and give us (even more) incentive to continue playing. They also keep things interesting, however, because these updates are usually surprises -- things we simply weren't expecting but make sense once they are implemented. The possibilities increase every time something like powered rails or the much anticipated pistons are added, the range and choice in building materials expands with each new block added, and the worlds as a whole become more compelling -- through our ability to inhabit them, and manipulate them -- as new mobs (as just one example) are included. The updates the game receives, then, define the game just as much as its community or unique worlds do, and certainly offers up that element of surprise which makes Minecraft so enticing, so enthralling, so exciting to play. For such a small game its impact is remarkable, so it's great to hear that Mojang will continue to surprise us after the game is launched proper later in the year.

Minecraft isn't perfect but its ability to sustain its vast community and keep things fresh through frequent updates certainly is. Minecraft surprised everyone -- Notch included -- when it exploded as it did, but now that we're all familiar with it I think it is fitting that surprise itself is one of the reasons, perhaps even the main one, for why we will continue to play it. It may not be as awe-inspiring, atmospheric or intense as other games, but it is as enjoyable, and certainly an experience we can rely on when and where we need to. Whether we play it daily or don't return for months, we can always expect a good time when we play, and can trust that when we do, there will always be a surprise waiting for us. You can't get much better than that.

Oh, one more thing: there's one other surprise the game constantly delivers, one that manages to make us hesitate and one that is always daunting to see. I think this hint will explain why it is the biggest and most successful surprise, and why we keep coming back for more. Are you ready? You are? Good: SSSssss...

Talking About Minecraft #3: Dancing With Wolves

[Part of a monthly series of posts discussing indie sensation Minecraft. Today, a simple addition in a forthcoming update which could change the game significantly.]

Minecraft’s beta status means that it gets updated frequently. Some updates are so minor -- bug fixes, code updates, etc. -- that we as players don’t even notice while others such as the Nether update or the addition of beds are important because they change the dynamics of the game. Instead of waiting the night out before resuming our giant construction project, these days we set up a bed, click on it and wake up the next day ready to commence work once more. The Nether, as freaky as it is, was arguably a disappointment not because of what it brought to the table -- Glow-stone has been wonderful and, as far as building is concerned, Nether-rack and Soul Sand aren’t bad materials either -- but because after the initial buzz everyone (seemingly) went back to whatever they were doing in the ‘real’ world. Recently, a video popped up on YouTube showing off a forthcoming addition to the game that could potentially change it completely: wolves.

At first sight Wolves appear to be nothing more than yet another mob update, joining the likes of Ghasts, Slimes and Zombie Pigmen as creatures added to the game during different updates. Indeed, they are just a new mob and will likely join all the others as just another facet of life in the never-ending wilderness. The difference with wolves, however, is what they can do, and what they will mean for the game going forward.

During that video it is shown that upon your request, wolves can and will attack for you. Are those cows and their incessant mooing driving you mad while you build? Give them a punch and the wolves will take care of that for you. Looking for some pork chops but don’t want to waste your sword’s durability killing them? Again, get the wolves to do the job. Such an action is simple and won’t change the game too much, but it’s just another feature that will come in handy at certain times during play and benefits the player, yet again, in ways that weren’t possible previously. Wolves hunting on your behalf isn’t the only thing possible, however; the addition of wolves means the addition of pets, essentially, as wild wolves can be tamed and once they are they won’t de-spawn, no matter how close or far away you happen to be from them. Pets are a feature many players constantly request for Minecraft and feature prominently in the various mods made by the community. Wolves perhaps aren’t the first animal to come to mind when desiring a pet in Minecraft but it’s good to see that, once again, Mojang and Notch are listening to the community and satisfying their fans. The best thing that will come from the addition of pets however is that exploring in Minecraft or living in the world generally won’t feel as lonely anymore. Players won’t feel so isolated and, perhaps more importantly, won’t feel as cautious when they do come across company. Instead of panicking at the sight of a Creeper or jumping when they get pushed from behind only to realise it’s a silly chicken, players will feel comfortable knowing that whether it’s when they go out into the unknown or return home from an expedition, there’ll be something around, a companion, to make them feel safe and not alone.

This difference may only be minor in the grand scheme of things, but when you consider just how big Minecraft is and how lonely it can get, it will certainly be a welcome one. Besides, it’s the simple things that make life special.

Note: This post was unexpected but important, I feel, because of how it illustrates just what regular updates can potentially do for a game. I had originally planned to talk about what Minecraft has inspired inside of me and how it’s changed me as a person, so now I’ll discuss that next month.

Talking About Minecraft #2: Narrative Implications

The Green House Of Harmony

[Edit: So it seems I was incorrect about the narrative and that it will come during beta -- which is now out -- rather than be implemented with it immediately. I apologise for the misinformation but still stand by my thoughts below.]

In two short days Minecraft will finally enter into beta. Saying that feels somewhat strange as I consider the experiences I’ve already had with the game and the fact that, intriguingly, the game as a whole feels more fully-fledged than a good portion of the so-called Triple-A titles that usually get all the attention. Reaching beta status will bring with it changes, keeping the future of the game both vague and exciting as it continues to evolve. Of these changes, one in particular stands out as something worth pondering: the inclusion of a narrative. What this will mean for Minecraft as a whole remains to be seen until Monday but after hearing about it, I can’t help but wonder if the game even needs one. Allow me to explain.

One of the main things that separates Minecraft from other games -- and something that I alluded to when talking about it earlier -- is its ability to let the player craft their own narrative rather than engage in a predetermined one. Despite putting you into a randomly generated world and expecting you to decide what to do with it, the Minecraft story, for me, has always been about the journey rather than the destination, and it’s this point that doesn’t only make me curious as to how a predetermined narrative could be implemented, but whether it should be in the first place. Aside from the odd anecdote on Twitter, in blog posts or articles on various gaming websites, the first story I heard about and came to enjoy was X’s Adventures in Minecraft. While David -- X’s real name -- was the cog in his adventure’s machine, his viewers were the ones who kept it turning through suggestions, participation and enthusiasm. It may have been him exploring his world, building the ‘X-System’, the ‘Green House Of Harmony’ or the ‘X-Light 9000’ but it was us, as viewers, who ultimately experienced the journey and shared in its delights. His adventure was almost like a biography, one told to hundreds of people but interpreted differently by each individual who saw it; it all meant something different to each and every one of us. Coe’s Quest, the second ‘story’ I experienced in Minecraft, was similar in that it took us along for the ride and allowed us to experience everything as Coe did. From the initial awe of the landscape that eventually became home to CQHQ, to the exploration of a distant land and the creation of Castle Dogbone, to the trip to the Nether, the discovery of Misty Island and, most recently, the construction of a train station to mark his 100th episode, each event and each outcome was a shared experience, performed by Coe but engaged by many. No other person experienced Minecraft in the way that Coe or X did but, by capturing it all on video and sharing it on YouTube, we all got to share in the pleasure of a narrative that we, ourselves, would never have gotten to experience otherwise. Personal quests that became public, unique yet unified.

Castle Dogbone suspended high in the sky

Consider my own story in the game, too, with its hardships and discoveries, unexpected moments and joyous success once my goals were finally finished. My second and now main world in Minecraft has been a constant struggle -- to gather the necessary materials; deal with the seemingly endless amount of Creepers insisting on destroying my hard work; and the constant need to re-appropriate my house design not once, not twice but four times as things like limited space and the aforementioned Creepers hindered my progress -- and yet, I couldn’t be more happy with how it has turned out so far, what events have occurred and what possibilities exist in the future. Success isn’t (or hasn’t been) measured in the completion of tasks, my progression from hapless wanderer to strong-willed survivor or the inspiration that comes from the sights and sounds that surround me, but rather by the journey I’ve taken, the things I’ve learned on it and the experiences that will reside with me for years to come. It might not mean anything to you -- and you certainly might not care -- but it has been my story and as it continues to be told, I’m learning, adapting and changing as a person simultaneously. It’s my personal narrative, relevant only to me and, quite frankly, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

As a sandbox game, however, Minecraft loses its appeal to some players due to the lack of structure and tasks that need to be completed. That first night of survival -- and the hastiness that occurs before it -- is about the only actual thing that should be done in the game, the quest to discover diamond perhaps being another. The thing with these two objectives however is that, while probably smart to carry out as early as possible, they’re not necessary to the outcome of the game nor the experience a player can have. It’s not necessary to ensure survival on the first night; instead, you could pick a direction and travel towards it as a nomad, dealing with the situations that arise as you constantly trek forward. Or, instead of searching for the elusive diamond, you could instead gather wood and stone so that the building of a large structure can commence. The point is, the world that befalls you is open to your whims and desire as and when you see fit and while this is most certainly the appeal of Minecraft for a lot of people, it won’t satisfy everyone. Adding in a narrative could (and most likely will) give the game some structure, setting goals for those players who are happy to follow a guided (yet still quite open) path and engage with the ever-changing landscape gradually rather than spontaneously. Giving the game a format, if you will, will open it up to more people and, ideally, ensure that anybody who chooses to play the game has something they can do and (more importantly) enjoy. It might seem unnecessary to those of us who enjoy the unexpected, usually impetuous moments, but for those who crave goals they can work towards and accomplish and a set path with which to walk, the addition of a narrative to the game will be welcome.

So, does Minecraft need a predefined story? Personally, no, it’s already a strong storyteller; but as far as the game itself is concerned? It couldn’t hurt -- sandboxes are fun because they are essentially what you make of them, but sometimes they can be just as enjoyable when someone else is digging out the dirt and creating that epic sandcastle. Perhaps it might even be in the sky…

Talking About Minecraft

I'm lucky in that my house overlooks this bay.

[Note: for those only interested in what I have to say about Minecraft, scroll down to the next picture.]

Things have been relatively quiet around here lately haven’t they? Sure, I may have just posted about my excitement for the upcoming Donkey Kong Country Returns later this week but aside from that, I have maintained a silence on this blog that I’m not proud of. It wasn’t intentional -- of course it wasn’t -- but it was perhaps necessary, as I just couldn’t bring myself to put the effort in to write the various posts I wanted to write. I was feeling this way not because of a disinterest in writing -- in fact I’d argue my passion for writing is stronger than ever -- but because, when combined with the various games I was trying to play, I just felt too overwhelmed and depressed. The gaming blues aren’t new, we all go through it from time to time, but in my case this instance was particularly severe and was exacerbated by my stubbornness, among other things. See, despite feeling uninterested in playing games for a while I did so anyway and it was definitely to my detriment. I tried playing Red Dead Redemption, already a game I’ve struggled to enjoy due to reasons I’ll elaborate on shortly, and didn’t enjoy it. I tried continuing the Metroid marathon I’m undertaking currently and that wasn’t appealing either -- and that’s one of my favourite franchises around. The only game I could enjoy was F1 2010 and I have a feeling that was more due to my passion for motorsport rather than my enjoyment of the game itself, that and it’s the time of year where real life motorsport is wrapping up for the year, if it hasn’t already done so. This lack of interest saw me try a few new games, such as Batman: Arkham Asylum, in order to try and reinvigorate my passion for gaming and while Batman was interesting, it just wasn’t the right time to play it so it too became a culprit of my animosity towards games. Mentally, I knew this boredom (if you will) was temporary and in no way reflected how I felt about the medium as a whole, or the individual games in question, and I guess knowing this only frustrated me further when it came to how I was feeling. The icing on the cake was seeing all of the games still yet to be played sitting on my shelf, knowing full well that they’d continue to sit there if I waited out this bout of gaming depression and that they wouldn’t be as enjoyable if I tried to persist through it. Furious (mostly with myself), I just decided to stop everything I was doing or planned on doing -- which included my plans for this blog -- and stopped caring until I was ready to re-engage. While gaming blues may have been the biggest reason, it wasn’t the only one. Various life commitments affected my ability to get anything done, as did illness and reoccurring wisdom teeth pain. The aforementioned motorsport also took up time, as did the unfortunate circumstances of my grandfather being in hospital (he still is, actually).

Basically, everything combined at once to hinder my ability to do anything I wanted to and, fatigued from it all I just needed to take a break and pick myself back up. I’ve done that, my bout of gaming blues is over yet again and now things should resume as normal going forward. I hope…

I've named this Lake Hylia as a mark of respect for Zelda.

So, Minecraft. Everybody has heard of it by now and I certainly don’t need to go on about why it’s so popular. Since it’s the other primary reason for my silence here on the blog, however, I do need to explain why I’m so enamored by it, and why I continue to play it more than I should. Before I do that I should explain what got me into it in the first place, so let’s start with that.

When the game started to show signs that it was becoming a phenomenon, I was uncertain as to why and still didn’t really understand what the game was about. When I heard that you mined the world and then crafted from those materials, I thought it sounded boring but also had a feeling that, like most games, there was more to it than initially sounded. So, as I watched more and more people -- particularly on my Twitter feed -- praise the game’s quality, I not only started to form more of an interest in it I also started to learn more of why it was just so good. Then the press got their hands on it, and sites like RockPaperShotgun and GiantBomb begun singing its praises just as much as the gaming community. These articles enlightened me further, particularly showing off its unique art direction through screenshots, and my interest continued to grow and grow. I asked friends about it after they shared articles; I observed conversations as people discussed it; and then I found the thing that converted me to the game’s charms: videos of people playing it on YouTube.

Ah the X-System, how I miss thee.

I had heard of the “Let’s Play” community vaguely and knew roughly what it was about, but it was LPs centered on Minecraft that didn’t just convince me that these series of videos were worth watching, but that they could be thoroughly entertaining too. I started with a tutorial video on how to survive the first day and night on Machinima. Fascinated, I was led to the guy’s channel where I found a series chronicling his adventures in the game, complete with live commentary. I watched the first video, then the second, then the third and continued until, hours later, I was halfway through the series. I was completely enthralled by not only the unique events occurring in his adventures, but the game itself, and all the while I was learning not just how to play the game but why it was so popular and brilliant. Over the next few days I proceeded to marathon the rest of his series -- a massive 40-plus episodes -- as well as check out some of the other Minecraft LPs I kept hearing about through the comments and X’s (the guy behind the videos) own recommendations. This led to Coe’s Quest, another series that I became hooked on and, as he is still uploading new videos, I continue to watch to this very day. Like X before him I was fascinated with what Coe got up to, what features his world contained --and it has to be said, Coe’s world is one of the best Minecraft worlds I have ever seen -- and even learned some new things off him as he created enemy spawner traps, new tools and approached situations differently. An interesting byproduct of watching both his and X’s videos was the realisation that firstly, while similar these two adventures weren’t Let’s Play videos in the traditional sense and secondly, that I was beginning to understand just why I was so captivated by this game. Predictably, I caved and bought the game and proceeded to join everyone else in singing the game’s praises.

Initially, I was somewhat hesitant to play it as it was my first PC gaming experience in a long, long time and I just didn’t feel comfortable inhabiting my own version of this vast, empty and harsh world that Minecraft is famous for. I was also too busy enjoying myself when watching the game be played by Coe (I marathoned his series too -- it’s now up to episode 82) and a few others, the ability to watch someone else do the hard work (so to speak) more enticing than playing it myself. But eventually the addiction and fascination took over and I created my first world, excited and nervous with what I’d find and what could happen.

It was poignant sharing this particular moment with Coe.

Spawning on a beach I did the now common routine of punching some trees for wood and going on a search for coal. My first discovery of it was a fair walk from my spawn point but close enough that I knew where I was if and when I died. As night drew near I dug into the same mountain that the coal was found, creating my first shelter in order to survive the night. Watching the videos as I did I knew what to do in these circumstances and had a rough idea of what I wanted to do now that I was established, so as night fell I began to dig further into the mountain to see what it held. Finding nothing in my tunnel and realising that the sun was rising, I created some more tools and went outside to gather some more basic resources -- lumber, sand, dirt and some more coal -- before climbing to the top of the mountain to survey my surroundings. Impressed with the view, I realised that I wanted this mountain to be my home and my mine, so I began to dig straight down with the plan to not stop until I hit the bottom. Fast forward a bit and I had established my home right where my first shelter was; reached the bottom of the world and bedrock -- a feat considering the peak of the mountain is practically at the highest point you can go in the game -- in my mine; created a branch mine in order to find rare minerals such as gold and diamond (which I did find by the way, lots in fact); explored some of the caves that were close to my mountain; and had lit up a path to spawn with the intention to make something of it later. Making a mark on this land and establishing my base of operations, I was ready to not only get more creative with the appearance and design of the things I had created, I was also ready to go exploring and find new things to discover and do. What these are I might detail in another post but the point is that, like everyone else who plays Minecraft, I worked with what I had and made the most out of it, thoroughly enjoying what the game has to offer in the process.

Home is where the heart is, even if it's unfinished...

That’s all well and good, but what does the game offer me that ensures that I enjoy it as much as I do? Well, as I alluded to before, the videos I watched started to highlight why I found the game so compelling and playing my own version of that just confirmed it. Minecraft is interesting to me for three reasons: the beautiful worlds the procedural generator creates; the personal stories (which explains why the videos were so interesting to me in the first place) that stem from them and the amazing things that can be done with so little. It’s these three features that form the core of the Minecraft experience for me, a fact I find interesting given the main mechanics -- and thus, interactions -- are barely related. Sure, they’re the primary means with which I engage my world, explore it and craft my own narrative, but the actions in themselves bear little to no relevance. Mining for materials is just something that needs to be done from time to time, to gather the things required to build something, create new tools or to ensure safety when travelling at night; the minerals themselves take on a different meaning when stumbled upon, unexpectedly, whilst exploring a gigantic cave system or after digging somewhere for an unrelated reason, such as to build a tunnel. Mining these discoveries isn’t about the actual mining, nor the need to do so, but the simple reward for taking the time to check out something interesting, intentional or not. Crafting is even more insignificant, the end result sometimes fascinating -- when creating a new object or the final part to a much bigger plan -- but the action just something that… happens. I just find this point interesting because, indirectly, most videogames are (or should be) about their mechanics: how you interact with the game’s world, characters, items and objects, and everything else. Interactivity is the means to our selfish ends and as such, it’s important that they accommodate our desired needs and do what we expect them to do. Minecraft’s primary actions do indeed successfully fulfill our expectations but the experience -- at least for me -- is never about them but rather what they allow, and I just found that intriguing the more I considered it.

As for the worlds, the stories they have told and the creations I’ve produced, I’ll save those thoughts for future posts. Needless to say, like practically everyone else who has played the game, Minecraft blew me away and continues to surprise me every single time I play. Few other games can manage that and I think that’s why it has reached levels of popularity that some Triple-A blockbuster titles would envy. Deservedly so, too: like the way in which it’s played, Minecraft made the most of what it had and little else. Enough said.