Minecraft: Concentrated Evil that Begs For Apocalypse.So everyone (no one) has been asking me, "Instructor TEM, how do you feel about Minecraft?" So I purchased the game a few weeks ago and these are my immediate thoughts:
- Ass.
- What the hell is this [dukar]?
- I could have spent that $15 on drugs or something.
I initially hesitated to criticize Minecraft (though I will in a moment), because it is the beta form of the game. It is unfinished, being "tested" by the public, undergoing patches and bug fixes until the game reaches a kind of finished state. However, as time goes by, I can't help but notice that the game has possibly hit its peak of popularity, and has yet to exit this state of critical invulnerability. Some games, such as Team Fortress 2, frequently get updates and bug fixes, but does not use the subtitle of ß. So given its duration of time in the limelight, I feel that it is allowable to criticize the aspects of Minecraft that I feel need some work.
Sweet, Sweet FreedomMinecraft is a game where you decide the goals. You decide what constitutes a victory, choose what to do, and how to play the game in general. It is definitely the sandiest box I have ever seen in the world of sand box style games. In a related vein, this lack of predetermined goals is matched by a complete lack of instruction. Indeed, such instruction or indication of how to "play" the game would inherently push a player in the direction of completing the tasks being explained, removing the pure, God-Bless-America-Freedom that the game is saturated with.
Sometimes freedom sucks.
This utter lack of instruction or goals in the game can only appeal to the most Asberged, Autismal, Basement-bound people in the player community. The time taken to comprehend the game without any outside resource is quite frankly absurd. The time needed to test and figure out the basics of the game mechanics is ridiculous, learning which items do what and combine together to make this and that. The malicious absence of any kind of training scenario or goals within the core of the game is a mistake. It might be argued that understanding the game takes intelligence. The only thing necessary to understand this game is time and focus, neither of which is a desirable sacrifice for one who wishes to engage in a digital entertainment. Note that while duration may be desirable in a game, having to
spend an inordinate amount of time to simply get the game is just bad.
World of Warcraft SyndromeWorld of Warcraft and Minecraft are a lot a like in a certain respect. This resemblance is not good, but only furthers the time sink previously established with Minecraft's horrid learning curve. World of Warcraft's gameplay is at its finest when one is max level, and has the finest possible gear one could want for what they are doing with their character. Once this state is reached, what I call, Character Prime, one can engage in PvE and PvP in World of Warcraft at its most strategic and complex. Game mechanic knowledge, decision-making, and even a little skill with the keyboard is at its height when one is playing the game with a Character Prime. However, as dictated by the monthly fee, this process takes a lot of time. Minecraft's second level of awful time-drain occurs in that, even after a player understands how to interact with the game, they must spend an enormous amount of time to get to the point of doing anything remotely interesting. Although Minecraft's potential goals could be as simple as say, surviving, the more obvious approach is to create something in the game world. If one is to achieve anything remotely impressive time must be spent obtaining materials and crafting various objects in order to make things to continue obtaining materials. This is synonymous with leveling, grinding, and raiding in World of Warcraft in an effort to obtain a Character Prime, and similar to a fighting game requiring a player to accomplish singleplayer mode goals to unlock characters in multiplayer. In order to make these impressive buildings, caverns, statues, etc., etc., one must grind this game unmerciful, to get the mats and get craftin'. This style of gameplay, which creates an artificial feeling of "advancement" toward a fictional creation (a Character Prime or materials to create something), which is the REAL point of the game, sucks. A game with a goal is not bad, but when the process of reaching the goal is inherently
not fun and constitutes the majority of a repetitive game play experience, the game is crap.
There Is HopeThe graphics and overall idea is interesting, I will admit. The actual gameplay experience is dull and only appeals to homonerds.
A few suggestions that would improve the game:
- Introduce a basic and advanced tutorial mode/presentation.
- Have the game be a level creator for a different mode of play. This level creator mustn't necessitate the WoW Syndrome and allow creators to build at will, generating necessary blocks without restriction.
- Goals should be introduced into this meta-game level creator mode, as well as other level specific variables, such as starting gear and health. The goals introduced should be varied and many, allowing easy creation of simple or large and complicated scenarios. Ex.: Find materials to craft specific type of sword, get to finish of dungeon, slay monster with sword, get amulet.
- The already existing multiplayer servers could be tailored to make very fun, but focused and goal-oriented, created levels, for unique and unending co-op playing experiences. Even goal-specific versus scenarios!
SummaryThe game takes too long to learn how to play, the actual gameplay itself is monotonous, but there's great potential for a more FOCUSED type of game, with limitless potential for fan-created content and awesome multiplayer experiences.
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