Minecon 2013 Q&A...

[Swish]

"Minecon Q&A Awkward moments" (http://youtu.be/aRdcptG365I)

What's everyone's take on Minecraft? I never saw the appeal of generating a world and building something that took hours/days/weeks to complete, but I know its hugely popular and people have posted up some new games in a 2D setting that look to be equally so.

What does the Q&A show us about this next generation of geeks? If you watch it through you can see a lot of kids whose social skills are lacking at a young age. I know I had a computer from about age 7 but my parents were always keen to make sure I was out of the house playing football, playing in the local park and stuff like that. It was only later after getting an internet connection at home and buying EQ that I started to spend too long on the computer :p

Anyway, I thought it was an eye opening video in terms of how young Minecraft players actually start playing...and some good comedy moments, some for the right reasons, some not :p

[Byrjun]

I think this post is a bit unfair. This panel shows nothing about "the next generation of geeks." It's nothing but cherry picking questions for a Youtube video, some from people who have obvious disabilities.

The majority of them were kids. I could barely stand up and speak in front of class when I was a teenager, let alone talk to someone whom I idolized at age 7.

[Tecmos Deception]

Minecraft is pretty awesome. Did you try it Swish, or just have an opinion on it from reading about it? I thought it sounded dumb until I actually played.

My favorite part of the game though is the first hour of a hardcore game. It reminds me of what MMOs used to be like when I was a little gamer, big and unknowable and scary. You're not sure what's around the next corner and you're just trying to cautiously explore while accomplishing little goals to get yourself established and stuff. I enjoy playing it with RL buddies, working together building up projects (and/or trying to kill each other with clever and unexpected traps) or playing on hardcore and trying to actually "win" the game by killing the bosses.

[Byrjun]

Tecmos' experiences pretty much mirror my own. I also thought the game looked kinda lame and couldn't understand what the hype was about (this was back in 2010 alpha, so it was the initial hype). I tried it once and was like "meh," then I tried it again a few days later and got hooked.

I still play it occasionally but a lot of the "magic" is gone, partially because I've played it so much and there's no longer much risk, and partly because almost every update since beta has made the game easier. If you know what you're doing (exploit enchanting, etc.) the game has zero risk.

The only thing I really care about in the updates recently are new blocks since I still have fun building things. Hoping for more stuff like the stained clay and glass.

[runlvlzero]

Just play on survival and survive your first day, than start hunting for iron ores...

then you soon have a hobbit house and a small forest in a glacier

than the creepers come and blow up your fences and trees

you will see

[Ahldagor]

virtual legos

[Swish]

Minecraft is pretty awesome. Did you try it Swish, or just have an opinion on it from reading about it? I thought it sounded dumb until I actually played.

I did try it, I had a friend who was really OTT into it... and figured if it was that good I'd give it a go but I struggled to find fun in gathering resources etc. I guess I find more fun in playing in an environment rather than building one.

If EQ Next takes off, maybe I'd be more interested in building something there :p

I think this post is a bit unfair. This panel shows nothing about "the next generation of geeks." It's nothing but cherry picking questions for a Youtube video, some from people who have obvious disabilities.

The majority of them were kids. I could barely stand up and speak in front of class when I was a teenager, let alone talk to someone whom I idolized at age 7.

Yeah I see what you're saying. I just couldn't imagine going to a convention and be so immersed in games at their ages. It took me by surprise. Enjoyed the vid though.

[Millburn]

I just couldn't imagine going to a convention and be so immersed in games at their ages. It took me by surprise. Enjoyed the vid though.

That's like the exact age that it makes the most sense to be super immersed. Your imagination is on freaking over-drive when you're that young. I remember playing D&D at that age and reading through all the source books, it was just like walking through and experiencing these places in real life. If I had video games that conveyed that same sense of exploration, adventure, and fantasy at that age and THEN have it super socially acceptable?(as in a community readily available outside of my my immediate surroundings) Man I don't even know.

[Byrjun]

Yeah I see what you're saying. I just couldn't imagine going to a convention and be so immersed in games at their ages. It took me by surprise. Enjoyed the vid though.

If I got to go to an EQ convention when I was a kid and meet the developers of the game I'd be fucking starstruck. I turned out alright. It's part of being a kid, and some people never actually grow out of it (see: people obsessed with celebrities over Twitter).

[Swish]

If I got to go to an EQ convention when I was a kid and meet the developers of the game I'd be fucking starstruck. I turned out alright. It's part of being a kid, and some people never actually grow out of it (see: people obsessed with celebrities over Twitter).

I never thought of games that way when I was a kid. I mean you load up Super Mario Bros/Duck Hunt/etc and play it... for me there was zero thought about ever meeting the creators. The industry has changed massively though.

I'll never understand celebrity culture, I once met the actor who played Garak in Star Trek: DS9 (and I loved Star Trek at the time).... starstruck? Not a bit :p

[Byrjun]

I don't think Super Mario Bros can affect you as much as a child as something like Minecraft or EverQuest. Immersion, etc.

[justin2090]

I got really into Minecraft after I found out there is actually a plot to the game. Basically building/fighting your way to the Ender Dragon. DRAGON!!! Who doesn't like dragons?

Quit shortly after his death and never played again.

[Byrjun]

Yea, Minecraft isn't your game if you need a plot or goals designed by the game. I feel like the Ender Dragon was haphazardly added just to give Minecraft some sort of "ending" but it's not a very exciting part of the game. Pretty anticlimactic.

[radditsu]

virtual legos

[radditsu]

I never thought of games that way when I was a kid. I mean you load up Super Mario Bros/Duck Hunt/etc and play it... for me there was zero thought about ever meeting the creators. The industry has changed massively though.

I'll never understand celebrity culture, I once met the actor who played Garak in Star Trek: DS9 (and I loved Star Trek at the time).... starstruck? Not a bit :p

Andrew Robinson is a gem. Dammit time for my yearly DS9 run...