Minecraft: 2022

[Andronicus]

Here's something I thought would be a fun little imaginative project.

Minecraft gets a new update every week or so, adding extra little bits here and there all the time. Assuming these teensy little updates continue indefinitely, what do you think the end product would be in ten years time? Would it be exactly the same, just highly refined and (hopefully) bug-free? Or would it be completely different, with realistic landscape, hundreds of different mobs roaming the landscape, a vast array of trowels, hoes, picks, bulldozers, jackhammers, and chainsaws? Do you think it will stick to its free-form role-playing roots, or try and implement an elaborate story, complete with sidequests?

Note that it's not necessarily what you want to happen, but instead where all these tiny updates are leading to, or can lead to.

Personally, I envisage the trademark blocky style, but with some kind of city biome incorporated, a minimalist dialogue function with villagers/citydwellers, with a sort of randomly generated side-quest system. There'd be a heap more different neutral mobs, but I don't think there'll be as many new monster mobs. I imagine the direction will be towards more realistic lighting and physics, but still keeping with the blockiness of the landscape, although the blocks may become smaller to create more versatile building options. There may also be a proper world map, which could be navigated Final Fantasy circa 1997-style.

And there will always, always be bugs.

 

[Esotera]

I highly doubt they'll continue updating it for anything longer than 2 years. If they did, I'd say it'd be less buggy, water would be even easier, and there'd be some sort of quest storyline added on.

 

[Andronicus]

I actually doubt it too. Of course, I have no doubt that the mod community will still be making new stuff to play around with long after official updates cease. I just thought it would be interesting to imagine where such miniscule updates might lead, if their purpose is simply to refine, or if people think they can truly elaborate on a game to such an extent that the end product in no way resembles the game as it is today.

 

[Keoul]

Something like tf2 lot's of hats, lots and LOTS of hats... unless they decide to go a different route and instead we get lot's of capes...

 

[DioWallachia]

Sigh.

The updates we have now are, sadly, very superficial and lacking. Except the villagers update where they finally are starting to some degree of personality and uniqueness that is a refreshing change from the CONSTANT unspired Tolkien-eske town that every title must have to NOT be cancelled right away.

But unfortunately, i believe that Minecraft needs to have a way to set the tone of the game AND tech the player in such a way that it will inspire both veterans and newcomers to try new things and not be afraid of experimenting with their resourses and imagination.
What do i mean by that? well, watch this Egoraptor episode about Megaman X where it shows you that by sheer level design you could motivate and teach the player without hand-holding or FLATOUT tell you in your face what you have to do.


Done with that? Good, now here is what i come up to solve the lack of tutorials in the game on the GetSatisfaction website. A FAILED attempt (mind you) to convince the masses to have some originality rather than the ENDLESS petitions of having guns on the game that may as well rename the game to "Call of Blocky: Retro Warfare"

https://getsatisfaction.com/mojang/topics/compilation_of_ideas_of_npc_ai_npc_technology_traits_leyends_live_on_mode_utility_mobs_tutorial_posibilities

And dont tell me that if i need to know about the game combinations or lore i should look for it on the Internet. That kind of logic only applies to games from Atari and NES (and even ULTIMA IV) where the only place you know about what in the hell you are supposed to do or know is in the manual (if there is at least one), we have now the technology of make believable set pieces and for that, Minecraft doesnt have an excuse for not inspiring the player. Seeing videos about the game should be something that one does for fun and not for a necessary understanding of the game.

And lets not talk about "Well just MOD the game and that will fix the problem". NO, if that game wants to stay competitive in this day and age then it should be on his own merits and no on the merits of the people who actually have more creativity and talent than the designers.

EDIT1: I somehow forgot to praise the fact that the new world height is now at 256 (i believe) and with the new Anvil format for the maps it allows up to 4000 more items and for the thing i wanted to do with the compilation of ideas suggestion it comes perfectly.

 

[Magicduck]

Eh, I doubt that much will change considering the ridiculously slow rate updates are pumped out. In all honestly I've got more respect for the moders then I do for Mojang atm. How much money has Notch made? And there isn't even the official mod API out yet, not sure if this is an apt example but comparing how easy it is to mod skyrim vs Minecraft is ridiculous. Although this news is promising: http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-02-29-mojang-hires-bukkit-server-mod-team-to-make-official-minecraft-api

 

[Smooth Operator]

If they were smart Minecraft would embrace the mods like no other game, I would go for the full creation kit, ingame mod nexus access and mod swapping on the fly.

While Mojang can't possibly compete on content with the number of modders out there they can use them to their advantage and push mod integration, it is pretty much the perfect game for it.
And god knows how many adventure maps have been made with Minecraft but because they are scattered over various sites people just don't know about it.