Minecraft- pixel format not excepted?

[Westaway]

So.
We've all heard alot about Minecraft, and finally I've decided to check it out. So I google Minecraft in search of a place to download it. What's this? Play Minecraft on minecraft.net/play? A free to play verion?
Is it? I don't know. when I click on it it sends me to the page. The screens says Minecraft for half a second then says "(random letters/numbers) Error: Pixel format not excepted"
Excuse me?
It it my computer specs? I don't know them , that's how much I don't know about computers, but I don't even know if it has a graphics card! (It's ...2007? Windows that say ViewSonic on the front and I know it's on Vista)
Do you know what that error message means? Is that site free to play? DO YOU THINK MY COMPUTER HAS A GRAPHICS CARD?
All your help would be appreciated.

 

[shiaramoon]

The free to play version is Minecraft classic, all it is is a world editor with limitless blocks, no crafting, no day/night cycle, and no monsters. To play the Minecraft that has all of those things, you have to buy it. I'm not sure why is classic is giving you problems, i know they recently had to migrate to a new server and that might be a bug or just something that hasn't moved to the new server yet. If you want to keep up with the changes and updates and what Notch (the creator) is up to, check out his blog at notch.tumblr.com/

Good luck and enjoy the game

 

[Westaway]

Hmm, thanks bro.

 

[Lazarus Long]

Well, you have a graphics card, or you wouldn't be reading this right now. How good a card it is is another question entirely. As far as I know, Minecraft needs a good one to run well, but with my crappy little onboard card, I can run it. It's just a bit chuggy.
I would try updating Java. [http://www.java.com/en/download/index.jsp]

As shiaramoon (Welcome to the Escapist, by the way) pointed out, the free version will really just tell you if the retro graphics put you off or not. The full game is much more complex. Check out the wiki [http://www.minecraftwiki.net/wiki/Minecraft_Wiki] if you decide to take the plunge.