Following is a thorough over-analysis of Minecraft and it's unique social and civilisational tendencies. I stepped back after playing for a few hours and saw the strange complexity and abstraction of the community I had become a part of, and was inspired to write this. It may sound a tad pretentious depending on how you play Minecraft.
Minecraft is a truly beautiful and amazing game. It all depends on how you play it, and there are oh so many ways to do so.
Are you a builder who only explores to find the resources for your giant super tower? Are you an explorer who traverses the vast and infinite possibilities this world holds for you? Are you a merchant? A lawkeeper? A lonely adventurer for hire?
Played alone, Minecraft is an exploration of loneliness and infinity and discovery, a single being clinging to the face of an incomprehensibly vast landscape, and learning to live with it and the elements he finds himself with. You make your marks on the landscape, you gaze out at the untouched wilderness and wonder what is over the next hill.
Played with others, though, Minecraft is a deeply different experience. I have been part of a popular server since it began in the beginning of last year. Though the world has been reset many times, and a lot of work lost, the memories with those random people signified only by their colourful skins remains. You can find yourself stuck miles from the nearest town with a player you hardly know, working together to build shelter and defend yourself from the minecraft beasties as night descends, both of you spouting Minecraft terminology incomprehensible to any who haven't played it before. It's like a secret club.
I stopped playing Minecraft on this server for a month and came back to find the world had not been reset since I left. The once thriving cities I had helped build and defend had become ghost towns, many of the buildings broken and flooded, not another person in sight. I was genuinely sad. It's even more sad to find your own structure standing on the edge of what used to be a metropolis, now griefed and graffiti'd into oblivion.
Minecraft society and civilisation moves in a unique way, it's almost like an organism unto itself in it's nomad tendencies. Whilst on the surface it seems fairly shallow (everyone moves to the cool new town for lulz) it's actually a fairly abstract representation of the human aversion to loneliness and need for company. Who really enjoys being alone in the wilderness, unless you are storing secrets? At the spawn I often see pairs or threes of wanderers forming groups to go off to explore, with people going solo only rarely.
One of the most fascinating behaviours I have observed is when you chance upon another player or group whilst wandering in the wilderness. Often, speaking (i.e typing) is delayed or isn't even used. Body language is used to incredible effect. Many players will back away to high ground, perhaps even equipping a sword if they feel threatened. Powerful players (with diamond armour and weaponry, for instance) will act with an almost alpha dominance, displaying aggressive behaviour such as charging forward whilst jumping up and down. Cautious or weaker players will never take their eyes off you, often edging away or resorting to a timid experimental 'hi'. It's like watching two animals interact.
All this behaviour stems from the dangers of death in Minecraft. If you die, you lose everything you have worked for, thrown back to the very beginning of your life in this world, often thousands of blocks from where you died. This adds a real feeling of threat to the game, enticing this kind of cautious behaviour.
Meetings of clans or groups in the wilderness are more like simple pack psychology exercises. Both parties will often display their strength, and one or the other parties will retreat if they feel outdone. Very rarely are encounters actually resolved with drops of pixelated blood.
I could go on for hours about Minecraft and its unique social and psychological elements, but I don't want to make this too long to read. Who knows? Maybe I'll write a paper someday
ANYWAY! Minecraft is a truly beautiful and unique game, and there is a lot you can learn about yourself and others in this environment, an exploration of the basest survival instincts.
Tell me, how often have you stolen something in real life, and what are your views on theft in general? Now, how often have you stolen things in Minecraft? How did you feel?
I sure as hell know I feel very guilty when I steal in Minecraft. Sneaking into someone's house and stealing something they have (virtually) worked for is a very nerve and emotion-wracking experience.
Discussion time!
Post your own observations of the Minecraft phenomenon, your own experiences and ideas, tell me if you think I'm bullshit or if I've called to attention something you have never quite realised before. Go for it!
Minecraft is a truly beautiful and amazing game. It all depends on how you play it, and there are oh so many ways to do so.
Are you a builder who only explores to find the resources for your giant super tower? Are you an explorer who traverses the vast and infinite possibilities this world holds for you? Are you a merchant? A lawkeeper? A lonely adventurer for hire?
Played alone, Minecraft is an exploration of loneliness and infinity and discovery, a single being clinging to the face of an incomprehensibly vast landscape, and learning to live with it and the elements he finds himself with. You make your marks on the landscape, you gaze out at the untouched wilderness and wonder what is over the next hill.
Played with others, though, Minecraft is a deeply different experience. I have been part of a popular server since it began in the beginning of last year. Though the world has been reset many times, and a lot of work lost, the memories with those random people signified only by their colourful skins remains. You can find yourself stuck miles from the nearest town with a player you hardly know, working together to build shelter and defend yourself from the minecraft beasties as night descends, both of you spouting Minecraft terminology incomprehensible to any who haven't played it before. It's like a secret club.
I stopped playing Minecraft on this server for a month and came back to find the world had not been reset since I left. The once thriving cities I had helped build and defend had become ghost towns, many of the buildings broken and flooded, not another person in sight. I was genuinely sad. It's even more sad to find your own structure standing on the edge of what used to be a metropolis, now griefed and graffiti'd into oblivion.
Minecraft society and civilisation moves in a unique way, it's almost like an organism unto itself in it's nomad tendencies. Whilst on the surface it seems fairly shallow (everyone moves to the cool new town for lulz) it's actually a fairly abstract representation of the human aversion to loneliness and need for company. Who really enjoys being alone in the wilderness, unless you are storing secrets? At the spawn I often see pairs or threes of wanderers forming groups to go off to explore, with people going solo only rarely.
One of the most fascinating behaviours I have observed is when you chance upon another player or group whilst wandering in the wilderness. Often, speaking (i.e typing) is delayed or isn't even used. Body language is used to incredible effect. Many players will back away to high ground, perhaps even equipping a sword if they feel threatened. Powerful players (with diamond armour and weaponry, for instance) will act with an almost alpha dominance, displaying aggressive behaviour such as charging forward whilst jumping up and down. Cautious or weaker players will never take their eyes off you, often edging away or resorting to a timid experimental 'hi'. It's like watching two animals interact.
All this behaviour stems from the dangers of death in Minecraft. If you die, you lose everything you have worked for, thrown back to the very beginning of your life in this world, often thousands of blocks from where you died. This adds a real feeling of threat to the game, enticing this kind of cautious behaviour.
Meetings of clans or groups in the wilderness are more like simple pack psychology exercises. Both parties will often display their strength, and one or the other parties will retreat if they feel outdone. Very rarely are encounters actually resolved with drops of pixelated blood.
I could go on for hours about Minecraft and its unique social and psychological elements, but I don't want to make this too long to read. Who knows? Maybe I'll write a paper someday
ANYWAY! Minecraft is a truly beautiful and unique game, and there is a lot you can learn about yourself and others in this environment, an exploration of the basest survival instincts.
Tell me, how often have you stolen something in real life, and what are your views on theft in general? Now, how often have you stolen things in Minecraft? How did you feel?
I sure as hell know I feel very guilty when I steal in Minecraft. Sneaking into someone's house and stealing something they have (virtually) worked for is a very nerve and emotion-wracking experience.
Discussion time!
Post your own observations of the Minecraft phenomenon, your own experiences and ideas, tell me if you think I'm bullshit or if I've called to attention something you have never quite realised before. Go for it!
