Lost in Minecraft

Minecraft: a surprisingly addicting game.

Note: For my first experiences in the alpha version on Minecraft, read this post.

Over the weekend and a few evenings this week, I’ve sunk an embarrassing amount of time into building virtual structures with pixelated cubes in a game called Minecraft. This Java app is ongoing project by Markus Persson. It’s currently in alpha stage, but even now is incredibly fun. The premise is simple: select from nine types of cubes and build whatever you want in a virtual space, one cube at a time.

Cubist vista.

The multiplayer servers are a blast. The avatars are blocky and prance like little kids. The players explore the world building crazy towers, under water forts, skywalks, gardens, etc. Some are loners, others team up like ants to shape the landscape to their will. In short order, a sparse map is teaming with structures. The limited amount of materials keeps the world unified and looking a little like a Super Mario level.

Another vista.

A stranger and I stand on opposite towers, about to begin a sky bridge to connect the two.

But just as easily as things can be built, they can be destroyed. Griefers run around deleting blocks, flooding rooms, and pissing everyone off until getting banned. It encourages players to build their prized structures in harder to reach or hidden places. Once, I was tunneling a basement for a castle I made and fell into a vast underground fortress.

Servers varying in quality from people who are friendly and supportive, to chaotic messes. Regardless, the cube worlds keep on turning. Logging on after a day away, it’s surprising to see how different the place is.

Find Minecraft at http://www.minecraft.net/