What is the point of Minecraft?

[thyme4change]

There is no winning or losing, which is fine.  But there is no economic reality or anything.  So, what's the point?

[Phoenix84]

Jun 23, 2013 13:06:27 GMT -5 @wrongsideof30 said:

It's like lego's. You build.

That's pretty much how I understand it, though I've never played it.  Asking what's the point of minecraft is like asking what is the point of legos, or kinex, or building a model airplane. 

[steff]

Jun 23, 2013 13:03:42 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

There is no winning or losing, which is fine.  But there is no economic reality or anything.  So, what's the point?

to kill time

[Deleted]

To kill endermen, make blaze powder, find the stronghold, fill the empty spots with the eyes of ender, go through the portal, kill the ender dragon, spawn worlds, build a house, fortify it, fence and grow wheat, keep animals, reap the wool, beef, etc, trade with villagers, build farms, go mining, craft armor, craft blocks and bricks, collect gems and ores ...

ok. She took a breath, I'm going to stop there...

[Deleted]

if it's what I think it is then the object is life. You are, you exist, you overcome. The only problem is that if you spend to much time at it, you fail at the real thing.

[Phoenix84]

Isn't there something in that game that will kill you if you're out at night and not hiding from it?  That doesn't seem in keeping with the theme of a "building" game.

[Deleted]

Is it like minesweeper?

[Deleted]

That was daughter talking Lone  

She and her girl friends play online. They  also do IRL minecraft based play too.

in Sweden where it was developed, some schools have started to work it into the curriculum.

[Deleted]

Jun 24, 2013 7:34:15 GMT -5 @lonewolf said:

Our grandsons love playing it and we've actually found it to be very helpful in stimulating the creative side of their brains.
They like getting on different computers and playing/creating together.

We have come a long way. Back in the old days the best stimulation was a fork & an electric outlet.

[sheilaincali]

the Boy has been playing Minecraft for a couple of years now with his buddies.  His brain is wired that way.  He loves the building and creating.  He hosts his own server and writes a lot of code to add new options, colors, etc.  He plays on line with a group of his friends.  They Skype and chat away while building things. 

IDK-  personally I don't "get" it myself but he likes it and it keeps him off the mean streets of sleepy Minnesota so who am I to question it.

[973beachbum]

My son thinks the best thing in life is to play minecraft, but I'm so not asking him what the point of the game is because he would never stop talking about it.

[Formerly SK]

My kids (especially my son) live and breathe Minecraft.  I'm torn on how I feel about it - on one hand they build some amazing things and I can appreciate the educational aspects of the game.  OTOH, I think video games rot your brain.

In fact, last night I joshingly yelled to DS that I could smell his brain rotting from across the house as he'd played Minecraft for about three hours straight.  He came into the kitchen and informed me it wasn't his rotting brain that was smelling, but his hands.  His hands "get smelly" from holding the controller for so long. 

[Formerly SK]

Jun 24, 2013 9:40:16 GMT -5 973beachbum said:

My son thinks the best thing in life is to play minecraft, but I'm so not asking him what the point of the game is because he would never stop talking about it.

Oh lord...my son does nothing but talk about Minecraft.  Granted, he's on the autism spectrum so his conversational/social skills are poor to begin with, but he does nothing but talk in stream of consciousness mode about Minecraft.  He spends his recesses wandering alone about the playground planning things to build in Minecraft.  If he is ever quiet at the dinner table, if you ask him what's up on he'll immediately start verbalizing the Minecraft plans that were running through his head at that moment.  It has totally consumed him.  LOL

[Chocolate Lover]

Jun 24, 2013 9:40:16 GMT -5 973beachbum said:

My son thinks the best thing in life is to play minecraft, but I'm so not asking him what the point of the game is because he would never stop talking about it.

You mean he isn't randomly telling you all about it    Mine is.....

[Deleted]

I played Farmville for a few months. Then one I wondered why. I could not give myself a convincing answer. I don't play anymore.

[973beachbum]

Jun 24, 2013 10:27:54 GMT -5 Chocolate Lover said:

Jun 24, 2013 9:40:16 GMT -5 973beachbum said:

My son thinks the best thing in life is to play minecraft, but I'm so not asking him what the point of the game is because he would never stop talking about it.

You mean he isn't randomly telling you all about it    Mine is.....

Yeah he does but I mostly ignore him when he is talking about it.

I did actually ask him if he plays creative or survival mode and he said survival only.  He said the creative mode was boring to him.  He also told me that there is a way to die in creative but it is pretty stupid.  It had something to do with digging into bedrock.  I swear i thought he was talking about the Flintstones the first time he said it.   He said it seems like trying to kill yourself if you do it anyway knowing it will kill you.

Now he won't stop coming up to me and telling me about the game.  

[Phoenix84]

Jun 24, 2013 9:43:03 GMT -5 Formerly SK said:

My kids (especially my son) live and breathe Minecraft.  I'm torn on how I feel about it - on one hand they build some amazing things and I can appreciate the educational aspects of the game.  OTOH, I think video games rot your brain.

In fact, last night I joshingly yelled to DS that I could smell his brain rotting from across the house as he'd played Minecraft for about three hours straight.  He came into the kitchen and informed me it wasn't his rotting brain that was smelling, but his hands.  His hands "get smelly" from holding the controller for so long. 

How exactly do video games rot your brain?  I'd like to know what evidence you have of this.

And three hours is nothing, your son is a lightweight

[Formerly SK]

Jun 24, 2013 12:13:25 GMT -5 Phoenix84 said:

Jun 24, 2013 9:43:03 GMT -5 Formerly SK said:

My kids (especially my son) live and breathe Minecraft.  I'm torn on how I feel about it - on one hand they build some amazing things and I can appreciate the educational aspects of the game.  OTOH, I think video games rot your brain.

In fact, last night I joshingly yelled to DS that I could smell his brain rotting from across the house as he'd played Minecraft for about three hours straight.  He came into the kitchen and informed me it wasn't his rotting brain that was smelling, but his hands.  His hands "get smelly" from holding the controller for so long. 

How exactly do video games rot your brain?  I'd like to know what evidence you have of this.

And three hours is nothing, your son is a lightweight

I was partly joking, but yes with *my* kids I can definitely see a negative effect from video games.  They get more argumentative with each other the longer I let them play.  Also, while the game fosters creativity within the confines of building, my kids seem to lose all other forms of creativity if I let them play too long.  They will wail that there is nothing fun to do, etc after a long period of gaming, whereas if I don't let them play at all for the day they will happily build forts outside or do role-playing games or art.  The game seems to almost give them a sugar high, so whenever I say it is time to turn it off they are all jacked up and crying (DS) and go through this withdrawal period.  This doesn't seem to happen if I limit it to say an hour a day, but on longer days (like last week when I was laying bricks outside so they got to play for 6-8 hours) the detox process is ugly.  IME there is definitely a toxic aspect to video games.  YMMV

[thyme4change]

Jun 24, 2013 12:37:17 GMT -5 Formerly SK said:

Jun 24, 2013 12:13:25 GMT -5 Phoenix84 said:

How exactly do video games rot your brain?  I'd like to know what evidence you have of this.

And three hours is nothing, your son is a lightweight

I was partly joking, but yes with *my* kids I can definitely see a negative effect from video games.  They get more argumentative with each other the longer I let them play.  Also, while the game fosters creativity within the confines of building, my kids seem to lose all other forms of creativity if I let them play too long.  They will wail that there is nothing fun to do, etc after a long period of gaming, whereas if I don't let them play at all for the day they will happily build forts outside or do role-playing games or art.  The game seems to almost give them a sugar high, so whenever I say it is time to turn it off they are all jacked up and crying (DS) and go through this withdrawal period.  This doesn't seem to happen if I limit it to say an hour a day, but on longer days (like last week when I was laying bricks outside so they got to play for 6-8 hours) the detox process is ugly.  IME there is definitely a toxic aspect to video games.  YMMV

I would say that my son has a similar reaction to long periods of playing video games.  Just overall, he becomes a cranky pants.

[greeniis10]

I like the music that is played during Minecraft - very relaxing.  Well, I just over hear it whenever my son is playing it so I'm not sure if there is only one option or what, but I do find it calming to listen to and watch.  Youngest son has an extremely large screen with a projector in his basement that he plays his video games on.  They are pretty much life-size, which makes it  interesting to watch...

[thyme4change]

Jun 24, 2013 12:45:30 GMT -5 greeniis10 said:

I like the music that is played during Minecraft - very relaxing.  Well, I just over hear it whenever my son is playing it so I'm not sure if there is only one option or what, but I do find it calming to listen to and watch.  Youngest son has an extremely large screen with a projector in his basement that he plays his video games on.  They are pretty much life-size, which makes it  interesting to watch...

I feel the same way about the music.  I can take a nap on the couch while my son plays.  Is that "together time?"

[greeniis10]

Jun 24, 2013 12:39:07 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

Jun 24, 2013 12:37:17 GMT -5 Formerly SK said:

I was partly joking, but yes with *my* kids I can definitely see a negative effect from video games.  They get more argumentative with each other the longer I let them play.  Also, while the game fosters creativity within the confines of building, my kids seem to lose all other forms of creativity if I let them play too long.  They will wail that there is nothing fun to do, etc after a long period of gaming, whereas if I don't let them play at all for the day they will happily build forts outside or do role-playing games or art.  The game seems to almost give them a sugar high, so whenever I say it is time to turn it off they are all jacked up and crying (DS) and go through this withdrawal period.  This doesn't seem to happen if I limit it to say an hour a day, but on longer days (like last week when I was laying bricks outside so they got to play for 6-8 hours) the detox process is ugly.  IME there is definitely a toxic aspect to video games.  YMMV

I would say that my son has a similar reaction to long periods of playing video games.  Just overall, he becomes a cranky pants.

Definitely true when they are younger (in my experience as well), but it gets better as they get older.  Gotta learn to limit yourself when there are jobs to get to, laundry to be done, and a kitchen to clean!

[greeniis10]

Jun 24, 2013 12:51:33 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

Jun 24, 2013 12:45:30 GMT -5 greeniis10 said:

I like the music that is played during Minecraft - very relaxing.  Well, I just over hear it whenever my son is playing it so I'm not sure if there is only one option or what, but I do find it calming to listen to and watch.  Youngest son has an extremely large screen with a projector in his basement that he plays his video games on.  They are pretty much life-size, which makes it  interesting to watch...

I feel the same way about the music.  I can take a nap on the couch while my son plays.  Is that "together time?"

YES!!! 

[Phoenix84]

I can see how that could be the case formerlySK.  But I'd call becoming grumpy not the same as "rotting your brain."  But I'd say that's more of a function of your children's immaturity than a problem with the games themselves.  As greeniis10 said, it's a problem that should get better as they get older.

[sheilaincali]

Rot your brain eh?

I'll have you know that DS got quite a few questions in Knowledge Bowl correct this year thanks to video games like Call of Duty and Medal of Honor.    This year there seemed to be quite a few battle of the _____ and World War type questions. 

[Deleted]

Last year I asked the kids, Did I ever teach you biomes?, and they said no, but minecraft did, no worries...

[GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl]

I'm on the fence about it.  YDS also plays it online with friends, or alone.  But, there's a great, big, beautiful, REAL world out there to explore.  As I say to him, no one on their deathbed ever says they wished they spent more time playing video games...

[Phoenix84]

Jun 24, 2013 15:55:04 GMT -5 GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl said:

I'm on the fence about it.  YDS also plays it online with friends, or alone.  But, there's a great, big, beautiful, REAL world out there to explore.  As I say to him, no one on their deathbed ever says they wished they spent more time playing video games...

Hmmmm, never heard that one before.  Video games are a leisure activity, so I'm not sure why someone would regret on their deathbed spending too much time on a leisure activity.  Do people regret spending too much time walking the dog, or watching TV, or reading books?

Just seems like an odd thing to say about a leisure activity, something people do for fun and to de stress.

[thyme4change]

I regret spending too much time watching television.  In fact, there was a study that said some huge portion of people wished they had partied less in college and studied more.  So, just because it is a leisure activity, doesn't mean that people feel fulfilled, or people feel like their time was well spent.  Especially if there is another leisure activity that might be even better.

Some movies are better than old television reruns (like the 9th time I watched the same "Love it or List it.")

Going on vacation and exploring a new city is better than most all of the movies I've ever seen.

Renting a boat for the day and taking my kids water skiing was better than reading a book.

And, my son remembers our trip to Boston, and the day we went water skiing, but I suspect there isn't a single day of playing video games and watching TV that stands out as a memory he will hold dear as he grows up and moves on.  

[GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl]

Jun 24, 2013 16:07:37 GMT -5 Phoenix84 said:

Jun 24, 2013 15:55:04 GMT -5 GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl said:

I'm on the fence about it.  YDS also plays it online with friends, or alone.  But, there's a great, big, beautiful, REAL world out there to explore.  As I say to him, no one on their deathbed ever says they wished they spent more time playing video games...

Hmmmm, never heard that one before.  Video games are a leisure activity, so I'm not sure why someone would regret on their deathbed spending too much time on a leisure activity.  Do people regret spending too much time walking the dog, or watching TV, or reading books?

Just seems like an odd thing to say about a leisure activity, something people do for fun and to de stress.

Phoenix, I am of the opinion that video games can be real time life wasters.     I'd personally rather hang out with real people and do real, live, activities and make lifelong memories of good times and fun places than spend precious moments of my life addicted to a screen.  

But, your point is well-taken.  There are folks who sacrifice precious time playing too much golf, or working too much, or anything else that becomes obsessive in nature.

For me, it's all about balance.  I'm not perfect, by any means, but I do recognize that life is short and I have a REALLY long list of things I want to do in my lifetime.  If I spend too much time on any one or few of the things on my list, I won't get it all done in time.