Minecraft - Seismic Sandbox
In my graduate class on the Design of Learning Games, we spent a lot of time studying, playing and discussing the globally successful game, Minecraft. There are several elements that I think were pivotal to the success of this game.
To start, unlike most digital games available at that time that were goal-driven, Minecraft was a true "sandbox" game. To that end, a player could enter the game, like a kid in a sandbox, and do as little or as much game play as desired. To this end, it was not plot driven with defined goals to achieve "success". Each player could determine what "success" meant for himself.
This concept was key in that it gave the player total control over the direction of the game play, which drove creativity, invention and innovation on the player's part. Just what could be made with blocks? A quick search on the Web shows the just how far a few blocks and unlimited creativity can go in fostering players' creations.
As the game evolved, new items were added to build more complex environments, including the beloved lava. And to add drama and intrigue to the block world, a survival theme was introduced, along with zombies that could spawn and threaten the player. But it became clear to the developers that players could enjoy the game even more by not only sharing their creations with each other in real time, but also banding together to fight the zombies. So multi-player mode was introduced.
To expand player creativity and design potential beyond existing blocks, crafting was introduced. This follows the initial game mission of giving the player as much control as possible, enabling them to create new objects they want or needed out of various combinations of existing block elements. This addition exponentially expanded the creativity capacity of players, and thereby, their enjoyment level.
Intrigue and complexity was further increased by adding Team combat survival, exploration and adventure themes, as well as unworldly Netherworlds and dungeons. Redstone and ore expanded the crafting capability of the player. And by enhancing environmental elements such as weather and lighting, the game world became more variable and intriguing, especially for players who cherish the challenges of playing in diverse weather. And for those who simply enjoyed single player mode, the developers introduced wolves that could be tamed into pets to make sure any player could create and have an adventuring buddy if they wanted one.
In the end, the additions of advanced player movement of speed, jumping, etc., as well as advanced weapons' accuracy (like those used in MMORPGs), and terrain generators, with villages and fortress, offered players the ability to fight together in Team Combat Survival mode, or not. So although the game embraced key mechanics of MMORP games that made them so popular, Minecraft still left the player in charge of the game environment, player mode, and adventuring, to help ensure the maximum individual enjoyment.
To start, unlike most digital games available at that time that were goal-driven, Minecraft was a true "sandbox" game. To that end, a player could enter the game, like a kid in a sandbox, and do as little or as much game play as desired. To this end, it was not plot driven with defined goals to achieve "success". Each player could determine what "success" meant for himself.
This concept was key in that it gave the player total control over the direction of the game play, which drove creativity, invention and innovation on the player's part. Just what could be made with blocks? A quick search on the Web shows the just how far a few blocks and unlimited creativity can go in fostering players' creations.
As the game evolved, new items were added to build more complex environments, including the beloved lava. And to add drama and intrigue to the block world, a survival theme was introduced, along with zombies that could spawn and threaten the player. But it became clear to the developers that players could enjoy the game even more by not only sharing their creations with each other in real time, but also banding together to fight the zombies. So multi-player mode was introduced.
To expand player creativity and design potential beyond existing blocks, crafting was introduced. This follows the initial game mission of giving the player as much control as possible, enabling them to create new objects they want or needed out of various combinations of existing block elements. This addition exponentially expanded the creativity capacity of players, and thereby, their enjoyment level.
Intrigue and complexity was further increased by adding Team combat survival, exploration and adventure themes, as well as unworldly Netherworlds and dungeons. Redstone and ore expanded the crafting capability of the player. And by enhancing environmental elements such as weather and lighting, the game world became more variable and intriguing, especially for players who cherish the challenges of playing in diverse weather. And for those who simply enjoyed single player mode, the developers introduced wolves that could be tamed into pets to make sure any player could create and have an adventuring buddy if they wanted one.
In the end, the additions of advanced player movement of speed, jumping, etc., as well as advanced weapons' accuracy (like those used in MMORPGs), and terrain generators, with villages and fortress, offered players the ability to fight together in Team Combat Survival mode, or not. So although the game embraced key mechanics of MMORP games that made them so popular, Minecraft still left the player in charge of the game environment, player mode, and adventuring, to help ensure the maximum individual enjoyment.
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