User-generated+Minecraft+worlds

W h a t w i l l y o u ** c r e a t e ? **


 * The first time Minecraft user spawns on a completely randomly generated landmass. Basic elements populate the world: dirt, wood, water, sand and stone. Civilization is far removed-- there are no pre-existing roads, homes, or restaurants. One must CRAFT!**



Quite literally a world of creation is at the user's fingertips. Some beckon the challenge of creating castles and elegant log cabins, while others focus on crafting a humble abode that functions solely as a shelter mechanism. The disparity here may lie in psycholinguist James Paul Gee's //presupposed perspectives//. He explains, "our presupposed perspectives on the world might be reinforced when playing a video game." Meaning, some gamers may anticipate the role of "creator" as daunting and even divine, thus, shying us away from making little more than the bare essentials in order to survive. On the other hand, through creation, users embrace the variability of the Minecraft world. Below are several screenshots and videos of user generated Minecraft worlds. These have largely been crafted by various graduate students in our Digital Literacies class.





Keeping Gee's embodiment in mind and how our virtual/real-world and projective identities relate and reflect, many of these creations display "dream homes." Here, the user is capable of actualizing what may have been oppressed by financial burden or the lack of a creation platform. That is to say, Minecraft functions as an architectural design tool. This world of blocks allows gamers to physically place a door, window, roof etc.

The front of the house above overlooks the beach from a hill, the student explains, "I love light and windows but have yet to learn how to build a ceiling and plant the flowers for the garden I want on the back of the house below." Here, the lack of instruction provided by Markus Persson (the creator of Minecraft) seems to be limiting the user, however at what cost? If the user is told to plant flowers and build a ceiling, this would imply that the objective of the game is to imrpove home and garden. Markus Persson did not want the gamer to be confined to any cultural models.

While most users focus on architecture and home design, Minecraft has taken a viral turn. Below, a gigantic Android robot has been crafted entirely from green wool. Gee would consider this as a cultural model, "he explains, cultural models are images, story lines, principles, or metaphors that capture what a particular group finds “normal” or “typical” in regard to a given phenomenon." This is a rather extreme example of a cultural model. However, marketing has become an explosive financial tool in digital spaces, especially in US markets.

Some user generated worlds have strayed as far as creating roller coasters. Clearly Minecraft leaves creation as a purely subjective goal. Please enjoy the video below!

Finally, I invite you to submit your greatest user generated creations. A monthly winner will be selected and inserted into our wikispace! Submit videos/screenshots to us- Click here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzVGdYnwPd8&feature=player_embedded

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