Error loading page.
Try refreshing the page. If that doesn't work, there may be a network issue, and you can use our self test page to see what's preventing the page from loading.
Learn more about possible network issues or contact support for more help.

Understanding Minecraft

Essays on Play, Community and Possibilities

ebook
Always available
Always available

Since its official release in 2011, Minecraft has sold over 48 million copies across all gaming platforms. The premise of Minecraft is simple: destroy, collect, build and interact in a world made entirely of colored cubes. Unlike Lego blocks or other construction toys, Minecraft's digital play space allows for virtually limitless creation without the cost and limitations of physical building materials. Developer Mojang's generous policies toward modification and other uses of their intellectual property also engender enthusiasm and creativity from fans who make music, art and animation inspired by the software.

The first essays in this collection cover Minecraft's origins, describing its relationship to other video games and toys and examining the learning models implicit in its design. Later essays describe and theorize the various ways players interact with the software, which simultaneously presents them with structural constraints and limitless possibilities.

NOT OFFICIAL MINECRAFT PRODUCT. NOT APPROVED BY OR ASSOCIATED WITH MOJANG.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

  • Formats

  • Languages

  • Reviews

    • Library Journal

      Starred review from November 15, 2014

      This collection of essays examine how the runaway video game hit Minecraft has influenced the way games are played and stories are told via an electronic medium. An engrossing and thorough read for gamers, this book is for those who see video games as so much more than entertainment. Each piece is exhaustively researched and thoroughly cited, yet the reading is lively and active with an approachable tone and style. Whether reading about how the gender neutrality of the game's characters put a new spin on the myth of the American frontier, investigating how fans have used the game as a vehicle to create their own animations, or trying to determine exactly where the line between artistic creation and game play is, there is at least one entry for any kind of academic. This book proves that Minecraft can be truly anything for anyone, making it a testament to the product's appeal even as it examines the very same. VERDICT Most useful for academics, critics, and students of video game design or new media criticism, but even casual readers with an interest in video games as cultural touchstones will be intrigued.--M. Brandon Robbins, Goldsboro H.S., NC

      Copyright 2014 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Formats

  • Kindle Book
  • OverDrive Read
  • EPUB ebook

Languages

  • English

Loading