Post by Sharon Wagenaar for www.gamingedus.org

The Minecraft Club at our Library has been running for a year and many of the kids that come to it have been to more than one session.  I thought it would be interesting to find out what they think about   Minecraft,  the library club, and the Multi School Server.

It was a little difficult getting straight answers at times from the kids, as they continued to play the game while I was  asking the questions; however,  I did manage to get enough information to conclude that Minecraft Club  is more than just about playing a computer game.

What do you like about Minecraft?

“The creativeness, the creativity, the endless possibilities”  – Richard

“Well, I just like that you get to build whatever you want”  – Max

“Just like you can do anything,  unlike in real life when you have restrictions. Here you can just do anything”  – Clara

“Most of it, mostly everything about it….. I like to build and do lots of things on the servers, like PVP.  That’s mostly what I do and play with my friends like on Modcraft.”  – Will

“It’s fun” – Michael

“Well…..I like that you can really build anything – it’s limitless…to an extent…beyond squares, you can’t  build circles” – Adrian

 

What do you like about when you come here (to the Library) for Minecraft Club?

“It’s just a bunch of people who like the same thing and we play Minecraft” – Clara

“I like that there’s a whole bunch of other people there.” – Ryan

“I like that you get to face and look at who you’re playing with instead of over a chat box…it’s easier.” – Adrian

“Seeing other peoples’ creations and like what they are doing now [indicates group] , watching them build.” – Josh

“That I get to play Minecraft with my friends” – Max

“Ummm…the thing about playing with other people…. It’s much different (than playing alone), it’s much more fun and you’re actually right there with other people” – Richard

 

What did you think when you first went on the Multi-School Server?  What are some of the things that you have built?

“It’s pretty cool.  I built two houses…… One by lava and one on an island in the middle of nowhere in the air” – Clara

“I didn’t know how to use it really because I didn’t know which one (portal) to go in. But when I figured it out, it’s pretty awesome…the TNT world and stuff” – Josh

“I like it! (What do you like?)  I like that there are already lots of good creations and you can add on to them like how me and Adrian are going to be building a museum and we’re going to be putting that bi-plane in there” – Max

“It was really something.  (What have you built?) An archery place, a Trojan pig, a rollercoaster……right beside the Trojan pig” – Ryan

“I thought it was cool.  It was just like a mini-server…. a lot of things, random things.  When I don’t feel like building I just play around” – Will

“It was pretty empty.  I’ve built lots of stuff.  I built a library, a bomb shelter with Will, I’ve built….what else, I’ve built a lot of stuff it’s hard to remember it all….there’s a lot of stuff” – Adrian

“I have built many things actually, I try to make creations.  I like building…..”   – Richard

 

What do you like about survival mode?

Sharon: “You guys are playing in survival right now…what do you like about survival?”

Max: “I like how it’s challenging………[distracted]”

Sharon: “Ok, well thanks….oh you died…that’s too bad”

Max: “Yeah, yeah.”

Sharon: “But what’s the best thing about Minecraft when you die? It’s that you come back!”

Max: “Yeah, yeah…but you lose all your stuff.”

Sharon: “Oh, that’s unfortunate.”

Max: “Yeah, it’s especially bad when it’s at the bottom of an endless pit.”

“What I like about survival is…I don’t know…it’s the fun part….let me think….what I like about survival is the fact that you can create and it’s kind of like…I don’t know…..it’s hard to explain, I’m sorry.” – Richard

(It’s challenging?)  “Yes! It’s challenging! That’s the word!” – Richard

 

Most of the kids in this group have been playing Minecraft between one or two years.   While they play on many different platforms and usually by themselves, they all seem to agree that Minecraft is a very creative game.  It has endless “building possibilities” and  coming to Minecraft Club is more than just building, PVP or blowing things up.  It’s hanging out with kids that have similar interests;  working together towards a common goal;  learning something new.  It’s about having fun.