Why is MINECRAFT so Popular?

For the uninitiated, there's an online multi-player game that is taking - has taken - over the world.  It's called MINECRAFT.  Perhaps you've heard of it.

I've spent a fair amount of time exploring subcultures.  Maker subculture.  Steampunk subculture.  LEGO subculture.  Now I am exploring the MINECRAFT subculture.

Understanding the draw of MINECRAFT has stymied me for a while.  I think I'm getting it.  Minecraft is a creative building, survival and destroying (I think) game.

In the game you are provided with a character named Steve.  He carries an axe.  The basic finger controls are elementary.  WASD to move, a few additional keys.  A mouse click to wield the axe.  You chop wood, make planks, then build your world.  Perhaps you choose to dig an underground world or an elaborate above-ground world.  But, be on the lookout for Creepers!

So why is it so popular?  I think it's because it's a creative, sharing medium that you can play with your friends.  You can create your own characters in the game (skin), model your own look to the game (texture) and even change the way the game works (with mods).

Images are of the modifications to the Steve Skin that were made by the kids at one of our monthly DIY Club meetings.  They look like gobbledy-gook but they are actually pixel maps that are describing the look of your player.  I will post on how to do this another day.

Trish is learning MINECRAFT.  She would like to invite your child to play MINECRAFT at the monthly DIY Club Days on our private MINECRAFT server at the Long Beach Sea Base.  To keep updated with our monthly MINECRAFT offerings, subscribe to our email list at http://www.makersville.net. 
http://makersville.net/contact/diy-club-general-email-list/

Many thanks to the donations from IBuyPower.com and Sceptre.com which have permitted the establishing of our computer lab.