5.3 MINECRAFT (2009 2013

features stirring graphics from an axonometric view, which is appropriate to understand the systems

behind urbanism, and the rules that govern urban design.

Design experience

Since it is a strategic game, narrative and storyline is free and up to the player. In fact, the player by

combining blocks and managing them as resources are asked to design the city based on aesthetical and

technical criteria. The visual style suggests an evocative narrative about eco-architecture, which is then

reinforced through game rules. Player navigation is limited as he views the city always in a 3d isometric

perspective, so it is easier to control the composition of blocks and manipulate them.

Design interaction

The interaction design is based on game space manipulation through the use of various building blocks,

inputs and outputs assigned to individual blocks, as well as resource management and a balance

between different building blocks, that player learn along the playing process. The efficiency of a building

is influenced by its proximity to other types of blocks. In this game, interaction is about world

manipulation, mutual response between player and the system, strategic thinking and efficient recourse

management.

5.3 MINECRAFT (2009 2013)

Minecraft is a first-person sandbox video game that allows users to build objects in the virtual world

using 3D textured cubes with different materials and styles. Users can combine various materials and

create houses, cities, and pixelated landscapes free of choice and out of simple rules. The player can

build or demolish cubes of 1x1x1 meters. Cubes are obtained by exploring caves and mining materials

spread in the game world. Minecraft despite the need to survive is a creative game, in which player can

build their own fantasy structures. It may be seen of as an updated version of the popular children's

construction game LEGo. Furthermore, it is built on earth ecological principles to create and build an in-

game world. As a result, the game needs both imagination and rationality in order to progress, despite

the game's addicting gameplay.

The game is presented into four modes: survive, create, adventure, spectator (Smith 2012) in which

there is different access to the resource, the challenges are different and the modularity of interaction in

a large space with other players is different. In survivor mode, the player is entangled in the world and

mine limited resources to build structures to protect themselves, as they try to avoid monsters and

survive. In creative mode, the player has access to unlimited items used to create beautiful objects and

does not worry about anything else, having no constraints. In adventure mode elements of survival are

present as a form of challenge to exploration, but moreover, the player has the possibility to interact

with other players. Spectator mode allows the player to observe gameplay of other players without

interacting with them, just watching what other players have done.

Figure 107 Partial set of materials used to build in Minecraft; Screen shot from Minecraft constructions

Hence, the various modes offer also the possibility to play the game either singularly or as multiplayer on

server connections. Each Minecraft creation, in updated versions of the game, can be loaded on a server

and made available for online access to other players. In this sense, Minecraft is designed not only as a

creative related to form creation and entertaining tool related to fun but also as a collaborative platform

in which different people can contribute in real-time. Today players, use to share online their creations

and achievements. This culture of sharing 3D creations is very important for maintaining a productive

creative community. Therefore, Minecraft can be used as an exchange platform. Minecraft, in essence

may promote a more democratic, populist approach to design. This is a great example of how games are

starting to influence decision-making and allow user participation in the architecture and urban design

process.

Representation

The visual style of the game is simple, with pixelated texturing of blocks made of different materials,

offering the possibility to create multiple structures in the city and architectonic scale, but in the case of