MineCraft

[Stalwart]

My teenage kid is asking for MineCraft this year for Christmas.

It looks to me to be a monumental time waster game.

Got any opinions on it, pro or con?

[RedBull1]

It's a very simple, fun, however quick to get boring game. I mean, it's a game, they play it for fun, just like we play AH for fun, so technically yea it is a time waster, but you could also call AH that, but who cares as long as you have fun?

[APDrone]

You'll get your money's worth.. and probably no long term mental derangement.. 

[Motherland]

Every video game is a monumental waste of time. Just like every other hobby

[Volron]

Let's see...

PROS:

Dirt cheap compared to games like Call of Duty and Halo 4, plus no subscription payment thing required.

MANY mods for it as well.  One example is Tekkit, though I'd recommend you use the Technic Launcher for that since it will install everything needed to get them to work properly.  Gives you access to 4 different mod type setups with a click, Technic and Tekkit being the LARGEST of them.

Texture packs can breath new life into it once you get bored with the default textures.

MANY adventure maps that can be challenging and quite fun.

You can build whatever ye imagine, albeit in cube form.


CONS:

The only real con is that it WILL get boring after a while.



In short, get your kid MC.

[Pigslilspaz]

Very fun, but lasts more if you have friends that will play on a server with you

[B3YT]

It takes time to really get good at it , but it it is challenging and genuinely a little bit scary in a good way when you stumble on a zombie or cave spider . It is quite a good survival game , teaches you three main points about it.

1) find or make shelter asap
2) food is vital
3) prepare before exploring .


I enjoy it . Don't worry there are monsters in it but not hyper realistic nasty things . Plus you get to ride around on the backs of pigs.   

[Volron]

...a little bit scary in a good way when you stumble on a zombie or cave spider...

Ha!  While spiders have a nack for just jumping on you, it's the Creeper's that will get you to really jump, especially in hardcore mode.

[Stalwart]

Thanks for the feedback fellas.
He's playing the demo for the fifth time today.
 

[titanic3]

It takes time to really get good at it , but it it is challenging and genuinely a little bit scary in a good way when you stumble on a zombie or cave spider . It is quite a good survival game , teaches you three main points about it.

1) find or make shelter asap
2) food is vital
3) prepare before exploring .


I enjoy it . Don't worry there are monsters in it but not hyper realistic nasty things . Plus you get to ride around on the backs of pigs.   

  you guys get scared by that stuff?

[Soulyss]

I think Minecraft is a great little game.  It's completely open ended so it's whatever you make of it, I play on a server with a few friends and we all have different things we like doing.  Some people like to go exploring and cave diving, some people just like to build.  The game can really delve into some pretty complicated problem solving if you get into the part about making machines and things like that.  One of my friends got some graph paper and mapped out then built a pretty complex replica of Notre Dame Cathedral.

There's isn't a story or anything to drive the player forward, the game just gives you a world and a set of toys/tools to play with.  So a lot of it is how self motivated the player is.  It's sort of like a virtual version of Legos.

[B3YT]

you guys get scared by that stuff?

it's while your beavering away , minding your own business then the panic hits , getting lost then running low on food .

[Reschke]

Minecraft is a good game without the downfall of the crap that is out there. Also take a look at Kerbal Space Program which for less than $30 and a digital download at that with lifetime updates for no additional cost (according to developers) it is a HUGE time waster but one that allows you to learn something about math as well. IF you use it for that.

[Blooz]

How to make fire in MineCraft

http://youtu.be/LnjSWPxJxNs

[Beefcake]

When I bought Minecraft I subsequently spent the next 30 hours wandering the world and building up my little homestead. Minecraft is worth every penny and it's a ton of fun, I highly recommend it.