The game isn't really graphically beautiful. It is rather simple, but then again it is this games best strengths. The game world are made up of 1 cubic meter blocks that can be manipulated and crafted into items. When you start out you got nothing, and you better hurry. Sun down is in less than 10 minutes and then the monsters appear. If you haven't found or build a small base within this time you most likely go out in a boom or end up as zombie fodder.

I could go on about the game, but this article isn't really about Minecraft. If you want to know more about Minecraft go to www.minecraft.net

What I want to talk about is why this type of gaming pleases me. I have always liked to play imperium building games. Probably one of the reasons I turned to RPG way back. RPGs gives you the tools to build your own world and then populate it with your own wonders. After wards you let your friends go crazy in your own little sandbox.

MMO's are a kind of extension to this, but they lack one or rather several things that traditional role playing games have. Sense of continuity and world dynamics. Most things are static in a MMO and your actions are limited to what the software allows you to do, Real creativity in play are something rare. Often the gameplay reduced to DPS (Damage Per Second) and mathematics just because the rules are too rigid. I remember from Anarchy Online (which I played the most) it was necessary with a helping software to figure out how to install implants for augmentation of skills and stats.

When a game is reduced to a few calculations to find out wether an action doable or not, I loose interest. Another game that has held me captive a long time is Empire Total War. This is one of the best empire building games I have played. Specially its tactical battles. Here it usually comes down to the skill of the player to win a battle. Specially if you are outnumbered. Tactics isn't limited to a mathematical formula. Defensive and offensive positions, deployment and of course skilled soldiers will help you win the day.

Compared to RPGs computer games can easily simulate a lot of stuff, but they rarely let you shape the game world or its inhabitants beyond the framework of the setting. It is often easier to turn to computer games as everything is ready made. Especially if you don't have someone to play with or have little chance of playing regularly. Computer games usually gives you almost instant reward from the moment you sit down to play. RPGs often (for the GM at least) it means hours of preparations both of module and setting, but also the gaming area like getting the wife and children out of the house (or at least get them entertained with something else), supplies for the players and so on. And in the end, the reward may be questionable, but mostly the reward comes in real human interaction rather than chatting with D3ztrux0r from someplace you probably haven't heard about.

As a gamer I often are taken in by the work developers are putting into their titles, but I am also more and more disappointed about the lack of real ingenuity. It doesn't help if the graphics are lifelike and there is a lot of special effects unless the game delivers something special, which may be a good story  like Mass Effect or unique experience like Minecraft.

I'll go back typing on my campaign. I am almost 1 year over due. Or was it 2?