In 2009 the gamer community was perplexed by the appearance of a video game that stood out for its fun playability as well as for the poor quality of its graphics . Minecraft was a revolutionary sandbox created by Markus Persson and developed by Mojang AB that gave players the freedom to do whatever they wanted with their world. Such was the success that in 2014 the giant Microsoft bought Mojang and made the world of Minecraft grow even more. To celebrate the tenth anniversary of its launch, comes the augmented reality game Minecraft Earth .
The proposal of the title is simple: transfer the possibilities of Minecraft from computer and consoles to mobile devices through an augmented reality game. Pokémon GO! It has already shown that the latest technological advances have made it possible to create an entertaining experience well taken to the real world , and now Minecraft Earth seems to want to go one step further. Using a cloud tracking system from Azure and PlayFab , Microsoft has adapted the two main elements that characterize this title: the collection of materials and the construction .
As was the case in the Niantic title, where a wild Caterpie could appear on the corner of our street , in Minecraft Earth we will find forests, mountains or mines from which to obtain materials while we walk through the real world. There will also be hidden chests, enemies to face and the option to collaborate and participate in challenges with other players in a cooperative that promises.
However, the great attraction of the title will be the Build Plates , a miniature construction system the size of a table in which we can use the materials collected to carry out our constructions in a simple and manageable way. Once we are happy with the result, the creation will grow to real size and will be placed where we decide, so that we can fill the nearest park with castles, towers, pyramids or anything that comes to mind and that the rest of players will be able to see and enjoy through their smartphone in augmented reality.
Like the original, this Free-to-play game that will be available for Android and iOS promises to be updated quite frequently and to continue expanding the options it offers and improving its gameplay and features, so it is highly recommended that all those interested have some patience until the title settles.
Cubes, zombies and obsidian
Markus Persson’s title stood out from the first time it was seen . Minecraft used a minimalist aesthetic that, far from trying to create realistic textures, embraced pixel art and rectangular shapes as a differentiating element to, in its own style, give rise to graphics with character that were more attractive the more they were played with .
To this must be added the freedom of improvisation that Minecraft provided its players. Without a concrete story, the player’s first objective was to survive in a hostile world in which he had appeared with nothing , but doing it in his own way. Obtaining resources, exploration, crafting and construction are the pillars on which this title was based; although updates over the years were adding elements and new features . We also had to be aware of the enemies that could appear and watch our inventory to be able to get out of the complicated situations that presented themselves alive, but what really made Minecraft fun was the possibility of building and modifying our world at will .
In the game everything is made of cubes , so everything can be stacked and used as a building element. From the most humble refuge, which borders on the concept of ‘zulo’, to a fortress with great walls and dozens of rooms and secret rooms, Minecraft encourages the player to unleash their creativity to build everything that crosses their mind (and the internet is proof of this).
Minecraft Earth retains that creative spirit and empowers it to a new level by bringing it into the real world . Only time will tell how far your players’ imaginations go and how magical pixelated blocks can make the real world.
