Minecraft's Symbolism Analyzed! Analysis of the Ending
- Thread starter Overusedname
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Thank you very much for posting this~! This is exactly why I think the hypothetical debate about whether 'games are art' is redundant. The majority of books/films/performances/etc don't convey their meaning in a necessarily obvious way. You can look at them and barely scratch the surface of what they offer. I'd argue that in most cases, things that are better at engaging with people (Fun games like Minecraft, Okami, Mirror's Edge) generate more meaning than things that try to be artsy for the sake of being artsy (I'm looking at you Braid). The real gems only become apparent when you take the time to really delve into something. If we want to find value and meaning in our videogames we simply have to look for it (Ideally through a critical lens).
Now for some -hopefully- helpful criticism. It might just be me, but I feel you could cut out a lot of the overly arrogant/pretentious bits. I know you're doing it on purpose for laughs, but it cheapens the quality of your video. You're making legitimate arguments and the smaller jokes you sneak in throughout the video are funny, but the wine-swirling and 'I'm a god' stuff is already overdone in most every other internet-personality video. You just don't need it. I'd also suggest hurrying up or cutting out tangents like the Mark Twain bit. Long videos aren't necessarily bad, but it's easier to engage with a concise argument that stays on point.
Overall I really like what you're doing, with some refinements you could be great~!
Captcha: face to face
Now for some -hopefully- helpful criticism. It might just be me, but I feel you could cut out a lot of the overly arrogant/pretentious bits. I know you're doing it on purpose for laughs, but it cheapens the quality of your video. You're making legitimate arguments and the smaller jokes you sneak in throughout the video are funny, but the wine-swirling and 'I'm a god' stuff is already overdone in most every other internet-personality video. You just don't need it. I'd also suggest hurrying up or cutting out tangents like the Mark Twain bit. Long videos aren't necessarily bad, but it's easier to engage with a concise argument that stays on point.
Overall I really like what you're doing, with some refinements you could be great~!
Captcha: face to face
I don't think you need to cut down on the length of your videos. While it's true that shorter videos tend to get more attention because people have short attention spans, it doesn't mean you can't be successful with them. Take a look at TotalBiscuit's or Movie Bob's "Game Overthinker" videos. They go on for a long time too and are pretty popular, especially TB.
I think the stuff you talk about needs to have time to be talked about in depth. Maybe you could set a limit to something like 10 minutes if you feel you need to, but I would generally ignore people who instantly disregard your work without even seeing it because it takes too much of their oh so precious time away. They don't know what they're missing.
I think the stuff you talk about needs to have time to be talked about in depth. Maybe you could set a limit to something like 10 minutes if you feel you need to, but I would generally ignore people who instantly disregard your work without even seeing it because it takes too much of their oh so precious time away. They don't know what they're missing.
'Sup. So your voice is fantastic.Overusedname said:
I'm at work at the moment, so I'll finish watching that minecraft video later. Also will probably check out your other ones as well.
EDIT: The Farmville joke and the Jimquisitionesque egotism seemed a bit overdrawn though.
I agree completely about the art stuff: I've felt it's such a hollow, redundant argument. Hell, as soon as a game made me profoundly happy or sad I knew there was something else going on.Danzavare said:
Thanks for the criticism. It's always taken into account, and I always try to get a bit better with pacing and humor in each episode. And I will try to speed up my tangents to make them more efficient: I kinda couldn't fight the urge to geek out about one of my fav authors, ya know how it is XD But yes, I shall work on that.
I'm glad you enjoyed. Thanks for the feedback.
My captcha isn't relevant. Sad face.
Thank ye! Glad ya liked it. And yeah, I could trim some of the fat, but almost everyone has told me not to shorten it for the sake of shortening it.Scrustle said:
Much appreciated.Zen Toombs said:
I'm always learning how pace those things. Some like the false-egotism, some don't. Thanks for the feed back.
That disturbs the hell out of me too, honestly. I have no idea why that's there. I watched it like...ONCE and now it's related. It's kind of bizarre.fish iron4 said:
Maybe they're just not your audience then.Overusedname said:
I have to agree with the egotism stuff. It's funny most of the time but sometimes it's piled on a bit too thick. Maybe that's just because your show is new so it's like you don't have much to be comically overly egotistic about yet.
You guys don't know the connection between the Slenderman and Minecraft?
Is it cuz of the Endermen? Or Herobrine?Scrustle said:
I think I mistyped somethin'. I meant NO ONE wants me to shorten them just for that reason. Very few people do, anyway. I've had 2 people total suggest I do so.Scrustle said:
Makes the most sense. It was also uploaded to a gaming channel so...Scrustle said:
Thanks! And Majora WILL be covered...at some point!Coolshark said:
A couple points, mostly nitpicking. First off, I pretty much liked the entire video save a few things that seemed a bit of a stretch for me.
The main thing I did not like was that most of these ideas seem to be extrapolated from the ending text of Minecraft, rather than the gameplay itself. Note, this may be just because I played the game since the Alpha stage, before The End was a thing, but I and most of the people I ask about it seem to think that the ending "cinematic" was a contrived piece of crap that had very little bearing on what the game actually meant to us players at the time.
Majorly, I think the above is because there is not a single word of spoken or text dialog before the very end of the game, and then suddenly it gets all metaphysical and whatnot. While I don't disagree that there are some thought-provoking lines in there, I do disagree with the ending being that big of a part of the meaning.
Other than that, it's just a couple spelling mistakes, some badly sized annotation bubbles (text ran off the end and into the video), and some audio mixing issues -- namely where there was an electronic remix of one of C418's songs near the beginning that kinda drowned you out a bit.
Aside from all that, I thought it was all pretty enjoyable to watch, and I would recommend keeping it up, possibly making a series out of it and getting partnership down the road.
The main thing I did not like was that most of these ideas seem to be extrapolated from the ending text of Minecraft, rather than the gameplay itself. Note, this may be just because I played the game since the Alpha stage, before The End was a thing, but I and most of the people I ask about it seem to think that the ending "cinematic" was a contrived piece of crap that had very little bearing on what the game actually meant to us players at the time.
Majorly, I think the above is because there is not a single word of spoken or text dialog before the very end of the game, and then suddenly it gets all metaphysical and whatnot. While I don't disagree that there are some thought-provoking lines in there, I do disagree with the ending being that big of a part of the meaning.
Other than that, it's just a couple spelling mistakes, some badly sized annotation bubbles (text ran off the end and into the video), and some audio mixing issues -- namely where there was an electronic remix of one of C418's songs near the beginning that kinda drowned you out a bit.
Aside from all that, I thought it was all pretty enjoyable to watch, and I would recommend keeping it up, possibly making a series out of it and getting partnership down the road.
That was one of the more helpful critiques I've gotten thus far, so thanks.Steeveeo said:
For the ending text well....I see it as hinting to the existing subtext. I just wanted to explain what I think Jeb and Friends were getting at.
I also thought it was just another time waster at first but even if that ending was thought of retro-actively (which I think it likely was), it still kinda makes sense. Subtext can be accidental, if that makes sense. I'm a writer and I make some subconscious symbolism that I only notice later all the time. But yes, it was most likely added AFTER the fact. But I still personally believe it all fits. Just my interpretation. I see it as a hint to what was there.
Thanks for the feedback and the encouragement. I'm halfway done with the next video as I type this, actually, so I'm definitely continuing the show.
(side note: Holy crap this forum post is now 2 pages long.)
True, true. I guess we all get our own opinions off of it, but mine leans more toward Survival SSP from before The End. Essentially, I believe that there's a certain profoundness within the quiet desolation of Single Player (not sure if this can really ever apply to Multiplayer). The player is pretty much the only human on a nigh on infinitely expansive world, populated only by wild beasts and malevolent monsters (and now Squidward). The music by C418 does an incredible job of communicating the feeling of being alone, with nothing but your creations to keep you company.Overusedname said:
But, well, I guess the subtext of the game evolves just as much as the game itself. Also, in writing this, I realize now how much I miss "simple" Minecraft, before NPCs, creative mode, gigantically advanced redstone circuitry, and Big Bad Bosses (that don't actually attack back, now there's gotta be some sort of subtext there).
Makes me think of Shadow of the Colossus. Those titans never really DID anything to you, now did they?Steeveeo said:
The opportunity for introspection was always there, in my opinion. It just wasn't emphasized with words; just gameplay.
Good point here. I guess I can also note that I joined right before the 'End' Patch was added.DeadpanLunatic said:
Our own interaction with the work is always important; we take our own perspective into it, and that's taken to an even greater extent in videogames.
I don't expect to blow everyone away everytime, only people who never thought of it that way. That's why I also try to keep it funny and otherwise informative, and try to provide at least an alternative interpretation. And it seems we came to similar conclussions of the game's best element: Introspection, which I find interesting.DeadpanLunatic said:
And thank you. If you still thought it was good despite the fact that I preaching to the choir, that's a good sign.
I love to use audio, but I've written for quite a while. It could be cool to give it a shot.DeadpanLunatic said:
I'd love to get some more experience.Also...I'm a little new to the community (Though I already love the discussion here). I see you're involved in the Community showcase, is that what you're referring to? Or something else?