Ready to Dive

Tomorrow I will purchase Minecraft, and join this fad. Why am I blogging about it now, instead of afterwards? Because as far as I can tell, once you start playing this game there is no afterwards. I'm ready to devote length evenings of my time to this behemoth. Which means no more blogging.

Now, before you say, "Andy! You sell-out!" or "Andy, how could you not already have Minecraft?", I will say to you: I once played Minecraft. The year was 2009, and Minecraft wasn't in a boom. This is before the massive internet explosion earlier this year, and while Minecraft was definitely popular, it was not a "fad". ...and yet I was into Minecraft Classic, the free version of this game. I would dig holes and build bridges. Well enough. It was a fun time, back before Minecraft was "cool," and I did waste more than a few days of my life in the Minecraft universe. However, I did not realise the gravity of this game; the sheer impact it would sweep across the Internet. There are podcasts dedicated to this game. Podcasts. The game isn't even out of ALPHA yet.

But I digress.

I slipped out of the game not because it wasn't fun, because in-browser games are lamer than your dad.

Then something totally strange happened. It's a fad again. Y'see now I'm pissed. Because, for all intents and purposes, I have no excuse, as a nerdy, Twittering, "hip" teenager, with a decent amount of disposable income and a blog about videogaming, not to take the plunge headfirst into the DUPLO-esque world of Minecraft. I'm usually wary of games ending in -craft, and this is no exception. They're addictive, life-draining. The sheer repetition makes them more timesinks than games. But goddamnit, I'm ready, world. I'm ready. Here, I have a checklist.

1. Phone turned off

2. Twitter feed set to "Minecraft" mode (talk about how Creepers ruined your shit)

3. Look down upon players who don't have Minecraft, or who pirate Minecraft, as "lame"

4. Resent your very existence and the fact you paid US$20 for a game just because everyone else was doing it

I'm ready for Minecraft now. Who needs real life, right? I mean, virtual worlds that suck out your soul are fun, right? ...God help me I'm scared.

Andrew Deavin is going to take a little vacation now. He'll be back sometime... next ...something.