by Stone Marshall | May 21, 2018 | Awesome Book News, Free, Intro, Minecraft News, Minecraft questions, news, parent-news, State of Stone, Stone Marshall Book News, Stone Marshall Books, Stone Marshall Club, Stone Marshall Minecraft Adventures, Uncategorized |
Nine years after its debut, Minecraft is the second most sold video game of all time. Microsoft continues to rake in the numbers across consoles, including PC, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, and mobile, with influencers paving the way for continued dominance.
Since its arrival, Minecraft has handily proven itself better and more persevering than anything that tried to copy its success. On this episode of Game Talk Live, Mandie Roman breaks down the success and dominance of the game alongside a panel of experts including Mari Takahashi of Smosh Games, game developer, 3D modeler and mod creator Mariana Graham, and MinecraftCommunity Manager, Helen Zbihly. This particular episode takes place in two parts due to an interruption during the livestream due to technical difficulties.
Released in 2009, Minecraft has now been ported over to multiple systems, selling millions of copies, and becoming the second best selling video game of all time, as well as being featured in books, movies, cartoons, and other lucrative merchandising. As prominent members of the Minecraft community, each of the panelists discusses what brought them to the game in the first place.
Some of the reasons include the fairly low-res and resources required to run the game while still having fun, as well as the ability to be so heavily creative and do what you want with the game. Discussion also considers these and other factors in the explosive growth of Minecraft, such as the Let's Play community that built up around it on YouTube, the continual expansion of the game's content, and the social community that has built up around it.
The panel then approaches the accessibility of the game. The cross-platform compatibility between different consoles and formats makes it so people can play not just on their own system, but across multiple systems to make the community far more interconnected. The panel also considers the access of mobile play on Nintendo Switch, Android, and iOS as a modifier to the way people approach video games and play together in general. The experts then discuss if there is any end in sight for Minecraft as a whole. The panel also looks at Fortnite for its similarly creative building aspects and question whether Minecraft and Fortnite can learn from one another.
In part two of this episode of Game Talk Live, the panel begins by looking at the sheer amount of modding and user-created content for Minecraft. Guests look at how the mod scene of creators and artists helped to expand and grow Minecraft‘s overall success. The question comes up as to how Microsoft and Mojang work to appease both the casual and the hardcore sides of various communities. Discussion covers how the developers provide for both modders and technical players and users, as well as casual interests and “normal” players.
The panel also discusses the creators that are allowed to create content for the Minecraft Marketplace, including use of Microsoft's already existing system for promoting content developers that are accepted into the community. The standard of quality and care is considered for the content that appears in the Minecraft Marketplace. The panel then discusses the future of content creation and open-endedness for Minecraft.
This episode has wrapped up, but you can see it in its entirety in the videos above. Be sure to check out the previous episode of Game Talk Live as well, where experts discuss whether there is oversaturation or buckling in the market place of Battle Royale games.
GTL: Minecraft Reigns for a Decade While Competition Falls to Pieces
by Stone Marshall | May 20, 2018 | Awesome Book News, Free, Intro, Minecraft News, Minecraft questions, news, parent-news, State of Stone, Stone Marshall Book News, Stone Marshall Books, Stone Marshall Club, Stone Marshall Minecraft Adventures, Uncategorized |
Late last year, Microsoft announced that Minecraft would be getting an update that would enable cross-platform support. It has been quite a while since the update was announced, but the good news is that gamers won’t have to wait much longer for the update to arrive, at least for the Nintendo Switch.
According to a post on the Xbox website, Microsoft has announced that the Bedrock version for Minecraft will be launching on the 21st of June. For those who already own the Minecraft: Nintendo Switch Edition, the update will be yours for free, but for those who have yet to get their hands on the game, the Bedrock version will be available digitally and in physical retail version as well.
Microsoft writes, “Minecraft will be the first game on Nintendo Switch to feature cross-play support across Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Windows 10 PCs, Android devices, iOS phones and tablets, and VR platforms will all be able to play together for the first time ever. Whether they’re working together to build the home of their dreams or standing shoulder-to-shoulder as they enter the End to take down the Enderdragon, there will always be something for friends to do together, regardless of platform.”
As Microsoft has pointed out, cross-platform will only be available between the Switch, Xbox One, PC, iOS, Android, and VR platforms.
‘Minecraft’ Nintendo Switch Cross-Platform Update Arrives Next Month
by Stone Marshall | May 20, 2018 | Awesome Book News, Free, Intro, Minecraft News, Minecraft questions, news, parent-news, State of Stone, Stone Marshall Book News, Stone Marshall Books, Stone Marshall Club, Stone Marshall Minecraft Adventures, Uncategorized |
Every time we pick up a book, we do it: We visualize using our imaginations to create in our mind.
His mind is filled with imagination.
“There's a lot of ideas,” Ben Spieldenner said. “There are a lot of ideas.”
His students jokingly call it something else.
“Yeah, he's a nerd,” Nivene Hutchins said.
Spieldenner, an English teacher at Ashland High School, said he'd be the first to tell you that his mind is a little different when it comes to teaching the curriculum.
“It's a little bit cartoon, a little bit mad scientist,” Spieldenner said. “I guess my goal teaching has been to always meet kids where they are.”
Three years ago, he had one of those ideas.
“Minecraft is the thing that I was looking for that I didn't know I was looking for,” Spieldenner said.
To help teach his students, he uses Minecraft. It's a virtual reality space where people can create their own worlds and experiences by building off of their resources and creativity.
Students say they had doubt, at first.
“I didn't think that it would work,” Hutchins said.
“I was shocked when we did [Minecraft],” Trevor Jackenheimer said.
How can a game help further storylines of classics like William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet or George Orwell's Animal Farm?
It sounds tricky. But, students say, it's easier than you might think.
“We do different projects based on those stories that we read in the Minecraft world,” Hutchins said.
Hutchins is a senior. Jackenheimer is a junior. They both say Spieldenner's approach to learning is more engaging and fun.
“It shows there's many ways for you to learn about stuff and it's just fun,” Jackenheimer said. “It makes it a lot more fun when you do it.”
They take what they read and then create a world based off of imagination.
“[Spieldenner] is the best teacher I have ever had and the most inspiring and thoughtful and caring and absolutely the most compassionate person,” Hutchins said. “And, [he's] one of the smartest people I've probably ever met in my life.”
Fun while learning. Fun while teaching.
“It really allows you to make lessons more dynamic,” Spieldenner said. “You have richer writing experiences because everything's immersive because the kids are in it. They're emotionally invested in what they're doing.”
His teaching style is now what students had in mind. That's a good thing.
“It was nerdy,” Jackenheimer said jokingly. “I guess I'm a nerd now because I play it 24/7.”
After all, students say they are what they create.
Ashland High School teacher utilizes Minecraft to teach, inspire
by Stone Marshall | May 19, 2018 | Awesome Book News, Free, Intro, Minecraft News, Minecraft questions, news, parent-news, State of Stone, Stone Marshall Book News, Stone Marshall Books, Stone Marshall Club, Stone Marshall Minecraft Adventures, Uncategorized |
Facebook said today that 81 million people around the world have posted, liked, commented, or shared something related to the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3 2018) and games over 235 million times over the last 90 days. And the No. 1 game they’re talking about is Minecraft, followed by Call of Duty, Super Mario, and The Legend of Zelda (yes, last year’s game).
The social network announced the data related to E3 as it revealed its own plans for the big game trade event, which draws more than 50,000 people a year to the Los Angeles Convention Center. This year’s E3 takes place the week of June 11.
Facebook said that 35 percent of people talking about games on Facebook are between 25 and 35 years of age. About 44 percent of people talking about these games and E3 are women.
Above: Here are the top talked about games for E3 2018.
Image Credit: Facebook
More than 800 million people play at least one Facebook-connected game every month, said Franco De Cesare, head of console and online gaming at Facebook, in an interview with GamesBeat.
“We’ve looked at what gamers are talking about,” De Cesare said. “The fact that 44 percent are women speaks to how our industry is becoming more diverse.”
He noted that PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds — the popular battle royale game — did not make the top 10, but it was close.
“E3 reveals are coming even earlier,” as evidenced by the accidental Walmart Canada leak about upcoming E3 titles on Tuesday, De Cesare said. “Leaks, planned or unplanned, force the hand of publishers to talk about it earlier. It puts emphasis on having a conversation with fans on a year-round basis.”
He said that the company’s theme this year is “Raise Your Game” for E3. For the first time, Facebook will have a booth inside the E3 convention center, just as it did at the recent PAX East game event.
Facebook’s West Hall booth will feature some of Facebook’s most popular livestreamers from its gaming creator pilot program, including Darkness429, MelonieMac, and StoneMountain64.
Throughout the show, creators will be going live to their online community directly from the E3 Facebook Gaming content stage and Creator Corner stream pods. They will share the latest news from the show, pair up with developers to talk about their favorite games, and mingle with their fans in person. The Facebook Gaming booth will also highlight new releases from Oculus, indie games from PC Gamer and a meet and greet photo booth from Instagram.
Above: Facebook tongues are wagging about E3.
Image Credit: Facebook
E3 attendees will be invited to immerse themselves in a series of shareable moments that connect gamers with the games they love via the power of Facebook. Players can capture a memorable moment with Facebook and Instagram, or watch a session at the Facebook Live studio, hosted by TV and gaming personality Andrea Rene.
“We had a great response to Andrea Rene last year,” De Cesare said.
Facebook is also sponsoring the Women in Gaming event at E3 Coliseum, which takes place at a nearby venue. Earlier this year, Facebook launched its Women in Gaming initiative, built to bring women in the video game industry together to share their stories and to create meaningful connections, in order to work together to change the industry.
“We will continue our commitment to our women in gaming as an important commitment to diversity,” De Cesare said.
At E3, Facebook will team up with Game Awards host Geoff Keighley and the Entertainment Software Association trade group (which puts on E3) to drive this mission forward at the E3 Coliseum.
Facebook: Minecraft, Call of Duty, and Super Mario are most talked about games for E3 2018
by Stone Marshall | May 19, 2018 | Awesome Book News, Free, Intro, Minecraft News, Minecraft questions, news, parent-news, State of Stone, Stone Marshall Book News, Stone Marshall Club, Stone Marshall Minecraft Adventures, Uncategorized |
Minecraft for the Nintendo Switch is about to get a lot bigger with a new update that brings the universal Minecraft Bedrock Engine to Nintendo’s portable console on June 21st, enabling cross-play between the Switch and the PC, Xbox One, and mobile versions of the game.
The cross-platform update is actually pretty late in coming to the Switch — it was announced back at E3 last year, and hit the other platforms last September. The Switch release was then promised for later in the winter, which, based on the June release date, it obviously didn’t quite hit. The updated Minecraft will also support Nintendo’s new online service for the Switch when it launches later this year.
Along with the new update, a physical version of Minecraft for the Switch is getting released for $29.99, should you prefer to own hard copies of your games instead of digital downloads.
Minecraft for the Switch is getting cross-play with PC, Xbox One, and smartphones on June 21st
by Stone Marshall | May 18, 2018 | Awesome Book News, Free, Intro, Minecraft News, Minecraft questions, news, parent-news, State of Stone, Stone Marshall Book News, Stone Marshall Books, Stone Marshall Club, Stone Marshall Minecraft Adventures, Uncategorized |
“Minecraft’s” big Bedrock update is coming to Nintendo Switch on June 21, Microsoftannounced on Thursday.
The Bedrock version of the popular sandbox game allows everyone to play together, regardless of platform. (Unless you’re a PlayStation 4 owner. Sorry, Sony isn’t getting in on the crossplay action.) Plus, Switch owners will be able to access new minigames and game modes through online community-run servers.
Bedrock also brings a new in-game store called the Minecraft Marketplace, which lets players buy community-created content like skins and texture packs using a new currency called Minecoins. Microsoft introduced the Marketplace in June 2017 and invited 12 community members to become partners. Those people reportedly earned $1 million in less than three months. Microsoft has since paid over $7 million to “Minecraft” creators since the Marketplace launched, according to an interview in Fast Company
People who already own “Minecraft: Switch Edition” will get the Bedrock update for free when it’s released. There’s also a new physical version on the way. It costs $29.99 and includes all previously released downloadable content, including the Super Mario Mash-Up Pack. It will hit store shelves on June 21 alongside the Bedrock update.
Microsoft said “Minecraft” will support the Nintendo Switch Online paid membership when it launches in September, along with Xbox Live achievements and PlayStation gamerscore.
Developer Mojang is still working on another big “Minecraft” patch dubbed “Update Aquatic.” It will add shipwrecks, dolphins, coral reefs, and more. There’s no word yet on when it will officially launch.
Minecraft is one of the best-selling video games of all time, selling more than 144 million worldwide across all platforms.
‘Minecraft’ Bedrock Update Coming to Nintendo Switch in June
