Minecraft - good for 6-year-old?

Patriot

Patriot

Active Member
I'm looking for a game that is okay for my nearly 6-year-old son to play. He heard about Minecraft through a neighbor kid and showed interest. I personally haven't played it or even really seen it being played with the exception of looking at images of things people have created.

After a little looking around it seems the game can be played offline (kinda important as I don't want him interacting with folks online at this age). He loves building things with Legos so I thought Minecraft might be a good fit.

Anyone have any objections, insights, or any other comments regarding the game in relation to a 6-year-old?
 
I haven't played in eons, and I am not a parent, but all I can think of off the top of my head is...

1. Nether area which is lava themed and reminiscent of depictions of hell though it's not hell.
2. Brewing (or Alchemy) elements. It was added after I stopped playing so IDK what it involves.
3. Maybe scary? IDK your child's temperament. Assorted monsters, zombies, skeletons, pig men, wolves, ghasts (ghost like things), spiders etc. They will try and attack you at night, if you are underground or in the Nether.
4. Now owned by Microsoft which puts an element of uncertainty as to any new additions.

The majority of the game is gathering and crafting with combat being an element. If he just wants to play with blocks without the gathering I think creative mode gives you everything and makes you invulnerable (though monsters still exist they can't hurt you). The graphics are quite primitive so it's, relativity speaking, tame in terms of graphic violence. The only other concern I can think of is it may be addictive. Anyway my info is old get someone who has played it recently to give you the 411.

There is a demo here but IDK what features it has.

If you are wondering why I quit it's because it made no sense for me to build things in Minecraft when I can model in Blender and map for the source engine. I only really played as long as I did because of multiplayer.
 
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Thanks for the extensive reply. I'll check out the demo.

The Mighty Gerbil said:
If you are wondering why I quit it's because it made no sense for me to build things in Minecraft when I can model in Blender and map for the source engine. I only really played as long as I did because of multiplayer.
Click to expand...
Maybe that's why I never saw the appeal of the game. . .or maybe I just hate the voxel look because I grew up with games limited to that.
 
I would highly recommend you let your son play it on a computer which is not on a network or with the network locked down. My son (now 9) had played it for several years. The problem is kids are good about finding servers, even if you try to prevent them from doing so. I've caught my son on some servers I haven't vetted (fortunately his 17 yo brother narcs on him when he does).

Playing vanilla on his own is probably not so bad (depending on your opinion of the nether and the monsters). Brewing is creating potions with ingredients you collect (mainly from the nether). Enchanting allows you to imbue items with "magical" qualities (unbreaking, extra damage, extra protection etc). Neither of which really get into casting spells or anything.

Most of the questionable stuff I've come across has to do with mods and servers. There are mods that makes some really cool things in game, but there are some that make me cringe too (the girlfriend mod for instance). Servers naturally get into the realm of your son interacting with people you don't know who could have various motives.

On a positive, if you both get the game, you could host a local server and play with your son (my sons do, one uses my account). You are on the right path, educate yourself, sample the game and make an informed decision.

Here is the wiki which you can look at the how to of brewing, enchanting as well as find information on all the monsters, nether, Whither and other aspects.

http://minecraft.gamepedia.com/Minecraft_Wiki
 
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I would agree with what Gerbil and Kahiel have said. Minecraft is my go to game to play right now, and I have been playing it pretty extensively. Im more into "modded" MC though, as I feel Vanilla is just to, well, vanilla.. All four of my kids (2, 5, 7, and 10) are always watching me play, and love doing commentary, and asking questions. I dont have a problem letting them watch, as I have explained that its just a game, and nothing in it is real.

I let my son play, who's ten now, but has been playing for a couple years, but I do limit where he can play. The only server he is allowed to go on is the ToJ server, where I am fairly comfortable knowing he will be safe. (It helps having his internet locked down, so he cant really go to any websites..) Otherwise, he prolly has about 15 to 20 local "worlds" were he plays, and they all have something different. I love that it allows him to use his overly abundant imagination. My 6 year old has started asking almost everyday now when she could start to play. I haven't let her yet, cause I felt she has been too young, but I think I am going to let her start playing next Saturday, when I am doing the Extra-Life 24 hour marathon as a way to involve the whole family.
 
I'll sum up all the posts here, and add my own opinion:

YES

Just be a responsible parent. My local school district has a corporate account and 2nd-?? grade use it as a teaching tool.
 
Patriot we have it on xbox 360. Hubby said he would play with little miss who's 7, but doesn't get around to it too much. It is frustrating when you get stuck in area and cannot get out or even see how to get out.......ie when you dig in the ground and such. We do not have it connected to any type of servers so "pretty safe" for us. I don't like it personally because "we can't seem to accomplish anything."

Blessings and Hugs, "Angel"
 
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