Yes, I'm talking about Him. The one who cannot be named. That guy.
I'm intrigued by the fact that Minecraft has developed its own urban legends, its own "snipe hunt" mythos, and its own ghost stories. Even though I know that there is nothing in the code to support that ghost, and that he absolutely, positively does not exist, when I'm tired and bored I still find myself half-expecting to come across a perfectly straight 2x2 tunnel somewhere, or see a movement at the edge of my screen that is not an approaching creeper. Even though I know it can't happen.
So ... why is it that, in a game as fundamentally uncomplicated as Minecraft, we have the urban legends and the ghost stories and all? MC isn't neary as huge as something like World of Warcraft, or even, say, Halo. Yet I played WoW for 8 years and never heard of a ghost, and I've never heard of one in Halo either, but MC has its ghost.
Is it something different about the players or about the game? If the people who play Minecraft, as a subset of all gamers, are different from the subset of gamers who plays Halo -- that is, there are MC players who don't play Halo, and Halo players who don't play MC -- or any other game, what's the difference? Are MC players more oriented toward creativity? (after all, someone who isn't very creative, or doesn't find it interesting, would get bored pretty fast in MC) Or if it's the game, what's different about MC that causes the same people to develop ghost stories here instead of other games they play? Does it have something to do with the open-ended nature of the game? Do games with set goals (complete this quest, defeat this boss, finish this level) lead players to focus on those goals instead of making up ghost stories to mess with the newbies' heads? Or is it something else I'm not even thinking of?
So why do we have a ghost in MC? (don't say "because he's real" -- he's not, and the mods will lock the thread) There's something about this game that makes us want to tell ghost stories ... and 'shop ghost screenshots, for that matter ... that doesn't happen in other games. I'm at a loss, so I'm asking y'all ... why do you think it is?
I hope this doesn't get locked, it is an interesting post! I think you've hit the nail on the head with your point about the creativity of minecraft players. I'm always amazed when watching youtube videos showing the new things people have come up with to do in this game. It really does have endless possibilities! Even people who have been playing this game since day one are still finding new things to do with it. So I think it's a mixture of the players and the game, with the creativity of the players being a very strong part of it.
This Is A Better Topic Then What I First Thought, I Think It Has To Do With The Game And Imagination "It Takes 2 To Tango" I Think Mc Has Enable Many To Pull Fantasies And Dreams. The Fact That Its Blocks Makes ThingS Non-Intimidating sSo It Allows Anyone To Feel Comfortable....Like The Child That Doodles That Crazy Pajnting With Lines Everywhere...We Cant See What He Imagined But The Child Can...I Think It Brings Bavk That Feeling, Atleast For Me... Mc Allows Your Imagination To Run Free And because Of It Im Sure Someone Made A Story For There World And Just Like That Game "Telephone" The Message Of This Story May Have Turned Into A Myth On Its Own.....Whatever ThE Reason Others Have....One Thing Can Be Said...after Mining For 4 Hours And Thinking Of A Project For Another Hour....might Make The Player See Things Lol Iv Thought Iv Seen Other Player Names...only For It To Turn Out To Be A Highlight Of Anotherblock...
Part of it is player ignorance, there are constantly new people discovering "info" about this character that says he exists and their research stops there. They don't look farther to see counter-evidence to the story.
Part of it is that there are people who play along with them, reinforcing that belief. Early on, some people wrote a mod and shot some video of Him. Which at the time, nobody knew was a mod, they just see the video and think it's "real" as anything in a video game world can be.
Part of it is that Mojang played along with it in the beginning when the idea first came up. Which gave the legend credence. Even now, the every release's changelog says "Removed XYZ" which lends credence to conspiracy theorists that he WAS in the game in a previous release.
Does anyone know of any other games (single- or multi-player) that have developed ghost stories or urban legends of their own? Is Minecraft really unique that way, or are there some I don't know about?
Does anyone know of any other games (single- or multi-player) that have developed ghost stories or urban legends of their own? Is Minecraft really unique that way, or are there some I don't know about?
To answer your question as to discuss the "creative" minds of players, I know of one...
Back when the MMO was around, FusionFall as it was known, had it's own ghostly legend to say. Within an area in the game known as "Forgotten Falls", their was a story about a "Ghost girl" you see. She would from time to time, roam the area as if searching for something. Others said she was lost and couldn't find her way back home. I believe another rumor was that this was actually a player one time and for some reason never logged out or something... One way to know she was nearby, was to hear her crying off in the distance as she was wandering around and stuff.
I may be wrong on some acounts, but I know the actual truth to it. There was this party being held at Forgotten Falls, where everyone would come dressing up with all the different items you collected in the game to show off. It was an Halloween party now that I think about it... Anyways, the story of the "Ghost girl" was actually made up. To scare away any newbies from coming to the area, that was how the story got started. I remember some people talking about the "Legend of Forgotten Falls" and players were really into it. Something to do with passing the time I guess. A few of my friends were really into it, and I joined them sometimes whenever they wanted me to come along.
The point is that, these type of stories can appear from out of nowhere for various reasons. "Him" ,as we know, got started because of a mod which someone created (I believe I understand it right?). The "Ghost girl of Forgotten Falls", was a way to scare off newcomers from a Halloween party... I do enjoy looking back how things have changed because of such silly stories.
I went ahead and +1 this. It's a good subject to talk about. I liked it.
Does anyone know of any other games (single- or multi-player) that have developed ghost stories or urban legends of their own? Is Minecraft really unique that way, or are there some I don't know about?
There was a popular creepy pasta about Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask featuring the ghost of a kid named "Ben", as I recall. Was pretty popular for a while. So not a phenomena exclusive to Minecraft by any means.
I do think many gamers expect their games to not be quite so open-ended; we're used to being generally forced down either one or a small number of possible paths towards one or more predetermined outcomes. With a game like Minecraft, I suppose many poeple will just expect their to be, well, more. This thinking might help fuel the popularity of a certain Minecraft urban legend.
Also worth noting: first creepy pasta ever was about the 'slenderman'. Minecraft has a rather obvious homage to this in the Enderman. This might also draw more people who are interested in 'creepy pasta' and other forms of urban legends.
Actually OP to the contrary HALO does have its own line of "Ghosts" staring back in HALO 2 with the "Ghost of Lockout" And it Escalated from there. It fit naturally with a game like mine-craft because of its expanse places and overall lonely atmosphere(Remember GTA:SA and bigfoot? Same effect) Its like when you go into a dark room and you feel like your being watched, We as people always have had a fascination with the unexplained. I think this was one of the better Urban Legends in the modern age(Almost as good as the "black-eyed children" thing) and is far more widely spread due to how well thought out it is. I was playing awhile back with a friend of mine I have known for years and we came to a section of a cave I ran out of normal torches for and started using redstone. He was so freaked out by this he left an to this day refuses to play on my worlds. At the end of the day it is probably one of the best ghost stories I have ever heard, Because a chunk of people do not know its a ghost story.
Does anyone know of any other games (single- or multi-player) that have developed ghost stories or urban legends of their own? Is Minecraft really unique that way, or are there some I don't know about?
MC isn't neary as huge as something like World of Warcraft, or even, say, Halo. Yet I played WoW for 8 years and never heard of a ghost, and I've never heard of one in Halo either, but MC has its ghost.
Really? I remember searching for "The Guardians" in Halo 2. There were at least five supposed methods of finding them as an easter egg. There was also the Golden Warthog which also had several faux methods of discovery. And WoW had that easter egg which was a shrine for a member of Blizzard that passed away. Not exactly the same thing, but still relative.
The thing about Minecraft's ghost is that he actually brought alot of attention to the game. I remember when i first got into creepypastas and whatnot that I came across a Video simply called "Herobrine" ( yes I said his name, sue me) I watched it and I was very intreiqued.
I will say that I personally was brought to this game thanks to him, I even made a monument in my creative world with a sign that reads HERE LIES HEROBRINE THE LEGEND/
Now what does grind my gears about him is how people will use him as a means to get a cheap jumpscare, which if I am medically correct ( correct me if I am wrong) can cause cardiac arrest. and I have seen quite a few videos with description like. " I have caught Herobrine.." or something to that effect and it end up being a cheap jumpscare or a scream or a combination thereof.
Mojang started the myth just for fun.
People ran with it and it has gotten totally out of hand.
Now Mojang is stuck with it and they can't stop it no matter how hard they try.
Like Bigfoot, Lock Ness Monster, etc. they'll always be the fools that 'believe'.
It's that simple.
I wonder how many people that play Minecraft love watching ghost movies and paranormal activities show. Personally, I do. I don't buy into this ghost in the code stuff. I will say beside people beginning creative I think because its a monster game has a lot to do with it and the fact that the creators of the game have added things that keep the speculation going do as well. Someone was right when they said this was a more interesting thread then they expected
Once upon a brine there were people who were trolls, they thought that telling a scary story about a game would scare little kids.
It worked and now they still do it, the end--erman.
I really dislike people when they do a poor job of making a horror story, at least try.
Now this poorly made Minecraft Voldemort of the forums is famous.
An example of someone who did actually try at making a videogame horror story would be the creator of the Ben creepypasta.
He made many videos that showed quite a bit of skill in creation, not just some whited out eyes.
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Retired StaffI'm intrigued by the fact that Minecraft has developed its own urban legends, its own "snipe hunt" mythos, and its own ghost stories. Even though I know that there is nothing in the code to support that ghost, and that he absolutely, positively does not exist, when I'm tired and bored I still find myself half-expecting to come across a perfectly straight 2x2 tunnel somewhere, or see a movement at the edge of my screen that is not an approaching creeper. Even though I know it can't happen.
So ... why is it that, in a game as fundamentally uncomplicated as Minecraft, we have the urban legends and the ghost stories and all? MC isn't neary as huge as something like World of Warcraft, or even, say, Halo. Yet I played WoW for 8 years and never heard of a ghost, and I've never heard of one in Halo either, but MC has its ghost.
Is it something different about the players or about the game? If the people who play Minecraft, as a subset of all gamers, are different from the subset of gamers who plays Halo -- that is, there are MC players who don't play Halo, and Halo players who don't play MC -- or any other game, what's the difference? Are MC players more oriented toward creativity? (after all, someone who isn't very creative, or doesn't find it interesting, would get bored pretty fast in MC) Or if it's the game, what's different about MC that causes the same people to develop ghost stories here instead of other games they play? Does it have something to do with the open-ended nature of the game? Do games with set goals (complete this quest, defeat this boss, finish this level) lead players to focus on those goals instead of making up ghost stories to mess with the newbies' heads? Or is it something else I'm not even thinking of?
So why do we have a ghost in MC? (don't say "because he's real" -- he's not, and the mods will lock the thread) There's something about this game that makes us want to tell ghost stories ... and 'shop ghost screenshots, for that matter ... that doesn't happen in other games. I'm at a loss, so I'm asking y'all ... why do you think it is?
The golden age: it's not the game, it's you ⋆ Why Minecraft should not be harder ⋆ Spelling hints
Part of it is that there are people who play along with them, reinforcing that belief. Early on, some people wrote a mod and shot some video of Him. Which at the time, nobody knew was a mod, they just see the video and think it's "real" as anything in a video game world can be.
Part of it is that Mojang played along with it in the beginning when the idea first came up. Which gave the legend credence. Even now, the every release's changelog says "Removed XYZ" which lends credence to conspiracy theorists that he WAS in the game in a previous release.
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Retired StaffThe golden age: it's not the game, it's you ⋆ Why Minecraft should not be harder ⋆ Spelling hints
To answer your question as to discuss the "creative" minds of players, I know of one...
Back when the MMO was around, FusionFall as it was known, had it's own ghostly legend to say. Within an area in the game known as "Forgotten Falls", their was a story about a "Ghost girl" you see. She would from time to time, roam the area as if searching for something. Others said she was lost and couldn't find her way back home. I believe another rumor was that this was actually a player one time and for some reason never logged out or something... One way to know she was nearby, was to hear her crying off in the distance as she was wandering around and stuff.
I may be wrong on some acounts, but I know the actual truth to it. There was this party being held at Forgotten Falls, where everyone would come dressing up with all the different items you collected in the game to show off. It was an Halloween party now that I think about it... Anyways, the story of the "Ghost girl" was actually made up. To scare away any newbies from coming to the area, that was how the story got started. I remember some people talking about the "Legend of Forgotten Falls" and players were really into it. Something to do with passing the time I guess. A few of my friends were really into it, and I joined them sometimes whenever they wanted me to come along.
The point is that, these type of stories can appear from out of nowhere for various reasons. "Him" ,as we know, got started because of a mod which someone created (I believe I understand it right?). The "Ghost girl of Forgotten Falls", was a way to scare off newcomers from a Halloween party... I do enjoy looking back how things have changed because of such silly stories.
I went ahead and +1 this. It's a good subject to talk about. I liked it.
People believe that it's true because they want it to be true. It's just another story about Faith.
On a personal level sometimes when I do something less than brilliant in The Minecraft I swear I'm channeling a stupid ghost.
There was a popular creepy pasta about Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask featuring the ghost of a kid named "Ben", as I recall. Was pretty popular for a while. So not a phenomena exclusive to Minecraft by any means.
I do think many gamers expect their games to not be quite so open-ended; we're used to being generally forced down either one or a small number of possible paths towards one or more predetermined outcomes. With a game like Minecraft, I suppose many poeple will just expect their to be, well, more. This thinking might help fuel the popularity of a certain Minecraft urban legend.
Also worth noting: first creepy pasta ever was about the 'slenderman'. Minecraft has a rather obvious homage to this in the Enderman. This might also draw more people who are interested in 'creepy pasta' and other forms of urban legends.
Edit:
Lol. In my games, every glitch, big or small, is attributed to Him, as well as, of course, my own mistakes or strings of just bad luck . . .
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Retired StaffWhat was (or more correctly wasn't) in GTA:San Andreas?
The golden age: it's not the game, it's you ⋆ Why Minecraft should not be harder ⋆ Spelling hints
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Retired StaffReally? I remember searching for "The Guardians" in Halo 2. There were at least five supposed methods of finding them as an easter egg. There was also the Golden Warthog which also had several faux methods of discovery. And WoW had that easter egg which was a shrine for a member of Blizzard that passed away. Not exactly the same thing, but still relative.
HA! I like this guy. ^^^
Just a marketing conspiracy! o.O
I will say that I personally was brought to this game thanks to him, I even made a monument in my creative world with a sign that reads HERE LIES HEROBRINE THE LEGEND/
Now what does grind my gears about him is how people will use him as a means to get a cheap jumpscare, which if I am medically correct ( correct me if I am wrong) can cause cardiac arrest. and I have seen quite a few videos with description like. " I have caught Herobrine.." or something to that effect and it end up being a cheap jumpscare or a scream or a combination thereof.
People ran with it and it has gotten totally out of hand.
Now Mojang is stuck with it and they can't stop it no matter how hard they try.
Like Bigfoot, Lock Ness Monster, etc. they'll always be the fools that 'believe'.
It's that simple.
It worked and now they still do it, the end--erman.
I really dislike people when they do a poor job of making a horror story, at least try.
Now this poorly made Minecraft Voldemort of the forums is famous.
An example of someone who did actually try at making a videogame horror story would be the creator of the Ben creepypasta.
He made many videos that showed quite a bit of skill in creation, not just some whited out eyes.