Saturday with Sach: Defining Community

AS IT IS



I've been involved in the Minecraft community for a very long time. Years, even. The game itself has grown and evolved in some fascinating and amazing ways, but the one thing that continues to amaze me even after all this time, is the Minecraft community.



Many talented people have made (and continue to make) incredible things within, and around, the game: complex mods which can add every conceivable customization, videos that range from hilarious musical parodies to in-depth play sessions and tutorials, adventure maps and texture packs which demonstrate mind-blowing levels of creativity, and so much more. People pour their hearts and souls into these projects, and the end-results show it. Many of them develop a fiercely loyal fan-base, eager to see their next big creation. My job has been - since August of 2011 - to bring these sorts of awesome creations to the attention of the community, so they can share in the experience, and maybe see something they might not have otherwise had the joy of knowing. Not every creation shown in this way has been popular, but for the most part, I've taken immense joy in seeing these amazing creations get an outpouring of support and praise from new and returning fans alike. Nothing brings a smile to my face quite like seeing all of you get excited at a community-made project, and getting involved with it.



There has always been one particularly sensitive topic over the years, despite my best efforts - multiplayer communities. In the past, it made more sense to me why that was the case; for the most part, multiplayer servers have spent years being tightly-knit groups of friends, and while the occasional server(s) would come by, luring in many new players with a neat new game mode idea, or creative building project, or even just as a hub for fans of a particular personality, they have changed a great deal over time. Many multiplayer communities have - much as every creative project in Minecraft - grown beyond their origins, into something much bigger.



THE COMMUNITY NEVER STOPS GROWING



The Minecraft community is an ever-growing body of people, from all walks of life, and from every corner of the planet. As that body of players grows, more and more of them begin congregating into sub-communities of their own, each with their own culture, likes, dislikes, and personality. Part of that growth has seen the rise of incredibly large multiplayer community servers, each with their own culture, activities, and themes. In the interest of representing the community as it grows, I feel it is important to take a look at these servers - all of them, not merely a select few - and show them to the community at large, much as I have with videos, mods, maps, and the like.



From my perspective, a massive and dedicated community of players centered around a particular style of play is no less remarkable than a highly polished animation, or a deeply engrossing mod. I'd like to show more of these servers in the future, hopefully for others to enjoy, but at the end of the day, that isn't my call to make - it is yours.



YOU DECIDE - A POLL



I have always done my best to bring the very best of the community to the community, because you are the lifeblood of Minecraft, and deserve both the recognition and attention that brings. Part of that responsibility is making sure the community spotlights I'm bringing you will be something you will enjoy, and that has not changed since I first came to the Minecraft Forum. Many people feel I am inaccessible, or do not listen to what the community wants. Quite the contrary - I spend a considerable amount of time reading your comments in every single article I've ever written - and many recent comments made me reconsider my stance on spotlighting servers of any kind, going forward. It isn't up to me to decide what you like, so I will now ask you directly.



I have posted a poll asking whether you would like to see multiplayer servers be added to Community Creations spotlights from here on. Please leave a vote on whether you would like that or not, and if you like, feel free to leave a comment in the article as well! I will read them all, and take your feedback into consideration.



The poll is at the top of this page (or, if you are reading this from the front page, can be seen by clicking here). Please leave a vote, make your voice heard, and I will move forward with your feedback as the deciding factor!



I will, within reason, attempt to answer questions in the comments section as well, if it helps to clarify something you might be wondering about. No one in this community deserves to feel as though they are unheard, or that they do not matter. Every single one of you matters!



Click here to vote and comment!

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