WIHFL: Becoming the Blood King of Minecraft

What I'm having fun with lately 4/11/2024

My Minecraft blood throne!

One of the really difficult things about writing WIHFL posts is that, occasionally, I’m only really doing one thing with my free time. Lately that’s been Minecraft. In a shocking turn of events, it’s still extremely good.

For those only rationally aware that Minecraft is a survival game from 2011 that involves punching trees and “Creeper? Awww man,” I should clarify that my current fascination with the game is sadder and more depraved. The game’s been out for a decade. Building cute houses doesn’t cut it anymore.

Me and some friends spun up a modded server, one that adds computers, and uranium, and Mystic Eyes of Black Flame, and, of course, blood magic.

Thus, my current quest: to create a blood kingdom (or blood co-op) and master the sanguine arts in order to become a powerful dark sorcerer.

Which, my point is, the reason I keep coming back to Minecraft is that it’s one of the greatest sandboxes ever made. It shares a trait with all my favorite games, which is that you can set a goal at the very start and pursue it for as long as you play the game. As opposed to a game like Stardew Valley. Great for different reasons! But one I struggle to set goals in.

(Elden Ring is also like this, and thinking about it my goal in that game was also to become the world’s most powerful sorcerer, so that may indicate megalomania idk.)

As I’ve said before, all games are roleplaying games. When ascending towards dark wizardry means building my girlfriend a little restaurant — neither of which would be possible if not for the game’s willingness to let modders crack open its guts — it indicates a level of social play that’s made Minecraft such an enduring artwork.

What else I’m having fun with lately

The third location. You know when you go out and you start with dinner, then slide to a bar for a few drinks, and then migrate to a THIRD LOCATION? That’s a night out. The third location is sacred.

Thinking about a jacket I almost bought. It’s a KC Current quilted bomber in teal, but the quilting is patterned as the word “current” in a way that sounds tacky but is peng. Was like $150, so of course I didn’t get it. But hey, rumination is free.

The Appeal by Janice Hallet. I don’t read anything very quickly, but I crushed 300 pages of this novel in under a week. A community theater has to raise money for an experimental cancer treatment. The story, told entirely through emails and texts, tracks the group’s social order as pressure mounts, resulting in murder most foul. It hewed pretty closely to your classic murder mystery (and did so well!) despite its unique format, which made the incredible character work shine.

The Triple-i Initiative. To be honest, I hadn’t heard of this showcase. Great for indie-oh my god are those Danes riding T-rexes holy shit holy crap.

Dune 2. Pretty good!

Thanks for reading!
DR