ssssunday chat

[sunsetmondays]

Pssst! Our favorite SMS series just got a new chapter posted! Check it out hereI  Or if you haven't read it yet, check out the links to the earlier chapters here.

 My laptop had drive died today but I'm determined to chat on Sunday.

http://mindcracklove.dreamwidth.org/2014/06/20/
Be sure to express any interest in a salad beta service.

If you listen carefully to the latest podcast, millbee has a dirty secret. Hint: it involved salad.

With the clarification of the minecraft EULA, what do you think of this move by mojang? How do you think it will affect big servers like playmindcrack and the hive?

Continuing on last weeks theme of fan fiction, why do you write or read fanfiction? Is mindcrack your first fandom and/or intro to fanfic? I know it pretty much was mine except for that one little thing I wrote for one tiny book fandom a few years back.

Let's talk about the ftb vs vanilla cycle. Do you feel that ftb tends to kill the vanilla server? So far all moved back to vanilla have been prompted by the ftb map breaking. Do you think if the ftb map doesn't break that vanilla won't regain its popularity? Ftb does have a lot more to explore and play with than vanilla. And what about crackers ftb play styles? Who do you prefer in ftb and why? Whose style do you think works best with the ftb rules?
Yeah yeah crackpack I know but I'm on tablet and typing is hard.

Also, sponges!

Comments

[oliviathecf]

nah, this isn't my first fandom. i started with anime fandoms in middle school, moved on to tv and movies, went into fandom limbo, then got into RoosterTeeth and LPer RPF. this one certainly is one of the more satisfying fandoms i've been in though.

i read and write fanfiction because i'm queer (bisexual) and representation is nice. it's three parts boredom, queerness, and the desire to break boundaries.

[ex_writeitinsharpie308]

I started out with the Percy Jackson fandom over on FF.net... I like reading/writing fanfics because, y'know, I like to write. And read.An sometimes I don't agree with cannon. So I write/read out of cannon. Yeah.

[riverer]

Who doesn't start reading fanfiction on ff.net? I agree with you on not agreeing with cannon fueling the reading of fanfiction. My first two fanfiction universes were Glee in around 2010-2011 due to my friend being a major gleek and me being interested in the characters and the music, but not so much what the writers and directors did with them, then Big Bang Theory for 2012 where I adored the characters in the early seasons/episodes, but got more and more angry at what the writers did with them.

Mindcrack really is the first fandom where I love love love the original content, AND the fanwork AND the community. It makes me really want to contribute and be a part of it. I've never written fanfiction before, but I'm contemplating starting now. I've actually written the first chapter to a Nebtho fic, but because it's multi-chaptered, and stories that are started but never finished really annoy me, it's probably going to take a long, long time before it's out.

I've actually wanted to write fanfiction for a while now, but my ideas are always difficult for me to get out in words. The stories in my head always turn out to be more like movies, but it requires a lot more work to create a fan film because you need to get voices in and either animate it or get actors in. Perhaps fanart is a better place for me to start - maybe you'll see some of that up here soon.

[ex_writeitinsharpie308]

Also, I found what the acronym S-U-N-D-A-Y C-H-A-T couls stand for:
Some Undeniably Noisy-ish Dunderheads And Youths Come Have A Tickle-fight-hugpile-thing!
Kinda? Maybe?
Also, spooooooooooooooonges. Sponges?
Sponges.

[silvercheers]

I think, with the clarifications, that PlayMindcrack is going to be alright. Guude/Rawb/Whoever may have to talk to Mojang about some things, but it seems like at least a few of the things they were worried about aren't going to be a problem. I don't know and don't care about the Hive, never played on it.

I've read fanfic for years, but I haven't written much. I don't know why I'm so invested in writing fanfic for Mindcrack, but I'm guessing that it's more because of this community than anything. When I started here we were still a very small place, which made me more comfortable. It's a little more frightening now that we're bigger, though.

I think that, as with anything that splits a playbase, the Crackpack server does partially kill the vanilla server. There is only so much time in the day and because of the grindyness of the modpack, crackpack is naturally more of a time sink for those who choose to play it. It doesn't help that vanilla Minecraft can get a little boring after playing it for so long. Heck, I've only played for two and a half years and I still can't get interested in anything but PlayMindcrack and modpacks. The thing with crackpack is, there tends to be limits. Once you hit god-tier and have your stuff automated, there isn't always an incentive to keep playing. This sort of thing is really apparent in something like Agrarian Skies (which does have a different environment, being a skyblock), where once you finish all the quests, there isn't much else to do. I mean, you could try to conquer the Nether but all you'd get is a few tons of hellfish and a negative tps. It's not quite the same as crackpack, because crackpack doesn't have those set goals or a lack of exploration, but there's still a limit to how long it can keep your interest once you can act like a Steve? wrecking ball. I guess the difference between crackpack and vanilla is that crackpack's limiter is power (figurative and literal), while vanilla's limiter is building/exploration. What I'm building up to is that I don't think the crackpack server would need to be shut down for vanilla to come back, they just need to start maxing out mods.

In addition to that massive textwall, people go where people are. I find it hard to play multiplayer games without friends, because playing with people is what brings it to life. Particularly for something like Minecraft, where playing with people is partly what keeps it alive. I could expound in lyric about what I think about multiplayer play, but I'll just say that people tend to play where their friends play. Right now there are a lot of people playing crackpack, which also has a heavy co-op or group aspect with the war theme. So there's a lot of interest in it right now! And there probably will be for a good while, but I think people will eventually migrate back to the vanilla server over time. Also, because the crackpack server has non-Mindcrackers whitelisted on it, they can play with people that they might not normally and can't play with in Mindcrack vanilla. That might have a bearing on things too. Um, anyway, a movie just started so I've lost my train of thought. I guess that's all I have to say on the matter!

Edit: A.L.L. H.A.I.L. T.H.E. S.P.O.N.G.E.

[riverer]

I'm not that sure that Crackpack kills vanilla. I think that vanilla slowly becomes boring and overly grindy and people start gravitating away from the server after a certain amount of time. The Crackpack server really just freshens up minecraft, especially for those equally interested in aesthetics and technical side of minecraft like most of the best team. I am absolutely astounded by what is being created there. I think that without the Crackpack, most Mindcrackers get worn out by minecraft, fade away, play other games, then come back when there's either enough new things to make it fresh again, or when they've had enough of a break that they're interested again. Some of them, like Pause, have outright gotten sick of mindcraft, so I don't really expect to see him back for a long while. That does make me wonder whether there will eventually be a time where the majority of Mindcrackers don't have minecraft on their channel anymore.

I definitely agree that the co-op aspect of the Crackpack does draw them in though. It definitely helps to make things more interesting for them (and us) to have some interaction, and I think that's exactly what the vanilla server could use more of.

[silvercheers]

I was trying to avoid using grindyness in my discussion because both vanilla and crackpack can be considered grindy. Vanilla because big builds require lots of materials and crackpack because grindyness is intrinsically part of technical mods. It's more varied in crackpack, but there's no doubt that players need a LOT of materials not just to make builds, but also to progress. It's certainly better than FTB season 2 with GregTech, but there are still plenty of time and resource intensive things. Luckily, there are plenty of tech trees to traverse, so they shouldn't get burned out too quickly.

I definitely agree with you about just losing interest. You could see that happening with the season 3 server. Season 4 hasn't reached that level yet, but I think they're losing interest more quickly than they used to (I could be wrong, I wasn't around for the entirety of season 3), which is understandable. Minecraft is having updates, but it's not like the game is being remade every time.

[justicetom]

In terms of fanfiction, I started here. First fandom, and intro to fanfic. In terms of the EULA? I'm worried for PMC. I don't really play on the Hive, so I don't know how they will be affected, but PMC will be in trouble, I feel.

Crackpack vs Vanilla. I think that, far from killing vanilla, it rejuvenates it. Yes, they all play Crackpack for however long. They come back to vanilla once Crackpack has died out. They're filled with new ideas and everything.

Sponges! Spooooonges!

[shichahn]

With the clarification of the minecraft EULA, what do you think of this move by mojang?

As Rob and Guude have both said, it's really hard to know how exactly they'll be affected given that the actual legal text hasn't been produced yet. There are a few changes they'll almost certainly have to make, but PMC was always designed to be as far from pay-to-win as possible. They're a creative group of people, and I'm sure they'll come up with new monetization strategies if needed, though with how the server (and Bruce's Gym before that) has struggled to make enough to support itself, this EULA update isn't exactly going to do anyone any favors.

Why do you write or read fanfiction? Is mindcrack your first fandom and/or intro to fanfic?

Oh gosh no, it's far from my first. I've been involved in fandom since I was a Pokemon-watching tween, so it's been ages now. I enjoy fic as an exploration of things we don't get to see in canon material, particularly when it comes to romance. It's funny, if I'm reading a book or watching a show or movie, I'm far more interested in an engaging story than romance, and in fact romance in canon material can really turn me off to it, but when it comes to the fandom side of that same show, I have little interest in genfic.

Let's talk about the ftb vs vanilla cycle.

The first FTB series was really fun for me. I loved how engaged and excited the guys were to do something new, and I watched a ton of it. But they got burned out, and to some extent I think I did too. I tried to watch this season of Crackpack but it hasn't really hooked me. I guess because my favorite Mindcrackers haven't been all that involved, but also because there are so many non-Minecraft series that I'm enjoying far more right now. In general though, I don't really care much one way or another if the Mindcrackers are playing FTB or one of its iterations, or vanilla. As long as they're having fun and producing fun content, I'll watch it.

[kappa77]

I write fan fiction because with some of my ideas I don't feel like others could portray them as I wanted them to if I merely posted it as a prompt (sometimes I can't either, but it's more fulfilling).

And this is in no way my first fandom. My first fanfic was actually for a contest based on The Clique series, but I didn't know it was considered fanfic back then. My second fanfic was for Harry Potter and was absolutely horrible. I stopped writing for like two years until I found this place and started writing fanfic for this place. In those two years, I've been a lot of fandoms (BBC Sherlock, Doctor Who, Welcome to Night Vale, Marvel, Roosterteeth, Tobuscus, Captain Sparklez, The Hobbit, and others that I can't remember now). I'm still in a lot of them, too.

[kerl126]

With the clarification of the minecraft EULA, what do you think of this move by mojang? How do you think it will affect big servers like playmindcrack and the hive?

I really am apathetic to the entire Minecraft EULA thing, but I think it depends on the server itself. Some might be able to survive EULA, and some might not.

Continuing on last weeks theme of fan fiction, why do you write or read fanfiction? Is mindcrack your first fandom and/or intro to fanfic?

Mindcrack was not my first fandom, but it was the first where I actually have my fanfic out in the open world. I wrote some Narnia fanfic and Harry Potter fanfic, but that was a couple years ago, and I either deleted the files or tossed the notebook away that contained those fanfics. I have not been on FF.net yet, but I did read some fanfiction hosted on other sites (Mostly Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings).

I wrote fanfiction because I had an idea on how I wanted the book/movie to have gone, and I wanted to flesh it out into an actual story. This goes the same with the Mindcrack server now.

Do you feel that ftb tends to kill the vanilla server?

Not anymore. Back when the first FTB started, Mindcrack didn't have a lot of people yet, so when FTB started the few people who were on Mindcrack started doing FTB. Nowadays, with a lot more people, you have people like Vechs, MCGamer, Mhykol, and Bdubs who either have no interest in FTB/CrackPack or no time. Furthermore, I feel that certain sections of Mindcrack are involved in other games as well (The whole Guude-Millbee-Coestar-Pause collection with Avidya in Space Engineers, with Pyro and Baj in Garry's Mod and with Pyro and MCGamer in Mario Kart 8), so if it seems vanilla is dying, it is no longer just FTB, but a collection of other games as well.

Edit: Can you sticky this as well?

[halcyonlioness]

In regards to EULA, I'm one of those people who are ambivalent until the dust has settled and the consequences are clear. I wish to wait and see before I launch an opinion in this kerfuffle.

In regards to the modpacks vs vanilla cycle... What attracted me to Minecraft in the first place were the mods, and I spent my first year in Minecraftia in heavily modded worlds. It wasn't until Release Patch 1.2.5 that I started to play in Vanilla seriously. TL;DR--I honestly don't mind if they want to focus on Vanilla or on modpacks. As long as that gang of loveable loonies keep sharing shenanigans and ideas with us, I'll choose enjoy whatever gets cranked out.

And Sp-CCCCoMbO BREAKER. ... I'm a builder of worlds, kids. Two guesses what I'm looking forward to, and the first guess doesn't count. <3

It should be plenty obvious that this isn't my first fandom and "UHC: Foundation" isn't my first involved fanfic. I can easily boast that I've been writing and creating fanfic and OC for as long as I could hold a pencil, completing my first novella (a StarFox/StarWing fic) back in 6th grade/7th year. Fandoms? I've been everywhere from Sonic, to Nintendo, to Pokemon, to Mega Man, to Bionicle, Transformers, Marvel, DC, Final Fantasy, Warcraft... the list goes on.

And why do I write? I am a worldbuilder and one with a taste for tinfoil hat. I enjoy filling in holes in the lores of whatever world I might be visiting that day. I love fleshing out worlds that either didn't bother to polish up their settings or worlds that keep a tight lid on how rich thier universe is (*meaningful look at Ico and Shadow of the Colossus*) even to the point of creating actual languages for the characters to speak.

And writing fanfiction allows me to challenge myself and improve in the art of storycrafting. What I've learned in crafting stories for established franchises, I apply to worlds of my own personal design. I get to experiment with new narrative styles or plot devices or even character templates with a pre-established set of characters and settings. Oh... And watching the new characters come to life and make their own decisions is a delight to behold! It's also a sign that I'm likely doing something right with the narrative.

Reading and reviewing others' work gives me something to do and a good firm kick to the burro when I need either inspiration or motivation to write or put out some sort of content. ... And the prospect of finding sweet little gems like r7's dragonrider au, or "The End ofan Era" short, or even the classic "The Villages" series keeps me coming back for more.

...

Well... That turned into a wall of text. If you made it this far, have a creamcheese frosted snickerdoodle or a chocolate chip cookie... Or both. <3

~Lioness

[(Anonymous)]

This is my 1st fandom community I heavily spend time on reading, its interesting too see people create and they make great stories (and a lot shipping) and I like it, it peaks my curiosity too see what people write, how, the way they use a ship and such, so that concludes my comment, - Ace

[brynae]

With the clarification of the Minecraft EULA, what do you think of this move by Mojang?

No comment, because I seem to have my head bitten off whenever I make my opinion clear (I support Mojang in this issue *hides*)

Why do you write or read fanfiction? Is Mindcrack your first fandom and/or intro to fanfic?

I read fanfiction because I love reading, and I’m involved in multiple fandoms. Naturally, I want to read stories featuring the members of said fandoms, as well as seeing how people extend and manipulate the canon of the characters and worlds the fandoms are involved in. I read fanfiction so I can explore the realms of my mind, it is an awesome ‘out’ for whenever I feel sad – I can just write about it. It allows for exploration of my kinks and things I would like characters doing, with me and with others. Finally, writing fanfiction allows for my imagination to go wild, without constraints!

Mindcrack is my second fandom. I was (still am) very into Yogsfics (all aboard the hot ships Rythna and Ridgephos). I never wrote any Yogsfics, though, only read them. Nowadays, I mainly read Mindcrack fanfictions. My first fanfiction I ever wrote is on this very site, and I am still stupidly proud of it.

Let's talk about the ftb vs vanilla cycle.

Uh...I don't watch the Mindcrackers play FTB/Crackpack... I prefer their vanilla series. But, I do believe that modded Minecraft pulls attention away from the Vanilla server. My experience with mod-packs is that after playing them, the Vanilla Minecraft experience is a little... plain. But that's just my opinion.

Sponges. A useless, purely Creative decorative block for so long, finally getting the function promised to us from the beginning...

[kappa77]

//blushes heavily

Thank you very much, Sunset :D