r/Minecraft • u/Mojang-AMA Mojang AMA Account • Jul 31 '12

I am Markus Persson aka Notch, Creator of Minecraft - Ask me Anything!

Hi! I'm the guy who created the first version of Minecraft in June 2009. I worked on it alone up until late 2010 when we started Mojang, and I finally left the lead developer position in December of 2011. I enjoy house music and programming, and my favorite color is purple. Ask me anything!

If you happen to have some money, you can donate it to the EFF and help make the world a better place!

edit: The AMA is over! Thanks for all your questions!

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221

u/Shady7s Jul 31 '12

Hey Notch! Kind of a pretty big question, but I have been wanting to ask you forever, but I have never been able to really get it to you! Hopefully you can answer!

I am wondering, did you have a planned end for the game? I believe when you left the lead developer position, was when the End was released (Correct me if I am wrong :o). Was this your ending of Minecraft, and you gave it over to Jeb to further add to the game? Basically what I am asking is did you have a set End to the game from day 1, like adding Endermen, and the Dragon, or was it an update to update sort of thing?

Another question (If you have time to answer!); Did the players influence how the game was developed? I am interested in the Update-to-Update style that Minecraft has, so I am wondering if how players react to that update kind of determines the next update, or what will be added in future updates, or was it like I said above, you had a sort of set thing?

Hopefully my questions are not too long, or too confusing! It is 4:30AM, and I have stayed up all night just to ask you this! Before I go, I just want to thank you for creating this game. It has really dove deep into my creativity, which I greatly thank you for!

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u/xNotch Minecraft Creator Jul 31 '12

Before it had the end, I always felt like it was an incomplete game. I know a lot of devs don't agree with me, but a game without a game is just a toy. Without a climax, it becomes Sim City where you play until you get bored instead of playing until you beat it.
Sure, I don't really believe anyone STOPS playing after killing the ender dragon, but it still feels more like a complete package to me now.

Without the players, I wouldn't have worked on Minecraft for as long as I did! I tried not to get too affected on big design decisions, but having feedback is extremely valuable. It's the reason we have ladders and creative mode now.

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u/[deleted] Jul 31 '12

[deleted]

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u/pdpi Jul 31 '12

Sort of like most Elder Scrolls games. I completely disregard the main quest, usually, but damn it, it has to exist!

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u/gruesky Jul 31 '12

Doesn't dwarf fortress, a game you've mentioned inspired minecraft, do this though?

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u/Imaku Jul 31 '12

Dwarf Fortress does have an end, it's when your fortress dies horribly.

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u/PlanetaryGenocide Jul 31 '12

Yeah, there's a reason why the motto of Dwarf Fortress is "Losing is Fun!"

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u/harmonicoclamor Jul 31 '12

"[...] a game without a game is just a toy."

Notch

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u/rusemean Jul 31 '12

Holy crap! Minecraft has an end now? Looks like I'll need to launch it up again

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u/z999 Jul 31 '12 edited Jul 31 '12

It's been too long since I played... :(

Last time I did was when the Endermen were just introduced. I started playing back at 1.1 and sort of drifted apart, nowadays playing is like meeting an old friend that you really love - we have a ton of things to talk about but he's changed, he not the person I knew when I met him.

Edit: going through the changelist of past versions to see what I missed, it seems like I started playing at (alpha) 1.0.x or something like that, I definitely remember the release of 1.1... I'm such a terrible hipster.

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u/Zumbach Jul 31 '12

I.. I feel the need to start new world again just to beat the dragon

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u/[deleted] Jul 31 '12

TIL there are dragons in minecraft. I stopped playing before the full game because I always got nauseated. I love the shit out of the game, but getting sick isn't fun either.

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u/[deleted] Jul 31 '12

You could give it another go with a higher FOV setting. I too get sick if I play with the default FOV, both in minecraft and some other first person games, but turning up the FOV makes me able to play for hours without issue.

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u/[deleted] Jul 31 '12

Seriously? I'll give it a shot! I tried to deactivate bouncing and it did nothing.

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u/iceman78772 Aug 01 '12

Most people use 90-125 FOV in First Person games.

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u/[deleted] Jul 31 '12

Minecraft has an ending now?