4 ms·

Is chess better than Minecraft?

by ksdale 6y ago

grugagag 6y ago
Chess is a game based on simple rules that yields complexity but i can't say it is “better” than Minecraft, it’s just something else. Minecraft is not a bad thing, what is bad is sinking countless hours only in this game! What do you come out of it with? Chess is a game that has a defined purpose. It has a beginning, a middle game and an endgame. One can learn openings, strategies, concentration etc. That translates to some interesting thinking tools that could be used outside of chess. Minecraft players usually wonder around and kick blocks and collect trinkets without a specific aim. Sure, some users build stuff which I find as cool. And leisurely playing isn't a bad thing. I have a problem with sinking too much time into just computer games or even more specifically with only one game and even worse, not playing the game but passively watch others play on youtube or twitch. Kids learn things all the time but if they're stuck in a virtual reality that starts to have diminishing returns fast.
- ksdale 6y ago
  What do you come out of chess with? I've spent a lot of time playing computer games, they sparked a love of history, geography, technology, new kinds of music, they've informed my taste and sense of humor, and helped me be more circumspect when it comes to life "strategy". Without the love of history, I never would have gotten into chess, either, but it is something I enjoy. At any given time, it would have looked an awful lot like sinking countless hours into one game. Currently, jumping on a Discord call and playing with friends is an excellent substitution for social visit. Everyone has hobbies, and personally, I don't think the specific hobby matters as much as pursuing something with the possibility of intellectual growth.
  - kazinator 6y ago
    I suspect that chess will hone your ability to analyze, categorize and prioritize the cases occurring in a complex situation that has many possibilities. Poor case analysis in chess leads to easy defeat.
  - jiofih 6y ago
    I think you missed the point here. It is not about the benefits of chess or minecraft, but the fact that he started sinking all of his available time into it, and hence didn’t participate in other activities anymore (such as playing chess). Games and videos are notoriously addictive.
    - ksdale 6y ago
      I understand that, I just don't think it's a problem. I've spent my life being obsessed with things. Sometimes the obsession lasts a few years, sometimes it lasts a few days, and the sum of being focused on one thing to the exclusion of all else is being a very well-rounded person. Presumably the nephew is still a child, and presumably he will move on to other things as he gets older. I'll eat my words if he ends up a 60 year old who regrets spending his life playing Minecraft. Then again, if he is a 60 year old who was productive and happy and spent his free time playing Minecraft without regret, that would also be fine, no?
- gotostatement 6y ago
  who knows? maybe it's not ours to say. children are drawn to it and maybe we should trust whatever instinct they're following that minecraft feels stimulating

Is chess better than Minecraft?

by ksdale 6y ago

Is chess better than Minecraft?

Chess is a game based on simple rules that yields complexity but i can't say it is “better” than Minecraft, it’s just something else. Minecraft is not a bad thing, what is bad is sinking countless hours only in this game! What do you come out of it with? Chess is a game that has a defined purpose. It has a beginning, a middle game and an endgame. One can learn openings, strategies, concentration etc. That translates to some interesting thinking tools that could be used outside of chess. Minecraft players usually wonder around and kick blocks and collect trinkets without a specific aim. Sure, some users build stuff which I find as cool. And leisurely playing isn't a bad thing. I have a problem with sinking too much time into just computer games or even more specifically with only one game and even worse, not playing the game but passively watch others play on youtube or twitch. Kids learn things all the time but if they're stuck in a virtual reality that starts to have diminishing returns fast.

ksdale 6y ago
What do you come out of chess with? I've spent a lot of time playing computer games, they sparked a love of history, geography, technology, new kinds of music, they've informed my taste and sense of humor, and helped me be more circumspect when it comes to life "strategy". Without the love of history, I never would have gotten into chess, either, but it is something I enjoy. At any given time, it would have looked an awful lot like sinking countless hours into one game. Currently, jumping on a Discord call and playing with friends is an excellent substitution for social visit. Everyone has hobbies, and personally, I don't think the specific hobby matters as much as pursuing something with the possibility of intellectual growth.
- kazinator 6y ago
  I suspect that chess will hone your ability to analyze, categorize and prioritize the cases occurring in a complex situation that has many possibilities. Poor case analysis in chess leads to easy defeat.
- jiofih 6y ago
  I think you missed the point here. It is not about the benefits of chess or minecraft, but the fact that he started sinking all of his available time into it, and hence didn’t participate in other activities anymore (such as playing chess). Games and videos are notoriously addictive.
  - ksdale 6y ago
    I understand that, I just don't think it's a problem. I've spent my life being obsessed with things. Sometimes the obsession lasts a few years, sometimes it lasts a few days, and the sum of being focused on one thing to the exclusion of all else is being a very well-rounded person. Presumably the nephew is still a child, and presumably he will move on to other things as he gets older. I'll eat my words if he ends up a 60 year old who regrets spending his life playing Minecraft. Then again, if he is a 60 year old who was productive and happy and spent his free time playing Minecraft without regret, that would also be fine, no?
gotostatement 6y ago
who knows? maybe it's not ours to say. children are drawn to it and maybe we should trust whatever instinct they're following that minecraft feels stimulating