Achievement and Motivation

     Minecraft, being a very unstructured affair, provides little direction for the player and as a result is not possible to "win" the game. Thus the player's motivation to continue playing the game comes from their own desire for exploration and experimentation. There is nearly infinite opportunities for both of these in the world, both from the base game and through player created mods that add new ways to play. The game does include actual achievements for certain actions, however I do not find much satisfaction or sense of accomplishment in obtaining these.

     Personally, my main motivation for playing, that provided me with the greatest sense of achievement was to create the most impressive structures that I possibly could. As I continue to play the game, my skills and understanding of the game's physical laws and potential expand, allowing me to better harness the world elements for my own functions. Due to the type of play in Minecraft, namely shaping the environment through collection and strategic placement, it is incredibly satisfying to receive positive feedback from other players in a server. Other players may be able to not only see what you build, but they may explore or otherwise interact with your structures.