Minecraft, the Possibility Space

Bogost's idea that games have rules that create possibility spaces got me thinking about specific games that demonstrate his idea. We briefly mentioned Minecraft, which is a sandbox game based on creativity and building. The game's mechanics, or "rules" influence how the player explores each world and how they create and build with the resources they are provided. The limited amount of resources upon starting is a rule in itself that gets the ball rolling: it motivates the player to explore and acquire more resources, which is where procedures come in.

Players "mine" wood, different types of stone, and more to begin creating new objects and new materials that allow them to expand their knowledge and build more new things. These procedures (especially the process of creating each item: they must be assembled a certain way) enable the player to be one step closer to discovering and exploring all of the available objects in their world. The possibility space of Minecraft is essentially endless... the world goes on and on no matter how far you go. The game does eventually stop generating blocks due to the lack of memory. However, the player can still go back to the previously generated area and continue playing. It is not a limit, but a simple boundary. 

There are "rules" that expand on the player's ability to explore the entire possibility space of the game other than the mechanics of the different blocks/procedures, and these are the modes. Creative mode enables the player to fly and begin the game with every material possible. This makes the game even more open-ended and more about creation. Survival mode brings in monsters, the search for food, and a health bar: the rules change how you play the game. Not only are you now focused on creation, but you are focused on creation with the intention of surviving. It's almost a whole different game. These modes demonstrate Bogost's idea that possibility spaces can change depending on the rules and mechanics that alter those spaces and change the procedural process for the player.