Minecraft is an extremely popular game for many reasons, but creative freedom will rank near the top for most players. The iterative nature of the game's survival mode makes each randomly-generated Minecraft world a memorable experience.
Survival mode in Minecraft involves starting from truly humble beginnings. Armed with nothing but a pair of fists, players must start by punching trees for wood to create tools that allow them to gather more complex and resilient resources. Naturally, the process is gradual and part of the charm is looking back at all the progress one has made. A player's first farm, storage room, bedroom, and crafting space are all important milestones in this open-world survival game.
User u/Silveruchu on Reddit captured that exact process over the course of 350 in-game days. With each day lasting 20 real-life minutes, that comes out to over 116 hours of playtime. They begin by spending the first few days searching for a home, which ends up being a small island. More land is added to the island to add room for further building, along with a humble homestead. This all develops over the course of time until there are several farms, a mansion-like multiple-story home, and even a fountain providing irrigation to the land. Copper blocks oxidize in Minecraft, causing the copper roof to gradually turn a lovely shade of green.
Silveruchu also treats viewers to a walkthrough tour of their home at the end of the video, which truly shows the fruits of their labor. A greenhouse, stable, and library are well-placed, while a workshop is inhabited by their pet cats and dogs. A golem guards the courtyard of the abode, and a balcony serves as a pleasant way to observe the estate from above. Each element of the home is lovingly crafted and serves as an expression of this player's creativity.
Every home in Minecraft is different (unless players are following a blueprint), and the variety of blocks available means players can get extremely creative and artistically expressive. Some prefer function over form, with basic bunker-like square houses designed simply to provide space for a bed and shelter from Minecraft's hostile creatures of the night. Others spend huge amounts of time designing full-scale castles, entire recreations of historic structures, or huge working Minesweeper games. Irrigation, lighting, building material, elevation, and proximity to water are all considerations that affect gameplay in important ways.
In the many hours a player might spend in their Minecraft world, the gradual changes made each day can be lost to time. Subtle changes to the land such as land bridges or player-made water holes eventually just become a fact of life over the course of play. This timelapse is a delightful reminder of where it all started, and where it all ended up. Despite Minecraft's dangerous creatures and the need for a regular supply of food, survival players still manage to make time to express themselves.
Minecraft is available on Nintendo Switch, Nintendo 3DS, Mobile, PC, PS3, PS4, Playstation VITA, Wii U, Xbox 360, and Xbox One.