Unconventional Media Peaks teens’ Interest

Paige Collins, Staff Writer

Minecraft roleplay called the Dream SMP (survival multiplayer) displays a unique perspective in storytelling. 

 Essentially, Minecraft (version 1.16) is a survival game where the objective is unclear, leaving the players to do what they please. Minecraft roleplay is a variation with its respective characters and script complete with one-liners and dramatic scenes.  

The actors, in this format, are the streamers on Twitch and while some give their heart out in their performances, others are a bit lackluster to say the least in how they portray certain scenes. 

“There are some (actors) that can’t take things seriously sometimes,” sophomore  Maddy Adams said.

Despite the limitations of its medium, teens who are involved with the lore adore some of the acting done by the streamers on Twitch, most of which the identities are unknown for privacy reasons, and even some of the cinematography. 

“The actors are amazing,” sophomore and Dream SMP enthusiast Dylan Cook said.“They put so much effort into the story.” 

Since it is delivered live on Twitch, players can’t cut out bloopers or redo a scene they didn’t like because it’s being performed live, almost like a stage for a play.

“When they tell lore, it’s live so they mess up. They can’t really cut it out and sometimes it’s funny,” Adams said.

However, the Dream SMP can get quite convoluted at times with its very expansive lore, as every character has their own perspective and own livestreams.

“As someone who joined quite late into the community, it’s not easy to catch up in the regular sense,” sophomore Noelle Asiyambi said.

Sometimes it is  difficult to comprehend the inner machinations of the characters because  there are multiple perspectives of each individual from one another. 

“Other series also may have some different perspectives like 2-4, but this one has a ton, basically all of the characters,” Adams said.

Due to the blocky and unclear silhouettes of Minecraft characters, the audience’s  interpretation of these characters have varied, resulting in incredible fan creations and art for the series. 

“It varies because it is a fairly vast set of media,” sophomore Teagan Cutshall said.  “I think there is a lot of skilled art and creations from fans.” 

Many people involved in the lore also agree that the format that is presented in the form of live streams that the audience can interact with is a  good idea, despite the difficulties  for late viewers . 

“It’s a good way to keep viewers entertained in my opinion,” Asiyambi said. “The content creators have people looking forward to their lore and streams.”  

 Dream SMG s is similar to regularly playing the game, but the roleplay that is added gives it more dimension and meaning. 

“Using an SMP game is a really interesting concept to present a story since it’s similar to a let’s play series but keeps things intriguing,” sophomore Cassidy Schmidt said.

Earlier Minecraft gameplay was often meant for younger kids, while this specific role play deals with more adult themes. 

“This series has a more mature and developed universe and lore that appeals to me more than other series,” Cutshall said.