Pixel art is very space efficient. Thats how pixel art originally came about, back when computers/consoles/cabinets didn’t have memory for bigger textures, or the capability to even display the full resolution and colour palette of the monitor/tv within the time of one frame.
In part - the entire game takes only a few hundred megabytes and can be played on anything but a toaster.
But it’s also the great concept, the simplicity, the legacy, the compatibility, and the insane amount of mods able to significantly alter your gameplay or visuals.
As a simple but deep and visually appealing sandbox, it managed to capture many audiences - creatives of all kinds, replica makers, casual survival players, automation/industrialization fans, computer enthusiasts, and many more.
It also helped that Minecraft is extremely easy to pirate and also long-lived, making many enter it as pirates and purchasing a copy later on (or staying pirates and still generating a lot of content for the community).
I redownloaded Stardew Valley last night and was amazed to find it’s still less than a Gigabyte.
I know it’s not the same as a hyperrealistic 3D game, but I’m still amazed at how much stuff he keeps adding, but it hasn’t even scratched a GB.
Pixel art is very space efficient. Thats how pixel art originally came about, back when computers/consoles/cabinets didn’t have memory for bigger textures, or the capability to even display the full resolution and colour palette of the monitor/tv within the time of one frame.
is that why Minecraft is so popular?
In part - the entire game takes only a few hundred megabytes and can be played on anything but a toaster.
But it’s also the great concept, the simplicity, the legacy, the compatibility, and the insane amount of mods able to significantly alter your gameplay or visuals.
As a simple but deep and visually appealing sandbox, it managed to capture many audiences - creatives of all kinds, replica makers, casual survival players, automation/industrialization fans, computer enthusiasts, and many more.
It also helped that Minecraft is extremely easy to pirate and also long-lived, making many enter it as pirates and purchasing a copy later on (or staying pirates and still generating a lot of content for the community).
Hehe yeah, the whole game is the size of one objects collection of textures in some other games.