
Microsoft built its new campus in Minecraft [video] - myinnerbanjo
https://www.cnbc.com/video/2018/11/05/microsoft-built-its-new-campus-in-minecraft.html
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chrsstrm
They used the Education Edition, not vanilla. But link to source and world
download -
[https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/nzedu/2018/10/19/explore...](https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/nzedu/2018/10/19/explore-
microsofts-redmond-campus-in-minecrafteducation-edition/)

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gadders
I always wondered why tools like Doom (other better FPSs are available) aren't
used to familiarise people with building layouts. I'm sure there are Doom
levels that I haven't played in years that I could walk round confidently [1]
if they suddenly became real.

[1] Assuming no cacodemons etc.

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bitwize
> I always wondered why tools like Doom (other better FPSs are available)
> aren't used to familiarise people with building layouts.

Because Columbine, that's why. In the 90s, kids used to recreate their college
campuses, etc. in Doom. Then Columbine happened, and such things were viewed
as possible mass-murder prep.

Doom is primitive by today's standards anyway. I hear tell Unreal Engine is
sometimes used for architectural visualizations, etc.

> I'm sure there are Doom levels that I haven't played in years that I could
> walk round confidently [1] if they suddenly became real.

Given that Doomguy moves at approximately 50 mph, it'd take real-world you
quite a bit longer to explore those real-world levels.

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mrguyorama
This despite the claim that the columbine shooters used doom was false.

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MikeTheGreat
I remember it being reported that they had played Doom.

What do you mean by "used Doom"?

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mrguyorama
People spread a rumor that the shooters had planned out their spree by
building their high school in doom and playing it

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arikr
Seems smart. We tend to like things more, the more that we are familiar with
them.

So this will mean that employees like the new campus more when they first walk
on it, because they'll be more familiar with it.

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everdev
It'll be interesting to see if familiarity with the digital space correlates
to comfort in the physical space.

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tialaramex
Minecraft's proportions are a bit wrong, for example Minecraft people are two
blocks high, a block seems to be roughly one metre. And obviously in reality
very few people are two metres tall!

Also movement speed in games is unrealistic, because it turns out moving is
boring, so Minecraft's "walking" speed is much faster than you'd walk - over 4
metres per second, enough that in an hour you'd cover about 15 kilometres!
It's not a _sprint_ but it's a decent Marathon time for example, and those
guys aren't walking.

Together these effects can give the impression that a nice large space (say
5x5x2 metres, a pretty nice two person office) is rather cramped.

So I'd anticipate that when they see the real thing they'll be cued to find it
more spacious.

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mrguyorama
Nitpick: "Steve" in Minecraft is actually 1.7 meters tall.

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moneil971
Smart way to get more kids interested in/familiar with Microsoft?

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vertline3
has that viral ad feel. Lots of game engines would be better tools for the
job.

