Videogames are not necessarily a medium about consuming. One advantage of videogames is that they are inherently a platform for creativity. You often see creativity happen haphazardly in terms of strategies and the “water-cooler moments” where an event happens and you just cannot help but discuss it. A second layer of creativity is when videogames support third-party content: you are allowed to modify the game as you desire and create your own game based around the other game. The third layer of creativity is when the game itself is mostly a platform for creativity. Minecraft falls under the vein of a “Spore”, a "Farmville", or a “Lego” where the player is less interested in accomplishing an objective than they are channeling their creativity. Now players of Minecraft have more options to express themselves as it advanced to version 1.7; or just end up piston around.

I’ve got a baaaaahahahahhhhhd feeling about this.

(Screenshot taken from Modacity Minecraft Server)

Changes for this version involve the addition of Pistons which allow you to move blocks, items, players, and mobs. There are two types of pistons: regular pistons which can push items, and slime-upgraded pistons which can push and pull items. Some possible usages include more inventive traps, flood gates, triggered stairs, and so forth. Another addition is that TNT must be lit on fire or triggered with a redstone circuit to allow players to remove potentially misplaced TNT by punching it. Fences can now also be stacked which is useful for those attempting to use them artistically or who just want a really tall fence. The last major change was the addition of shears to trim trees and sheep.

Check out these changes in action with Minecraft’s official 1.7 update video.