In an exciting development for the Marist University community, a new Minecraft server is taking shape, designed to foster creativity, collaboration, and connection among students. Spearheaded by Noah Yurasko, the President of the Student Government Association for the Class of 2028, this project aims to create four distinct worlds, each tailored to different aspects of gameplay and interaction.
Unique Worlds for a Unique Experience
The proposed worlds include:
- Adventure Showcase World: A meticulously crafted one-to-one replica of the Marist campus, allowing players to explore and learn about the university in an innovative way.
- Creative Building World: A space dedicated to freeform creativity, where students can unleash their architectural talents.
- Survival Factions World: A competitive environment where players can form factions and engage in survival challenges.
- Survival Collaborative World: A cooperative space designed for teamwork and joint projects.
The Adventure Showcase World stands out as a particularly engaging feature, offering prospective students a virtual tour of the campus. Yurasko shared that the idea originated late last year when conversations with friends sparked the vision of a server that could serve the entire student body. “I thought it’d be nice to bring that social connection back to different areas on campus,” he reflected, drawing from his own experiences during the COVID-19 quarantine, where Minecraft became a platform for forging friendships.
Community Engagement and Development
On October 16, Yurasko reached out to the entire Marist student body via email, inviting interested students to participate in the project. The response was overwhelming, with 200 students filling out the interest form, 50 of whom expressed a desire to assist with the technical development of the server. Yurasko plans to refine this group to about 10 to 12 students who will contribute to IT, development, marketing, and social media efforts.
To ensure a safe and respectful environment, the server will require students to log in using their Marist email addresses, linking player names to their real identities. Yurasko believes this will help deter disruptive behavior. Furthermore, the division of worlds is intended to minimize conflicts between players with varying intentions. “With the collaborative world, we’re going to have a lot more hands-on features in place,” he explained, emphasizing the importance of designated build plots to maintain order.
Support from Faculty and Future Prospects
Despite initial skepticism from some quarters, Yurasko found support from faculty members at the Donnelly Data Center, including Chris Algozzine and Dominick Foti, who are eager to assist with the server’s backend development. This collaboration marks a significant step forward for the project, which Yurasko hopes to launch by the end of the semester.
Once operational, the server will provide Marist students with a platform to build, create, and connect, enriching the campus experience in a novel and engaging way. As the project progresses, the anticipation within the community continues to grow, promising a vibrant digital space for collaboration and creativity.
