I'm downloading Minecraft for the first time. Will I need to buy anything?
This is the first time I'm seeing Minecraft. I don't know what it is I've never played it. I saw a "Buy now" button but I didn't press it. I instead clicked on a button that said download and I started downloading the 270KB .exe file. Is there anything I will be missing out on by not buying the game???
You're not actually downloading Minecraft — you're downloading the official game launcher.
That launcher will, given valid log-in credentials (obtained by signing up and purchasing the game), download Minecraft and allow you to play it. So by not paying, you're missing out on the entire game, as it were.
You can play a free version of Minecraft here so you can get the basic idea of the game. But beware, the current version offers so much more than this classic version that to really make up your mind you should have played the full version.
To name few things you are missing out:
- Crafting (huge part of the game)
- Redstone circuits
- Survival mode (fight against mobs)
- Enchanting
- Alchemy
There are certainly many more I forgot to mention.
You are probably using the demo of Minecraft.
The demo is a free version that lasts for 100 minutes, but with no creative mode, multiplayer or skin changing.
As always when downloading, make sure you're downloading from official sources only, or you risk compromising the security of your computer.
You can purchase the full version for £17 - £20. It's good to use the demo first as it will allow you to determine whether or not your system can cope with the full version of the game, and it hasn't cost you any money to find out.