You can indeed make machines with redstone and whatnot.

But most people don't do that, they just build things; it's like playing with regular LEGO, but writ large.

I played a bit, back in the early days. On our survival server we built a life-sized model of Salisbury Cathedral - none of this creative mode, no-working-for-your-blocks shit for us! If we wanted a gold block, we had to mine ore and smelt the fucker!

At some point, stood high up on the roof of the cathedral, filling in blocks, I had a moment of clarity. It's a massively absorbing waste of time, which is enormous fun, but ultimately, Drew's correct; it's like being really really good at Guitar Hero.

And the time investment can be huge - but it's amazing how quickly things get built when there's a few of you working in an organised manner.

I find Proteus to be more rewarding (as a plot-free, relaxing diversion) now, note least because I know that it's done and dusted in 45 minutes at a time; if I want to play an actual game, I prefer more plot-driven things like Fallout 3/NV, and Mass Effect. (In ME3 you can turn off the combat entirely, and just enjoy it like an interactive novel). Mass Effect 3's multiplayer is good for an occasional bout of organized murder, too.