Early on the way to learn was pretty much that -- dick around without a clue of what you're supposed to do, and inevitably you figure out that you can punch trees, collect the wood, break the wood into planks, break the planks into sticks, and if you're really lucky you'll figure out how to make a wooden shovel or something just in time to have the sun go down and you go WTF as you stumble around in pitch darkness and get blown up by kamikaze shrubs.
This was of course the most confusing and aggravating game experience ever, which is why you then took one of your unfortunate buddies and have him play while you watch and laugh your ass off when he suffers the same terrible fate.
And that's why Minecraft is the best game ever.