I'm like you, in that it doesn't appeal to me, but I think it's largely due to how much free time you have (or how much free time you make for yourself) – I can see how teenage-me would've loved it, but it seems too pointless to an adult me. I think it comes down to the question: is the end result of creating your own world worth the time investment you put into it?
When I game these days it usually has to have a good narrative so I can get something from it, rather than something open-ended and "pointless" like Minecraft or an MMORPG. Even the social elements of an MMORPG doesn't seem worth it, given the time-sink of all the level grinding and learning arcane key combinations and the like...
If you're playing a single player world, sure it can lose its appeal pretty quickly.
But sharing your creations with your friends... walking them through something you just built... or going on adventures for specific resources together is soooooo much fun.
Everyone on voice chat via Mumble, with the Minecraft Wiki open on a second monitor....
Thats what minecraft is all about. I think a large part of its appeal has todo with it working so well in conjunction with other things. Like wiki softawre, and voice chat software, etc. Combine all these together and you really do have something special and infinitely entertaining.
When I game these days it usually has to have a good narrative so I can get something from it, rather than something open-ended and "pointless" like Minecraft or an MMORPG. Even the social elements of an MMORPG doesn't seem worth it, given the time-sink of all the level grinding and learning arcane key combinations and the like...