Minecraft

[Owain Taggart]

Well, I guess that's one less thing we'll be seeing in our world then, unless it's different in multiplayer. Thing is, they should really fix that kind of thing to be seen in older worlds and that applies to anything new added in term of the world itself, since this is a game where people keep their worlds long term, which is something they encourage. So, they need to apply things like this to all worlds going forward no matter when they were created. It must be possible.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

I could always do a chunk prune with MCEdit or something. Chop out any chunks we haven't built anything in, and then let the server regenerate them, presumably with the new features.

 

[Jadzia]

^ Is it just a case of having the new blocks available to harvest, or are there hidden properties attached to regions of the gameworld that affects what mechanics are applied to that region.

If the former, what you might be able to do is to make a platform that's designated as the area where new types of blocks will be edited in, perhaps 10x10 bricks, and towered however high you want it.

Think of it as a temple, through which the gods deliver things to your world.

 

[Owain Taggart]

Then, shouldn't the client or server logically force chunk updates to the world whenever a change like this happens?

Jadzia, I'd say, it's a combination of both. There are different properties according to Biomes, such as forest, desert, etc, with blocks changing colours depending on how spread out a biome is, and there's also the fact that the world is procedurally generated as you explore. The game should logically say, "put long grass here!" and have it just be there regardless of how old the world is.

 

[TheGodBen]

While it would be nice if old worlds could generate the new block types, I can understand why Notch doesn't try to do that kind of thing. How would Emher and his friends feel when they log in after the 1.6 update to find long grass all over the pitch of their stadium? Besides, it provides me with a new excuse to explore new regions of the world.


I finally did something that I wanted to do ever since the halloween update: I built an igloo!

I thought that the ice-windows were a nice touch. Now the game just needs penguins and I'm set!


According to his twitter, Notch didn't realise that there were still huge bugs with 1.6.4 so he proceeded with Mojang's gaming Friday today. When he got home and found out, he decided to go into the office tomorrow to work on a new patch.

 

[Cutter John]

Now see, thats why I don't join the other children over on the forum who're busy cursing Notches name. He tries to fix things. But damn I hope things get settled soon. I'm seriously jonesing for multiplayer. Playing solo just isn't that much fun anymore.
On the plus side, I actually got my texture modded and reinstalled all on my own. The bad news of course is with another update on its way, I'll have to do it all over again.

And Ben, having grass on the stadium wouldn't be that big a problem. Just walk around and 'break' all the plants.
But I guess I'll never understand programming. Why should tall grass be anymore difficult to impliment into existing worlds than say weather or birch trees?

Great igloo btw.

 

[Owain Taggart]

Now you're talking, Cutter. Yeah, I don't see why it should be so difficult to implement on all existing worlds no matter when they were started. It's not too fun to have to restart everytime something new like this comes out. There should be a way to repopulate the existing world.

 

[TheGodBen]

But I guess I'll never understand programming. Why should tall grass be anymore difficult to impliment into existing worlds than say weather or birch trees?

Well, weather is global and the only weather properties stored in the save file are the two countdown timers (one for precipitation and one for lightening). As for birch trees, they weren't implemented in pre-existing worlds, you had to explore new chunks to find them.

It's just generally considered a good idea not to run a random script on save files. In fact, most strategy games force you to start a new game if you want all the features of a new patch for the same reason. Minecraft's random world generator is great most of the time, but it's still prone to errors (mismatching chunks, flowers under ice, dungeons filled with gravel...) so while forcing tall grass into old worlds might work 95% of the time, that still leaves the 100,000 people that just had the bottom level of their house replaced with shrubs.

 

[Owain Taggart]

Still, the least they could do is have tall grass spawn in newly generated spawns just like the birch trees. Tall grass is not that much of a problem if it suddenly appears on someone's floor if they have grass as a floor. One can just hack away at it if they don't like it. I don't see much of an inconvenience. Considering this is a long term game, and one with a persistent server in multiplayer, it's not like a static world that one can easily restart and is in fact a little much to ask for if people are invested in their world. It kind of goes against the nature of Minecraft. My hope is to find grass seeds from an unexplored chunk and spread it around.

 

[TheGodBen]

Still, the least they could do is have tall grass spawn in newly generated spawns just like the birch trees.

As far as I know, it does. I haven't explored yet to find out, but if you explore some new chunks the tall grass should show up.

Tall grass is not that much of a problem if it suddenly appears on someone's floor if they have grass as a floor.

But it would be if it overwrote part of the walls and replaced chests. I mean, Notch released a major bug-fix update that ended up causing major game-braking bugs, do you really trust him to write some code that can force blocks into your savefile without destroying parts of your creations?

Considering this is a long term game, and one with a persistent server in multiplayer, it's not like a static world that one can easily restart and is in fact a little much to ask for if people are invested in their world. It kind of goes against the nature of Minecraft.

But we can always just explore the world some more to find these new features. In a game that alleges to be 8 times the surface area of the Earth, I have only explored about 6-7km², so I could do with some encouragement to explore some more. I actually kind of like the fact that lapis lazuli is only generated in new chunks because it means that if I ever require it, I would have to go on an adventure, set up a base in a new area and make a new mine. It makes that resource seem special.

My hope is to find grass seeds from an unexplored chunk and spread it around.

I think the seeds you get from tall grass only plant wheat. I don't think there's a way of planting tall grass without hacking it into your inventory.

 

[Cutter John]

It especially doesn't make sense to because the Wildgrass mod which does basically the same thing (and even grows over time) has been out for months now.

Anyway, latest reports are that Notch is busily working this Saturday on yet another version of the update. No word on when it'll be out though.

I've been running around in a newly created world and the new grass and plants really are neet. I just have to remeber to not jump off things. No auto healing in singleplayer! And you can pretty much wander around crunching grass blocks. As far as I know they don't regenerate.

 

[Cutter John]

1.6.5 just hit the street. No major problems reported yet.

Except now I have to reinstall all my $%&! textures!

I swear, how can folks stand to look at the vanilla game? Its so damn ugly.

 

[Hoser]

I swear, how can folks stand to look at the vanilla game? Its so damn ugly.

I like it. It holds similar feelings to Mario Bros and Legos.

 

[Owain Taggart]

Is it just my imagination or do stairs work weird since the update? It's as if you go up two stairs at a time.

 

[Canadave]

I've been running around in a newly created world and the new grass and plants really are neet. I just have to remeber to not jump off things. No auto healing in singleplayer! And you can pretty much wander around crunching grass blocks. As far as I know they don't regenerate.

There is autohealing in SP, but you have to be on peaceful.

 

[TheGodBen]

Is it just my imagination or do stairs work weird since the update? It's as if you go up two stairs at a time.

They feel clunkier alright. I think this happened once before, then they became smoother again, but my mind may be playing tricks on me.

Big news from Notch: Beta 1.7 will be the adventure update, which probably means... something. Pigmen villages? New monsters? Fiery lemons? Nobody knows, but it sounds exciting.

 

[Owain Taggart]

Ohhh, very nice. I wonder if this means they can be discovered in multiplayer? I'd love to discover pigmen villages and then establishing trade routes with them.

 

[Itisnotlogical]

I don't like the idea of NPC villages. That means there will already be pre-built structures. Half the fun of the game is making your own buildings. If Pigmen villages show up anywhere near my Forest of Lights, I will burn them to the ground.

 

[TheGodBen]

I don't like the idea of NPC villages. That means there will already be pre-built structures. Half the fun of the game is making your own buildings.

You'd still build your own structures, and I doubt that their buildings would be much more than some wooden or cobble rectangles. Pigmen villages would just give you someone to interact with if you choose to. Friendly villages could trade items with you and living with them could provide a defence benefit as they'd fight the monsters too. Imagine a scenario where you're exploring the world when the sun starts to go down, but you find a tribe of friendly pigmen and get to hunker down with them for the night. Alternatively, hostile tribes would be a serious threat as they could gang up on you like the zombie pigmen do if you attack one.

Building in Minecraft is only limited by my imagination, but exploring is limited by the fact that there's not much to see or do in the world. In my first week with the game, I explored my world to get my bearings. When the halloween update came out, I explored to find some of the new biomes. I've barely explored at all since then, so I'm waiting for that next big thing that will give me a reason to build a boat, pack a compass and head out in a direction of my choosing.

 

[Owain Taggart]

Yeah, I agree. Villages seem to be a good way to get people out there to explore, because currently there isn't really all that much to get people exploring other than looking for resources.