NB4 lock; requesting a sticky for this.
Kay so the Redstone update is less than two weeks away! THE NEW UPDATE IS COMING GUYS. They've been spending a lot of time cracking down on bugs and other issues, and this update will be bringing us a lot of new redstone features. I'll post the update itself and a few snapshot additions they added recently for everyone who hasn't been keeping up.
THE REDSTONE UPDATE
General
Rendering engine optimizations
Accelerated rendering, resulted in more frames per second.[5][6]
Lighting engine optimizations
Support for more realistic lighting.[7][8]
Lighting now interacts correctly with slabs and stairs.[9]
New Texture Packs format
Textures now use one PNG file per block or item, which are stitched together at runtime, texture sizes don't need to be consistent
Textures can be animated.
Animation frames are underneath each other in the same image.
Use a separate text file to specify frame order and duration.
Special rules apply for water, lava, compass, and clock.
Vanilla textures will be used if texture files are missing.
Support for HD texture packs.[10]
Support for HD fonts
Added Minecraft Realms
Currently a preview.
A Mojang server provider.
Only added to few randomly chosen players.
Used on Menu Screen, when activated.
Gameplay
Added Scoreboard system
Intended for map makers or server administrators.
Good for PVP servers.
Used via /scoreboard command or command block.
The scoreboard can be used to track deaths, players killing another player, players killing a mob, or players activating commands.
The complicated system uses a combination of name, display name, and criteria, and track an integer number of points for players.
Have Team mechanics including custom name colors, friendly fire options and objective tracking per team instead of per player.
Displays points below players nametags.
There is a SeeFriendlyInvisibles NBT tag for players
Better Inventory management
Double click items to fill the stack up as much as possible.
Drag item stacks around to divide them up over the dragged-over slots.
Drag item stacks around with the right mouse button to place one of that stack in each dragged-over slot, if that slot is not occupied already.
⇧ Shift+ double click items in a crafting area to place all items in the inventory.
⇧ Shift+ double click an item stack to move all other item stacks of that kind to that part of the inventory.
Pressing Q while the mouse is over an item in the inventory or a container to drop it
Held armor can be equipped by right-clicking.
Improved Death Messages
Now include the cause of death, the player the deceased player was fighting at time of death and name of the item used to kill.
Player fell off a ladder
Player fell off some vines
Player fell out of the water
Player fell from a high place
Player fell into a patch of fire
Player fell into a patch of cacti
Player got finished off by Player or Mob using Weapon
Player walked into a fire whilst fighting Player or Mob
Player was burnt to a crisp whilst fighting Player or Mob
Player tried to swim in lava while trying to escape Player or Mob
Player walked into a cactus while trying to escape Player or Mob
Player was slain by Player or Mob using Weapon
Player was killed trying to hurt Player or Mob
Improved Renaming
Improved renaming of Spawn Eggs
Mobs spawned from renamed eggs have the name of the egg and the names will appear in the death message.
Mobs can display their custom name as nametag using an NBT tag.
Mobs spawned from named Spawn Eggs display their name over their head when viewed within a 6 block radius.
Improved renaming of Containers
Renamed Chests, Trapped Chests, Dispensers, Furnaces, Brewing Stands, and Enchantment Tables display the new name in their GUI.
Renamed Command Blocks use their name in the chat.
Changed language files updating
Language files can now be updated via the background downloader.
No need for a new Minecraft release.
Options & Title Screen
Moved Texture Packs button to options menu, instead of title screen.
New chat settings in Multiplayer Settings.
Smooth Lighting can now be changed to Minimum, Maximum & Off.
Minimum uses the old Smooth Lighting, and Maximum fixes a bug with stairs.
Scale, Focused Height, Unfocused Height and Width is now configurable.
Improved Creative Mode
All potions are categorized
In Creative mode, you can hit mobs or players from five blocks away
New commands
/testfor command
It tests for whether specified player is online (testfor [player]), or at specified coordinate and/or in radius (testfor @p[x,y,z], testfor @p[r=radius] or testfor @p[x,y,z,r=radius])
Signal output to any Redstone Comparators surrounding the command block like testing content of a chest
/effect command
Usage: /effect <player> <effect> [seconds] [amplifier]
To remove effects: /effect <player> <effect> 0
Maximum number of seconds are 1,000,000
Amplifier increases level of the chosen status effect
Blocks & Items
Added Redstone Comparator
Based on the idea of the Capacitor
The crafting recipe is 3 Redstone Torches, 1 Nether Quartz and 3 Stone
It is the same as a repeater, but with 2 inputs
If input A is stronger or equal to input B, it either repeats the signal or outputs the difference between A and B, so this can be used to make redstone contraptions like easier Piston Doors.
Output is toggleable by right clicking.
If input A is weaker than input B, then there is no output.
All containers output a redstone signal when a Redstone Comparator is placed against it directly. The strength of it depends on how full the container is and what disc number is used in Jukebox
This works with Trapped Chests as well, meaning it can provide two redstone signals with different causes at the same time
Added Hopper
The crafting recipe is 5 iron ingots and 1 Chest
Places and takes out items in Hoppers, Chests, Furnaces, Minecart with Chests, Minecart with Hoppers, Dispensers, Droppers, and Brewing Stands
Allows for the automation of many processes collecting drops
Powering the Hopper now also stops it from [taking] in items EDIT: Releasing items [11]
The redstone signal emitted when a Comparator is placed against it directly
1 item will give a signal strength of 1, a third of a stack (21 for items which stack to 64) gives a signal strength of 2
The number of full stacks x 3 = Signal strength
Added Dropper
The crafting recipe is 7 Cobblestones and 1 Redstone
Places items in containers in front of them, if there is no container it will dispense the item without using it
A dispenser 'shoots' items at you, while a dropper 'throws' items at you[12]
Can face all 6 directions, with a different texture when facing up or down
Need redstone signal to drop items
Added Daylight Sensor
The crafting recipe is 3 Wooden Slabs, 3 Nether Quartz and 3 Glass blocks
Outputs a signal with a strength corresponding to the intensity of the sun
Will not work with torches, glowstone, ect. ONLY the sun.
Rain will affect the sensor's output.
Added Trapped Chest
The crafting recipe is 1 Chest, and 1 Tripwire Hook
Gives out a signal depending on the amount of players looking inside
Large Trapped Chests can be staggered with Large Chests to allow more compact storage
Transmit signal downward through one block. This does not apply horizontally [13]
Texture is slightly different than a normal chest, with a red stain around the latch
Added Weighted Pressure Plate
Used to detect item drops
Gold(light) version reaches full strength at 60 items
Iron(heavy) version reaches full strength at 600 items
Linear, so 10 strength signal means twice as many items as a 5 strength signal
Added Block of Redstone
The crafting recipe is 9 Redstones
Stores 9 Redstone
Emits constant redstone signal
Works as pushable redstone power source
Added Nether Quartz
Picked up when you break or smelt Nether Quartz Ore
Is a crafting ingredient for Daylight Sensors and Redstone Comparators
Can be crafted into decorative blocks.
Added Nether Brick (item)
Obtained by smelting Netherrack
Improved Nether Brick
The crafting recipe is now 4 Nether Brick (item)
Added Nether Quartz Ore
Drops 1 Nether Quartz item when mined
Can be smelted in a Furnace to obtain Nether Quartz
Can be legitimately obtained by Silk Touch enchantment
Drop more when picked up with Fortune enchantment
Added Block of Quartz
The crafting recipe is 4 Nether Quartzes in a square
Decorative block
Added Quartz Slab
The crafting recipe is 3 Block of Quartz
Can be placed upside down same all other slabs
Decorative block
Added Quartz Stairs
The crafting recipe is 6 Block of Quartz in a usual stair recipe
Can be placed upside down same all other stairs
Updated to corner same all other stairs
Added Chiseled Quartz Block
The crafting recipe is 2 Quartz Slabs
Decorative block
Added Pillar Quartz Block
The crafting recipe is 2 vertical Block of Quartz
Decorative block
Pillar Quartz Blocks can be placed sideways, using the side of the block to place similar to sideways Wood
Added Activator Rail
The crafting recipe is 2 sticks, 6 iron ingots and 1 redstone torch
Used to trigger Minecart with TNT
Used to stop item passing on Minecart with Hopper
Needs to be powered by redstone
Transmits redstone signal to 8 Activator Rails far
Improved Detector Rail
Redstone Comparators powered by them now give out a signal depending on the fullness of the container on the rail
Added activated detector rail texture
Improved Minecart
Added Minecart with TNT
The crafting recipe is 1 TNT and 1 Minecart
Triggered by Activator Rails
Explodes even more violently the faster it goes
In Creative mode when left clicked while moving, the Minecart with TNT explodes
Doesn't destroy rails and supporting blocks
Still blows up redstone materials
Added Minecart with Hopper[14]
Crafting recipe is a hopper on top of a minecart
Can only be emptied by passing over a hopper
Can pick up items from containers when it passes over
Added Minecart with Spawner entity[15]
Only obtainable with world editors
Have only the entity not the item
Uses the same NBT format as a normal Spawner
Retextured Lava
Updated texture
Improved Water
Creating an infinite water source no longer needs a block underneath, but has to have a water source block.
This means you won't ruin rivers or oceans with Buckets
Nerfed Bone Meal
Now picks a random stage of growth each time as opposed to automatically pushing them to the final growth stage
Saplings take 2-4 bone meal to sprout into a tree
Gives off green particles when used
Added and improved Double Slabs
43:8 is the "Smooth Stone Slab" and will remain so
43:9 is the "Smooth Sandstone Slab"
Improved Dispenser
Now equip armor to players that are up to 1 block away
Can place and activate TNT
Now use Bone Meal on a crop or sapling in front of them
Can create fire in front of them with Flint and Steel, which consumes durability
They can now face all 6 directions, and use a different texture when facing up or down
Removed Locked Chest texture
Now uses the "Missing Texture" texture
Fully implemented multiple snow heights
Drops one snowball for every layer of snow
Each level of snow has its own height collision
The topmost layer of snow does not have collision, so the player is always slightly sunken in the snow
Visually, four layers of snow is the same height as a slab. However, five layers of snow has the same collision height as a slab
Crafting recipe is 3 snow blocks in a row to create 6 snow layers
For each thin layer of snow crafted, the player loses exactly half the snowballs required to produce it
Improved Beacon
Increased range
1 layer: 20 blocks (previously 16)
2 layers: 30 blocks (previously 24)
3 layers: 40 blocks (previously 32)
4 layers: 50 blocks (previously 40)
Stairs
Improved lighting
Stairs no longer prevent sprinting
Mobs
New Skeleton Al
Now shoot from 16 blocks away, instead of 10
They now shoot faster when their target is closer
They shoot players one block away
New Zombie Al
They now alert other Zombies within a radius when they see a player
They get more powerful as they lose health
When on fire, they can now set players on fire
Now become aggressive and come towards you when shot from farther away
Improved all Mobs
Mobs no longer walk over rails unless they are pursuing the player
A way for mobs/entities to ride other mobs/entities using a NBT editor or Sethbling's MCEdit filter (Stack Entities). Can be found here
They no longer dismount upon reload
Mobs can now be spawned riding other mobs
Allows for a lot of customization, including "riding" bats by spawning a bat with a minecart on top, spider jockeys and other crazy combinations
Players riding stuff will keep it when logging off (When logging off in a minecart, you will take it with you)
World Generation
Added Nether Quartz Ore to the Nether
Nether Quartz Ore is found in the Nether, there is an average of roughly 69 ores per chunk
Improved Abandoned Mineshaft item spawning
Now spawn items in Minecart with Chests, instead of Chests
RECENT SNAPSHOTS
March 4 -“ This snapshot spam will end soon, because we’re getting REALLY close now. We hope a pre-release will be out this week, but since we’ve had to bughunt for so long we need to push the official release until next week. „
Slime spawn rates now depend on the current moon phase
Added activated detector rail texture
March 1-
All potions are now categorized in Creative Mode
Added a SeeFriendlyInvisibles NBT tag for players
Improved /effect
Amplifier is no longer capped at 4
You can now remove effects by running /effect <player> <effect> 0
February 27-
Added an /effect command
Command: /effect <player> <effect> [seconds] [amplifier]
Maximum number of seconds are 1,000,000
Amplifier increases level of the chosen status effect
Maximum number for [amplifier] is 4
Added Minecraft Realms[4]
Only added to few randomly chosen players
Exactly 100 players were chosen[5]
Feature is accessed through button in the Menu Screen
February 26
Improved fonts
Fonts are now changeable
Added HD font support
Smooth Lighting can now be changed to Minimum, Maximum & Off
Minimum uses the old Smooth Lighting, and Maximum fixes a bug with stairs
Animated blocks and items in texture packs now require the animation definition
Updated language files
A way for mobs/entities to ride other mobs/entities
They no longer dismount upon reload
Mobs can now be spawned riding other mobs
Allows for a lot of customization
An example is a "flying" minecart that can still be rideable by spawning a bat with a minecart on top
Players riding on an entity will keep it when logging off (the entity will disappear along with you) and will still be riding the entity upon logging back on
February 14
FallingSand can be edited on a NBT now. Compound "TileEntityData". You can change to other tile entity
Slight optimizations to lighting
February 7
Improved lighting.
Some lighting optimizations
Added Minecart with Spawner
NBT structure is 100% the same as with normal mob spawners
It is not an obtainable item, but instead can only be added as an entity with map editors or filters such as this.[10]
January 31
Improved the scoreboard system
Added team mechanics including custom name colors, friendly fire options and objective tracking per team instead of per player
Added a new display type – Displays value below nametags
Added a new criteria type – health, ranging from 0 to 20
Increased beacon range
Effects are infinite upwards with the beam.
1 layer: 41 blocks diameter (previously 33)
2 layers: 61 blocks (previously 49)
3 layers: 81 blocks (previously 65)
4 layers: 101 blocks (previously 81)
Improved stairs
Improved lighting
Stairs no longer prevent sprinting
Rebalanced bonemeal
Everything now usually takes 2-3 uses to fully grow, but it's random
Fully implemented multiple snow heights
Drops one snowball for every layer of snow
Each level of snow has its own height collision
The topmost layer of snow does not have collision, so the player is always slightly sunken in the snow
Visually, four layers of snow is the same height as a slab. However, five layers of snow has the same collision height as a slab
Crafting recipe is 3 snow blocks in a row to create 6 snow layers
For each thin layer of snow crafted, the player loses exactly half the snowballs required to produce it