Our Nether Portal is encased in Cobblestone (one block either side of the Obsidian on the Nether side) and has two closed doors either side, yet somehow the Zombie Pigmen still keep coming through our Nether Portal into the Overworld.
Does anyone know why this is happening? If so, is there a way to stop it? Our Portal in the Overworld is also encased and hidden away behind a wall in our base, but the noise they make is getting a bit annoying
Unfortunately, they aren't actually coming through the portal, but instead being spawned by the portal, so blocking off the Nether side of the portal doesn't work. See http://minecraft.gamepedia.com/Zombie_Pigman#Nether_portals for more info. I don't think this spawning is affected by light level, but only active portals do this, so you can deal with this by activating and deactivating your portal as needed (this can be automated with a redstone mechanism).
Regarding this redstone mechanism, you'll need to have two dispensers facing into the portal: one with a water bucket (to deactivate the portal) and one with flint and steel (to activate it). To control the portal, you just need to trigger the correct dispenser at the correct time. The simplest design just has the dispensers connected to two buttons: push one of them to activate the portal and push the other twice (to get it to pick up the water again) to deactivate it. It also has pressure plates just outside the portal to keep the water from pouring out.
"Roughly 95% of Minecraft players hate Villagers and would be very happy if they were removed. If you are one of the 5% who actually like villagers, copy this into your signature." -RainbowGirl
When you are in the overworld the nether is not loaded, so nothing can come through a portal from the nether. As others have said, Zombie Pigmen spawn in nether portals. This is why it is a good idea to keep your portal(s) in a contained space. A room or fenced in area will stop the pigmen from wandering loose in your world, and you can dispose of them and collect their drops.
I often build portals inside giant red mushrooms with an iron door (3x3 portal fits nicely). Here are two versions from my creative world. For the second one I use a sticky piston to push the center-front blocks down twice, then pull the top one back up. This creates a two high opening for a door, and a place to hang ladders (although I'll admit the one with the stairs is easier to get in and out of). The netherrack "torches" light the top to prevent hostile mob spawning, although you could use a normal torch as well (I just like the look of the netherrack torch).
If you click on the picture you'll see the one I built in my survival world out by my iron farm (back to return here). That one has an item shooter on the rear to keep my spawn chunks loaded when I'm in the Nether or the End.
Note that pigmen can travel through a portal from a loaded chunk, so while you are in the overworld a pigman can spawn there and then travel through the portal and end up in your nether base (and vice-versa).
And finally, more portal blocks = higher chance of pigman spawning. So larger portals = more pigmen. Keep your portals small to minimize the odds of pigmen spawning (minimum size is 2 wide by 3 tall at the time of this post).
Besides the on/off redstone circuit solution above, the other thing I like to do is put two wooden trap doors in front of the portal and open them once I return from the nether. The zombie pigmen fall down in a water flow that pushes them into a drowning trap with a hopper underneath to collect any drops. You don't get a lot of drops but at least no annoying pigmen running around.
Besides the on/off redstone circuit solution above, the other thing I like to do is put two wooden trap doors in front of the portal and open them once I return from the nether. The zombie pigmen fall down in a water flow that pushes them into a drowning trap with a hopper underneath to collect any drops. You don't get a lot of drops but at least no annoying pigmen running around.
Our Nether Portal is encased in Cobblestone (one block either side of the Obsidian on the Nether side) and has two closed doors either side, yet somehow the Zombie Pigmen still keep coming through our Nether Portal into the Overworld.
Does anyone know why this is happening? If so, is there a way to stop it? Our Portal in the Overworld is also encased and hidden away behind a wall in our base, but the noise they make is getting a bit annoying
Unfortunately, they aren't actually coming through the portal, but instead being spawned by the portal, so blocking off the Nether side of the portal doesn't work. See http://minecraft.gamepedia.com/Zombie_Pigman#Nether_portals for more info. I don't think this spawning is affected by light level, but only active portals do this, so you can deal with this by activating and deactivating your portal as needed (this can be automated with a redstone mechanism).
Regarding this redstone mechanism, you'll need to have two dispensers facing into the portal: one with a water bucket (to deactivate the portal) and one with flint and steel (to activate it). To control the portal, you just need to trigger the correct dispenser at the correct time. The simplest design just has the dispensers connected to two buttons: push one of them to activate the portal and push the other twice (to get it to pick up the water again) to deactivate it. It also has pressure plates just outside the portal to keep the water from pouring out.
Links to Mods: EndPlus | Deeper Caves | FarLands
"Roughly 95% of Minecraft players hate Villagers and would be very happy if they were removed. If you are one of the 5% who actually like villagers, copy this into your signature." -RainbowGirl
Yeah, what Valiec said. They don't come through, (although, that can happen too) they are spawned by the portal blocks.
These aren't the Pigmen you're looking for ...
Mintutor now works in 1.13!
MrKite & Mc_Etlam ... I salute you!
When you are in the overworld the nether is not loaded, so nothing can come through a portal from the nether. As others have said, Zombie Pigmen spawn in nether portals. This is why it is a good idea to keep your portal(s) in a contained space. A room or fenced in area will stop the pigmen from wandering loose in your world, and you can dispose of them and collect their drops.
I often build portals inside giant red mushrooms with an iron door (3x3 portal fits nicely). Here are two versions from my creative world. For the second one I use a sticky piston to push the center-front blocks down twice, then pull the top one back up. This creates a two high opening for a door, and a place to hang ladders (although I'll admit the one with the stairs is easier to get in and out of). The netherrack "torches" light the top to prevent hostile mob spawning, although you could use a normal torch as well (I just like the look of the netherrack torch).
If you click on the picture you'll see the one I built in my survival world out by my iron farm (back to return here). That one has an item shooter on the rear to keep my spawn chunks loaded when I'm in the Nether or the End.
Note that pigmen can travel through a portal from a loaded chunk, so while you are in the overworld a pigman can spawn there and then travel through the portal and end up in your nether base (and vice-versa).
And finally, more portal blocks = higher chance of pigman spawning. So larger portals = more pigmen. Keep your portals small to minimize the odds of pigmen spawning (minimum size is 2 wide by 3 tall at the time of this post).
Besides the on/off redstone circuit solution above, the other thing I like to do is put two wooden trap doors in front of the portal and open them once I return from the nether. The zombie pigmen fall down in a water flow that pushes them into a drowning trap with a hopper underneath to collect any drops. You don't get a lot of drops but at least no annoying pigmen running around.
by c0yote
I tried it with terrible results. I gave my wife my glasses for a second, a creeper showed up and now my wife is pregnant.
Stupid 3D..
That is a pretty simple solution.