Minecraft and Mojang news, plus awesome community goings-on - enjoy! Back to Top

Herobrine's Mansion 2: an Adventure Map

Did you play the first Herobrine Mansion, by Hypixel?  If not, you have to try this one out - you won't forget it, I promise.  Give it a watch, then give it a try!

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"The Miner", a Parody Music Video

Ever heard "The Figher" by Gym Class Heroes?  Even if you haven't, it's hard not to appreciate this catchy parody of the song by videographer AntVenom, give it a watch! Back to Top

Sometimes, it is hard to understand a game's development process.  How does a programmer succinctly explain how things are added, removed, changed, improved?  Here is one way of going about it!

So, what are you looking at here?  Each dot represents a unique file, and its color represents a different file type.  Links between files are folders.  Whenever someone flies by and "zaps" a file, it means they did something with it in real life.  You can see as people work on new features or bugs, as they'll fly past certain files and zap them as they go.  Neat!

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Want to try out Marvel Heroes' beta this weekend?  Click the image above, but don't delay - keys are going fast, and the event is only for the weekend!

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A bit of a deviation from the usual Snapshot, this one is an early look at 1.5.1 - which contains a number of fixes and tweaks for 1.5 - before its release next week.  What does it have?

• Ender Dragon can still grief stuff like cobblestone and chests even if the gamerule mobGriefing is set on false.
  
• White stitching on polygon edges / White lines or black dots between blocks
  
• Unable to combine enchanted books for a higher level enchant.
  
• Hopper doesn't try to place items from other slots if unable from first.
  
• Fire doesn't show on 8 layered snow and hopper
  
• Long scoreboard objective titles can be offset screen
  
• Breaking a Container with Items that is connected via a solid block with a Comparator does not update the Comparator
  
• Falling Block entities start visually falling from 1 block higher than they were placed
  
• Paintings popping out / cannot place new ones
  
• a few Minecraft Realms changes

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The moment we've all been waiting for is finally here - the 1.5 Redstone Update is now live!  Now, I know you want to jump into this massively awesome update head-first, so let's see what was added!

1.5 Features:

• Added Redstone Comparator (used in Redstone logic)
  
• Added Hopper (collects items and moves them to containers)
  
• Added Dropper (similar to Dispensers, but always drops the item)
  
• Added Activator Rail (activates TNT Minecarts)
  
• Added Daylight Sensor
  
• Added Trapped Chest
  
• Added Weighed Pressure Plate
  
• Added Block of Redstone
  
• Added Nether Brick (item)
  
• Added Nether Quartz and ore
  
• Added Block of Quartz, with half blocks and chiseled variants
  
• New command: /scoreboard
  
• New command: /effect
  
• Containers and mobs can have custom names
  
• Inventory management has been changed, for example you can drag-place items over slots
  
• Texture packs now have separate images for each block and item, and can have animations
  
• Nether Quartz Ore now spawns in the Nether
  
• Smooth lighting now has three settings (none, minimal, maximum)
  
• More detailed death messages
  
• Some hostile mobs now are harder in Hard difficulty
  
• Many, many, bug fixes - more than you can shake a stick at
  
• Removed Herobrine

Please note: There is a scheduled 1.5.1 update in the very near future, to iron out some of the few remaining issues with 1.5, and it will be coming soon.  Tomorrow's Snapshot will reveal more of what is to come, so keep an eye out!

You might be wondering where to start, or what sort of indescribably cool thing to create first.  With so many new items, commands, and blocks, it's almost impossible to know where to start first!  I don't have any good advice for that, except to show you something SethBling made with the 1.5 assets in the pre-release:

Rocket golem, or gassy golem - you decide!

The 1.5 release is a big one, and there is so much to do!  What is your favorite part of the update?  Tell us about it! Back to Top

This week's Minecraft News covers 1.5, the XBLA skin pack on the horizon, and more - enjoy! Back to Top

After weeks of hard testing, fixing, re-testing, and fixing even more, the 1.5 Pre-Release is now ready for testing!  We are in the final stretch for 1.5, and while it has taken a little longer than many expected, there is a silver lining!  Tons of features were added for the Redstone Update, and a landslide of bugs were swept away, to make sure the final release was as smooth and easy as possible.

Ready to see a feature list this time, instead of just bug fixes?  Here you go!

1.5 Pre-Release Features:

• Added Redstone Comparator (used in Redstone logic)
  
• Added Hopper (collects items and moves them to containers)
  
• Added Dropper (similar to Dispensers, but always drops the item)
  
• Added Activator Rail (activates TNT Minecarts)
  
• Added Daylight Sensor
  
• Added Trapped Chest
  
• Added Weighed Pressure Plate
  
• Added Block of Redstone
  
• Added Nether Brick (item)
  
• Added Nether Quartz and ore
  
• Added Block of Quartz, with half blocks and chiseled variants
  
• New command: /scoreboard
  
• New command: /effect
  
• Containers and mobs can have custom names
  
• Inventory management has been changed, for example you can drag-place items over slots
  
• Texture packs now have separate images for each block and item, and can have animations
  
• Nether Quartz Ore now spawns in the Nether
  
• Smooth lighting now has three settings (none, minimal, maximum)
  
• More detailed death messages
  
• Some hostile mobs now are harder in Hard difficulty
  
• Many, many, bug fixes
  
• Removed Herobrine

Try out 1.5 early today, and enjoy! Back to Top

A new Skin Pack is on the horizon for everyone's favorite console sandbox game!  Until recently, there were not many details known about the still-highly-elusive pack.  However, in recent days, there have been a number of skins revealed, including (but not limited to) Dragon Age skins, and even skins from Borderlands 2!

These skins are going to be available as part of the larger skin pack that will most likely retail at 160MSP, as all previous skin packs have gone for. Of course, this isn't the first time we've seen Minecraft and Borderlands 2 cross paths - remember the creeper caves?  You can check out more details about the new BL2 skins over at FPS General, and as always, keep an ear to the ground right here as we set out sights on the most awesome skin pack yet!

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The 1.5 pre-release is expected tomorrow!  In the meantime, help test out the latest round of Snapshot goodness!

Notable changes:

• Dispensers and droppers will now only fire once when they receive a redstone signal. To fire again, the signal must be turned off and on again. (Previously a dispenser would fire whenever it had a signal and a nearby block changed.)
  
• Redstone and components stay powered after unloading chunks
  
• Dispenser and Dropper shooting out when updated
  
• Server crashes if spaces are input on the console
  
• Night Vision Potions that are edited to last longer create a potentially seizure-inducing flashing sky background.
  
• Furnace interface occasionally closes when adding fuel, deleting all items in the furnace
  
• Named Mobs Don't have Named Babies
  
• Getting into a minecart with a mob in it crashes minecraft
  
• 2 Hoppers funneling unstackable items into a 3rd Hopper at the same time cause the 3rd Hopper to not funnel items into a container
  
• Dispensers continually shoot/use certain items like water buckets and flint&steel
  
• Comparators still giving off power when hopper inventory is empty
  
• Animals can breed over distances up to almost 8 blocks when only seperated by fences
  
• Message "THIS TOO" in console
  
• Full hoppers feeding into full hoppers causes the forward hopper to stall
  
• Adding items to brewing stand using dropper does not change state of comparator

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Want to join use at our massive PAX East party?  Cliock for details!

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It wasn't too long ago that I talked about the rewards program for uploading custom content to Bukkit, where modders and texturepack artists could make money off of their downloads without third-party advertising services. However, did you know that maps were included in the list of "stuff I make that can make me money"? It's true!

Great, so now you have uploaded your map to Bukkit, and are ready for those sweet reward points to start rolling in. How do you tell people around the forum about your awesome new map, complete with easy download links? How about a custom forum widget?

A widget like this one!

You can use this custom widget - complete with your map name, game version, download numbers, and download button - anywhere on the Minecraft Forum! Put it in your map thread, to streamline downloads for users. How do you use the widget? It's a lot easier than you think! Still, what are the exact steps for getting your map out there, and earning points? Let's break it down.

Uploading and Sharing Your Maps

• Visit this link, and fill out the form to upload your map
  
• Start earning points automatically - you don't need to enroll, or do anything to start earning points
  
• As you earn points, spend them on Amazon gift cards or cash in the Bukkit Store
  
  

That's it, nothing more to it! Points are automatically earned from downloads, and spending your points on cash rewards is super-easy. In addition, future front-page articles spotlighting maps will use your forum widget, so other players can download your map with ease, and you can earn the points you deserve!

Map makers, like many community content creators, have used third-party advertising links for their work, to give players a way to show their support without having to donate out of pocket. Still, third-party advertising links can be unreliable, or even disruptive, to the downloading process. The advantage to players who want your maps is clear - click a link, get your map, no annoying pop-ups along the way! You get supported for your awesome creation, players get your awesome creation hassle-free, everyone wins. What are you waiting for? Upload your maps, and start earning real money for your work, today!

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