Why does the custom skins system not work in older versions of minecraft? Recently I wanted to play on Alpha 1.2.6, but when I entered my world, I saw that instead of my skin, a regular Steve. Later I found out that such a problem with skins goes up to version Realese 1.7.6, in all versions up to this skins does not work, but why?
No, that is only a newer skin format - custom skins were added in Classic, one of the earliest versions of the game, or perhaps Alpha 1.2.2 (as described in the Wiki they can now be "freely edited") - the real problem is that older versions used a different skin server which was shut down years ago:
Java Edition Classic
June 13, 2009 Custom player skins are tested.
0.0.18a Custom skins released.
Java Edition Alpha
v1.2.2 Player skins can now be freely edited.
Java Edition
1.8 14w03a Skins have received an overhaul; right and left legs/arms can now be edited independently and the hat layer now counts for the whole body, meaning overlays can now be added on skins.
You can get around this by using a resource pack to replace "steve.png", or in older versions, a texture pack to replace "char.png" (note that it MUST be 64x32; 1.7.x versions that use the newer skin server only use the top half, this does mean that both arms and legs will be the same and only the head has a second layer; with a bit of editing you could manually merge the layers, "Alex" style skins will also need the arms to be edited to 4 pixels wide).
Also, even versions which do not support resource/texture packs can still be changed by replacing the textures inside the jar file for the version, though you'll need to make a "custom version" or the launcher will redownload a clean copy (this is also why old modding guides no longer work, the old launcher only updated the game files if you told it to but the 1.6+ launcher automatically checks file integrity on every launch).
Why does the custom skins system not work in older versions of minecraft? Recently I wanted to play on Alpha 1.2.6, but when I entered my world, I saw that instead of my skin, a regular Steve. Later I found out that such a problem with skins goes up to version Realese 1.7.6, in all versions up to this skins does not work, but why?
The custom skin (double layer skin) was introduced with Minecraft 1.8
https://minecraft.fandom.com/wiki/Java_Edition_1.8#General_2
Thank you!)
No, that is only a newer skin format - custom skins were added in Classic, one of the earliest versions of the game, or perhaps Alpha 1.2.2 (as described in the Wiki they can now be "freely edited") - the real problem is that older versions used a different skin server which was shut down years ago:
WEB-985 skins.minecraft.net is responding with 404 for all skins
You can get around this by using a resource pack to replace "steve.png", or in older versions, a texture pack to replace "char.png" (note that it MUST be 64x32; 1.7.x versions that use the newer skin server only use the top half, this does mean that both arms and legs will be the same and only the head has a second layer; with a bit of editing you could manually merge the layers, "Alex" style skins will also need the arms to be edited to 4 pixels wide).
Also, even versions which do not support resource/texture packs can still be changed by replacing the textures inside the jar file for the version, though you'll need to make a "custom version" or the launcher will redownload a clean copy (this is also why old modding guides no longer work, the old launcher only updated the game files if you told it to but the 1.6+ launcher automatically checks file integrity on every launch).
TheMasterCaver's First World - possibly the most caved-out world in Minecraft history - includes world download.
TheMasterCaver's World - my own version of Minecraft largely based on my views of how the game should have evolved since 1.6.4.
Why do I still play in 1.6.4?
Thank you!