IMO, Trapdoors really aren't that useful right now, mostly because of how they're faced when placing them.
My suggestion would be to allow players to flip them upside down so when placed they create a flat surface that can be walked over just like regular doors can be set at the player's choosing, instead of being below the surrounding surface blocks creating a hole to be jumped over or the need for raised blocks around them.
Right now, building anything with the trapdoor is sloppy work, and placing redstone to make them work well usually is a messy ugly job as well.
Wasn't sure if there are plans to update them, they really do need some changes to be more useful.
Also, Steel trapdoors would be great.
And if possible, allow water and lava to pass through trapdoors when opened.
I posted in one of the other trapdoor threads, we wouldn't even need Doors if trapdoors were changed to any-direction hatches, and if two were placed next to each other in the same orientation, they become synchronized.
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IMo what would be really useful are both trap-door (hatches) for mobs, and seperately a flood gate (grates) to control only lava/water flows that work as single blocks like trap-doors.
Both allowing for up/down placement for really complex traps and devices.
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Everybody should vote for changing them so they work both ways.
Enough people like them the way they are so you can't just flip them. Those people would not be effected by changing them so they work both ways.
Enough people don't like them and find them useless the way they are (probably the majority) that the additional ability of placing them so they fold down would make them a lot more useful.
Um, I'd like to argue trapdoors not being very useful if you don't mind:
I'd like to argue the point where they are useful for making pez dispensers.
The mine-cart glitch was useful, that was removed. The ladder glitch was useful, that was removed. The water-ladder glitch was useful, that was removed. There is no guarantee that this will always continue to function. Also this same function was done by doors even before hatches were added.
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Playing Minecraft since [Friday, March 19, 2010, 9:20:21 PM] (First indev world save)
Thats the whole point though, trapdoors need to be both ways, but not be forced to 1 way or the other so it won't break anyone's work that they've already spent time building.
Not sure if it will be as easy to fix as that though, as I don't know how the hex assignments work.
My suggestion would be to allow players to flip them upside down so when placed they create a flat surface that can be walked over just like regular doors can be set at the player's choosing, instead of being below the surrounding surface blocks creating a hole to be jumped over or the need for raised blocks around them.
Right now, building anything with the trapdoor is sloppy work, and placing redstone to make them work well usually is a messy ugly job as well.
Wasn't sure if there are plans to update them, they really do need some changes to be more useful.
Also, Steel trapdoors would be great.
And if possible, allow water and lava to pass through trapdoors when opened.
Besides, did anyone do a public poll about it? see, useful isn't it?
http://www.minecraftforum.net/topic/340651-downward-opening-trapdoors/
Playing Minecraft since [Friday, March 19, 2010, 9:20:21 PM] (First indev world save)
I think both have uses, thats why I made a new poll.
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Both allowing for up/down placement for really complex traps and devices.
For me, that would be perfection.
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If they can have multiple facings, it won't break anyone's work and will allow for other uses as well.
Enough people like them the way they are so you can't just flip them. Those people would not be effected by changing them so they work both ways.
Enough people don't like them and find them useless the way they are (probably the majority) that the additional ability of placing them so they fold down would make them a lot more useful.
I'd like to argue the point where they are useful for making pez dispensers.
The mine-cart glitch was useful, that was removed. The ladder glitch was useful, that was removed. The water-ladder glitch was useful, that was removed. There is no guarantee that this will always continue to function. Also this same function was done by doors even before hatches were added.
Playing Minecraft since [Friday, March 19, 2010, 9:20:21 PM] (First indev world save)
Not sure if it will be as easy to fix as that though, as I don't know how the hex assignments work.
Doors still only have 8 placements
OPEN-north/south/east/west
CLOSED-Open-north/south/east/west
Trap-doors will need 16 placements if allowed for both ways and being directional.
OPEN-UP-/north/south/east/west
OPEN-DOWN-/north/south/east/west
CLOSED-UP-/north/south/east/west
CLOSED-DOWN-/north/south/east/west
And then do it all again for Steel Trap-doors
I suppose Pistons will be doing this to some extent, now being able to create flood gates and such with them.