Massive congratulations to Edge magazine. The stellar publication has been around for 20 years! To celebrate, their 258th issue comes in 20 different flavours, and one of those flavours includes the earthly overtones of both Minecraft and Dungeons & Dragons. Junkboy drew it, and I worded it a few weeks ago. Click the image above to embiggen.

Be sure to visit Edge Online to check out the other 19 on offer. There are some awesome creations in there. Edge issue 258 has just gone on-sale.

Have a nice day!

Owen – @bopogamel

Hey hey!

I thought it was time I gave you an update on the world generator changes we’ve been working on. The last time we did any major changes to the generator was back in March 2012, when the jungle biome was added.

In case you don’t know what a “biome” is, it’s a climate zone used in the game to set what kind of surface the ground has (sand? grass?), whether it should rain or snow, what trees grow there, and sometimes also what kind of animals that are allowed to spawn there. The biome is also used to determine how hilly it should be, although this is a technical solution because biomes are generated before the elevation (the old generator created the elevation first, and decided on biomes based on elevation).

One reason why we rarely do changes to the world generator is because every little change off-sets the world seed and causes noticeable borders between new and old terrain. A lot of people don’t mind about these borders, but we still want to avoid creating them. So, in order to avoid needing to change the world generator again in the nearest future, we try to do as many changes now as possible.

There have been three main problems we have wanted to address:

• Too large oceans
• Too uneven/random biome placement
• Not enough variation

The solution to these problems have been,

• Tweaks to add more islands and checks to avoid huge oceans
• Biomes have been put into four main categories: snow-covered, cold, medium, and dry/warm. Biomes will avoid getting placed next to a biome that is too different to itself (sometimes this still happens, but it’s very rare now and not all over the place)
• We’ve added a whole bunch of new biomes…
• … and most biomes have uncommon/rare variations that you may run into
• We’ve also added a bunch of new terrain features, such as new flowers and trees

We’re not done yet, but here’s something to give you an idea of what has happened (click on the images for full resolution):

The scale of these maps is 16384×12288 blocks.

// The Minecraft Team

Hey!

Didn’t you get the memo? The forces of Decay have been unleashed upon the world!

In fact, it’s looking very lively over on Scrolls.com. You should probably check it out. Click the image above, or this highlighted text to see what I’m talking about.

You can buy Scrolls here. It’s super fun times!

Have a good day everyone!

Owen – @bopogamel

Sony fans rejoice! The rumours are true. Minecraft is indeed coming to PS3, PS4, and Vita. We’re delighted to spead the Minecraft love to a new family of consoles.

As previously confirmed, Minecraft is also coming to Xbox One. There’s no need to feel left out, no matter your choice of future console.

We’re not quite ready to share dates and details yet, but as soon as we are I’ll get them posted.

Have a good day everyone!

Owen – @bopogamel

Hey!

Just in-case you didn’t know, Scroll’s fourth faction – Decay – is shambling into game next week! It’s going to be horrific. Click the huge image for more info.

You can buy Scrolls at this handy link.

Have a nice day!

Owen – @bopogamel

Hello!

We’re extremely proud to announce that Cobalt – the first third-party game published by Mojang – has just been confirmed for Xbox 360 and Xbox One. You might have heard the news at Microsoft’s event at Gamescom in Cologne this morning. The game is being ported to console by FatShark AB.

Cobalt is a game about cyborgs, weapons and super slow-mo evasive manoeuvres, including combat rolls, rail slides, rocket punches and wall jumps. If you want to get one step ahead of the curve, you can download the Cobalt alpha for PC and Mac from playcobalt.com.

Pontus Hammarberg, one of the developers of Cobalt is well-chuffed with the news: “Since we started developing Cobalt it’s been obvious that the game would  feel right at home on a console. We’re working on a hefty single player campaign, but there’s nothing quite like experiencing the slow motion ballet of violence that is Cobalt with friends. Yeay!”

This year we’re holding our third MINECON event, and now that tickets are sold out and we are deep into planning I thought I’d give a little bit more info into the event and how/why we do some of the things we do for it.

MINECON is exciting to us. It’s a chance to bring together thousands of Minecraft players all in one place and give them a chance to meet each other and Mojang, and give people a really amazing experience involving a game that is so integrated into our lives.

TICKET SALES

We choose to keep MINECON limited to a relatively small group of people so that we can interact with them and give them the best experience possible. We split the ticket sales into 3 batches of 2500 to give people the most chance of being able to buy them when they are available, whether they have jobs, school or other things that could get in the way of any one specific time or day.

Tickets are completely sold out, and we don’t recommend buying them second hand from scalpers, because they are terribly expensive and there’s no way to guarantee that you will be getting genuine tickets. We also won’t be selling tickets at the door, because tens of thousands of people could show up, and our venue is planned for the 7500 tickets we sold.

While it would make us all happy to have everyone who wants to come be able to get tickets, it’s just not feasible with the size of community we have, so we had to choose what felt like it would be the best number for the event we want to give you.

AGE RESTRICTION

When the event company we hired looked into the minimum age requirements for an event like this, they were informed that 16yo and under should have an adult with them. After hearing from the community and doing a little more research we have decided to lower that to 13, so you don’t need a ticket for your parent if you are over 13. If you bought a parent ticket because of this age restriction and want a refund, contact us and we will put those tickets back up for sale.

LIVE STREAM

Like last year we will be live streaming much of the event. The entire time the show is going we will stream content, from the main panels to the show floor, sharing as much of the event as possible, as it happens, to people at home. After MINECON we will have the stream AND all the panels available to view on YouTube. We’ll give more information on the live stream as we get closer to the event, but we want as many people to know about and enjoy it as possible!

PRESS PASSES

Also like last year, we will not be giving out press passes. We wanted as many community members to be able to come as possible, so giving out free tickets to press didn’t make sense to us. Our community gets much of its Minecraft related news from YouTube Minecrafters anyway, so traditional press isn’t even the right channel for what we have going on, which is for the community and largely BY the community.

LET THERE BE CAPES!

Yes, there will be capes again for all ticket purchasers. We don’t have information on how that will happen or what they will be like, but you’ll hear before MINECON.

CONTENT

We will be announcing more about the event as plans get more solidified, we have some really cool things coming this year and as soon as things are confirmed we’ll get the word out to all of you. We want MINECON to be an event you’ll always remember, and we’re doing everything we can to make that possible.

More information on volunteers, panels and exhibitors is coming soon!

-Vu (@vubui)

MINECON tickets are here!

In an effort to be fair to people who have jobs or school and those with different schedules we’re releasing tickets in 3 batches to cover different days and times. Each batch is for 2500 tickets and you can purchase up to 6 tickets in one order, to cover families or groups of friends traveling together.

The release schedule is as follows:

Ticket Batch 1 – Wednesday July 31 @ 4pm PDT / 7pm EDT
Ticket Batch 2 – Friday August 2nd @ 7am PDT / 10am EDT
Ticket Batch 3 – Saturday August 3rd @ 12pm PDT / 3pm EDT

When you book your tickets you can also book hotels at our special MINECON rates. We have a variety of hotels available with different prices and different distances from the Convention Center.

Visit minecon.mojang.com to book! Tickets are $150 each, 3yo and under get in for free and don’t need a ticket!

MINECON will be held at the Orange County Convention Center and will be on November 2-3, times to be announced later (probably from around 10am to around 5pm each day).

More details will follow about activities at MINECON, but there will of course be panels from Mojang and many community members, an awesome tradeshow where you can check out cool products and services revolving around Minecraft, and of course lots of Minecraft merchandise for sale.

Volunteer and panelist submissions will be taken soon, details to come in the coming weeks.

Companies wishing to exhibit: email us for exhibitor information.

You might remember me posting about Minecraft Skin Studio for iOS. It’s a handy app that lets you design your Minecraft skin on your mobile device or tablet. You can also download other user’s skins for use in-game. A, frankly ludicrous, 500,000 skins are already available in the app.

Now Minecraft Skin Studio is available for Android. 57digial have redesigned the interface for your less fruity devices, and even made a new trailer to celebrate. Download it here.

Hope you have fun!

Owen – @bopogamel

The crafty chaps at 57 digital have just announced an exciting competition. It’s in celebration of a new update to Minecraft Papercraft Studio.

All you need to do it harness your crafting might, create an awesome papercraft diorama using Minecraft Papercraft Studio, and submit a picture of it to their tumblr.  We’re judging the top entries, then 57digitial are sending out awesome prizes, which you can see by clicking the  image above.

It’s probably worth taking advantage of their most recent update in your creation: Papercraft Studio now features “EasyCraft” tiles that let you turn a common cardboard box into something significantly more exciting. Here’s a video that explains how it works.

In other news, an Android version of Minecraft Papercraft Studio is currently in development. More on that soon.

Good luck!

Owen – @bopgamel

Seeds are strings of numbers and letters that can be used as a starting point for Minecraft worlds. Use the same seed as another player to create your landscape and you’ll end up in an identical environment.

Minecraft Seeds Pro is an app for iOS and Android that takes advantage of this. It’s a community-based resource that lets you search for specific seeds and discuss them with other users. You can also link your Minecraft account(s) to Seeds Pro and use it to keep in touch with friends. Soon, the app will include support for Minecraft videos too.

We thought it would be cool to show off the most popular seeds on each platform. Use the names of each seed (in bold) to generate your level. Download the app for more seeds. Have fun!

Minecraft PC/Mac

1. Rickrollin by Minecraft Seeds

2. 6038214531616065330 by Minecraft Seeds

3. Artomix by Minecraft Seeds

 Pocket Edition

1. CaptainSparklez by CreepyCreeper07

2. rainbow connection by JasonRice83

3. intercraft by Ryry0624

Xbox 360 Edition

2. 1385327417 by Sir_Veillance

2. +1995483789 by DeanoRYT

MODDED by Minecraft Seeds

Have a great week everyone!

Owen – @bopogamel

Update: 1.6.2 has been released to the launcher.

Here’s the pre-release for 1.6.2! We’re planning to post this release on Monday (July 8).

The patch is focused on sorting out bugs and issues that people have found. Notable bug fixes are:

• Fixed horses starting to suffocate when touching walls
• Fixed animals escaping their pens
• Improved sprinting behavior
• On Mac, holding Ctrl while left-clicking now counts as a right-click
• Custom fonts look better

Full list of fixes:

• [MC-149] – Powered pistons drop as items in creative
• [MC-1545] – Player's and Horses head while riding having strange behaviour when looking at the skin in the inventory
• [MC-2025] – Animals going out of fenced areas/suffocate in blocks when loading chunks
• [MC-2840] – Chat concurrency issues
• [MC-2841] – Packet flood degrades server peformance
• [MC-5770] – When putting a sign in front of water it keeps running
• [MC-7486] – Trapped Chest looks like Regular Chest in inventory / item frame
• [MC-12962] – Attacking wild Wolves with any kind of projectiles (Arrows, Snowballs, Potions) will cause any nearby tamed Wolves to attack their owner
• [MC-13167] – Reloading a world while player is in moving Minecart or riding a horse is glitchy in F5 mode
• [MC-13632] – Horses can be pushed into blocks and then take suffocation damage
• [MC-13695] – Ctrl+Click = Right Click on Mac not working
• [MC-13949] – Leads attached to mobs drop as items when right clicked in creative
• [MC-14157] – Numlock Enter not recognized as Return
• [MC-14359] – Direct Connect does not remember port
• [MC-14415] – rope part of the leash turns invisible in some angles
• [MC-15024] – Hay blocks can not be crafted back into wheat
• [MC-15161] – Gliding crosshair when on a saddled horse
• [MC-15547] – "Nether-Fortress-Only" Mobs no longer spawning in previously generated Fortresses
• [MC-16170] – Unarmored horses appear as wearing diamong armor
• [MC-16222] – Baby Zombies are far too fast
• [MC-16267] – Cannot change Horse Armor like Player Armor by clicking with another armor piece on slot
• [MC-16761] – Sprint does not happen straight away
• [MC-17673] – Distorted fonts when using a converted texturepack on startup
• [MC-18365] – Breaking sound and particles appear when placing water/lava into another source block
• [MC-18627] – The "clear" command is causing a player in creative mode to be unable to move items in their inventory.
• [MC-18828] – /clear command causes problems with animations of held items
• [MC-18976] – Health boost resets additional health every 30 seconds
• [MC-19082] – Signs placed on Fences don't have Text
• [MC-19585] – Trying to jump on an unsaddled Horse, then equipping it with a saddle makes the Horse jump automatically
• [MC-19592] – 1.5.2 clients show server 1.6.1 as 1.3 in Multiplayer screen
• [MC-19599] – Item Dupe
• [MC-19605] – the /playsound command does not work with @a when >1 player passes the query
• [MC-20050] – Minecraft 1.6.1 demo has crashed
• [MC-21145] – Demo crashes when unable to find 'name' of a bound mousebutton
• [MC-21172] – resourcepack crashes
• [MC-21436] – nested colors in json chat don't work
• [MC-22315] – Item Duplication by Mules/Donkeys
• [MC-22401] – Cannot pick block lead in creative.

To get the snapshot, use the new launcher available in the link below. To return to 1.5.2, simply start the old launcher and play as normal.

• Windows: https://s3.amazonaws.com/Minecraft.Download/launcher/Minecraft.exe
• Mac/OSX: https://s3.amazonaws.com/Minecraft.Download/launcher/Minecraft.dmg
• Linux/Other: https://s3.amazonaws.com/Minecraft.Download/launcher/Minecraft.jar

Server files:

• Cross-platform jar: https://s3.amazonaws.com/Minecraft.Download/versions/1.6.2/minecraft_server.1.6.2.jar
• Windows EXE: https://s3.amazonaws.com/Minecraft.Download/versions/1.6.2/minecraft_server.1.6.2.exe

Report bugs here:

• Minecraft issue tracker!

// The Minecraft and Minecraft Realms teams

Have you been wondering where Minecon 2013 will take place? Click play* and wonder no more! We’ll be posting more details soon.

*One globe was harmed during the making of this video.

It’s time! You’ve already heard all about it in the pre-release post, so go play it in the new launcher!

For those of you who also have access to Minecraft Realms, here’s the change-log regarding Realms:

• Added handling of invitations
• Added resetting realm with one of provided realm templates
• Added viewing backups for a realm and the ability to restore any of them
• Added setting the owner of a realm as game master operator
• Added confirmation screens for various actions (such as deleting a realm)
• Ability to leave someone else’s realm that previously accepted invitation for.
• Fixed game mode and game difficulty issue
• Minor GUI fixes for better usability

Get the new launcher here:

• Windows: https://s3.amazonaws.com/Minecraft.Download/launcher/Minecraft.exe
• Mac/OSX: https://s3.amazonaws.com/Minecraft.Download/launcher/Minecraft.dmg
• Linux/Other: https://s3.amazonaws.com/Minecraft.Download/launcher/Minecraft.jar

Get the server files here:

• Cross-platform jar: https://s3.amazonaws.com/Minecraft.Download/versions/1.6.1/minecraft_server.1.6.1.jar
• Windows EXE: https://s3.amazonaws.com/Minecraft.Download/versions/1.6.1/minecraft_server.1.6.1.exe

Texture packs have to be converted into Resource Packs, which support changing of sounds, languages and other assets. You can use this tool to convert them instantly: TextureEnder.jar

// The Minecraft and Minecraft Realms teams

Now I know it was quite a while ago we wrote something about Cobalt. That is becuase the guys have been working hard on putting all them nuts and bolts into the right places and now you can play Cobalt on your Mac! About time some would say, but we are really happy with this :)

I know that kinten and vraket have been working like crazy lately and it is finally paying off. The level editor has gotten crazy new features for you map creators and tonnes of bug fixes. And we will soon have a video of what more they have been working on (the adventure mode, this one is going to be epic!)

To buy/download Cobalt please go to playcobalt.com - when you click on the store link it says that it is Windows only, but that is because the Mac version is so new that the rest of our sites haven’t reacted to it yet.

For full change log and what more has been worked on, please visit this link

Update: 1.6.1 has been released to the launcher.

Woho! It’s time for a Minecraft 1.6 pre-release! This release is dubbed the “Horse Update”, but has a lot of other features, too. Also note, as already stated on this blog a couple of times, this update requires a new launcher. Download the launcher here:

• Windows: https://s3.amazonaws.com/Minecraft.Download/launcher/Minecraft.exe
• Mac/OSX: https://s3.amazonaws.com/Minecraft.Download/launcher/Minecraft.dmg
• Linux/Other: https://s3.amazonaws.com/Minecraft.Download/launcher/Minecraft.jar

This is the 1.6 update change-log:

• Added Horses
• Added Donkeys, Mules
• Added Horse Armor
• Added Leads
• Added Carpets
• Added Hardened Clay, Stained Clay
• Added Block of Coal
• Added Name Tags (item)
• Added Hay Bales
• Texture packs are now “resource packs” that also can hold sound etc
• Food meter is now drained when healed by full food meter
• Removed Herobrine

This version will officially be released Monday, July 1

Shoutouts to cpw (@minecraftcpw on twitter) for making old versions of Minecraft work in the new launcher, and of course to DrZhark (@DrZhark on twitter) for the Mo’ Creatures horses! Big thanks!

Here’s a list of the issues we’ve fixed since the snapshot yesterday:

• [MC-12569] – Sitting in minecart is higher than it should be
• [MC-13754] – Unable to tie mobs to fence with less than 2 leads
• [MC-14126] – Binding "sneak" to any mouse button and trying to mount an entity crashes the game
• [MC-14355] – Cant hit mobs while jumping on horses
• [MC-15270] – Pushing a leashed mob into a portal duplicates the Lead
• [MC-16467] – Attribute modifiers randomly run out when given via items
• [MC-17867] – "Resource packs" translation missing on crowdin.net
• [MC-17876] – Health Boost extra health vanishes on login
• [MC-17908] – Tamed wolf's health depleted upon world loading
• [MC-18247] – Health Boost and Absorption potions names do not show correctly.
• [MC-18294] – One can spam a server log using anvils
• [MC-18578] – Water sounds when placing water from a bucket to water source reproduce twice
• [MC-18645] – Game crashes with a single frame compass
• [MC-18661] – Strength Potions being nerfed unintentionally [Not related to other Strength issues]
• [MC-18713] – If a team name has "-" in it, the argument for seeing if anyone is in the team doesn't work
• [MC-18730] – Superflat customisation screen have format errors in Australian English / String is missing at crowdin.net
• [MC-18845] – Scoreboard "Health" out of sync (rounds down)
• [MC-18997] – Crash at launch of game with invalid language selection
• [MC-18999] – Using /kill sets health to 2 billion
• [MC-19029] – Instant health effect set to a 29, 61, 93…253 value kills any player without any death message

Get the server files here:

• Cross-platform jar: https://s3.amazonaws.com/Minecraft.Download/versions/1.6.1/minecraft_server.1.6.1.jar
• Windows EXE: https://s3.amazonaws.com/Minecraft.Download/versions/1.6.1/minecraft_server.1.6.1.exe

Report bugs here:

• Minecraft issue tracker!

// The Minecraft and Minecraft Realms teams

In case you haven’t seen the front page of the launcher recently, we’re gearing up to releasing 1.6 very soon. To prepare, here’s some more bug fixes! Don’t break them all at once!

• [BUG MC-1038] – Beacon Block Incorrect Texture When Surrounded by Blocks
• [BUG MC-2453] – Jack-o-lantern name is mispunctuated
• [BUG MC-6828] – Brewing stand feet's sides are transparent when placed against a wall
• [BUG MC-9026] – Splash potions particles are incorrect
• [BUG MC-9584] – Cactus texture error when near a wall
• [BUG MC-13774] – Mounting rideable entities (horses/boats/minecarts/pigs) underwater desyncs client/server (ghost mode)
• [BUG MC-14944] – Weighted pressure plates' names are too long to be renamed
• [BUG MC-16413] – Boats toss you off like horses
• [BUG MC-16828] – horses make the galloping sound + their original walking sound at the same time
• [BUG MC-16847] – Horse jump bar becomes stuck if player is kicked off / dismounts while charging a jump
• [BUG MC-16887] – Jumping Sideways on an Unsaddled Horse
• [BUG MC-17571] – Health overflow isn't removed when health boost ends
• [BUG MC-17675] – Sun jitters when time is set to zero and doDaylightCycle is false
• [BUG MC-17997] – Horse "Gelding"
• [BUG MC-18505] – Sitting direction does not fit when riding a horse
• [BUG MC-18632] – Player induced Horse Jumps negate the Jump Boost Effect
• [BUG MC-18633] – Lag then crash on LAN world
• [BUG MC-18941] – List of languages only contains English (US)

To get the snapshot, use the new launcher available in the link below. To return to 1.5.2, simply start the old launcher and play as normal.

• Windows: https://s3.amazonaws.com/Minecraft.Download/launcher/MinecraftDev.exe
• Mac/OSX: https://s3.amazonaws.com/Minecraft.Download/launcher/MinecraftDev.dmg
• Linux/Other: https://s3.amazonaws.com/Minecraft.Download/launcher/MinecraftDev.jar

Server files:

• Cross-platform jar: https://s3.amazonaws.com/Minecraft.Download/versions/13w26a/minecraft_server.13w26a.jar
• Windows EXE: https://s3.amazonaws.com/Minecraft.Download/versions/13w26a/minecraft_server.13w26a.exe

Report bugs here:

• Minecraft issue tracker!

// The Minecraft and Minecraft Realms teams

Update: A ‘c’ snapshot has been released and will be downloaded automatically by the launcher. Scroll down about 30 lines for the changelog!

Bug fixes. Fug bixes. Whatever you want to call them, we have them! Get your hot fresh Bug Fixes here! Big ones, small ones, fun ones or annoying ones; We have it all! Get them while they’re fixed! Special discount, 50% more bugs fixed with each bug fix! You can’t miss out on this amazing deal!

• [BUG MC-3798] – 3D Anaglyph biome color corruption
• [BUG MC-15567] – Incorrect/inconsistent command success criteria breaks Comparator behavior
• [BUG MC-16003] – Possible to create a scoreboard objective without a name
• [BUG MC-17797] – Birch leaves don't use the right texture
• [BUG MC-17830] – Last played singleplayer world changes date last opened to 1/1/70
• [BUG MC-17831] – Crash selecting resource pack]
• [BUG MC-17910] – Server crash / hang after typing /kill
• [BUG MC-17917] – Flowing water / lava color corrupted after switching off 3d anaglyph
• [BUG MC-17935] – Igniting TNT doesn't reduce flint and steel durability
• [BUG MC-17936] – Some animated textures only show the placeholder texture
• [BUG MC-17941] – Crash uploading textures to graphics card
• [BUG MC-18010] – Armor bar shown too high during Health Boost or Absorption
• [BUG MC-18011] – Health and Absorption is confusing when displayed on the same line
• [BUG MC-18164] – Resource packs not effective until after restart

Fixed in ‘b’:

• [BUG MC-1903] – Console Command and Set Console for Block in Command Block merges when in windowed mode
• [BUG MC-3737] – Placing Water Source into some blocks yields no drops
• [BUG MC-3798] – 3D Anaglyph Biome Colour Corruption
• [BUG MC-8220] – Water/Lava from Bucket replacing Ladder
• [BUG MC-17456] – objective health does not update with health boost effect
• [BUG MC-18257] – Knockback Resistance Attribute Doesn't Prevent Knockback from Fall Damage
• [BUG MC-18277] – Crash with the mcmeta reading of unicode font
• [BUG MC-18306] – Minecraft crash on clicking the "Texture pack" button
• [BUG MC-18324] – Text misplaced on Direct connect, Rename World screen

Fixed in ‘c’:

• [BUG MC-188] – 'doFiretick' makes fire to not extinguish. Lighting makes fire all over the place!
• [BUG MC-4266] – Death counter does not update
• [BUG MC-13559] – Pick block from inventory in creative doesn't preserve size of stacks
• [BUG MC-13745] – Tamed Wolves/Cats Teleporting when Leashed to a Fence
• [BUG MC-16075] – Entities other than the player can't leave the end
• [BUG MC-17537] – Other player's cats can be tied to a lead and dragged away
• [BUG MC-17856] – Unable to load ResourcePack with missing directory-ZipEntries.
• [BUG MC-17864] – Credits end too fast
• [BUG MC-17908] – Dogs' health depleted upon world loading
• [BUG MC-18098] – Keeping items with /clear glitch
• [BUG MC-18468] – First my sound was off and I was going to turn it up, but when I did it crashed.

To get the snapshot, use the new launcher available in the link below. To return to 1.5.2, simply start the old launcher and play as normal.

• Windows: https://s3.amazonaws.com/Minecraft.Download/launcher/MinecraftDev.exe
• Mac/OSX: https://s3.amazonaws.com/Minecraft.Download/launcher/MinecraftDev.dmg
• Linux/Other: https://s3.amazonaws.com/Minecraft.Download/launcher/MinecraftDev.jar

Server files:

• Cross-platform jar: https://s3.amazonaws.com/Minecraft.Download/versions/13w25c/minecraft_server.13w25c.jar
• Windows EXE: https://s3.amazonaws.com/Minecraft.Download/versions/13w25c/minecraft_server.13w25c.exe

Report bugs here:

• Minecraft issue tracker!

// The Minecraft and Minecraft Realms teams

Update: A ‘b’ version has been released and is available through the launcher. Scroll down for server links and bug fix list!

We’ve been working really hard on the new Resource Pack system, and we think it’s at the point where we can finally push it live. This is a huge step forward for the future plugin API and will replace texture packs. Unfortunately, texture packs will no longer be supported but you can use this fancy tool to automatically convert them! Please report all issues about resource packs, and the snapshot in general, to our bug tracker!

• Removed Texture Pack support, added Resource Packs
• Added new gamerule for day-night cycle
• Things and stuff
• [BUG MC-1202] – Mobs spawn and then quickly despawn in peaceful. Looks like the "ender-porting-out-of-water" effect.
• [BUG MC-2097] – You can't get "The End?" achievement
• [BUG MC-2419] – Persistence required tag freezes mobs
• [BUG MC-2559] – Squids taking damage while in water
• [BUG MC-2692] – Hard to spawn Squids
• [BUG MC-15058] – Scoreboard "health" objective set to display "belowname" disconnecting player on multiplayer with end of stream
• [BUG MC-16149] – Lava texture animation moves too fast / Animated textures ignoring text files

Fixed in ‘b’:

• [BUG MC-552] – Command block choosing wrong people / Selecting players cross-dimensional
• [BUG MC-9917] – In multiplayer screen holding shift and pressing "down" without selecting any server crashes the game
• [BUG MC-13276] – Zombies with increased health don't deal damage
• [BUG MC-16183] – Using the autocomplete function in chat (tab) disconnects clients in multiplayer
• [BUG MC-16530] – When under resistance effects above 5, /kill command does not work.
• [BUG MC-16639] – Game Tick Speed Issue?
• [BUG MC-17023] – Packet250CustomPayload StackOverFlowError
• [BUG MC-17093] – Player inducible stack overflow
• [BUG MC-17444] – Health scoreboard doesn't display hearts from health boost
• [BUG MC-17454] – Take damage when removing health boost effect
• [BUG MC-17558] – natural regeneration = false not working in peaceful
• [BUG MC-17571] – Health overflow isn't removed when health boost ends
• [BUG MC-17622] – Baby Zombies Spawner crash the game
• [BUG MC-17656] – No Server Connection Bars in Multiplayer Menu or Ingame
• [BUG MC-17660] – Ressources packs still named Texture packs in options
• [BUG MC-17663] – "Health Boost" Potion Effect shows "potion.healthBoost"
• [BUG MC-17666] – Minecarts do not have the correct texture pack
• [BUG MC-17700] – firecharge texture is green
• [BUG MC-17701] – Fire Animation Jumps and skips frames.
• [BUG MC-17731] – GUI broken when Boss health bar is visible
• [BUG MC-17747] – Carpet can be placed ontop of glass panes but not ontop of iron bars
• [BUG MC-17753] – Texts for "credits" and "end" not showing up properly in default or with a resource pack on.
• [BUG MC-17784] – DoDaylightCycle bed bug
• [BUG MC-17803] – Biome colormaps are not updating on texture pack change

To get the snapshot, use the new launcher available in the link below. To return to 1.5.2, simply start the old launcher and play as normal.

• Windows: https://s3.amazonaws.com/Minecraft.Download/launcher/MinecraftDev.exe
• Mac/OSX: https://s3.amazonaws.com/Minecraft.Download/launcher/MinecraftDev.dmg
• Linux/Other: https://s3.amazonaws.com/Minecraft.Download/launcher/MinecraftDev.jar

Server files:

• Cross-platform jar: https://s3.amazonaws.com/Minecraft.Download/versions/13w24b/minecraft_server.13w24b.jar
• Windows EXE: https://s3.amazonaws.com/Minecraft.Download/versions/13w24b/minecraft_server.13w24b.exe

Report bugs here:

• Minecraft issue tracker!

// The Minecraft and Minecraft Realms teams

Notice: An updated ‘b’ snapshot has been pushed to fix a crash & incorrect golden apple regen.

More crazy mid-week holidays in sweden again, to celebrate Sweden Day. We’ve been working hard on more Resource Pack stuff but it’s not ready yet. In the meantime have some bug fixes!

• Added new /spreadplayers command
• Added new gamerule for natural health regen
• Some balancing to potions and hunger
• [BUG MC-13880] – Cows eat buckets. Seems unhealthy!
• [BUG MC-16074] – Teleporting to "NaN" crashes the game
• [BUG MC-84211] – Remove ‘docm77′ mob as it is not working as intended
• [BUG MC-16290] – Custom Mob spawner crashing game
• [BUG MC-17051] – Dogs attack Horses

To get the snapshot, use the new launcher available in the link below. To return to 1.5.2, simply start the old launcher and play as normal.

• Windows: https://s3.amazonaws.com/Minecraft.Download/launcher/MinecraftDev.exe
• Mac/OSX: https://s3.amazonaws.com/Minecraft.Download/launcher/MinecraftDev.dmg
• Linux/Other: https://s3.amazonaws.com/Minecraft.Download/launcher/MinecraftDev.jar

Server files:

• Cross-platform jar: https://s3.amazonaws.com/Minecraft.Download/versions/13w23b/minecraft_server.13w23b.jar
• Windows EXE: https://s3.amazonaws.com/Minecraft.Download/versions/13w23b/minecraft_server.13w23b.exe

Report bugs here:

• Minecraft issue tracker!

// The Minecraft and Minecraft Realms teams

Scrolls has just gone into open beta! That means you can buy it from scrolls.com, then go online and become the ultimate scrolldier of the universe! We’re extremely excited!

To see exactly what you get for your money, read about the contents of the beta.

Have a great day everyone! See you online!

Owen – @bopogamel

Hey!

In about 2 weeks I will hold a presentation at the Dreamhack Summer festival, and while I was preparing that I needed some good Minecraft screenshots. Most of the screenshots I take for myself are just pictures of pretty landscapes or other pre-generated terrain such as villages, so I decided to ask the reddit community for help.

Unsurprisingly, I got a lot of responses, so I wanted to show a couple of my favorites posted there. Although I was mainly interested in “pure vanilla” screenshots, some of these have texture packs and view distance filtering, but I’m not complaining!

First up is a screenshot of an alley submitted by Kagukagu.

Here’s one of Morris_h‘s submissions. A huge mansion at night.

nikondork posted this screenshot of a wheat field. He’s also one of the Minecraft subreddit’s moderators.

This is a moody screenshot from the Minecraft: Middle Earth server, submitted by scathatheworm.

And finally a bit different kind of screenshot. This one was submitted by arks172, from a player versus player server.

So thanks again for the help! Check the full thread here: http://www.reddit.com/r/Minecraft/comments/1fe8ih/got_screenshots_for_dreamhack.

The Minecraft subreddit can be found here, http://www.reddit.com/r/Minecraft. If you only want Minecraft: Pocket Edition news, there’s a specific subreddit for that too: http://www.reddit.com/r/mcpe

Cheers!

// jeb_

We’ve been working hard on a new Resource Pack system, but unfortunately it isn’t ready for testing yet. Meanwhile we’ve had lots of general bug fixes that should help keep even the silliest of Horses happy.

• [BUG MC-2200] – Sleeping while in a Minecart produces a graphical glitch
• [BUG MC-9355] – Argument "team" do not work with "!" for other players
• [BUG MC-11385] – Scoreboard problem with "seeFriendlyInvisibles"
• [BUG MC-13731] – Horse can climb ladders/vines
• [BUG MC-13788] – Horses graze on non-grass blocks, also underwater
• [BUG MC-14114] – Leashes break when riding a horse
• [BUG MC-14604] – Cannot tie wild horses and foals
• [BUG MC-14757] – Stacked Entity Spawner creating mass duplicate ghost entities
• [BUG MC-14930] – Horse armor not keeping enchantments when dropping from a horse
• [BUG MC-15423] – Crash due to corrupt pack.png in texture pack
• [BUG MC-16051] – horses break lead when being lead when they stop to eat grass
• [BUG MC-16156] – Unable to move previously ridden horses after reloading the world
• [BUG MC-16182] – Problem with horse movement.
• [BUG MC-16196] – Horses not running fast in creative
• [BUG MC-16229] – Horse – Shift Key Locking
• [BUG MC-16415] – IllegalStateException: Server tried to update attributes of a non-living entity
• [BUG MC-16421] – Horse Speed does not remain constant

To get the snapshot, use the new launcher available in the link below. To return to 1.5.2, simply start the old launcher and play as normal.

• Windows: https://s3.amazonaws.com/Minecraft.Download/launcher/MinecraftDev.exe
• Mac/OSX: https://s3.amazonaws.com/Minecraft.Download/launcher/MinecraftDev.dmg
• Linux/Other: https://s3.amazonaws.com/Minecraft.Download/launcher/MinecraftDev.jar

Server files:

• Cross-platform jar: https://s3.amazonaws.com/Minecraft.Download/versions/13w22a/minecraft_server.13w22a.jar
• Windows EXE: https://s3.amazonaws.com/Minecraft.Download/versions/13w22a/minecraft_server.13w22a.exe

Report bugs here:

• Minecraft issue tracker!

// The Minecraft and Minecraft Realms teams

The Scrolls Launch Trailer has just gone live on Scrolls.com! Check it out! We’ve even got a release date set; it’s coming very, very soon.

Get the Scoop on Scrolls.com.

Update: Snapshot 13w21b has been released and is available through the launcher.

Last week, our very own Jeb got married! Meanwhile, the rest of us were taking a short vacation to celebrate the recent milestone of 10,000,000 PC & 10,000,000 Pocket Edition sales! This week, it’s back to work and we have some fun treats in store!

• Added new UI for horses, to control saddle/armour/inventory.
• Started to move over various things to a new Attribute system. You may see some new tooltips, don’t be scared!
• Lots of work towards a new Resource Pack system, but not finished yet. Currently still compatible with texture packs.
• New internal chat system; lots of messages should be translated now that weren’t previously.
• [Bug MC-1497] – Damaged Anvils do not show damage in inventory or item frame
• [Bug MC-13626] – XP Bar in creative
• [Bug MC-13640] – Hay Bales do not burn when set on fire
• [Bug MC-13662] – XP, Health and hungerbar are buggy with horses
• [Bug MC-13770] – Using a horse spawn egg on a horse works only when riding the horse
• [Bug MC-13852] – Can’t throw enderpearls while mounting a horse
• [Bug MC-14220] – Player appearance not updating in multiplayer (armor, tools)
• [Bug MC-14417] – No way to remove armor or saddles off a horse
• [Bug MC-14422] – Horse name tag is shown while riding
• [Bug MC-15138] – Sides of cauldron has compass texture after placing compass in Item Frame
• [Bug MC-15201] – Bottom part of some types of horses-harness is misplaced
• [Bug MC-15416] – Selected item disappears when armor breaks

Fixed in ‘b’:

• [Bug MC-11605] – Certain death message will print "null" as the player/mob name that caused the death
• [Bug MC-15815] – Enchanted Items stored in a Donkey / Mule lose enchantments on its death
• [Bug MC-16143] – Sprinting and Speed effect not working
• [Bug MC-16144] – Server doesn't translate strings
• [Bug MC-16149] – Lava texture animation moves too fast
• [Bug MC-16150] – No sounds after a while / Music corrupting sound
• [Bug MC-16353] – Crash: IllegalArgumentException
• [Bug MC-16554] – lang files for en_US is gramaticly incorrect at death.fell.finish.item

To get the snapshot, use the new launcher available in the link below. To return to 1.5.2, simply start the old launcher and play as normal.

• Windows: https://s3.amazonaws.com/Minecraft.Download/launcher/MinecraftDev.exe
• Mac/OSX: https://s3.amazonaws.com/Minecraft.Download/launcher/MinecraftDev.dmg
• Linux/Other: https://s3.amazonaws.com/Minecraft.Download/launcher/MinecraftDev.jar

Server files:

• Cross-platform jar: https://s3.amazonaws.com/Minecraft.Download/versions/13w21a/minecraft_server.13w21b.jar
• Windows EXE: https://s3.amazonaws.com/Minecraft.Download/versions/13w21a/minecraft_server.13w21b.exe

Report bugs here:

• Minecraft issue tracker!

// The Minecraft and Minecraft Realms teams

Reminder time! As we mentioned in a previous post, Jinx are running a Minecraft-themed t-shirt competition with loads of amazing prizes up for grabs. Get all the details on Jinx.com.

The closing date for submissions has been extended to June 3, 2013, 11:59 PM PDT, and the prize pool has been boosted! Here’s the latest from Jinx…

10 Grand Prize Winners will now get

• $1000 Cash
• iPad Mini
• Minecraft Pocket Edition
• Five Winning Design Contest Tees
• A Minecraft Lego Set
• Six Minecraft T-shirts of Choice
• One Minecraft Poster of Choice

10 Runner-up Winners now get:

• $500 J!NX Gift Certificate Code
• A Winning Design Arcade T-shirt of Choice
• Two Minecraft T-shirts of Choice

Remember, this is a themed competition – it’s all about the “Unsung Heroes of Minecraft” – so you’ll need to think carefully about your entry before submitting. It should be mostly concerned with Ghasts, Squids, Wolves, Enderdragons, Ocelots, Blazes, Sheep, Iron Golems or Mooshrooms. You can still include the more prominent members of the Minecraft cast in your design, but the littler guys should be the main subject of the image.

So visit Jinx.com for the details and get designing! Good luck, creative types!

It’s Monday, and all of us have our perception of time thrown off from the recent mid-week-holidays.

• Added new stained hardened clay.
• Enabled access to the donkey & mule inventories by sneaking and interacting.
• New textures for Charcoal, Coal Block, and Lapis Lazuli.
• Made mobs spawn as groups again.
• [Bug MC-671] – Minecarts with Furnace consume coal in creative mode
• [Bug MC-3960] – After the last use of a bow you get a glitch bow that when dropped and picked up again duplicates
• [Bug MC-15061] – Coal blocks do not burn away
• [Bug MC-15148] – Blurred menu background textures

To get the snapshot, use the new launcher available in the link below. To return to 1.5.2, simply start the old launcher and play as normal.

• Windows: https://s3.amazonaws.com/Minecraft.Download/launcher/MinecraftDev.exe
• Mac/OSX: https://s3.amazonaws.com/Minecraft.Download/launcher/MinecraftDev.dmg
• Linux/Other: https://s3.amazonaws.com/Minecraft.Download/launcher/MinecraftDev.jar

Server files:

• Cross-platform jar: https://s3.amazonaws.com/Minecraft.Download/versions/13w19a/minecraft_server.13w19a.jar
• Windows EXE: https://s3.amazonaws.com/Minecraft.Download/versions/13w19a/minecraft_server.13w19a.exe

Report bugs here:

• Minecraft issue tracker!

// The Minecraft and Minecraft Realms teams

The good chaps at J!NX are back with another competition! This time they’re looking for t-shirt illustrations that celebrate the “Unsung Heroes of Minecraft.” Forget about Creepers and Steve for this one: it’s about ocelots, iron golems, and sheep; the smaller guys that sometimes get forgotten.

You’ll need to submit your entry before June 4th, and follow the guidelines listed on Jinx.com to qualify. Do that successfully and you could be in the running for these generous prizes:

5 Grand Prize Winners will each get:

$500 Cash
iPad Mini
Minecraft Pocket Edition
5 Winning Design Contest Tees
J!NX Minecraft Prize Package:
1 Minecraft Lego Set
6 Minecraft Tees of Choice
1 Minecraft Poster of Choice

10 Runner Up Winners will be awarded with:

$100 J!NX Minecraft Gift Code
1 Winning Design Arcade Tee of Choice
2 Minecraft Tees of Choice

That’s it for now. Check Jinx.com for the details, and get creative! Have a good day!

Owen – @bopogamel

Update: 13w18c was released to fix some crashes and nasties.

Another Thursday, another Snapshot. We’ve still been focusing on the launcher some more this week, but we had time to address a few things for 13w18a:

• Added a coal block.
• Start of a new texture loading system. May blow up.
• Added crafting recipes for leads and hay bales.
• Added horse armour to dungeons.
• [Bug MC-73] – Green arrow bug on maps in frames
• [Bug MC-590] – Mobs not realizing they killed their attacker and trying to attack empty space
• [Bug MC-1320] – Dogs wont stop snarling after punched by someone else
• [Bug MC-1980] – Despawning cured zombie
• [Bug MC-4631] – Lava decay fails to schedule block update
• [Bug MC-14221] – Blocks stop updating one minute after entering the Nether or the End
• [Bug MC-14586] – You can pick up command blocks with any pickaxe
• [Bug MC-14786] – Can't place carpet on translucent blocks

Fixed in ‘b’:

• [Bug MC-11033] – Item count / numbers randomly flickering in item bar, inventory, workbench
• [Bug MC-14926] – Cannot use resolution clock and compass textures with resolutions higher than 16×16
• [Bug MC-15020] – Animations are not working
• [Bug MC-15022] – fps drop due to new texture system while looking at horses
• [Bug MC-15027] – Crash on world load
• [Bug MC-15034] – Texturepack descriptions do not load
• [Bug MC-15036] – Riding horses into obstacles crashes the game
• [Bug MC-15038] – 13w18a crash using workbench

Fixed in ‘c’:

• [Bug MC-14632] – Enchanted Books dont show what tab is it
• [Bug MC-14979] – Wrong particle texture when changing texture packs ingame
• [Bug MC-15035] – Skins messing up
• [Bug MC-15041] – Breaking Item Frames causes a null pointer exception and crash.
• [Bug MC-15058] – Internal exception: java.lang.NullPointerException
• [Bug MC-15061] – Coal blocks do not burn away
• [Bug MC-15095] – Coal Blocks and Note Blocks
• [Bug MC-15096] – Game crashes on startup

To get the snapshot, use the new launcher available in the link below. To return to 1.5.2, simply start the old launcher and play as normal.

• Windows: https://s3.amazonaws.com/Minecraft.Download/launcher/MinecraftDev.exe
• Mac/OSX: https://s3.amazonaws.com/Minecraft.Download/launcher/MinecraftDev.dmg
• Linux/Other: https://s3.amazonaws.com/Minecraft.Download/launcher/MinecraftDev.jar

Server files:

• Cross-platform jar: https://s3.amazonaws.com/Minecraft.Download/versions/13w18c/minecraft_server.13w18c.jar
• Windows EXE: https://s3.amazonaws.com/Minecraft.Download/versions/13w18c/minecraft_server.13w18c.exe

Report bugs here:

• Minecraft issue tracker!

// The Minecraft and Minecraft Realms teams

First, we are very happy to announce that Minecraft – Pocket Edition has sold more than 10 million copies as of yesterday. We are very thankful to all the support that we have gotten and people playing and talking about our game.

So…I know what you are thinking. “Yeah, 10m is cool but where is the next update?” We have been working hard on restructuring the backend of a lot of things for Minecraft – Pocket Edition to make future updates smoother. For instance, you can now change options without jumping back to the main menu. What you can also notice is that we have in one of our menues (more to come in the future) an experimental title where we will put in features that will work for more high end devices. The reason to put in in experimental is because we first want to test out features before making them default on.

One other big thing we have been working on is Minecraft Realms. You can read what it is here. Short story: Minecraft Realms is a cloud service that lets players play together in a more convenient manner :) No need to be online at the same time to build on your project.The basic functions for Realms are in place but there is some tweaking to be done. In the first phase of the Pocket Realms we are going to limit it to the amount of servers that people are able to create. We won’t charge you for anything and it is basically first-come first-serve. We want to make sure things work before releasing it to everyone :)

Oh! And buckets will be in the coming release too!

When will I get the update?
The plan is to have it out by the end of May. We hope that we won’t run into some nasty bugs with the work we have currently done, but I will keep you posted on how it goes :)

Minecraft Papercraft Studio just got cuter! You might remember us mentioning the app a few months ago: it gives you the chance to print out a template of your avatar skin before crafting it into a real-life model. Rewarding stuff for crafty Minecrafters.

Now Papercraft Studio includes templates for 18 mobs, giving you the chance to create an exotic diorama with your favourite Minecraft friends/enemies. They’ve also patched in support for armour, and tweaked the menus to make things a bit easier to use.

To celebrate the update, the nice chaps at 57digital have knocked $1 off the price of their apps for the next week. That includes Papercraft Studio, Skin Studio, and Minecraft Explorer Pro. All apps currently cost $1.99 USD/€1,79 EUR/£1.49 GBP.

Oh, and here’s a gif of a papercraft sheep for your viewing pleasure. Click it for the relevant app store link. Have a great weekend!

Owen – @bopogamel

We have a double feature for you today. Not only are we releasing a 1.5.2 pre-release but there’s also another weekly snapshot for 1.6 to get your hands on!

First up, the 1.5.2 pre-release. We’ve decided to put out a small bug fix update to address some minor issues that players are having in 1.5.1, and you can test it out before it goes live! A full list of fixes are as follows:

• [Bug MC-22] – Jukebox audio volume doesn’t decrease
• [Bug MC-1123] – SMP: Anvils charge level for nothing when using languages other than English
• [Bug MC-1407] – Tamed wolves and cats despawn
• [Bug MC-4253] – Endermen are rendered hostile if they take environmental damage
• [Bug MC-8112] – Pick-Block and Furnaces
• [Bug MC-8260] – Achievement "Hot Topic" Uses Faceless Furnace Icon
• [Bug MC-11229] – Using the anvil for free
• [Bug MC-12133] – Arrows visually float when shot into a block.
• Improvements to FPS when using high-resolution texture packs
• Many Realms fixes.

Grab the pre-release here:

• Client: https://s3.amazonaws.com/Minecraft.Download/versions/1.5.2/1.5.2.jar
• Server: https://s3.amazonaws.com/Minecraft.Download/versions/1.5.2/minecraft_server.1.5.2.jar (or EXE)

Report bugs here (but please use the search function before you post duplicates!):

• Minecraft issue tracker!

• Added a new “Hardened Clay” block
• Added extra tooltip info in the search tab for the creative inventory
• Made deserts more deserty
• Zombies made slightly more sociable
• Bug fixes!

You’ll need to (re-)download the new launcher to grab the snapshot.

• Windows: https://s3.amazonaws.com/Minecraft.Download/launcher/MinecraftDev.exe
• Mac/OSX: https://s3.amazonaws.com/Minecraft.Download/launcher/MinecraftDev.dmg
• Linux/Other: https://s3.amazonaws.com/Minecraft.Download/launcher/MinecraftDev.jar
• Server: https://s3.amazonaws.com/Minecraft.Download/versions/13w17a/minecraft_server.13w17a.jar (EXE)

// The Minecraft and Minecraft Realms teams

Update (23rd): Released ‘b’ snapshot for crash fixes!

Hey hey!

It’s time for us to release the first snapshot from the development of 1.6. This version of Minecraft comes with huge changes to the base technology of the game. For instance, starting from Minecraft 1.6, we will build the game for Java 6 instead of Java 5. We are also aiming to raise the required OpenGL version to 2.0 (from 1.2 / 1.3, that Minecraft 1.5 and prior versions are using). Additionally we are working on a new launcher that will support these libraries, and also come with a bunch of new features such as version changing, detailed game settings, and so on.

It will obviously take a few more weeks to get everything in place, so please let us hear your opinions on the new technology and launcher. Send tweets to either @Dinnerbone, @_grum, or @jeb_, or make a post on r/minecraftsuggestions.

This snapshot in bullet point form:

• Added horses, based on the work of John Olarte (DrZhark), of Mo’ Creatures fame
• Added hay bales
• Added leashes
• Added carpets
• The “Respiration” enchantment now also helps seeing underwater

To get the snapshot, use the new launcher available in the link below. To return to 1.5.1, simply start the old launcher and play as normal.

• Windows: https://s3.amazonaws.com/Minecraft.Download/launcher/MinecraftDev.exe
• Mac/OSX: https://s3.amazonaws.com/Minecraft.Download/launcher/MinecraftDev.dmg
• Linux/Other: https://s3.amazonaws.com/Minecraft.Download/launcher/MinecraftDev.jar

Server files:

• Server: https://s3.amazonaws.com/Minecraft.Download/versions/13w16b/minecraft_server.13w16b.jar

Report bugs here (but please use the search function before you post duplicates!):

• Minecraft issue tracker!

// The Minecraft and Minecraft Realms teams

Been wondering what it’s like in the Mojang office… Well wonder no more.

What’s your favorite part of the office? Tweet @MojangTeam about it!

- Lydia
@LydiaWinters

Update: April fools! :)

Minecraft PC edition is about to hit 10,000,000 sales. I don’t know about you guys, but we’re really excited about this major milestone in Minecraft history. We decided that this would be the perfect time to announce our next upcoming title, “Minecraft 2″.

Hopefully releasing within the next two months, this 2-years-in-development game will be bringing blocky simulation games to the next level. Whilst based off the original Minecraft engine, this new version completely overhauls major parts of the game and contains many weeks worth of new content and blocks. Currently in closed beta stage, we have secretly been working with a select few members of the community to participate and trial run some specific features from the new version. Neither Mojang nor Minecraft would be where it is today without its community, so we felt it fitting that we let them make the trailer videos and announcements for us, which are visible below.

Sneak-peek videos

• SethBling – MindCrack SMP — Ep 1: MineCraft 2.0 Pre-Release Review
• BlameTheController – Minecraft 2.0 Beta Ep 1: Multiplayer Dungeon World first
• Guude – Minecraft MindCrack – S4E1 – Minecraft 2.0
• Xisumavoid – Minecraft 2.0 Update Preview
• Keralis – Wife vs. Minecraft – Episode 30: Minecraft 2.0!
• Biffa2001 – Minecraft 2.0 One Life – “Death By Blue Chickens”
• Docm77 – Minecraft 2.0 Closed Beta – Exclusive First Look
• W92Baj – Minecraft 2.0 – You wont believe what has been added – Mindcrack prelease overview.
• Mhykol – Mhykol Mines – Mindcrack – Episode 259 – Minecraft 2.0
• Generikb – Minecraft 2.0 FIRST LOOK!
• Vechs – Ep01 Minecraft 2.0 LP – A Fresh Start
• Paul Soares Jr – Minecraft 2.0 – Mindcrack EXCLUSIVE SNEAK PEEK!
• Pyropuncher – Minecraft 2.0 Footage!
• Pakratt0013 – Pakratt’s Collections 55: First Impressions of 2.0
• AvidyaZen – MINECRAFT 2.0 – THE NDA HAS BEEN LIFTED!
• Joe Hills – Minecraft 2.0, now with more abominations!
• Millbee – Preview Of The Minecraft 2.0 Update!
• AnderZel – Minecraft 2.0 Update Pink Witter?

What changed?

Whilst we aren’t nearly finished with the 2.0 update, we do have a partial changelog of what we’ve done so far. There’s much more to come, this is only the beginning!

Gameplay

• Added new Super Hostile game mode, for a much more challenging Survival experience.
• Difficulty setting is now per-world and may never be changed once set.
• Added new graphics setting “Ultra Realistic” with new patent-pending experimental 4D-rendering.
• Added new chase-style 3D camera perspective.

Animals

• Added new realistic food/hunger system to animals.
• Overfeeding animals may have a negative effect on gameplay.
• Added a new “Horse” animal, with two different breeds to choose from.
• Each animal now has a gender and personality, introducing new farming mechanics.
• Added a new rare breed of chicken known as a “Diamond Chicken”.
  • May lay diamonds or lapis instead of laying eggs.
  • May also blow up from too much pressure. Handle with care.
• Added new friendly Pink Wither, which is the complete opposite of a wither.
  • Shoots out Love, which heals the nearby land and causes things to grow faster.
  • Known bug: Having both a Pink Wither and a Wither in your world at the same time may cause up to a 200% increase in framerate. Will be fixed for launch.
• All animals may be fed Golden Apples to unleash their hidden magical properties (see new Magic section).
• Chickens are now classified as a Monster and are no longer a friendly Animal.

Monsters

• Chickens do not appreciate being looked at and may get upset.
• Attacking a lone chicken may summon additional chickens to its defense.
• Zombie Pigmen now spawn with battlesigns and no longer use swords.
• Fixed a bug causing Skeletons to miss their targets on occasion.
• Added new Redstone Bug monster (see Redstone section).

Blocks

• Furnaces have a new “heat” mechanic.
• Heat needs to be regulated in furnaces or they will blow up.
• Torches now burn out after a period of time, but may be relit with flint and steel.
• Added new TNT slab, known as an Etho Slab.
• Renamed Droppers to floppers, by popular community demand.
  • Droppers were deemed too powerful and go against our original vision of the game.
  • Floppers now turn everything that passes through them into raw fish (see Fishing section).
• Added six (6) new decoration blocks:
  • Mud.
  • Hay bales.
  • Lapis Lazuli.
  • Slime blocks.
• Added new compressed storage blocks for commonly mined ores:
  • Coal Block.
  • Lapis Lazuli Block.
  • Redstone Block Block.
• Lapis may now be used for new Lapis furniture.
• Added dyed glass.
• Walking over many blocks will gradually wear them down, creating many new block variants such as Cracked Stone and Muddy Grass.

Redstone

• Removed all BUD behaviour, and added safeguards so that it may never come back.
• Made redstone bugs spawn actual Redstone Bugs to assist with debugging.
• Added new Quantum Entangled redstone, obtained by mixing 1 redstone, 1 diamond and 3 lapis.
  • One entangled redstone dust will connect to another pair elsewhere.
  • No current way of specifying the connection, may in fact connect to another player’s world.
• Added new BUD blocks.

Magic

• Added new Magic and Luck levels per player.
• Finding a Rainbow after rain passes will be the primary way of obtaining Magic.
• Finding a green-tinted horse will be the primary way of obtaining Luck.
• Added new spell system, costing magic to perform a spell.
• Spells may backfire, depending on Luck.
• Examples of new spells include:
  • Turn any item into Fish.
  • Turn current biome into another biome (bug: currently only turns into ocean).
  • Ability to remove gravity from other creatures/players in the world.

Fishing

• Overhauled fishing mechanics.
• New special types of fish may be found in various different biomes.
• Fish may become scared if too much noise is made nearby.
• Added 28 new achievements for fishing.
• Rare chance for extra items to drop when fishing, such as armor and maps.
• Removed fishing.
• Having a fish in your possession will drain your health by 1 each second, to help phase out fishing.

Combat

• Removed crossbows.
• To deter cheating players on PvP servers, the PvP system has been completely redesigned.
• Players may no longer attack other players directly, but must recruit an army of Monsters and Animals.
• Each monster/animal has different strengths, weaknesses and abilities whilst attacking or defending in PvP combat.
• New turn-based combat system will help create epic battles that may last hours at a time.

World generation & terrain

• Added many new mysterious adventuring locations.
• Added 6 new biomes.
• Reimplemented the Farlands.
  • Going near the farlands will forcefully enable 3d anaglyph.
  • Known bug: Teleporting towards the farlands may send you half way in the opposite direction.
• Added dozens of new village building templates.
• Flattened all terrain out slightly, with the exception of the hills biome to make it seem bigger by contrast.
• Added floating sky islands.

Do you remember Beetlejuice? The surreal 1988 Tim Burton movie with an abundance of black and white stripes? It’s the inspiration behind this trippy Minecraft roller coaster, and one of our favourite creations to come out of XBOX 360 edition so far. It’s also maximum wub wub.

Stellar work RivergrlI21 and Nuropsych1!

Hey hey!
We’ve received a bunch of questions about Minecraft Realms. Here’s an attempt to answer most of them :)

A select group of players now have access to the Minecraft Realms limited alpha test. Minecraft Realms is a service designed to let players play on a server together with minimal setup, and will be available to the public later this year.

Will this change the way I play Minecraft?
Nothing will change regarding how you create, setup, or host servers today. Minecraft Realms is an additional service of hosting servers for those who want it. Nothing is mandatory.

How can I get into the Realms closed Alpha?
You can’t yet sorry. It’s a private, invite-only thing. Keep an eye on this blog for more info!

How much does it cost?
We’re not sure yet. It will be a subscription service. One subscription = one server. Only the host needs to pay. The host can invite (whitelist) friends to play on his/her server.

How many players can play together?
This is not confirmed yet. During the closed alpha we have set a limit of ten players to test out our systems.

What is Minecraft Pocket Realms?
It is the mobile version of our Realms service.

How much will Pocket Realms cost?
We’re not sure yet. It will be a subscription service. One subscription = one server. Only the host needs to pay. The host can invite (whitelist) friends to play on his/her server.

How do I buy a Pocket Realms subscription?
Realms subscriptions will be available via an in-app purchase within Minecraft – Pocket Edition. You’ll need to log in with your Mojang Account to use the service. If you don’t have an account you’ll be asked to create one.

This is all the info we have right now. We’ll keep you updated as things develop!

Have a nice day!
/Daniel @kappische

Hey hey!

We finally managed to locate and fix the reported performance issues of 1.5, so now it should be at least similar to the performance of 1.4.7. We also fixed a number of bugs (as seen in the snapshot release last week), and a couple more. The 1.5.1 patch notes are a bit simplified, though…

• Fixed a bunch of bugs
• Improved performance
• Notable: Falling blocks no longer glitch one step
• Notable: White stitching between blocks should be less frequent
• Notable: Crash on Mac OS X on “OpenGL Function Not Supported”
• Notable: Unable to place paintings

We intend to publish the release on Thursday, unless something nasty happens, or Searge of MCP asks us to wait for them to catch up.

Get the snapshot here:

• Client: https://assets.minecraft.net/1_5_1/minecraft.jar
• Server: https://assets.minecraft.net/1_5_1/minecraft_server.jar (or EXE)

Report bugs here (but please use the search function before you post duplicates!):

• Minecraft issue tracker!

// The Minecraft and Minecraft Realms teams

EDIT: The minecraft.jar file has been re-uploaded to fix a null pointer crash. If you downloaded it yesterday (Tuesday), please get it again.

1.5 is barely out of the oven and we already have a new snapshot ready? This is not a 1.6 snapshot, but rather a 1.5.1 bugfix snapshot… We hope to be able to release the 1.5.1 update next week. The fixes are,

• [MC-250] Ender Dragon can still grief stuff like cobblestone and chests even if the gamerule mobGriefing is set on false.
• [MC-1794] White stitching on polygon edges / White lines or black dots between blocks
• [MC-4577] Unable to combine enchanted books for a higher level enchant.
• [MC-8193] Hopper doesn't try to place items from other slots if unable from first.
• [MC-8943] Fire doesn't show on 8 layered snow and hopper
• [MC-11089] Long scoreboard objective titles can be offset screen
• [MC-11109] Breaking a Container with Items that is connected via a solid block with a Comparator does not update the Comparator
• [MC-11217] Falling Block entities start visually falling from 1 block higher than they were placed
• [MC-11236] Paintings popping out / cannot place new ones
• … and a few Minecraft Realms changes

Get the snapshot here:

• Client: https://assets.minecraft.net/13w11a/minecraft.jar
• Server: https://assets.minecraft.net/13w11a/minecraft_server.jar (or EXE)

Report bugs here (but please use the search function before you post duplicates!):

• Minecraft issue tracker!

// The Minecraft and Minecraft Realms teams

Who’d have thought the development of Minecraft could make such a colourful, lively worm-thing? Nathan, that’s who. He used a tweaked version of Gource, along with the Minecraft changelog, to create the video above. Watch full screen for maximum enlightenment. The music comes courtesy of C418‘s in-game discs.

As the team beavers away, the code-beast thrives. Different colours represent different types of files: blue strands are text, red are sounds, grey is java. Things get really interesting when you start looking at specific dates in the evolution of Minecraft. Watch Jens’ get busy when he takes over as lead developer, the codespolsion when the team refactors things for the first time, or the zapping of duplicate files in April 2012.

Very relaxing and oddly satisfying. Enjoy!

Owen – @bopogamel

A few weeks ago, Mojam 2013 happened; Mojang and a few other indie devs worked on new projects over three days. We live-streamed the whole thing, then shaved off Notch’s beard.

Why did we do this? It was a lot of fun, but it also gave you opportunity to donate towardsBlock by Block and the Electronic Frontier Foundation. Everyone who donated got to download the completed creations and play till their heart’s content.

The response was overwhelming. Here’s a breakdown of the cash raised.

• Mojam 2013 raised a total of $517,489.25.
• 86,531 of you handed over cash.
• The median amount donated was $2.00. The average was $5.98.
• After payment processor fees $295,553.96 was raised for The Electronic Frontier Foundation and $194,493.28 for Block By Block.

Massive thanks to all who donated – you’re probably a lovely person.

Have a nice day!

Owen -@bopogamel

Hey!

The Redstone Update is finally out! Get it via the launcher. The changelog was posted in the previous post, so here you have a couple of videos of it instead:

First, the Minecraft 1.5 Song by YourMCAdmin

If that’s a bit too short for you, this one by nativisions is a little bit more in depth (5:38)

And if you want an even longer, here’s one by icecreamstatus (15:06),

We got these YouTube links by the help of the Minecraft Reddit Community, you can see the whole thread here: https://www.reddit.com/r/Minecraft/comments/19ujql/video_summaries_of_15/

Have fun!

// The Minecraft and Minecraft Realms teams

PS. We know the readers of this blog are a little bit more hardcore about Minecraft than most, so we should tell you that a 1.5.1 already is on its way. We plan to snapshot this tomorrow, and hopefully get it out as soon as possible.

It’s finally time to release the Minecraft Redstone Update pre-release!

The change log is as follows…

• 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

This update will be officially released next week on

Wednesday, March 13

Get the pre-release here:

• Client: https://assets.minecraft.net/1_5/minecraft.jar
• Server: https://assets.minecraft.net/1_5/minecraft_server.jar (or EXE)

// The Minecraft and Minecraft Realms teams

Ok! Final snapshot! Honest!* Tomorrow: Pre-release!

The things changed in this snapshot are:

• Notable change: 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.)
• [MC-711] Redstone and components stay powered after unloading chunks
• [MC-846] Dispenser and Dropper shooting out when updated
• [MC-3458] Server crashes if spaces are input on the console
• [MC-6223] Night Vision Potions that are edited to last longer create a potentially seizure-inducing flashing sky background.
• [MC-8022] Furnace interface occasionally closes when adding fuel, deleting all items in the furnace
• [MC-8597] Named Mobs Don't have Named Babies
• [MC-10357] Getting into a minecart with a mob in it crashes minecraft
• [MC-10946] 2 Hoppers funneling unstackable items into a 3rd Hopper at the same time cause the 3rd Hopper to not funnel items into a container
• [MC-10948] Dispensers continually shoot/use certain items like water buckets and flint&steel
• [MC-10950] Comparators still giving off power when hopper inventory is empty
• [MC-10956] Animals can breed over distances up to almost 8 blocks when only seperated by fences
• [MC-10995] Message "THIS TOO" in console
• [MC-11019] Full hoppers feeding into full hoppers causes the forward hopper to stall
• [MC-11044] Adding items to brewing stand using dropper does not change state of comparator

Get the snapshot here:

• Client: https://assets.minecraft.net/13w10b/minecraft.jar
• Server: https://assets.minecraft.net/13w10b/minecraft_server.jar (or EXE)

Report bugs here (but please use the search function before you post duplicates!):

• Minecraft issue tracker!

// The Minecraft and Minecraft Realms teams

* Unless you manage to find new crash or item duplication bugs…

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.

The things changed in this snapshot are:

• [MC-122] Unicode font text shadow misaligned
• [MC-3114] Activated detector-rails moved by a piston keep their activated state
• [MC-3409] Single player mode, creative mode, E to select block, select block from grid, E to return to game, game freezess, crash log created
• [MC-7254] Furnace Tile Entities reproducing – Internal performance bug
• [MC-8022] Furnace interface occasionally closes when adding fuel, deleting all items in the furnace
• [MC-8184] Redstone block and torches don't power dispensers, droppers, TNT and Noteblocks
• [MC-8826] Adding an item to a hopper with a dropper does not change comparator state.
• [MC-9460] Piston retracting disapears if pushed out by another piston
• [MC-9534] Issues with Baby Cows' hitboxes
• [MC-10543] Last Direct Multiplayerconnection does not get saved
• [MC-10670] Hard Crash
• [MC-10679] Hopper Cool-Down is messed up
• [MC-10778] Slowness 127 and Speed 110 together flip view
• [MC-10825] Using /clear on more than 1 player will stop clearing inventories once an empty inventory is encountered
• [MC-10826] /me cannot use @p correctly
• [MC-10889] updated redstone bug (detectorrail)
• [MC-10900] "/scoreboard teams empty teamName" error message says "%s" instead of the team's name

Get the snapshot here:

• Client: https://assets.minecraft.net/13w10a/minecraft.jar
• Server: https://assets.minecraft.net/13w10a/minecraft_server.jar (or EXE)

Report bugs here (but please use the search function before you post duplicates!):

• Minecraft issue tracker!

// The Minecraft and Minecraft Realms teams

We’re still fixing bugs… The pre-release has been postponed until we don’t discover any new crash bugs and/or redstone bugs.

The things changed in this snapshot are:

• [MC-16] TP Bug when you sit in Minecart/Boat/Riding pig
• [MC-32] Minecart going in a circle will make any minecart close to them go super fast.
• [MC-49] Sounds: Fire extinguish sound does not work in survival
• [MC-711] Redstone and components stay powered after unloading chunks
• [MC-1752] Breaking Doors moves the other part of the door sometimes
• [MC-5588] Swords do not lose durability when used on the Ender Dragon
• [MC-6551] Creative Menu potion values are not the same as when brewed (issue redo)
• [MC-7058] Brewing stand comparator output inconsistent
• [MC-7098] Non-standard resolutions (and small standard resolutions) not detected properly
• [MC-7196] Nether cave/tunnel generator produces incorrect/cut tunnels
• [MC-7208] Missing quartz, hopper, and comparator textures
• [MC-7249] Quartz slabs and double slabs using wrong texture
• [MC-7520] Inconsistent distribution system (based on hopper, hopper bug) using rails and minecart-chest over hoppers
• [MC-8328] Powered mechanisms react when receiving a 0 tick redstone signal
• [MC-8784] Comparator use off state texture / do not emit any light when powered
• [MC-9181] Minecarts with Hoppers duplicating items when multiple carts are in the same space
• [MC-9289] Hitting mobs with a sharpness I wooden sword and weakness III crashes the game
• [MC-9341] Powering 2 pistons extends the wrong piston!
• [MC-9357] Mobs with the old AI have inverted head movement
• [MC-9363] Rows of Vertical Down Piston Extenders have a >50% failure rate
• [MC-10312] Minecraft crashes when a saddled pig you ride dies or when changing between rideable entities
• [MC-10355] Animations for items and blocks do not work properly
• [MC-10415] Unable to craft with blocks which have a damage value greater than 0
• [MC-10501] Invisible entities infinite spawn loop (client side) using minecart spawners causing severe performance issues.
• [MC-10503] Crash when near crops
• [MC-10510] View Upside Down with Speed 5 and FOV Quake Pro
• [MC-10532] Minecraft has stopped running because it encountered a problem; Ticking player
• [MC-10533] Same redstone line, two different redstone level
• [MC-10558] Internal error when using /effect with an id >31

Get the snapshot here:

• Client: https://assets.minecraft.net/13w09c/minecraft.jar
• Server: https://assets.minecraft.net/13w09c/minecraft_server.jar (or EXE)

Report bugs here (but please use the search function before you post duplicates!):

• Minecraft issue tracker!

// The Minecraft and Minecraft Realms teams

As you may remember last week, we said that if we manage to raise $500,000 for the Humble Bundle Mojam, Notch would shave his beard.

Well, yesterday we managed to raise more than this and here you go. Enjoy :)

Here’s a new snapshot with a whole bunch of bug fixes. We still aim to do a pre-release tomorrow, or possibly on Friday.

The things changed in this snapshot are:

• [MC-1352] crowdin.net: Entry entity.WitherBoss.name is missing – German translation is "Withern"
• [MC-1361] Self-Powered Redstone Lamp / Breaking a repeater with a piston pointing at a block won't stop the circuit
• [MC-1680] Potatoes are not affected by the Fortune enchantment
• [MC-5413] Items with NBT data do not stack correctly due to serialization
• [MC-5929] Cannot Drop Items in Creative Mode
• [MC-6822] texturepacks no longer work
• [MC-6903] Rail Duplication glitch
• [MC-7147] World crashes after a few seconds
• [MC-8802] blocks keep the redstone state when breaking a comparator that powers that block
• [MC-8932] Pistons can't destroy comparators
• [MC-9382] Crash with 512x texture pack
• [MC-9576] Fortune doesn't affect the drop rate of apples and saplings
• [MC-9813] "Pick Block" on certain items then switching to survival creates infinite or ghost items
• [MC-9817] When removing "Ghost Items" from the inventory, the number may be negative or zero
• [MC-10112] /clear with command blocks not working with armor that has been worn with custom damage values.
• [MC-10312] Minecraft crashes when a saddled pig you ride dies or when changing between rideable entities
• [MC-10329] Pressing Single or Multiplayer Button crashes the game
• [MC-10330] Mining Fatigue broken
• Added an /effect command

Get the snapshot here:

• Client: https://assets.minecraft.net/13w09b/minecraft.jar
• Server: https://assets.minecraft.net/13w09b/minecraft_server.jar (or EXE)

Report bugs here:

• Minecraft issue tracker!

// The Minecraft and Minecraft Realms teams

Hey!

This snapshot is a bit late, due to us doing games for charity (to which you still can donate and get to play the games), but you know what they say about the longer you wait… Anyway, we’re still in bug-fixing mode, but getting really close to a Minecraft Redstone Update release now! We intend to get a pre-release out by Thursday, and an official release out next week.

The things changed in this snapshot are:

• Mobs can now ride stuff that rides other stuff
• Players riding stuff will keep it when logging off (ie, if you’re on a minecart and log off, you will take that minecart with you)
• Animated blocks and items in texture packs now requires the animation definition (previously it was optional)
• Language files have been updated
• [MC-2555] Cannot Connect To Own Server While Not Online (LAN) / Playername beeing E-Mail address when offline
• [MC-6077] Comparators causes block updates while idle
• [MC-7167] Hopper's name doesn't change in its GUI after renamed in anvil
• [MC-9391] Command Block Arguments Length
• [MC-9473] Unnecessary delay of "Done" button in the texturepacks menu
• [MC-9687] Hopper don't update comparator when receiving item stack
• [MC-9788] Mob Spawners failing to "Saving entity NBT"
• [MC-9935] EntityAIAvoidEntity Interference
• [MC-10033] Scoreboard accepts arguments for @p but if not found it will use a wrong name

Get the snapshot here:

• Client: https://assets.minecraft.net/13w09a/minecraft.jar
• Server: https://assets.minecraft.net/13w09a/minecraft_server.jar (or EXE)

Report bugs here:

• Minecraft issue tracker!

// The Minecraft and Minecraft Realms teams

Mojam has officially come to an end! That means everyone who’s donated gets to play the games we’ve created over the past four days.

Haven’t donated yet? Don’t fret. The kind folks at Humble Bundle have agreed to keep the Mojam Humble Bundle page up for a little while longer, so it’s not too late to give money to an honourable cause, and get a bundle of great games to play in the process. They will all be available to download in the near future.

Let’s have a quick runthrough of the titles. First, the three four games from Mojang:
 
Nuclear Pizza War, from Henrik, Johan, and Jens, aka Cyborg Hippos.

Endless Nuclear Kittens from Mattis, Erik, and Mans, aka Giraffmacka.

Battle Frogs from Poi Poi, Nathan, and Kris, aka Striped Zebras.

Nuke the Dinosaurs Blueprint Prototype. This surprise title is still getting worked on by Junkboy, Aron, Jon, and Steven (he’s from Surasshu Sound), but they’ve decided to release the blueprint prototype early.

TEKTONIC from Grapefrukt

Space Hunk from Ludosity

3918 from Oxeye Game Studio

Wasteland Kings from Vlambeer

Low-light from Wolfire Games

Have fun! To reiterate, it’s not too late to enjoy this potpourris of gaming excellence! Just hit up humble bundle, donate, and play!

Owen – @bopogamel

The Mojam is in full swing.

If we raise $500,000, this will happen on the stream:

Head over to Humble Bundle and donate to get the THREE new Mojang Mojam games and a bunch of other games from amazing indie studios. Your money goes directly to two wonderful charities, Block by Block and EFF. We have 28 hours to go. Let’s raise as much money as possible.

Mojam 2013!

Lydia – @LydiaWinters

Mojam 2013 is in full flow! Games are being made! Streams are being watched. Money is getting donated! It’s the perfect time to give you an update on the team’s progress so far. Because you’re all being so nice, I also tracked down NOTCH’s BRAIN (responsible for Minecraft) to get its take on proceedings.

Stripey Zebra

Inspiration: Nuclear. French. Spaceship.
Poi Poi, Nathan, and Kris.

Here’s what Kris had to say about Stripey Zebra’s progress: “Our game is called Battle Toads, because you’re battling toads. You play as a French girl called Annabelle who wakes up on a French colonial spaceship. She later finds out the ship is being invaded by mutant space pirate frogs.

“It’s a side-scrolling platformer.

“We have very little experience with this type of game. The physics is probably the hardest part – getting the collision detection to work, all that stuff.”

NOTCH’S BRAIN: “Drawing inspiration from geniuses such as Lynch and Copperfield, the struggle of Annabelle mirrors that of the developers.”

Cyborg Hippos

Inspiration: Nuclear. Pizza. War.
Henrik, Johan, and Jens.

Here’s what Jens had to say: “It’s a shoot em up. You’re a space pizza defender flying across space on your giant nuclear pizza. It’s attacked by aliens who want your pizza. The challenge is in fending off the aliens without falling off yourself.

“Development has been pretty straightforward so far. Some of the normal trigonometry isn’t actually that hard, but the live stream can cause additional stress if you don’t think of the solution immediately. Now the challenge is to make the game fun. A shortcut to making things fun is to add sound effects, so we’re probably going to do that now.”

NOTCH’S BRAIN: “While the metaphor is a bit rushed, I believe there is a lesson to be learned here for everyone.”

 
 

Giraff Macka

Inspiration: Nuclear. Kittens. Endless.
Mattis, Erik, and Mans.

Finally, here’s insight into Giraff Macka’s game, direct from Mans: “It’s a chain reaction shooter with endless nuclear kittens. You play as a girl version of Mattis. We’re still working out where the kittens come from.

“We haven’t really got that far with it. We’re still working out which enemies and weapons you have. You’ll probably end up with loads of different things: homing guns, rapid-fire guns, nukes (obviously), maybe a shotgun.

“You need to get proper chain reactions going to get good power weapons. I have a theory that chain reactions automatically make any game more fun.”

NOTCH’S BRAIN: “Teetering on the edge of sublimely transcending genres and degenerating into total nonsense, this is my least favourite game.”

That’s it for now. Don’t forget to donate at www.humblebundle.com! Speak soon!

Owen – @bopogamel

Watch live video from mojang on www.twitch.tv

Visit humblebundle.com to donate!

Hello again!

So far, 50,192 of you have voted on the words that will eventually inspire our Mojam games. Thanks for the great response. Here are the most popular suggestions so far: Nuclear, French, Endless, War, Kittens, Spaceship and Pizza.

Most of Mojang will be participating in the Jam. Some as skilled mercenaries spreading their skills across teams as required, some as loyal developers/artists for one of three squads formed just a few minutes ago.

Stripey Zebra
Poi Poi
Nathan
Kris

Cyborg Hippos
Henrik
Johan
Jens

Giraffe
Mattis
Erik
Mans

Our live-stream is due to begin at 6:00 CET. Soon afterwards, we’ll draw from the top-rated suggestions to see which words will inspire the three games and start the Mojam proper! See you then.

Owen – @bopogamel

Surprise! Mojam is happening tomorrow! It’s kicking off at 6pm CET. This is a very special time of the year. Mojang will be split into teams, and each of those teams will create a game inspired by you. We’ll have until midnight on Saturday to complete the creations. You’ll get to play the (wonderful) things we make.

We’re also proud to announce the involvement of five other developers who’ve kindly agreed to donate their time and energy to the project. They’ll be making games too, and their builds will also be included in the final bundle! Exciting eh?

• Grapefrukt
• Ludosity
• Oxeye Game Studio
• Vlambeer
• Wolfire Games

What does this mean for you?

• You get to watch an exclusive Mojam livestream! It’ll include insight into the development of the games, as well as loads of entertaining challenges organised by Lydia.
• You get the chance to donate cash towards two charities close to Mojang’s heart: Block by Block and the EFF.
• Everyone who donates will get to play the final games we create, along with any builds we release during the ‘Jam.
• Donate above the average contribution and you’ll get entry into exclusive raffles!
• You get to decide the themes that will help inspire our games. To do that, just pick your two favourite ideas from the list of potentials below. Tomorrow we’ll randomly pick two of the ideas for each game, and use them as inspiration.

 
Owen – @bopogamel

There’s nothing quite like a piece of real-life papercraft to show off your love for a video game. Now, thanks to Minecraft Papercraft Studio, you can create a real-life, pixel-perfect papercraft model from a library of over 300,000(!) Minecraft skins. You can also recreate your own skin by entering your username. Simple!

It’s a universal app, so you can download it once and install it on all your iOS devices for $2.99/£1.99/€2.69.

All you need to do is download Minecraft Papercraft Studio, print out the template, and assemble. You’ll need scissors, glue, and a bit of patience to bring your creation to life, but the end result is something you can treasure forever! Watch the trailer below for a more visual explanation:

Creators of the app, 57digital, have also cooked up an in-depth tutorial video for your convenience. What a nice bunch…

Minecraft Papercraft Studio is completely compatible with 57digital’s last app, Minecraft Skin Studio. In fact, if you’re feeling extra creative, you can design or edit a skin using Skin Studio then export it to Papercraft Studio with a few taps. It works the other way round too; you can grab an existing skin and edit before printing out the template. 57digital are also behind Minecraft Explorer: the official guide to all things Minecraft. For more updates, follow them on Twitter and Like their Facebook page.

And here are a few real-life examples of models, all made with Papercraft Studio:

Have fun! Make it a crafty weekend, people.

Owen – @bopogamel

It’s Monday again, and you know what that means; it’s time to buy a new calendar! We’ve spent the last week or two trying to rewrite the lighting engine, and it’s going okay but unfortunately is too slow to put live. So instead, have some other smaller bugfixes and this complimentary hug: *hug*

• Slight optimizations to lighting
• [Bug MC-2196] – Map item placed in item frame experiences Z-fighting
• [Bug MC-7302] – Nametag of certain mobs too low / too high
• [Bug MC-9212] – Team colors/prefixes/suffixes are not displayed with @a/@p/@r

Get the snapshot here:

• Client: https://assets.minecraft.net/13w07a/minecraft.jar
• Server: https://assets.minecraft.net/13w07a/minecraft_server.jar (or EXE)

Report bugs here:

• Minecraft issue tracker!

// The Minecraft Team

Minecon 2012 wasn’t just about Minecraft, Scrolls and Cobalt. We were also lucky enough to have a bunch of indie developers attend, along with C418 – the guy responsible for the tinkly Minecraft tunes that you love so much. It was a veritable feast of indie creation.

So they don’t end up dropping into the internet void forever we’ve embedded videos of the talks below. They’re all worth watching, whether you’re an aspiring indie developer looking for tips on how to get started, a gamer interested in the development process, or someone who doesn’t want to miss this intriguing slice of the show. Click each developer’s name to see what they’re up to on Twitter, or just click the title of their game to visit the official sites and to buy their games (an excellent idea).

Sit back, pour yourself a satisfying beverage, and prepare for enlightenment!

Owen – @bopogamel

Paul Taylor – Frozen Synapse

Tom Francis - Gunpoint

Grant Duncan – Joe Danger

Daniel Rosenfeld/C418 – the soundtrack to Minecraft

Mark Morris and Chris Delay – Prison Architect

Mike Bithell – Thomas Was Alone

You might remember us mentioning Minecraft: Pi Edition a few months ago. It’s a free version of Minecraft that will run on the Raspberry Pi – a credit card-sized computer that can help you learn to program in an accessible, fun way. They’re cheap and relatively easy to set up.

Now Pi Edition is available to download! You can get it at our dedicated blog: pi.minecraft.net.

Read more about the Pi, and find out what you need to get started, at their official site and wiki.

Have fun!

Owen – @bopogamel

Psst. Hey you. Wanna test out some fixes? Yeah, I knew you would. They’re good fixes too, very efficient. Let me walk you through them!

• Some lighting optimizations, no bug fixes yet sorry :(
• [Bug MC-69] – Pigs constantly jumping, when player control them on half slabs and stairs.
• [Bug MC-220] – Z-fighting of iron bars / glass panes with the block below / above
• [Bug MC-415] – Leaves replace transparent blocks
• [Bug MC-997] – Clouds have a transparency when you are above/in them but not when you're underneath them.
• [Bug MC-1524] – Baby mob collision boxes are too large.
• [Bug MC-2512] – Village lamp post floating torches
• [Bug MC-2666] – Corner Fence Has Incorrect Collision Box
• [Bug MC-4268] – Wither skeletons have wrong hitbox
• [Bug MC-6019] – Double Trapped chest, makes two sounds when opening and closing.
• [Bug MC-6753] – No sound from some trapped chests
• [Bug MC-7039] – Villager trade menu missing name
• [Bug MC-7652] – Placing a block East of the Hopper makes the inside appear black
• [Bug MC-8198] – Piston pushing piston bugs / piston duplicating piston
• [Bug MC-8776] – Comparators do not update their output signal
• [Bug MC-8998] – Team option "friendlyfire" is not saved to disk; resets upon map reload
• [Bug MC-9140] – Scoreboard name duplication
• [Bug MC-9259] – FallingSand support for block IDs > 128

Get the snapshot here:

• Client: https://assets.minecraft.net/13w06a/minecraft.jar
• Server: https://assets.minecraft.net/13w06a/minecraft_server.jar (or EXE)

Report bugs here:

• Minecraft issue tracker!

// The Minecraft Team

Heyhey!

We found some nasty bugs in the last update and have put out a patch. Please make sure you update your mobile Minecraft. We are really sorry for the issues

0.6.1 is a bug fix update for 0.6.0
- Crash bugs: multiplayer chests and Sign input
- Newly put on armor items would overwrite old if it wasn’t removed first
- Half slabs could get stuck in “upper” position
- Xperia Play controls
- Disconnecting issues on iOS
- Saving worlds are fixed
- Updated screenshots on AppStore :)

Have a nice weekend!

/@Kappische

Some of the incredible MINECON panels didn’t make it on the livestream due to time constraints. As of right now, they have all been uploaded on the TeamMojang YouTube Channel.

Make sure to look through the panel videos. Here’s an overview of all the panels!

We also had four other special videos created over the course of the weekend with everything MINECON.

Make sure to check all of the panel videos out! Next week we will have a post with all the amazing Indie dev panels from MINECON!

Have a great weekend!

- Lydia

Yesterdays snapshot had a few too many bugs and crashes for our liking, so we spent some of Gaming Friday to rectify that! With 11 bugs fixed, say “hello, world” to Snapshot 13w05b!

• [Bug MC-136] – Visual glitch on retracting piston
• [Bug MC-2340] – Redstone torches and comparators schedule updates when they should not. Causing unreliable timings.
• [Bug MC-2416] – Suffocation/jittering/stuck when spawning in a newly created world
• [Bug MC-7094] – Minecraft crashes when dropping an anvil on certain blocks
• [Bug MC-7666] – "selectServer.editButton" in place of the server deletion confirmation button
• [Bug MC-8647] – Death messages not translatable
• [Bug MC-8775] – Minecraft crash when destroying a jukebox with a disk song inside
• [Bug MC-8790] – Scoreboard Teams function does not accept @p or @r arguments
• [Bug MC-8797] – 8-level flat snow does not act like a snow block
• [Bug MC-8805] – Crash when leaving team after deleting it
• [Bug MC-8839] – Clicking done when editing sign crashes minecraft

Get the snapshot here:

• Client: https://assets.minecraft.net/13w05b/minecraft.jar
• Server: https://assets.minecraft.net/13w05b/minecraft_server.jar (or EXE)

Report bugs here:

• Minecraft issue tracker!

// The Minecraft Team

Do you hear that? That kinda squishy, gooey sound? That’s the sound of a bug fix snapshot. We’re starting to wind down from new features and are preparing for a potential (pre-)release of The Redstone Update in a few weeks time. With that in mind, let’s introduce you to Snapshot 13w05a!

• Added team based functionality to scoreboards.
• Adjusted balancing of bonemeal.
• A little late for Christmas, but fully implemented multiple snow heights.
• [Bug MC-666] – Spawn Protection not working properly.
• [Bug MC-1324] – /difficulty command doesn’t produce any messages.
• [Bug MC-6032] – Comparator outputs “pulse” when side signal is on.
• [Bug MC-6039] – The delay of the comparator is inconsistent.
• [Bug MC-6077] – Comparators causes block updates while idle.
• [Bug MC-6941] – SRV is no longer used to lookup servers.
• [Bug MC-6951] – High-res texture pack items have garbage on edges.
• [Bug MC-7087] – Mining activator rail isn’t boosted by pickaxe.
• [Bug MC-8172] – TNT defuses when travelling between dimensions.
• [Bug MC-8186] – Scoreboard vanishes when changing dimensions.
• [Bug MC-8189] – Right-clicking with a helmet in hand crashes the game.
• [Bug MC-8222] – Dispenser will put on stacks of armor.
• [Bug MC-8277] – Scoreboard system doesn’t accept @a.
• [Bug MC-8416] – Furnace Minecarts drop a Minecart and TNT.
• [Bug MC-8437] – URL parser does not detect 4 letter TLDs.
• [Bug MC-8487] – Wither doesn’t generate health when in minecart.
• [Bug MC-8510] – Gamerule doMobLoot doesn’t affect xp drops.

Get the snapshot here:

• Client: https://assets.minecraft.net/13w05a/minecraft.jar
• Server: https://assets.minecraft.net/13w05a/minecraft_server.jar (or EXE)

Report bugs here:

• Minecraft issue tracker!

// The Minecraft Team

Hello Minecrafters!!

We just pushed the buttons on Google Play and iOS AppStore so hopefully, really really soon, you will have the new update in our hands. It takes some time for the game to propagate on the servers.

Change log for Minecraft – Pocket Edition

If you got bugs, please report them here: https://mojang.atlassian.net/browse/MCPE

There is also an title update out for Xbox! Fire up Minecraft and go online and you will get a notice about the update.

Change log for Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition

Hope you will enjoy it and take care!

@jbernhardsson, Aron, jeb_, @Kappische, & @4jStudios

As mentioned by Jens a few weeks ago, Minecraft Pocket Edition 0.6.0 has been submitted. That means you should see it on both your Android and Apple devices in the next few days. It’s packed with a bundle of new and improved features, including signs, baby animals, clouds and slicker controls. Pocket Edition players rejoice!

To celebrate, we’re livestreaming Johan and Daniel showing off the updated build this afternoon. It’s kicking off at 16:30 CET. To see what time that is in your timezone, just click this handy link. The stream will be embedded into this post once it goes live, and viewable on Johan’s twitch.tv channel. We’ll also be uploading the stream to YouTube later in the evening, so don’t worry if you can’t make it for the live showing.

See you on the stream people! Have a lovely day.

Owen – @bopogamel

Imagine getting your art in our 2014 Minecraft calendar, winning a heap of prizes, and helping raise money for Block by Block – our collaboration with UN Habitat – in the process. It’s a massive win-win for everyone.

Art submitted by you will feature in our 2014 Wall Calendar, which is getting created with the help of Jinx. All you need to do is draw something inspired and submit it by February the 8th. The community will help choose the winning entries later in the year, and all proceeds from calendar sales will go towards Block by Block.

We’re supplying a theme to keep things light-hearted, but there’s still room to show off your creativity. Here’s the idea we want you to illustrate:

What’s the funniest thing that’s happened to you in Minecraft?

12 winners will be picked from the submissions and each of those will get:

• A glow in the Dark Creeper Vinyl autographed by Notch and Jens
• $500 Cash!
• A $500 J!NX Gift Certificate
• Their art featured in the official Minecraft 2014 Wall Calendar!

Not too shabby. Visit this link for a template, small print, and submission details. We can’t wait to see what you get up to! Good luck!

According to our calendar from 2041, it’s Thursday in week 4 and flying cars still haven’t been invented yet. However, we did manage to bring back some cool Minecraft features in the form of a snapshot.

• Added a fancy new Scoreboard system.
• Added some new functionality to dispensers.
• Taught dispensers and droppers about the 3rd dimension.
• Scared mobs away from the dangerous minecart tracks.
• At least 20 bugs turned into features.

Get the snapshot here:

• Client: https://assets.minecraft.net/13w04a/minecraft.jar
• Server: https://assets.minecraft.net/13w04a/minecraft_server.jar (or EXE)

Report bugs here:

• Minecraft issue tracker!

// The Minecraft Team

The next update for Minecraft Pocket Edition has been submitted for review. This means we should see the update out in one or two weeks, for both iOS and Android. This update was originally intended to be a small patch, but ended up having a lot of new features and tweaks! Here’s the full changelog:

New features:

• Signs
• Armor
• Baby animals
• Fancy clouds
• Improved D-pad
• Stonecutter for crafting stone blocks
• Sheep can be colored with dyes
• New block types: Netherrack, Nether Brick, Block of Quartz with 2 variants (pillar and chiseled), mossy/cracked Smooth Stone Brick variants (creative only), chiseled/smooth Sandstone variants
• New stairs: Nether Brick, Sandstone, Smooth Stone Brick, Quartz
• New slabs: Sandstone
• New item: Nether Brick (smelted from netherrack and crafted into nether brick tile)
• Upside-down stairs, corner stairs
• Slabs can be placed in up position (needs testing on small screens)
• Sand and Gravel are affected by gravity

Tweaks:

• Recipes for crafting slabs give 6 slabs instead of 3 (as in PC version)
• Nether Reactor spawns Netherrack blocks instead of Obsidian
• The fog and sky color have changed
• The Nether Reactor now spawns more items
• Cows drop Leather

Bug fixes:

• Melons had several bugs where they would spawn too fast and where they shouldn’t

Notice for Android users: Starting with this update, Minecraft Pocket Edition will require Android 2.3 or later. This means we no longer support Android 2.1 or 2.2, but you will still be able to play older versions of Minecraft Pocket Edition.

// The Minecraft Pocket Edition Team

It’s snapshot time! With jeb_ focusing on Pocket Edition this week, Dinnerbone has been working on bug fixes and a couple of new features:

• Made Zombies & Skeletons stronger, scaled to difficulty
• Added a new Dropper block
• Added a Minecart with Hopper item
• Added some new chat options (In multiplayer menu)
• Moved Texture Pack option from main menu to the Options
• At least 19 bugs squished

Get the snapshot here:

• Client: https://assets.minecraft.net/13w03a/minecraft.jar
• Server: https://assets.minecraft.net/13w03a/minecraft_server.jar (or EXE)

Report bugs here:

• Minecraft issue tracker!

// The Minecraft Team

Here’s a bug-fix snapshot for the week!

• Many, many fixes!
• Notable: The stitcher should now make sure to create textures that have sizes in powers of two (fixes all-white textures)

Get the snapshot here:

• Client: https://assets.minecraft.net/13w02b/minecraft.jar
• Server: https://assets.minecraft.net/13w02b/minecraft_server.jar (or EXE)

Report bugs here:

• Minecraft issue tracker!

// The Minecraft Team

Phew. Lots of you bought Minecraft at Christmas, smashing  download records all over the place. The numbers are so massive that even Patrick “master of stats” Geuder raised an eyebrow, and that hardly ever happens. We thought it would be nice to share the numbers. Prepare for an incoming stat attack!

Minecraft
70,808 of your purchased/redeemed Minecraft for PC/Mac on December 25th, and 241,845 during the week of the 24th – 30th. You redeemed a total of 4,177,843 copies throughout the year.

Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition
100,416 of you bought Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition on December 25th, and it was purchased 325, 591 times during Christmas week. Massive congratulations to 4J Studios; they sold 5,002,370 copies of 360 Edition in 2012. 

Minecraft: Pocket Edition
283,939 of you bought Minecraft: Pocket Edition on December 25th, and 706,419 copies were downloaded throughout the week. 5,899,727 copies of Pocket Edition were sold throughout the year; we’re including both Android and iOS sales in those figures.

Minecraft: Pi Edition
Minecraft: Pi Edition isn’t released yet, silly. But it is due soon! Visit pi.minecraft.net for early info.

Thanks for purchasing people! We hope you’ve enjoyed the festive period with your friends and family whether you interacted through Minecraft or IRL.

And Happy New Year from all at Mojang! Make it a great one!

Owen – @bopogamel

Time for a new snapshot! The major changes are:

• Textures for blocks and items now have individual image files (read more below)
• Improved death messages
• Improved naming (using the anvil) of containers and mob eggs
• Trapped chests now give off the redstone signal through walls
• Improved hoppers and made them controllable by redstone
• Updated language files
• Language files can now be updated via the background downloader (no need for a new Minecraft release)

Get the snapshot here:

• Client: https://assets.minecraft.net/13w02a/minecraft.jar
• Server: https://assets.minecraft.net/13w02a/minecraft_server.jar (or EXE)

Report bugs here:

• Minecraft issue tracker!

Notes about the new texture pack system

Starting from this snapshot and forward, blocks and items will no longer load their artwork from one big sheet of sprites. Instead, they’ll have individual files for each image they’re using. The benefit from this is that it will be easier for us to support custom blocks and items in the future. It will also allow us to mix and match block artwork resolutions, and make sure that you get graphics for blocks that your current texture pack isn’t updated for.

We’ve written more information about the new texture pack format in the Minecraft wiki, here: https://www.minecraftwiki.net/wiki/Texture_Packs

// The Minecraft Team

The 1.4.7 patch for Minecraft has now been posted to the launcher. This was pre-released two weeks ago, and the fixes were:

• Fixed crash related to arrows fired from dispensers
• Fixed a multiplayer crash when using fireworks without a fireworks star
• Fixed long timeout when checking SRV records

// The Minecraft Team

There were a couple of redstone problems (surprise, surprise) in the snapshot yesterday, so here’s an updated version!

• List of issues “fixed for 1.5″
• Notable: The crash for looping comparator circuits has been fixed

Get the snapshot here:

• Client: https://assets.minecraft.net/13w01b/minecraft.jar
• Server: https://assets.minecraft.net/13w01b/minecraft_server.jar (or EXE)

Report bugs here:

• Minecraft issue tracker!

// The Minecraft Team

Welcome to a new year of snapshots! This is the first snapshot that contains features for the coming Redstone Update.

• Redstones circuits are more consistent and pistons should be more stable
• Added the Redstone Comparator block (this replaces the Capacitor we talked about at Minecon)
• Added the Daylight Detector block
• Added a Hopper block (still work in progress)
• Added a chest that activates redstone
• Added weighted pressure plates that detect item stacks
• Added Block of Redstone block (works as a pushable redstone torch)
• Added a new ore to the Nether
• Added a Nether Brick item for crafting Nether Brick blocks
• A whole bunch of other stuff… Try for instance double-clicking items, or drag-placing them, in the inventory

Get the snapshot here:

• Client: https://assets.minecraft.net/13w01a/minecraft.jar
• Server: https://assets.minecraft.net/13w01a/minecraft_server.jar (or EXE)

Report bugs here:

• Minecraft issue tracker!

// The Minecraft Team

Unfortunately we managed to include two “null pointer exception” cases in 1.4.6, and we feel they should be patched.

This release is compatible with 1.4.6 and has almost no bytecode changes, so mods that have been updated for 1.4.6 should work in 1.4.7 too. The only affected file is the one called “qz”, which is the arrow projectile’s class. This also means that 1.4.6 clients can play on 1.4.7 servers, and 1.4.7 clients on 1.4.6 servers… so we’ll wait until after New Year’s Eve before we publish it in the launcher. Download the pre-release if you want these problems fixed before then!

The fixes are:

• Fixed crash related to arrows fired from dispensers
• Fixed a multiplayer crash when using fireworks without a fireworks star
• Fixed long timeout when checking SRV records

Get the pre-release here:

• Client: https://assets.minecraft.net/1_4_7/minecraft.jar
• Server: https://assets.minecraft.net/1_4_7/minecraft_server.jar (or EXE)

Report bugs here:

• Minecraft issue tracker!

Happy New Year!

// The Minecraft Team

As most of you probably already noticed, Minecraft has been updated to version 1.4.6! The major changes are,

• Added fireworks
• Added enchantable books
• A lot of enchantments have been tweaked
• A Christmas surprise
• Added option to enable touchscreen input for buttons and inventory
• Many issues have been fixed!

You can download the stand-alone client and server software here: https://minecraft.net/download. Now we’ll get back on focusing on Minecraft 1.5 – the Redstone Update! It will be released early 2013.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

// The Minecraft Team

Christmas is coming! And by the looks of our stats so far, 11,424 of you are planning on giving gift codes to your friends and family. It’s an excellent, thoughtful idea.

Emailing someone a code is a wonderful thing to do, but it doesn’t really feel that Christmassy. For this reason, we deployed Junkboy and created a template. Now you can pass on your gift in a physical way with some festive spirit built-in. You can do this with any unredeemed codes you have lying around.

It’s easy to do. First , purchase a gift code on Minecraft.net. Next, log in to your Mojang account, scroll down to the “Codes” bit, and click “Print Christmas Card” to the right of the code you want to gift. Print out the PDF that pops up, fold it as per the bundled instruction sheet, then gently place it under your Christmas tree in time for Christmas Morn! How lovely.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Owen – @bopogamel

The Festive Skin pack is now available for Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition. It’s on sale for 80 points and comes with 21 festive skins. You can queue up the download right now! Or just load up your console and get it from the dashboard.

On a separate skin-related note,you guys raised an incredible $770,448 by purchasing the Halloween Skin pack. That’s an incredible figure. Especially when you consider that every single penny went to charity. Neither Mojang, Microsoft, or 4J took a cut. The proceeds were split between Child’s Play, Macmillan Cancer Support, Sands Lothians and Block by Block.

Thanks everyone! Here are a few more images of the Skin Pack for your viewing pleasure. And a tweaked version of Jingle Bells which reiterates the info in this post in a melodic fashion (sorry about that, but I’m feeling extremely festive).

To the tune of Jingle Bells

Now a Festive Pack is on sale,
So you can dress all Christmassy,
80 points – you cannot fail,
If you play on 360.

You can wear a Santa suit,
Or look just like his wife,
You will look extremely cute ,
On these festive Christmas nights. Hey!

Jingle Bells, Minecraft sells!
You can play it on holiday.
Oh what fun it is to dig,
Playing solo or in multiplay. Hey!

Have a very Merry Christmas!

It’s time to pre-release the next Minecraft update! Dinnerbone has fixed a couple of more issues since the 12w50b snapshot, as well as adding a sound indicator when you hit players with arrows in player versus player!

To summarize 1.4.6:

• Added fireworks
• Added enchantable books
• A lot of enchantments have been tweaked
• A Christmas surprise
• Many issues have been fixed!

We intend to release 1.4.6 on Thursday, December 20!

Get the pre-release here:

• Client: https://assets.minecraft.net/1_4_6/minecraft.jar
• Server: https://assets.minecraft.net/1_4_6/minecraft_server.jar (or EXE)

Report bugs here:

• Minecraft issue tracker!

// The Minecraft Team

Updated snapshot for week 50!

• 10 issues fixed
• Notable: Fixed item desynchronization bug when using chests and other containers
• Notable: Fixed mobs getting stuck when hit by players

Get the snapshot here:

• Client: https://assets.minecraft.net/12w50b/minecraft.jar
• Server: https://assets.minecraft.net/12w50b/minecraft_server.jar (or EXE)

Report bugs here:

• Minecraft issue tracker!

// The Minecraft Team

Snapshot week 50!

We’re looking to do a 1.4.6 before Christmas, with the normal pre-release a few days ahead. Monday maybe? Anyway, changes since last week:

• Tweaked fireworks effect and sounds
• Item entities are rendered as 3d objects in the world
• Corrected how enchanted books work, and added them to villagers and chests
• Added “thorns” enchantment
• Added tool highlight when switching items in the hotbar
• Added a notice/warning for users still playing on PowerPCs or Java 5 (Java 1.5)
• Various bug fixes

Get the snapshot here:

• Client: https://assets.minecraft.net/12w50a/minecraft.jar
• Server: https://assets.minecraft.net/12w50a/minecraft_server.jar (or EXE)

Report bugs here:

• Minecraft issue tracker!

// The Minecraft Team

Thank for voting on the Mojang Pepparakakshus Showdown! 42,143 of you have spoken, and the winner has been decided.

Before I disclose the victor, here are some action shots of the teams working away and a breakdown of the team members. Massive thanks to Thomas Arnoth for the work-in-progress images. Equally massive thanks to Linn for organising our afternoon of creative fun.

Lag Nord
Notch, Owen, Junkboy, Karin, Mattis, Henrik and Jens

Team Fully Edible
Jakob, Jonatan, Johan, Poi Poi, Tobias, Lydia, Aron and Jon

The Ginger Heroes
Carl, Leo, Kris, Måns, Daniel K, Vu and Lan (Vu’s bro)

And the moment you’ve all been waiting for! Here are the results:
The glorious Lag Nord took the victory with a 1.5% lead over The Ginger Heroes. Nail-biting stuff. Team Fully Edible took third place.

Have a great Christmas everyone! And thanks again for voting! You guys are the best.

There’s an air of competition at the Mojang offices. Yesterday, three factions were formed. One headed by Notch, one by Jakob, and one by Carl (but we’re not telling you which is which). The rest of the Mojangstas were allocated via a random draw.

Next, Linn gave us a simple, noble task – to create the best damn pepparkakshus (gingerbread house) the world has ever seen. She provided three boxes of gingerbread, icing, sprinkles, and sweets, and two hours to complete our creations. Secret discussions began. Plans were formed. Sketches were sketched. Then, this afternoon, we started to create.

Here are the results. To avoid favouritism, we’re keeping each team anonymous. Scroll down to cast your vote!

Team Fully Edible

The Ginger Heroes

Lag Nord

Yes, they’re all great. But which one is best? Cast your vote below. NOTE: although this is incredibly serious business, the results of this competition will have no bearing on the future of Minecraft, Minecon, or anything else of any significance. It’s just for fun. Oh, and if you can’t see the voting box, click here.

We’ll post the results next week. Merry Christmas everyone!