Notch Releases Minecraft 1.5 with Weather, Rails

[Greg Tito]

Notch Releases Minecraft 1.5 with Weather, Rails

Notch noted on his blog that Minecraft version 1.5 went live today and it's time to update your servers.

The addition of weather effects such as rain, snow and thunder have made it into the live version of Minecraft. Markus Perrson, Notch if you're nasty, first announced the next update would feature weather on April 7th, and it took the Mojang team less than 2 full weeks to implement it into the code. If that's not a quick turnaround, I don't know what is. Also in this update to version 1.5 is statistics and achievement tracking as well as two new kinds of rails for your minecart: detectors and powered rails. Notch is far from done, as he's further tweaked the performance of the game and will continue to develop more statistics code.

"More statistics and achievements will be added over time as we develop the game," Notch said. "They're only stored locally at the moment, but we'll slowly be rolling out online storing of achievements over time."

While I'm sure that stats and achievements are a welcome inclusion, and the cosmetic addition of weather will increase immersion, the real gem of this update is the update to the rail system. The Powered Rail [http://www.minecraftwiki.net/wiki/Detector_Rail], made with gold instead of iron, replaces the various methods used to "boost" carts which players resorted to.

I can't wait to see the rail systems that players can make with the new rails available.

Source: Notch [http://notch.tumblr.com/post/4746701552/minecraft-beta-1-5-and-some-thoughts-on-this-blog]

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[Legion]

While I like these changes, it is kind of annoying how small the gap in between 1.4 and 1.5 was, as the server I use online took about a week to update to 1.4, and now I have to wait again before updating.

Nice changes though.

 

[Soviet Heavy]

I'll certainly have to check this out after I finish Portal 2. Powered Minecarts.

 

[The .50 Caliber Cow]

Chugga chugga chugga chugga CHOO CHOO!!!

[sub][sub]I may just buy Minecraft because of this.[/sub][/sub]

 

[microhive]

After this week break from school I'm so going to update the server back in the dorm for everyone to enjoy!

 

[Fetzenfisch]

achievements? really? something totally useless like that gets implemented before the game is done? well it might not have taken long to add that bonusfeature. But i'd rather have well working beds.

 

[Legion]

achievements? really? something totally useless like that gets implemented before the game is done? well it might not have taken long to add that bonusfeature. But i'd rather have well working beds.

I don't get why everything needs achievements, isn't Minecraft supposed to be about using your imagination, not ticking off a checklist?

 

[Fetzenfisch]

achievements? really? something totally useless like that gets implemented before the game is done? well it might not have taken long to add that bonusfeature. But i'd rather have well working beds.

I don't get why everything needs achievements, isn't Minecraft supposed to be about using your imagination, not ticking off a checklist?

exactly. thanks for your support there. achievements are nothing but extra gameplay time for 100%ers without adding any content. Fodder for the dumb.

 

[Hungry Donner]

I'm glad to hear about the powered rails and to know my stacks of gold will finally have a purpose

 

[lostzombies.com]

Hurray now online is unplayable again until bukkit is updated! Hurray! Hurray!

On a serious note, the online mode would be unplayable without communnity mods such as bukkit, hey0 (rip) cuboid (rip) and command book etc. It's time Notch stopped fucking them over and begins being a little bit more considerate to the people who actually you know, made the online playable?

No one would play online without protection, how about incorporating it into the game instead of squids, cookies and achievements?

/flameshield to protect from legions of fanboys

 

[Shadow-Phoenix]

FInally gold actually has more worth in this game and yay server's down god darn it =/.

 

[AlternatePFG]

It's nice that 1.4 and 1.5 were released relatively close to each other. Hope Notch keeps this trend up, it's a nice change of pace.

 

[microhive]

achievements? really? something totally useless like that gets implemented before the game is done? well it might not have taken long to add that bonusfeature. But i'd rather have well working beds.

I don't get why everything needs achievements, isn't Minecraft supposed to be about using your imagination, not ticking off a checklist?

You guys fail to see that it actually works as a tutorial and has such a vibe to it. It's perfect as a guide line for new players.

Notch had some internal conflict in his company regarding achievements, so he made it into something that would be useful for more than simply showing off.

 

[Icehearted]

Spoiler: Looks like he just knocked it up a notch!

I haven't touched this game since that big underworld release... I might just have to hop back in again and see how much better things have gotten.

 

[drakythe]

achievements? really? something totally useless like that gets implemented before the game is done? well it might not have taken long to add that bonusfeature. But i'd rather have well working beds.

I don't get why everything needs achievements, isn't Minecraft supposed to be about using your imagination, not ticking off a checklist?

exactly. thanks for your support there. achievements are nothing but extra gameplay time for 100%ers without adding any content. Fodder for the dumb.

Actually, the current 15 achievements are a kind of hands off tutorial, because like Steam achievs they tell you what you need to do to earn them, and the first achieve is to open your inventory, the second is to punch a tree and get wood. So I think that its great, personally.

 

[Fetzenfisch]

achievements? really? something totally useless like that gets implemented before the game is done? well it might not have taken long to add that bonusfeature. But i'd rather have well working beds.

I don't get why everything needs achievements, isn't Minecraft supposed to be about using your imagination, not ticking off a checklist?

exactly. thanks for your support there. achievements are nothing but extra gameplay time for 100%ers without adding any content. Fodder for the dumb.

Actually, the current 15 achievements are a kind of hands off tutorial, because like Steam achievs they tell you what you need to do to earn them, and the first achieve is to open your inventory, the second is to punch a tree and get wood. So I think that its great, personally.

Okay , then again i support this step as an easy to do and well made decision, without drawing too much resources from the important work ^^ Information is the key

 

[L3m0n_L1m3]

Time to /give myself a ton of powered rails!

 

[0p3rati0n]

And so the piston mod is still a mod and isn't officially incorporated into the game yet.

 

[drakythe]

Snip

I figured that might be the case, since it was not mentioned in the news update. They literally take maybe 10-15 minutes to get all of them (more for a less experienced player) but its a nice start to what could be used VERY well in the future

And so the piston mod is still a mod and isn't officially incorporated into the game yet.

It was already said that it wouldn't be in 1.5 because of timing issues and feature-creep. They didn't want a repeat of 1.4 where the update took near to a a month to get out. Jeb and the mod maker are all still for the mod becoming official, its just a timing issue