Minecraft’s new ‘drop’ structure for updates has freed Mojang to work on more niche aspects of the game, including small ways to improve biomes. Considering what’s been shown inMinecraft’s most recent snapshot, the sky’s the limit for ways Mojang can revisit the title’s ecosystems.
The most recentMinecraftsnapshothas introduced some experimental features for the game’s biomes, all of which are small tweaks to enhance the verisimilitude of these regions. The big change has been to the pig, which can now come in a warm or a cold variant in certain biomes (though the traditional pig will still spawn). Leaf Litter blocks and Wildflowers have also been introduced, alongside new leaf particles that fall from tree leaves and other select flora.
More Changes Minecraft Should Bring To Biomes
These biome changes show Mojang’s willingness to use its new structure of multiple small updates per yearto enhanceMinecraft’s biomes. In fact, the features proposed in this snapshot are in line with the wolf variants introduced in Armored Paws, an update that proved to be a testing ground for the new ‘drop’ system. There are many opportunities for minor updates to add small details toMinecraftbiomes—small details that could go a long way.
Bringing In Birch Forest Upgrades And Fireflies
The Wildflowersadded inMinecraft’s latest snapshotspecifically aid the two types of Birch Forest (in addition to Meadows), which is a great sign for fans. This is because many expected the Birch Forest to be upgraded in The Wild Update, as some fans misinterpreted concept art displayed during that update’s announcement as confirmed features. The miscommunication has been frustrating for many, especially with how nice this upgrade would make the biome look—adding new ways for trees to generate, more foliage, and bracket fungi. Wildflowers are definitely reminiscent of the new plants displayed in that concept art, so it would be great to see more of these features manifest.
Another thingthe future ofMinecraftshould pilfer from the past is fireflies. These insects were once slated for The Wild Update but were cut from the final release due to a mechanic that allowed frogs to eat fireflies (as fireflies are toxic to frogs in real life). A simple fix to this would be to remove this interaction, and it would be a fix worth making; teaser footage of fireflies in swamps added a great ambiance that is sorely missed. With recent updates adding more ambient particle effects, fireflies would fit right in.
More Underground Biomes
Minecraft’s Caves and Cliffs duologyhas been a great asset to the game, partially because of the new cave biomes. However, aside from the Deep Dark, these breathtaking underground locales are light on valuable, exclusive resources. This isn’t a bad thing, but it would be nice if some underground biomes offered unique loot. It’s a tired argument to compareMinecrafttoTerraria, but introducing specific underground biomes for icy, desert, and/or jungle regions would translate well. These areas could spawn exclusive elements and have some exclusive loot tables, encouraging more risk-and-reward exploration.
More Biome-Based Structure Variation
Minecraft’s new ‘drop’ output structureis a great opportunity to update existing structures for different climates. Pillager Towers would be key to this, though they should maintain some uniformity to contrast them against villages. Villages themselves, though already nicely varied, could benefit from even more differentiation—particularly regarding trades and Raids. Unique Raid enemies or trade tables based on biome would be a fun way to add more unique challenges and more reasons to explore. While the proposed changes to Villager trades, which would facilitate this, have been controversial, fewer restrictions within these proposals could make them widely popular.
Minecraft
WHERE TO PLAY
Minecraft is a game made up of blocks, creatures, and community. You can survive the night or build a work of art – the choice is all yours. But if the thought of exploring a vast new world all on your own feels overwhelming, then fear not!Minecraft has no set goal and can be played however you’d like! This is why it’s sometimes called a “sandbox game” – there are lots of things for you to do, and lots of ways that you can play. If you like being creative, then you can use the blocks to build things from your imagination. If you’re feeling brave, you can explore the world and face daring challenges. Blocks can be broken, crafted, placed to reshape the landscape, or used to build fantastical creations.Creatures can be battled or befriended, depending on how you play. The world of Minecraft allows for epic adventures, quiet meditations, and everything in between. You can even share your creations with other players, or play in community worlds!
