Minecraft Redstone Update Pre-Release

Mojang has been busy with Minecraft development lately, recently announcing that the popular block-based builder may come to PlayStation when Microsoft's console-exclusivity contract expires. On the PC side of things, we had previously revealed the Redstone Update would be arriving in March, and Mojang has now confirmed that this will the case.

The Norway-based studio has officially posted the Minecraft Pre-Release on their website (download it here), meaning gamers willing to beta-test can try out the new update before it officially comes to all clients next week. This gives Mojang a chance to interpret feedback and potentially create some fixes before the update goes gold.

Here's the official changelist as posted by Jens Bergensten, the head honcho for Minecraft itself:

  • 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

As one would expect, the Redstone Update features plenty of redstone-based items like comparators, hoppers, droppers and daylight sensors (which are explained here). As for the removal of Herobrine, we'll just assume he was never placed into the game in the first place. (right?)

With sales breaching the 20 million barrier back in January, it's clear that the active updates are keeping gamers interested. There's no news on what will come after this week's update, which has been planned since MineCon in November 2012.

The update will officially go live on March 13th, 2013, and we'll have a Game Rant Guide up for you shortly after!

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Source: Mojang