What Is 1.5

During Minecon 2012's The Future Of Minecraft Speech, Jeb said that Mojang are planing on posting specific updates, what is a specific update you ask, well they plan on posting special updates focusing on one aspect of minecraft (AKA biomes, mobs, food) and they agreed that 1.5 which will come out around January or February 2013 will be based on a very special subject that i am somewhat of an expert on.

Redstone

The update in general will include the fancy light controls that were in the development of 1.4, as well as some special new upgrades for redstone and minecarts, they are adding that the strength of the redstone signal will mater for some blocks, i will now explain some of the cool stuff that Mojang are planning to add.

Comparator: Like a Repeater exempt with two inputs, if input A is stronger than input B, it generates a fresh signal, but if input B is stronger it generates no signal :(

BUD switch block: this will possibly be a block featured in 1.5, it will create a short burst of power like a button to any redstone touching it, it will only do this though if the environment around it changes, say if a block is placed on it or grass grows onto the dirt block above it, or even if water flows over it, this would help with machines or overly complicated chain devices.

Block Of Redstone: This block is crafted using nine redstone dust, it emits a continuous redstone signal into whatever is touching it and it can be pushed by pistons.

Weighted Pressure Plates: these are special, they will create a signal if something is on it like all other pressure plates, but the redstone signal strength will vary between the different things on it, say if you dropped an item on it it would create a weak redstone signal, but if you stand on it it would create a much stronger signal.

A New Ore: Mojang stated that to encourage exploration they would add a new ore to the nether, that must be collected to make some of the new items such as the Capacitor, if you thought going to the nether was bad enough how about MINING there, they have released the ore which is called Nether Quartz in the latest and first snapshot of the year.

Daylight Detector: the idea with this block is that it will created a redstone signal that will vary with the amount of sunlight shining onto it, so next time if you see a light switch in a persons home that your robbing, watch out. this block is also perfect for adventure maps.

Transport: Mojang are planing on adding some minecart and rail changes and additions similar to the RailCraft mod, such as the ability to link minecarts together and have them powered by a furnace minecart, a rail that unloads mobs and players when reached and they might also add rails that go straight up and other such changes to the humble minecart.

Texture Packs: they are planing on adding a specific texture file for every single block, that way every block could have its own special animation, note though, this DOES mean that you can use high definition texture packs without a mod.

Fancy Lighting: as well as removing those annoying dark spots from the game, this special addition will add more realistic lighting to the game, such as active furnaces only giving of light from one side instead of all sides, it might also add that glowstone gives of a strong gold glow as well.

Nether Brick: Nether brick is now craft able by smelting Netherrack, the smelted Netherrack gives you a Nether Brick, which you can craft to make Nether Brick Blocks.

Hopper: Still a WIP the Hopper is supposed to transport items between different containers, it is still a WIP so i am not sure what this exactly means.

Trapped Chest: ahh i love the idea for this trap, if a person looks into it it emits a redstone signal :D, it is crafted using a chest and a tripwire hook.

That is all for my blog, i hope you all liked it because i put a lot of work and research into it.