Snapshot 15w31a Changes
Below are the changes added included in Snapshot 15w31a. This is the first snapshot of Minecraft 1.9, and is a preview of a lot of the upcoming features.
To play this snapshot, enable developer builds in your Minecraft launcher, and set the version to 15w31a.
Additions
Gameplay
Dominant hand option
An option for players to change their dominant hand on their player model
Dual wielding
Only the main hand can be used for attacking
Bows can be used even when something is in the other hand
The other hand is invisible in first person view when not holding something
Key to swap items between hands, which is F by default
The off-hand slot is displayed next to the hotbar, on the off-hand side (left for right-hand players and vice versa)
Some attributes and enchantments will apply to the off-hand item, while others will not.
For example, if you have a pickaxe in your main hand and a torch in your other hand, right click places the torch
Status effects
Levitation status effect
Received when player is hit by shulker projectiles
Makes player involuntarily float high into the air
Can be used to get to higher places
Listed as a negative effect due to the potential to kill from fall damage
Higher levels of levitation result in faster floating
Glowing status effect
Received when players or mobs are hit by spectral arrows
Makes player's outline glow, seen even through non-transparent blocks
Listed as a negative effect because it prevents you from hiding from players once you are hit
Supports different colors for different teams to allow usage in competitive maps, team co-op maps, etc.
Blocks
Grass Path
A 15/16 block tall grass-like “path”. It features a somewhat similar texture to the grass block.
Cannot be obtained in the creative inventory.
Made by right clicking grass with any shovel.
Just drops dirt when broken with a silk touch shovel or any other silk touch tool.
But can, unlike farmland, be middle clicked to obtain in creative.
Purpur Block
Generates in the End dungeons
Can be crafted with Popped Chorus Fruits
Purpur Pillar
Generates in the End dungeons.
Can be crafted with Purpur Slabs
Purpur Stairs
Generates in the End dungeons.
Can be crafted with Purpur Blocks
Purpur Slabs
Generates in the End dungeons.
Can be crafted with Purpur Blocks
End Stone Bricks
Generates in the End dungeons
Can be crafted with End Stones
End Rod
Generates in the End dungeons
Placeable horizontally and vertically which produce white particles
Dragon mob head
When powered with redstone, the jaw starts to move up and down
Will keep it state when unpowered. if you unpower it while the jaw is closed, it remains closed. If you unpower it while it is open, it remains open.
Items
Beetroot
Restores 1 ().
Can be found in villages
Can be used to craft Beetroot Soup.
Can be used to craft Rose Red dye.
Is also in Pocket Edition.
Beetroot Soup
Restores 6 ().
Beetroot Seeds
Used to grow Beetroots.
Chorus Fruit
Obtained from chorus plants
Can be eaten even if the player is not hungry, similar to Golden Apples
Can be cooked in Furnaces to obtain Popped Chorus Fruits
Teleports the player somewhere nearby when eaten
Chorus Flowers
Spawn on the top of the chorus plant
Don't drop when the supporting block is destroyed so you need to hand-pick them.
Can only be planted on End Stone in any dimension.
Arrows
Fourteen new arrow types.
New spectral arrow (gold colored)
Arrows can be tipped with potions
Shows mob and player outlines in their team color when hit – even when invisible
NBT tag for entities to disable outlines
The glowing is a status effect – you can find out whether you're glowing from a spectral arrow using the status effect HUD
Each differently tipped arrow is available in the creative menu, just like enchanted books
Effect is applied on hit
World generation
End City
Dungeon-type structure: "Tree" houses made of end stone and new blocks, including stairs
Contains the new shulker mob
Generates on separate end islands arranged around the main island in a donut fashion
Chorus plants
Tree/cactus-like arrangements of new purple block.
Drop when supporting block is destroyed, like cacti.
Drop edible chorus fruit items.
Can be farmed by planting the chorus fruit flowers that come from the top of the plants.
Grow in stages.
End Gateway Portal
Appears after killing the Ender Dragon
New type of portal, due to its size it is only accessible using ender pearls, or by riding pigs, boats or minecarts.
Used to warp to other end islands depending on the direction of the ender pearl throw.
When it is generated, it has a purple beacon effect shooting up and down from it. It will then slowly go away.
End Gateway will be automatically linked to another one, if it can't find a linked gateway it will output a yellow beam.
Mobs
Shulker
Short for "Shell Lurker"
The shell looks like a purple block
Appears in the End city dungeons
Using commands, they can be made to be part of a team to attack other teams and can be used as defense mobs
When attacking, opens up and shoots projectiles which only move along the x/y/z axis
It can teleport like an Enderman while attacked or pushed by Piston.
It can appear on the ground or walls
Projectiles can be knocked away by attacking them.
Getting hit by a projectile causes 2 hearts of damage and provides the levitation status effect
Changes
General
Options
Removed Super Secret Settings and Broadcast Settings
Removed Alternate Blocks from video settings
Gameplay
Bosses
Proper support for multiple bosses’ health bars, so they show at the same time without obstructing each other.
Death messages
Death messages will now be displayed on the player's death screen as well as in the chat.
Inventory
Rearranged the survival inventory and the creative "survival tab" to accommodate the new off hand slot.
Items
You can no longer equip items into the head slot via /replaceitem.
Status effects
Status effects are now displayed on the HUD, instead of just in the inventory, similarly to Pocket Edition
Displays status effect icons ordered by time left
Positive effects are on the top row, negative effects on the bottom row
Effects that are about to run out blink, faster when closer to running out and also fade away
Commands
/clone
Allows for mirroring/rotating structures
Blocks
Armor stands
Can now dual wield
Dead bushes
Will now drop anywhere between 0–2 sticks
Trapdoors
No longer require supporting blocks
Items
Bows
The bow in your hotbar now shows an arrow when being drawn.
Arrows in the off hand are prioritized over arrows in the rest of the inventory slots.
Ender pearls
Can now be thrown in creative mode
Maps
Now display as a mini map when held in either hand, rather than being held with both hands.
World generation
End Island
A set amount of differently-sized pillars are arranged in a circular fashion
The tallest pillars have iron bars around their ender crystal
The exit portal is pre-generated, but without the dragon egg and portal blocks
Infinite number of islands in the end
This makes it so that you have to climb some of the pillars, making the fight harder
Mobs
Ender dragon
Revamped boss fight inspired by the Console Edition.
Can be respawned by building a creeper face out of clay.
The dragon breathes fire/purple particles on players and mobs
The dragon will defend the obsidian pillars more the further the fight progresses
Only one dragon egg can be obtained
A more controlled dragon
Hostile mobs
Will now have animations to show that they are attacking.
Skeletons
Skeletons now animate their bow
They pull it out when becoming hostile and draw it back to shoot arrows
Have a small chance to spawn with their bow in their left hand
Mapmakers can make skeletons shoot potion-tipped arrows
Enderman
Enderman will now remain aggravated towards the player despite being in contact with water.
All mobs
More different textures for mobs
