Minecraft is a sandbox game that allows players to create and explore infinite worlds made of blocks. The game is constantly updated with new features, bug fixes, and improvements. The latest update for Minecraft Java Edition is 1.20.3, which was released on October 12, 2023. This update brings several new additions and changes to the game, as well as technical updates and community creations. Here is everything you should know about Minecraft 1.20.3 update for Java Edition.
New Additions and Changes in Minecraft 1.20.3
One of the most notable features of this update is the /tick command, which allows players to control the game’s tick speed and duration. This command can be used to slow down or speed up the game or to pause and resume it. The /tick command can also be used to set the tick rate for specific dimensions, such as the Overworld, the Nether, or the End. This command is useful for testing, debugging, or experimenting with different game mechanics.
Another new feature is the Experimental Features toggle in the 1.21 update, which is available in the Create New World screen. This toggle allows players to enable or disable experimental features that are not yet fully implemented or balanced in the game. For example, players can try out the new archaeology system, which lets them dig up ancient artifacts and pottery shards. However, these features are subject to change or removal in future updates, so players should use them at their own risk.
Some of the general changes in this update include:
- The ability to waterlog barriers, makes them invisible when submerged in water.
- The addition of a new death screen, which zooms out the camera and shows the Hotbar and settings menu.
- The addition of crawling, which allows players to move under one-block gaps without needing a trapdoor or a piston.
- The addition of recipe unlocking, which requires players to discover recipes before they can craft them. This feature can be turned on or off per world, and can be combined with a game rule for limited crafting.
- The addition of a recipe book search, which matches the beginning of any word in the item’s name and shows unlocked and locked recipes.
Some of the impactful bug fixes in this update include:
- Fixed a bug that caused chunks to load slowly or not at all in some worlds.
- Fixed a bug that caused entities to disappear or duplicate when crossing dimensions.
- Fixed a bug that caused pistons to break blocks when retracting.
- Fixed a bug that caused villagers to lose their professions or trades when reloading a world.
- Fixed a bug that caused the game to crash when using the /fill command with certain blocks.
Technical Changes in Minecraft 1.20.3
This update also brings some technical changes to the game, such as:
- The addition of world resource packs, which allow players to apply custom resource packs to specific worlds. These packs can be selected in the Edit World screen and can override the global resource packs.
- The update of the data pack version to 26, which adds new tags, predicates, and functions for data pack creators. For example, there is a new tag for blocks that can be waterlogged, a new predicate for checking the tick rate of a dimension, and a new function for executing commands at a specific tick.
- The update of the resource pack version to 22, which adds new textures, models, and sounds for resource pack creators. For example, there are new textures for the archaeology items, new models for the barriers, and new sounds for the crawling.
Community Creations and Updates
This update also features some community creations and updates, such as:
- The release of Minecraft 1.20.3 Pre-Release 1, 2, and 3, which are snapshots that test the stability and performance of the update before the official release. These pre-releases also fix some bugs and issues that were reported by the players.
- The release of new block and item releases, which are custom blocks and items that are created by the community and added to the game through data packs. Some examples are the bamboo ladder, the ender pearl dispenser, and the slime block launcher.
- The release of Minecraft Snapshot and Preview updates, which are snapshots that showcase the upcoming features and changes for the next major update, 1.21. These snapshots include the new archaeology system, the new mobs and blocks for the deep dark biome, and the new world height limit.
Expected Release Date for Minecraft 1.20.3 and Future Features
The expected release date for Minecraft 1.20.3 is October 12, 2023, which is the same day as the Minecraft Live event. This event is a livestream that celebrates the game and reveals the future plans and features for the game. Some of the future features that are expected to be announced or shown are:
- The archaeology system, which is a new feature that allows players to dig up ancient artifacts and pottery shards. These items can be used to craft new blocks and items, such as the clay pot, the brush, and the spyglass.
- The new mobs and blocks for the deep dark biome, which is a new biome that is located at the bottom of the world. This biome is dark and dangerous, and is home to new mobs and blocks, such as the warden, the sculk sensor, and the candles.
- The new world height limit, which is a new feature that increases the maximum height and depth of the world from 256 to 512 blocks. This feature allows for more vertical variation and exploration in the game, as well as new biomes and structures.
- The future plans for Steam Deck OLED compatibility, which is a new feature that aims to make the game compatible with the Steam Deck OLED, a handheld gaming device that runs on SteamOS. This feature will allow players to play the game on the go, with high-quality graphics and performance.
Minecraft 1.20.3 update for Java Edition is a major update that brings many new additions and changes to the game, as well as technical updates and community creations. This update is expected to be released on October 12, 2023, along with the Minecraft Live event. This event will reveal the future features and plans for the game, such as the archaeology system, the new mobs, and blocks for the deep dark biome, the new world height limit, and the future plans for Steam Deck OLED compatibility.
