Download Minecraft Snapshot 12w07a

You can download Minecraft Snapshot 12w07 now. It's part of the mini update cycle before Minecraft 1.2 gets released. This snapshot contains the brand sparklingly new map format – aka ‘Anvil'.

If you missed our previous Minecraft post then you can read more about the ‘Anvil' map format here. http://www.accelerated-ideas.com/news/new-minecraft-map-format-anvil-coming.aspx

In short, the new map format supports a greater height (up to 256 blocks high, rather than 128) and it also supports up to 4000 block id's. That's more than 15 times as many as it does now! So what does this mean for us Minecraft players? Well, more block id's means more blocks. Mod developers can create mods to add more blocks without worrying about running out of id's. Similarly, Jeb can expand Minecraft much further and create all those new block types for us. It's a win win situation for everyone.

If you're worried about your old Minecraft worlds, then don't. The new snapshot comes with a converter that'll convert your old saved worlds (McRegion) into the new format (Anvil) automatically.

Snapshot 12w07 also comes with these new features

Lamps – A new light source that can be turned on and off without the need for complex machines and glowstone.
You can now build above the clouds thanks to the height increase (cloud height level remains the same)
Ocean level stays at 64
Performance improvement because of new map format
More block id's opens the door for the official Minecraft mod API
Zombies no longer break down iron doors
Villagers will repopulate villages based on number of houses
Some nights in villagers will be worse than others
Rare mod drops are now even rarer
All animals are using the new AI system developed by Jon