Whats New in Minecraft 14w04a - Villager Farming, Ceiling Buttons, Block Dispensers

Minecraft 14w04a (part of Minecraft 1.8) contains a handful of changes to Redstone devices including Redstone influenced Item Frames, ceiling Buttons and Dispensers that dispense blocks. For the full list of new features in 14w04a read on..

Redstone Item Frames

In 14w04a, Item Frames can be used to influence Redstone circuits via the presence of items in the item frame and by the rotation of the item in the frame. In Dinnerbones example, he wired up the Redstone to a comparator which in turn was connected to a brick block with an Item Frame (only comparators work at the moment not other Redstone devices or wire).

If there is no item in the Item Frame then the power output is zero (comparator is off). The rotation of the item in the frame determines the level of Redstone power generated.

Map makers will be able to use Item Frames to fine tune the power level generated to their Redstone contraptions. For example, a Redstone powered Cannon could be controlled via an Item Frame and the degree of rotation of the item contained within it.

Block Dispensers

Before Minecraft 14w04a, Dispensers could dispense a number of different items including arrows, spawn eggs, potions, rockets etc. Dinnerbone teased that in version 14w04a, you can dispense heads which technically are blocks - thus opening the door for other kinds of blocks to be used in Dispensers.

As you may know, items can be added to Dispensers by right clicking the Dispenser and dragging items into its inventory. In Minecraft 14w04a, you can similarly drag blocks into the Dispenser too.

Note: Currently in 14w04a you can only dispense Heads and Pumpkins and not any kind of block.

With Dispensers now pushing out blocks, players can automate the creation of mobs including Snow Golems, Iron Golems and the Wither.

Ceiling Buttons

Placing buttons on the ceiling is only the tip of the iceberg in Minecraft 14w04a. You can also place buttons on any side of a block and also on the ground. In you remember, buttons could previously only be placed on the side of a block and not the top or bottom.

This is huge change for most players who until now have had to work around button placement - in some cases sacrificing the ideal Redstone construction because the mechanics could not support it.

Bullying Villagers and Automated Villager Farming

Villagers are far more destructive than before! In Jebs example video, he demonstrated Villagers purposely destroying wheat crops.

Traditionally, Minecraft players have used water or sticky pistons to produce automated farms. Pistons and water being necessary to break crops and produce drops. It's possible that with Villagers now destroying crops, they may play a part in automated farms.

Note: Villagers will only destroy fully grown wheat crops thus increasing the chance of optimum seed and wheat drop. It's unclear whether Villagers pick up the drops from destroyed crops or not. In the example video, only wheat was dropped and no seeds - but it's possible that no seeds were dropped rather than the Villager picking them up.