This is a short rundown of what awaits us in the Minecraft 1.17 update: Caves and Cliffs!
The Caves and Cliffs update, set to release mid-2021, will change Minecraft as we know it, and I personally cannot wait!
From brand new blocks, to brand new mobs and mechanics, this update is a big one.
Biggest Changes
There are so many changes in this update that I am not going to list them all. For a full rundown and explanation of features, please visit https://minecraft.gamepedia.com/Java_Edition_1.17.
I will however, list a few of the biggest, game changing additions from the update.
- Caves have been COMPLETELY revamped.
- There are Multiple new biomes to be added such as the Deep Dark biome, Lush Caves, and Dripstone Caves.
- Mountain generation will be changing! Terrain will become more extreme in some biomes.
- The textures of many ores will be changing, however, Diamond Ore seems to have kept it’s iconic look.
- The Spyglass has been added, allowing players to zoom without Optifine!
- Copper and Amethyst have been added to the game.
- A new hostile mob, called “The Warden”, is said to be making an appearance soon.
- Changes to Ore distribution
- It is now possible to build up to layer 319 and down to layer -64 in a 1.17 world!
Major Changes to Gameplay
Up until now, we have mined and mined and mined until we found what we have been searching for.
The key Y-level has been Y=11/12 for as long as we can remember. At this level, we can find MOST ores, pretty regularly and it’s also the most lucrative place to find diamonds.
This system of mining will forever be changed in 1.17!
Mojang has given us a sneak peak as to what we can expect for the future of Minecraft and in my opinion, it adds a completely new way of playing the game.
As we can see, before the 1.17 Caves and Cliffs update, ore distribution was mostly centered around the Y=11/12 region, where you could get MOST of your needed resources, in some abundance, at that level.
In 1.17 though, things have changed DRASTICALLY! These changes will now make exploration and mining a much different endeavor than we have seen in the past. Not only will it be more lucrative to dig deeper, it will also be MUCH more dangerous with the presence of Wardens.
With the changes that 1.17 will bring, Minecraft at it’s core won’t change. However, the way we play the game, and the way our worlds will look from now on is going to change immensely and I personally cannot wait!
