Minecraft:Java Edition removed features

Since the beginning of the development of Template:JE, there have been a number of features that were removed from the game. These features may have been replaced, or a developer decided against the feature later on.

Note: This page documents only game features that were removed; features of a particular game element that were removed are noted in that element's history. See Minecraft:Java Edition unused features for features that are still currently in the game.

Player features

HUD/GUI

Beta Creative inventory

Prior to Minecraft:Java Edition 1.3.1, the Minecraft:Creative inventory (added in Beta 1.8) was a basic 8x9 item selection menu, it was closeable by Template:Keys key (instead of Template:Keys) and it lacked categories, search and access to survival mode inventory.

In snapshot 12w21b for 1.3.1, the old Creative inventory was removed and replaced with present-day tab-based Creative inventory.

Classic Creative inventory

In Minecraft:Java Edition Classic 0.0.20a, the inventory was added as simple screen with selection of blocks. Unlike the beta Creative inventory from Beta 1.8, the classic Creative inventory was fundamentally different, it didn't had any sliders nor pages (because all blocks fitted into one page) and instead of clicking on block and dragging it into inventory, simply selecting blocks with left click made them instantly appear in hotbar. Classic Creative inventory was accessible with Template:Keys key.

Classic Creative inventory was absent in Survival Test, and it was fully removed in Indev 0.31 20091231-1856 and replaced with survival inventory, while the default key to open/close inventory was changed from Template:Keys to Template:Keys (that was later in Beta 1.4 again changed to Template:Keys).

On-screen version number

Starting with Classic 0.0.2a, all subsequent versions until RC2 had text displayed in the top left corner of the screen that displayed the version. Versions between Beta 1.6.5 and Beta 1.7.3 did not have this text. From Classic 0.0.2a to Indev 0.31 20100206-1437, only the version number was displayed, but after Indev it switched from being "Minecraft:0.31" to being called "Minecraft:Minecraft Indev" (Indev 20100206-2034), the word "Minecraft" was shown before the version number. In the Alpha development stage, the text read "Minecraft Alpha v#.#.#(_0#)." In the Beta development stage, the text read "Minecraft Beta #.#(_0#)." This feature was only partially removed, for, among other things, the version number can now be shown by opening the Minecraft:debug screen while in-game. Before Alpha v1.2.2, the version number did not display on the Minecraft:main menu screen.

• File:Numerical Display.png
  Version display in the top left of the screen (Minecraft:Java Edition Beta 1.6 Test Build 3).
• All-text version display in the top left of the screen (Minecraft:PC Gamer Demo).
  All-text version display in the top left of the screen (Minecraft:PC Gamer Demo).

"Unlicensed Copy" message

File:Unlicenced Copy.png

"Unlicensed Copy" message in the top left of the screen (Java Edition Beta 1.7.3).

From Beta 1.6 Test Build 3 to Beta 1.7.3, a message reading "Minecraft Beta #.#.#(_0#) Unlicensed Copy :( (Or logged in from another location). Purchase at Minecraft:minecraft.net" was shown in the top-left corner if the player was detected to be running an unlicensed or cracked version of the game.Template:More info needed This would also force the version number to be displayed, including in Beta 1.6.5 and later which normally had the version number hidden. The message was removed in Beta 1.8.

Demo gameplay timer

Demo gameplay timer was a feature (in PC Gamer Demo) that showed the player a visual indication of the remaining time of gameplay before the game locks and the player would need to purchase the full game. Players had 100 minutes for gameplay (equal to five days in-game) and the timer was located in the upper right corner of screen.

On-screen block indicator

Template:Conjecture Block indicator was added in rd-20090515 to indicate currently selected block. It was located in the upper right corner of screen. Block indicator was removed in 0.0.19a and replaced with hotbar.

On-screen score indicator

In Minecraft:Survival Test and early Indev versions, the score was displayed in the upper right corner. Players could get score by killing monsters.

This was removed in Minecraft:Java Edition Indev 0.31 20100130. Score was later made functional again in 1.0.0, however it is gained by collecting experience points (rather than by directly killing monsters).

• The removed score indicator.
  The removed score indicator.

Player stats

In early Indev versions, the player could open the Minecraft:inventory screen and view their name and three stats: "ATK", "DEF", and “SPD”, probably standing for attack, defense, and speed. These existed only briefly; when asked, Notch stated he could not remember exactly why they were implemented and subsequently removed, and he assumed they were placeholders for "vague plans".<ref>Template:Reddit</ref>

File:RemovedPlayerStats.png

The removed player stats.

Arrow indicator

During Survival Test and early Indev versions, an arrow indicator appeared above the hotbar which indicated how many arrows player has left.

File:The arrow indicator.jpg

The arrow indicator

On-menu screen notices

On-menu screen notices was a feature that allowed players to receive important notices about major game changes. This feature was used only two times during history of Minecraft.

• In 1.5.2 - "NOTICE! Minecraft 1.6 is available for manual download. Please click here for more information."
• Between 1.18.2 and 1.20.4 - "32-bit system detected: this may prevent you from playing in the future as a 64-bit system will be required!"<ref group="note">This notice appeared only in 32-bit operating systems or when playing Minecraft on 32-bit Java executables.</ref>

Achievements

Achievements were available between Beta 1.5 and full release 1.11.2 (snapshot Minecraft:17w06a). They were ultimately replaced by Minecraft:advancements. Editions other than Java Edition still have achievements instead, although they use a different system, being synced per Xbox Live or PlayStation account and not separated by worlds.

Combat and player interactions

Sword blocking

Template:Main article It was possible to use a Minecraft:sword in main-hand to block attacks with right click. This feature was removed in 1.9 and attacks are now blocked with Minecraft:shield instead.

Enchantment shuffling

Prior to Minecraft:Java Edition 1.8, it was possible to shuffle enchantment options by swapping items in the input slot. From 1.8, this behavior was removed and enchantments the player would get on a specific kind of item do not change until the enchantment happens.

Higher enchantment levels

Between Minecraft:Java Edition 1.0.0 and 1.2.5, it was possible to enchant equipment with levels ranging from 31 up to 50 (which required up to 30 bookshelves). These extra higher enchantment levels were removed in 1.3.1 (Snapshot 12w22a), and maximal enchantment level was reduced to 30.

Smelting with flint and steel

In Indev 0.31 20100129-1447, players were supposed to smelt ores by igniting Minecraft:fire with flint and steel and throwing items into it (or into Minecraft:lava). This mechanics was removed in Indev 20100219 and furnaces were added for smelting instead.

Mining rocks with hand

During Survival Test and early Indev versions, it was possible to mine and collect rocky materials (like Minecraft:stone, coal ore, iron ore, gold ore and diamond ore) with hand. This was removed in Indev 0.31 20100201-2227 and mining rocks now always require a Minecraft:pickaxe, otherwise nothing drops when broken.

For some reason, attempting to mine rocks with hand in Indev 0.31 20100201-2227 was not possible and mining progress lasted for eternity. This was fixed in next Indev version.

Breaking blocks with swords in Creative mode

Between Minecraft:Java Edition Beta 1.8 and 1.5.2, it was possible to break blocks with swords in Creative mode. This ability was removed in 1.6.1, probably to prevent players from accidentally destroying their buildings while fighting mobs.

Similarly, it was possible to break blocks with tridents in Creative mode in 18w07a (and subsequent snapshots), which was ultimately removed in 18w20a.<ref>MC-126300</ref>

Notch dropping an apple

Before 1.3.1, players named "Minecraft:Notch" would drop an Minecraft:apple along with the rest of their inventory upon death. Apples were otherwise unobtainable before Beta 1.8 Pre-release.

Movement and survival

Eating increases health

Prior to Minecraft:Java Edition Beta 1.8 before hunger bar was added, eating food directly increased health.

Oxygen bar instantly refilling

Prior to Minecraft:Java Edition 1.13, the oxygen bar instantly refilled upon leaving the underwater. This behavior was removed in 1.13 and oxygen bar now gradually refills.

Sprinting in water

Prior to Java Edition 1.13, the player could sprint in Minecraft:water. This feature was removed in 1.13 and replaced with Minecraft:swimming mechanic.

Skipping ladders

Prior to Minecraft:Java Edition Beta 1.5, players could climb ladders spaced every other block, which was especially useful to save materials. This feature was removed in Beta 1.5.

Hiding from monsters inside tall plants

Prior to Minecraft:Java Edition 1.9, survival mode players could hide by walking into tall plants (such as tall grass, large ferns, peonies, rose bushes, lilacs, sunflowers, sugar canes or Minecraft:vines) to prevent monsters from attacking them. This feature was removed in 1.9.<ref>MC-3626</ref>

Player animations

Old walking animation for players

Before Alpha v1.0.9, the walking animation for the player and the human mob was different; the player and the human mob would swing their arms wildly to their sides while walking like cartoons.

Old multiplayer player death animation

Before 1.6.1, on player death while playing in multiplayer, the player would stay standing, leap a little bit, and then disappear. In 1.6.1, this was replaced with the player falling onto the side and then disappearing.

Custom player skin reverting to the default skin on death

Before the 1.6.1 update, custom player skins would revert to the default Steve skin on the death screen. This feature was removed sometime during the 1.6 full release update's development.

Broken player's hand when riding

When player entered rideable entity (such as minecarts or boats), switched to third-person view and then switched back to first-person view, player's hand was visibly misplaced. This was fixed in 1.9 (snapshot 15w44b).<ref>MC-1349</ref>

Camera view pivot

When View Bobbing is enabled, vertical player movement affects the camera by pivoting it up and down. Upwards movement pivots the camera upwards whilst downwards movement pivots the camera downwards. Removed in 1.14 for performance reasons.

Off-centered third-person view

Third-person view in Alpha v1.0.11 was reworked to be off-center, giving it an "over-the-shoulder" appearance. This third-person view appearance was reverted in Alpha v1.0.17.

Pre-loaded items

Different versions in Minecraft's history had items pre-spawned in the player's inventory. Here is a table below:

Since Minecraft:Java Edition 1.3.1, creating a new world in Minecraft:Creative mode no longer spawns the player with any items in their inventory.

Generated structures

Brick pyramid

Brick pyramids were tall experimental generated structures made up exclusively of Minecraft:bricks. They were added in Minecraft:Java Edition Infdev 20100227-1414 and they were removed from the game in Minecraft:Java Edition Infdev 20100327.

These were entirely composed of bricks - the pyramids did not have any rooms inside, however caves could generate through them Minecraft:Java Edition Infdev 20100325-1640 due to caves being able to generate through any blocks at the time (including trees and other structures they should not be able to).

These were most likely intended for testing structure generation in infinite worlds. As blocks did not drop items at the start of Infdev due to entity code still being reworked, brick blocks could not be collected from pyramids for most of their existence.

Starting house

The starting house was a building which generated at the center of Indev maps. The player would spawn inside of the starting house when the world was first generated.

This structure was added in Minecraft:Java Edition Indev 0.31 20100124-2119, and was initially comprised of Minecraft:mossy cobblestone, with two Minecraft:Torches inside. The starting house was reworked in Minecraft:Java Edition Indev 20100213, having a Minecraft:stone floor and walls made of Minecraft:oak planks.

Early iterations of the starting house contained a series of chests, which would harbor almost every block and item in the entire game at that point. These chests went through a series of changes, before being removed from the starting house entirely in later iterations.

The starting house was removed at Minecraft:Java Edition Infdev 20100227-1414 due to terrain generation being redone to accommodate infinite worlds, ditching the limited worlds of Indev and earlier.

Obsidian wall

In Minecraft:Java Edition Infdev 20100227-1414, two obsidian walls generated in the world as to mark the orthogonal directions. One of these walls would appear where the X-axis was at 0, and another where the Z-axis was 0. The player would spawn at the point where these two walls intersected.

Like with the brick pyramids, these were a debugging feature, and were not implemented as a source of Minecraft:obsidian for players due to the inability for blocks to drop items at the time.

These walls would no longer generate as of Minecraft:Java Edition Infdev 20100313.

Monolith

Monoliths were a terrain bug which existed from late Infdev to late Alpha. Occurring when the noise generators for handling the shape of terrain output specific values, these structures would consist of the terrain being "inverted" in a given region of space. Outwardly, they appear as sheer stone cliffs which reach the top of the world. Ore and sediment blobs could be seen to generate in the sides of these, as could water and lava Minecraft:springs. Further examination of these reveal that the area underneath these monoliths is completely empty all the way down to the bedrock layers, further proving that the terrain is "inverted", as air regions and solid regions have completely switched places. Minecraft:Water would generate in this empty space below monoliths, as the game would consider any air space below a given point that did not belong to a cave or other structure as an "ocean", and fill it with water accordingly.

Due to being "inverted" sections of terrain, it is exceedingly likely that monoliths would generate up infinitely (or at least up until the vertical Far Lands) were they given sufficient space. Due to their version range, they were limited to 128 blocks. Monoliths could also fully enclose regions of normal terrain - when seen from below, these would appear as sheer cliffs, like all non-monolith terrain.

Monoliths came with the Minecraft:Java Edition Infdev 20100611, which overhauled terrain a third time in the Infdev development period, they persisted up until Minecraft:Java Edition Alpha v1.1.2_01. Alpha v1.2.0 redid terrain generation once more, such that completely different noise generators were used for terrain, which no longer had the potential to cause these bugs. However, despite this, Minecraft:Old Customized worlds were still capable of generating monolith structures by defining a negative "Biome Scale Weight" value<ref>https://www.reddit.com/r/AntVenom/comments/5kmsve/monoliths_consistently_spawning_in_certain_biomes/</ref> from snapshot Minecraft:14w17a for Minecraft:Java Edition 1.8 to snapshot Minecraft:18w05a for 1.13, prior to the removal of the "Customized" world type altogether in the next 1.13 snapshot Minecraft:18w06a. Monoliths could also be generated from 1.16 to 1.17.1 by using customized worlds to set a biome's scale to a negative number.

• A large monolith as seen from atop another large monolith.
  A large monolith as seen from atop another large monolith.
• A section of regular terrain inside a monolith.
  A section of regular terrain inside a monolith.
• The area underneath a monolith, next to a beach.
  The area underneath a monolith, next to a beach.
• Same position, different angle.
  Same position, different angle.
• Looking at the beach from directly below the monolith.
  Looking at the beach from directly below the monolith.
• The previously mentioned regular terrain affecting the area underneath the monolith.
  The previously mentioned regular terrain affecting the area underneath the monolith.
• An isometric render of a map with many monoliths. (12 total)
  An isometric render of a map with many monoliths. (12 total)

Placeholder trees

Template:Main There are several cases in the game in which unique species of tree use the logs and leaves primarily associated with other trees. Two prominent examples are pine trees, which use spruce logs and leaves, and swamp trees, which use oak logs and leaves, rather than either of these having dedicated blocks. As a result of this, they cannot be grown from saplings, and can only be encountered when generating new chunks.

In Minecraft:Java Edition 1.7.2's development, when biomes were being added to the game, two trees were added to the then-new biomes which also reused the logs and leaves of existing trees. However, these were a temporary measure, as later in development, they were given logs and leaves of their own, alongside saplings, planks and further wood products.

Specifically, these were the acacia tree, and the dark oak tree. The acacia tree reused jungle logs and oak leaves, and dark oak trees used spruce logs and oak leaves.

• An acacia tree with jungle logs and oak leaves.
  An acacia tree with jungle logs and oak leaves.
• A dark oak tree with spruce logs and oak leaves.
  A dark oak tree with spruce logs and oak leaves.

Village aspects

Template:Main Minecraft:Villages have seen multiple changes in generation since their introduction. Due to these changes, some may consider villages which generated in previous versions, or at least certain buildings within them, as "removed" structures.

Old village

Old villages and old zombie villages could generate in plains, savanna, taiga, and desert Minecraft:biomes. The type of Minecraft:village, and therefore the style of all structures within it, was determined by the biome where the village well was located. All village biome variants were essentially palette swaps of each other. The "old villages" were not known as such until Minecraft:Java Edition 1.14.

Gravel roads

Template:Main Before Minecraft:Java Edition 1.10, Minecraft:villages used Minecraft:gravel with Minecraft:cobblestone underneath to signify roads; however, in Minecraft:Java Edition 1.10, Minecraft:grass paths were added to signify village roads. However, grass paths sensibly were only generated where they replaced Minecraft:grass blocks, and gravel paths still existed until Minecraft:Java Edition 1.14, when the Minecraft:jigsaw system broke it.<ref>Template:Bug</ref>

Savanna village

Prior to Minecraft:Java Edition 1.10, plains villages would generate in savanna Minecraft:biomes. Plains villages was replaced by savanna villages made out of acacia derived blocks.

Desert village

Prior to Minecraft:Java Edition 1.3.1, plains villages would generate in desert Minecraft:biomes. Plains villages was replaced by desert villages made out of sandstone derived blocks.

Prior to Minecraft:Java Edition 1.8, plains wells would generate in desert villages. Plains wells was replaced by desert wells made out of sandstone derived blocks.

Stronghold glass pillars

Glass pillars were a debug element of end portal rooms used to mark the location of Minecraft:strongholds, since the Minecraft:eye of ender's functionality of pointing toward strongholds did not exist yet. One pillar extended from the main entrance and another from the portal room, both from the Stone Bricks to the build limit. They were accidentally left in the public release of Minecraft:Java Edition Beta 1.9 Prerelease 3, and were removed in the next update.

• A glass pillar reaching into the sky.
  A glass pillar reaching into the sky.
• A glass pillar reaching into the ground, showing a stronghold hidden beneath.
  A glass pillar reaching into the ground, showing a stronghold hidden beneath.

Clay blobs

Template:Main article Prior to Minecraft:Java Edition Beta 1.8, clay blobs were a terrain feature that existed as a way for Minecraft:clay blocks to generate naturally. They were removed and clay is now found as disks instead.

Gravel beaches

Template:Main article Prior to Beta 1.8, beaches existed as a terrain feature and generated in two variants (Minecraft:sand beaches and Minecraft:gravel beaches). Beaches were removed in Beta 1.8, then returned as biome in Minecraft:Java Edition 1.1 but without gravel variant.

Water lakes

Template:Main articlePrior to Minecraft:Java Edition 1.18, water lakes were small bodies of Minecraft:water source blocks in the Minecraft:Overworld. They could generate both on the surface and underground, in the latter case, air pockets would generate above them. Water lakes generated in almost all Overworld biomes (except Minecraft:desert). Water lakes were removed in Java Edition 1.18 and replaced with Minecraft:aquifers.

Dripstone generating in regular caves

In Minecraft:Java Edition 1.17, dripstone clusters were generating in regular caves due to revamped caves (including dripstone caves where dripstone was supposed to generate) being disabled in 21w15a. In Minecraft:Java Edition 1.18, dripstone clusters are no longer generating in regular caves due to dripstone caves being re-implemented to game.

Different generation

Wool decorations on desert pyramids

Template:Main articleBetween Minecraft:Java Edition 1.3.1 and 1.7.10, desert pyramids had decorations (both outside and inside) made from Minecraft:wool (instead of Minecraft:terracotta) that made entering the secret fosse underneath it very easy. In 1.8, wool no longer appeared on decorations of desert pyramids and was replaced with terracotta that made entering secret fosse require a Minecraft:pickaxe.

Mineshaft chests

Template:Main articleBetween Minecraft:Java Edition Beta 1.8 and 1.4.7, mineshafts initially had loot stored in chests. In 1.5, mineshaft chests were removed and replaced with minecarts with chests.

Oak plank support beams in mineshafts

In Java Edition Beta 1.8, support beams in mineshafts were generated from oak planks instead of oak fences. In Beta 1.8.1, oak planks in support beams were replaced with oak fences.

Carved pumpkins always generating

Between Minecraft:Java Edition Alpha v1.2.0 and 1.12.2, only carved pumpkins were naturally generating, while un-carved pumpkins were unused in game. This was changed in 1.13 (snapshot 17w47a) and un-carved pumpkins are now naturally generating, while carved pumpkins could be now only obtained by using Minecraft:shears.

Old end spike generation

Prior to Minecraft:Java Edition 1.9, end spikes were generated randomly across the end island. In 1.9, this was changed and end spikes now generate in a circular pattern. Attempting to respawn ender dragon in 1.9, in worlds that were created before 1.9 generates new end spikes in location that follows new circular pattern, leaving the old end spikes existing in map along with new ones.

Old ender exit portal generation

Prior to Java Edition 1.9, exit portals were generating in location where ender dragon was killed. In 1.9, this no longer happens and unfilled exit portals are now pre-generated, and will become filled after ender dragon is defeated.

Map settings

Color and cloud customisation

In Minecraft:Indev versions of Minecraft, it was possible to customize the color of the sky, fog, and clouds via map editing, but this feature was removed in Minecraft:Infdev. Unlike some customizations now available via Minecraft:custom world generation, these are yet to see a return.

Isometric screenshot

File:Isometric screenshot.png

An isometric screenshot

In the Indev versions of Minecraft, players could take a screenshot of the map from an isometric perspective using Template:Key. When the game captured an isometric image, it would save the current location of all mobs and show any and all alterations to the map the player had made that would be visible from the perspective of the sun (at sunrise). The player would not be visible unless the player was in third-person view before taking the isometric screenshot.

The isometric screenshot would save to their local user folder as "mc_map_####.png" where #### represents the number of the screenshot starting at 0000 up to 9999.

There are some limitations that existed with the screenshots:

• They could capture the player's model only when in third-person view.
• Due to a glitch, the screenshot would render only those blocks that are in the player's FOV, and everything else is either black or shows underground sections that would have been obstructed.

This feature was removed in Infdev due to the addition of infinite worlds, and was later replaced by the Minecraft:Infinite Map Visualizer.

• An isometric screenshot displaying the bug of not capturing chunks which are not in the player's FOV
  An isometric screenshot displaying the bug of not capturing chunks which are not in the player's FOV
• Another bugged isometric screenshot
  Another bugged isometric screenshot
• Another bugged isometric screenshot
  Another bugged isometric screenshot
• An isometric screenshot of Minecraft:test.mclevel
  An isometric screenshot of Minecraft:test.mclevel

Indev map settings

Template:Main During the development of Indev, there were settings to change level's theme, type, shape and size.

"Winter Mode" map type

File:Snowscene.png

A "Winter Mode" world

"Winter Mode" was a randomly occurring map type in Alpha. It was added on July 9, 2010, in Alpha v1.0.4 and was the first "biome" to appear in Minecraft.

There were a couple of differences compared to normal worlds. First, there was the presence of snowflakes, which fell constantly. There were four different kinds of snowflakes. These snowflakes would create Minecraft:snow on surfaces directly exposed to the sky, provided that it was a solid block. Due to a lack of unfrozen water, reeds were rare. The second element unique to "Winter Mode" was the presence of Minecraft:ice. When a map was generated, most exposed water blocks would be frozen into ice. The Minecraft:water did not freeze completely near gravel beaches. The third element was a decrease in the spawning rate of passive mobs.

Whether a world was in "Winter Mode" was determined with a 25% chance at creation.

"Winter Mode" was removed in Alpha v1.2.0 with the addition of proper biomes.

• A rare occurrence: reeds that generated in a "Winter Mode" world
  A rare occurrence: reeds that generated in a "Winter Mode" world

"Default 1.1" world type

File:Default-1.1-map.png

A comparison of a world with the "Default" world type at the top and a world with the "Default 1.1" world type both created in 1.7-1.12.

The "Default 1.1" world type was added in 1.2.1 (snapshot 12w03a). Initially it was permanently applied to old worlds in order to prevent chunk borders but from snapshot 12w07a onwards, this world type only got used during the conversion process from the Minecraft:Region file format to the Minecraft:Anvil file format which stored biomes in chunk data. After conversion, old worlds would switch back to the default world type which allowed for world generation to create Minecraft:jungles. The world type was accessible in later versions by changing the "generatorName" property in the level.dat of a world created in 1.2 to "default_1_1" and it would persist across world saves. When it was first added, the "Default 1.1" world type was simply the same as the default world type but without jungles. In 1.7.2, it was changed to match the updated biome generation with the only difference being that warm climate regions were replaced with regions containing biomes from 1.1, those being Minecraft:deserts, Minecraft:forests, extreme hills, Minecraft:swamps, Minecraft:plains and Minecraft:taigas. With another biome overhaul occurring in 1.18 (experimental snapshot 1), the "Default 1.1" world type was removed.

Biomes prior to 1.7.2

Versions prior to 1.7.2 had two biomes that were later removed from the world generator. Despite being unused, they continued to exist until Java Edition 1.18, in which mountain edge got removed.

The following biomes became unused in 1.7.2:

• Mountain edge (became available in the "Buffet" world type)
• Frozen ocean (restored in 1.13 as a very different biome)

Biomes prior to Beta 1.8

In Beta 1.8, Minecraft:biomes received a major overhaul, removing and changing many of them. Prior to these changes, there were 13 biome types that were much smaller and less distinct.

Biomes prior to 1.18

Template:Main In 1.18, terrain height is no longer controlled by biome, so the following height variations biome have been removed and had their code merged into the main one:

"Customized" world type

"Customized" was a Minecraft:world type that gave control over many settings that affected terrain generation, such as ores, sea level, biomes, structures, and many variables that govern the random shape of the terrain. It was introduced in snapshot Minecraft:14w17a for 1.8, and was removed in snapshot Minecraft:18w06a for 1.13. Although customized worlds were added back in the 1.16 snapshot Minecraft:20w21a, there is currently no in-game menu to modify worlds; custom worlds can be generated only by importing a JSON file.

"Caves" and "Floating Islands" world types

The Buffet Minecraft:world type used to have two extra generator types which were removed in Minecraft:Java Edition 1.18 due to bugs and lack of support.Template:Citation needed They were:

• Caves: Uses generation settings that are similar to those of Minecraft:Nether in Overworld. The world generates with a bedrock floor at the Y=0 lower height limit and a bedrock ceiling at Y=127, and the world is generated in between these two like a giant cave complex, much like the Nether. Like other Buffet world types, this world type makes Overworld only have one selected biome.
• Floating Islands: Uses generation settings that are similar to those of Minecraft:End outer islands in Overworld. There is no bedrock ceiling or floor to the world, and the entire Overworld is generated in the shape of a series of floating islands, much like the End outer islands. Like other Buffet world types, this world type makes Overworld only have one selected biome.

Historical file formats

Several historical file formats existed before the current Anvil file format during early development of Minecraft.

• McRegion (from Beta 1.3 to 1.1)
• Alpha level format (from Infdev 20100327 to Beta 1.2_02)
• Minecraft:Zone file format (used exclusively in Minecraft:Infdev 20100624)
• Indev level format (from Indev 0.31 20100122-2251 to Infdev 20100325-1640)
• Classic level format (from pre-Classic rd-132211 to Classic 0.30)

Old ore distribution

Template:Main articlePrior to Java Edition 1.18, Minecraft:ore distribution was different. Ores were generating at different heights and different abundances because caves were smaller and worlds had smaller height. Ore distribution was overhauled in 1.18 after large caves and large mountains were added and world height was increased, while the old ore distribution was removed.

Spawn chunks

Spawn chunks were chunks found around the Minecraft:world spawn. Spawn chunks were always loaded, unlike normal chunks, which unload when no players are nearby. They were removed in Minecraft:Java Edition 1.21.9.

Sounds

Game sounds

Name	Version added	Version removed	Old track	New track
Arrow Firing/Throwing Projectiles	Indev 20100124-2119	1.0.0 RC1	File:Bow Shooting Old.ogg	File:Bow shoot.ogg
Arrow Contact	Indev 20100124-2119	1.0.0 RC1	File:Arrow Old.ogg	File:Arrow hit1.oggFile:Arrow hit2.oggFile:Arrow hit3.oggFile:Arrow hit4.ogg
Doors, Trapdoors and Fence gates opening	Infdev 20100607	1.0.0 RC1	File:Door closing old.ogg	N/A
Doors, Trapdoors and Fence gates opening (Second Version)	1.0.0 RC1	15w43a	File:Door open.ogg	Wooden door:Template:SoundTemplate:Sound Iron door:Template:SoundTemplate:SoundTemplate:SoundTemplate:Sound Wooden Trapdoor:Template:SoundTemplate:SoundTemplate:SoundTemplate:SoundTemplate:Sound Fence Gate: Template:SoundTemplate:Sound
Doors, Trapdoors and Fence gates closing	Infdev 20100607	1.0.0 RC1	File:Door opening old.ogg	N/A
Doors, Trapdoors and Fence gates closing (Second Version)	1.0.0 RC1	15w43a	File:Door close.ogg	Wooden door:Template:SoundTemplate:SoundTemplate:Sound Iron door:Template:SoundTemplate:SoundTemplate:SoundTemplate:Sound Wooden Trapdoor:Template:SoundTemplate:SoundTemplate:Sound Fence Gate:Template:SoundTemplate:Sound
Explosion	Indev 20100104-2154	1.0.0 RC1	File:Explosion Old.ogg	File:Explosion1.oggFile:Explosion2.oggFile:Explosion3.oggFile:Explosion4.ogg
Splashing	Indev 20100104-2154	12w38a	File:Water Splash Old.ogg	File:Water splash1.oggFile:Water splash2.ogg
Flint and Steel	Indev 20100206-2034 ?	12w38a	File:Flint and Steel old.ogg	File:Flint and steel click.ogg
Lava	12w05a	12w38a	File:Lava old.ogg	File:Lava.ogg
Leveling up	12w38a	13w24a	File:XP Old.ogg	File:Random levelup.ogg
Rain	Beta 1.5	16w04a	File:Rain1 JE1 BE1.ogg File:Rain2 JE1 BE1.oggFile:Rain3 JE1 BE1.ogg File:Rain4 JE1 BE1.ogg	File:Rain1.ogg File:Rain2.ogg File:Rain3.ogg File:Rain4.ogg

Mob sounds

Name	Version added	Version removed	Old track	New track
Creeper Hurt 1	Minecraft:Alpha v1.0.3	Minecraft:Alpha v1.2.0_02	File:Creeper Oldhurt1.ogg	File:Creeper hurt1.ogg
Creeper Hurt 2	Minecraft:Alpha v1.0.3	Minecraft:Alpha v1.2.0_02	File:Creeper Oldhurt2.ogg	File:Creeper hurt2.ogg
Creeper Hurt 3	Minecraft:Alpha v1.0.3	Minecraft:Alpha v1.2.0_02	File:Creeper Oldhurt3.ogg	File:Creeper hurt3.ogg
Creeper Hurt 4	Minecraft:Alpha v1.0.3	Minecraft:Alpha v1.2.0_02	File:Creeper Oldhurt4.ogg	File:Creeper hurt4.ogg
Skeleton Hurt 1	Minecraft:Alpha v1.0.3	Minecraft:12w38a	File:Skeleton hurt1 Revision 1.ogg	File:Skeleton hurt1.ogg
Skeleton Hurt 2	Minecraft:Alpha v1.0.3	Minecraft:12w38a	File:Skeleton hurt2 Revision 1.ogg	File:Skeleton hurt2.ogg
Skeleton Hurt 3	Minecraft:Alpha v1.0.3	Minecraft:12w38a	File:Skeleton hurt3 Revision 1.ogg	File:Skeleton hurt3.ogg
Skeleton Hurt 4	Minecraft:Alpha v1.0.3	Minecraft:12w38a	File:Skeleton hurt4 Revision 1.ogg	File:Skeleton hurt4.ogg
Skeleton death	Minecraft:Alpha v1.0.3	Minecraft:12w38a	File:Skeleton death old.ogg	File:Skeleton death.ogg
Cow Ambient (Original)	Minecraft:Alpha v1.0.8	Minecraft:Alpha v.1.0.9	File:Cow Old.ogg	N/A
Cow Ambient 1	Minecraft:Alpha v.1.0.9	Minecraft:12w38a	File:Cow1.ogg	File:Cow idle1.ogg
Cow Ambient 2	Minecraft:Alpha v.1.0.9	Minecraft:12w38a	File:Cow2.ogg	File:Cow idle2.ogg
Cow Ambient 3	Minecraft:Alpha v.1.0.9	Minecraft:12w38a	File:Cow3.ogg	File:Cow idle3.ogg
Cow Ambient 4	Minecraft:Alpha v.1.0.9	Minecraft:12w38a	File:Cow4.ogg	File:Cow idle4.ogg
Cow Hurt (Original)	Minecraft:Alpha v1.0.8	Minecraft:Alpha v.1.0.9	File:Cow Hurt Old.ogg	N/A
Cow Hurt 1<ref group="note" name=":0">Originally used for death sound</ref>	Minecraft:Alpha v.1.0.9	Minecraft:12w38a	File:Cowhurt1.ogg	File:Cow hurt1.ogg
Cow Hurt 2<ref group="note" name=":0" />	Minecraft:Alpha v.1.0.9	Minecraft:12w38a	File:Cowhurt2.ogg	File:Cow hurt2.ogg
Cow Hurt 3<ref group="note" name=":0" />	Minecraft:Alpha v.1.0.9	Minecraft:12w38a	File:Cowhurt3.ogg	File:Cow hurt3.ogg
Wolf Howl 1	Minecraft:Beta 1.4	Minecraft:25w08a	File:Wolf howl1.ogg	N/A
Wolf Howl 2	Minecraft:Beta 1.4	Minecraft:25w08a	File:Wolf howl2.ogg	N/A
Slime Squashes 1<ref name=":1" group="note">Originally used as sounds for big slimes. Reused for small slimes, which were silent prior to 12w38a.</ref>	Alpha v1.0.12	Minecraft:12w38a	File:Slime small1.ogg	File:Slime big1.ogg
Slime Squashes 2<ref name=":1" group="note" />	Alpha v1.0.12	Minecraft:12w38a	File:Slime small2.ogg	File:Slime big2.ogg
Slime Squashes 3<ref name=":1" group="note" />	Alpha v1.0.12	Minecraft:12w38a	File:Slime small3.ogg	File:Slime big3.ogg
Slime Squashes 4<ref name=":1" group="note" />	Alpha v1.0.12	Minecraft:12w38a	File:Slime small4.ogg	File:Slime big4.ogg
Slime Squashes 5<ref name=":1" group="note" />	Alpha v1.0.12	Minecraft:12w38a	File:Slime small5.ogg	N/A
Baby Nautilus Ambient 7<ref group="note">Seems to be a duplicate of Baby Nautilus Ambient 6.</ref>	25w41a	1.21.11 pre1	File:Baby nautilus ambient7.ogg	N/A
Picky Chicken Death	26.1 Snapshot 7	26.1 Snapshot 8	File:Chicken picky death JE1.ogg	File:Chicken picky death.ogg
Sulfur Cube Hit 1<ref name=":2" group="note">Generic sound for hitting Sulfur Cube.</ref>	26.2 Snapshot 1	26.2 Pre-release 1	File:Sulfur cube ball hit1.wav	N/A
Sulfur Cube Hit 2<ref name=":2" group="note" />	26.2 Snapshot 1	26.2 Pre-release 1	File:Sulfur cube ball hit2.wav	N/A
Sulfur Cube Hit 3<ref name=":2" group="note" />	26.2 Snapshot 1	26.2 Pre-release 1	File:Sulfur cube ball hit3.wav	N/A
Sulfur Cube Hit 4<ref name=":2" group="note" />	26.2 Snapshot 1	26.2 Pre-release 1	File:Sulfur cube ball hit4.wav	N/A
Sulfur Cube Kick 1<ref name=":3" group="note">Generic sound for kicking Sulfur Cube.</ref>	26.2 Snapshot 1	26.2 Pre-release 1	File:Sulfur cube ball kick1.wav	N/A
Sulfur Cube Kick 2<ref name=":3" group="note" />	26.2 Snapshot 1	26.2 Pre-release 1	File:Sulfur cube ball kick2.wav	N/A
Sulfur Cube Kick 3<ref name=":3" group="note" />	26.2 Snapshot 1	26.2 Pre-release 1	File:Sulfur cube ball kick3.wav	N/A
Sulfur Cube Kick 4<ref name=":3" group="note" />	26.2 Snapshot 1	26.2 Pre-release 1	File:Sulfur cube ball kick4.wav	N/A

Player sounds

Name	Version added	Version removed	Old track	New track
Old Hurt	0.24 SURVIVAL TEST	1.0.0 RC1	File:Hurt Old.ogg	File:Hurtflesh1.oggFile:Hurtflesh2.oggFile:Hurtflesh3.ogg
Hurtflesh1	1.0.0 RC1	12w38a	File:Hurtflesh1.ogg	File:Player hurt1.ogg
Hurtflesh2	1.0.0 RC1	12w38a	File:Hurtflesh2.ogg	File:Player hurt2.ogg
Hurtflesh3	1.0.0 RC1	12w38a	File:Hurtflesh3.ogg	File:Player hurt3.ogg
Fallbig1	1.0.0 RC1	12w38a	File:Fallbig1.ogg	File:Fall damage big.ogg
Fallbig2	1.0.0 RC1	12w38a	File:Fallbig2.ogg	File:Fall damage big.ogg
Fallsmall	1.0.0 RC1	12w38a	File:Fallsmall.ogg	File:Fall damage small.ogg

Block sounds

Name	Old Track	New Track
Decorated pot break 1	File:Decorated pot break1.ogg	File:Decorated pot break1 JE2 BE2.ogg
Decorated pot break 2	File:Decorated pot break2.ogg	File:Decorated pot break2 JE2 BE2.ogg
Decorated pot break 3	File:Decorated pot break3.ogg	File:Decorated pot break3 JE2 BE2.ogg
Decorated pot break 4	File:Decorated pot break4.ogg	File:Decorated pot break4 JE2 BE2.ogg
Decorated pot step 1	File:Decorated pot step1.ogg	File:Decorated pot step1 JE2 BE2.ogg
Decorated pot step 2	File:Decorated pot step2.ogg	File:Decorated pot step2 JE2 BE2.ogg
Decorated pot step 3	File:Decorated pot step3.ogg	File:Decorated pot step3 JE2 BE2.ogg
Decorated pot step 4	File:Decorated pot step4.ogg	File:Decorated pot step4 JE2 BE2.ogg
Piston extending (24w20a)	File:Piston extend JE2.ogg	N/A
Piston contracting (24w20a)	File:Piston contract JE2.ogg	N/A

Cave sounds

Several cave sounds prior to version 20w10a had variations with different pitches, ranging from 0.8 to 0.9.<ref group="note">Only the pitch 1.0 of cave sounds is used today.</ref>

Name	Version removed	Pitch 0.8	Pitch 0.9
Cave 1	20w10a	File:Cave1 0-800 pitch.ogg	File:Cave1 0-900 pitch.ogg
Cave 2	20w10a	File:Cave2 0-800 pitch.ogg	File:Cave2 0-900 pitch.ogg
Cave 3	20w10a	File:Cave3 0-800 pitch.ogg	File:Cave3 0-900 pitch.ogg
Cave 4	20w10a	File:Cave4 0-800 pitch.ogg	File:Cave4 0-900 pitch.ogg
Cave 5	20w10a	File:Cave5 0-800 pitch.ogg	File:Cave5 0-900 pitch.ogg
Cave 6	20w10a	File:Cave6 0-800 pitch.ogg	File:Cave6 0-900 pitch.ogg
Cave 7	20w10a	File:Cave7 0-800 pitch.ogg	File:Cave7 0-900 pitch.ogg
Cave 8	20w10a	File:Cave8 0-800 pitch.ogg	File:Cave8 0-900 pitch.ogg
Cave 9	20w10a	File:Cave9 0-800 pitch.ogg	File:Cave9 0-900 pitch.ogg
Cave 10	20w10a	File:Cave10 0-800 pitch.ogg	File:Cave10 0-900 pitch.ogg
Cave 11	20w10a	File:Cave11 0-800 pitch.ogg	File:Cave11 0-900 pitch.ogg
Cave 12	20w10a	File:Cave12 0-800 pitch.ogg	File:Cave12 0-900 pitch.ogg
Cave 13	20w10a	File:Cave13 0-800 pitch.ogg	File:Cave13 0-900 pitch.ogg

Audio loops

Loops were unused Minecraft:sounds, found in the game files, and were possibly meant for when the player is in a specific type of location (i.e., in caves, Minecraft:forests, oceans and beside a waterfall). These sound effects only appeared in Minecraft:C418's June 4, 2009 Sound Test.<ref>Template:Ytl</ref>

They were found in .minecraft/resources/sound/loops/, and could be converted to reveal four loops, of birds chirping, cave chimes, ocean and waterfall noises.

Loop	Track
Birds Chirping	File:Birds screaming loop.ogg
Cave Chimes	File:Cave chimes.ogg
Ocean	File:Ocean.ogg
Waterfall	File:Waterfall.ogg

Music

calm4.ogg

Template:Main File:Calm4.ogg

calm4.ogg was a Minecraft:music track that was included in Minecraft:Java Edition Classic 0.0.22a when Notch used it to test the music system. It was removed an hour later because Notch thought "it was horrible and didn't fit at all."<ref name='6/29/09 IRC Logs'>June 29, 2009 IRC logs: "P4:22:53 <�08Notch�> working on triggering music now" (21:22:53 UTC) [...] "P4:59:36 <�08Notch�> haha, I included my test song, haha" (21:59:36 UTC) [...] "P5:52:55 <Syndlig> C418: Are calm2 and calm4 the same song?" (22:52:55 UTC) [...] "P5:53:03 <�08Notch�> Syndlig: calm4 was my test song.." (22:53:03 UTC) [...] "P5:53:13 <�08Notch�> it was horrible and didn't fit at all" (22:53:13 UTC) [...] "P5:53:39 <�08Notch�> so to get rid of it fast, I just duplicated calm2 over calm4" (22:53:39 UTC)</ref> It seems to have briefly been available from the minecraft.net resources from around December 16-17, 2010 and was removed sometime from December 22-27, 2010.

piano2.ogg/Wet Hands (Alpha v1.0.14 version)

piano2.ogg was a Minecraft:music track that was added in Minecraft:Java Edition Alpha v1.0.14. However, this version is different from the version most known.

It characteristically has an alternate ending, only having one piano track, unlike the later version's 2 piano tracks.

This track was later replaced with a new version in Java Edition Alpha v1.2.0.

piano3.ogg/Mice on Venus (Alpha v1.0.14 version)

piano3.ogg was a Minecraft:music track that was added in Minecraft:Java Edition Alpha v1.0.14. However, this version is different from the version most known.

It characteristically has about 3 minutes of the music truncated from the track, being 01:26 in length, rather than the later version's length of 04:41.

To accommodate the short length, it has an ending somewhat similar to that present in the Alpha v1.0.14 variant of piano2.ogg.

This track was later replaced with a new version in Java Edition Alpha v1.2.0.

User interface

Keyboard shortcuts

Spawn nether portals with Template:Key

In Minecraft:Java Edition Alpha v1.2.2a, players had the ability to spawn Minecraft:nether portals by pressing Template:Key. In Alpha v1.2.2b, spawning nether portals using Template:Key was removed.

Toggle rain with Template:Key

In early Indev versions, pressing Template:Key would toggle between rain and clear.

Control time with Template:Key and Template:Key

In Beta 1.8 Pre-release, as a result of remaining debug code, players had the ability to use Template:Key and Template:Key to control in-game time. In Beta 1.8 Pre-release 2, the functionality of Template:Key and Template:Key was removed.

Spawn signs with Template:Keys

In 0.24_SURVIVAL_TEST, it was possible to spawn oak signs by pressing Template:Key. This was removed in 0.26_SURVIVAL_TEST.

Access crafting with Template:Key

In Indev 20100129-1447, it was possible to access the 3×3 crafting grid UI by pressing Template:Key. This was intended only as temporary way, and it was removed shortly after in Indev 20100129-2332 after addition of crafting tables.

Toggle render distance with Template:Key

Between 0.0.12a and Beta 1.7.3, pressing Template:Key would cycle between levels of render distance (Far, Normal, Short and Tiny). A separate "Toggle Fog" key bind option in Controls options menu also existed up until Beta 1.7.3.

Spawn human mobs with Template:Key

In pre-Classic and early Classic, it was possible to spawn human mobs by pressing Template:Key. As human mobs were removed from normal gameplay in Survival Test, this functionality was also removed as well.

Toggle sounds with Template:Keys

In 0.0.22a_01, pressing Template:Keys would toggle muting/unmuting all sounds in game. This was removed in 0.0.23a due to addition of options screen.

Generate new level with Template:Keys

Between 0.0.12a and 0.0.12a_03, it was possible to generate new level by pressing Template:Keys. This was removed in 0.0.13a due to addition of pause menu from where player can generate, save and load levels.

Respawn with Template:Key

In pre-Classic, early Classic and late Classic (except for versions with Survival mode), it was possible for player to respawn on default position in world by pressing Template:Key, which was especially useful if player was stuck somewhere. This was removed in Indev.

Invert mouse with Template:Keys

Between mc-161616 and 0.0.22a_05, pressing Template:Keys would invert mouse controls. This was removed in 0.0.23a due to addition of options screen.

Unhook mouse with Template:Keys

Between 0.0.10a and 0.0.12a_03, pressing Template:Keys would unhook the mouse from game window. In 0.0.13a, this functionality was removed and pressing Template:Keys now opens pause menu instead.

Set spawn point with Template:Keys

Between 0.0.14a_04 and Indev 0.31 20091223-1459 (except Survival Test versions), pressing Template:Keys would set new spawn point location, from which player would be respawned with Template:Key. This was removed in Indev 0.31 20091231-1856 when creative mode was removed and survival mode readded.

Entity numbers showing while on debug screen

Prior to Beta 1.8, entity numbers shown above mobs when player opened debug screen with Template:Key. This feature was removed probably to prevent unfair progress, because it allowed players to see where caves and dungeons were located due to monsters in them being labeled by numbers.Template:Citation needed

Menu screen

Indev menu screen background animation

When menu screen was firstly added in Indev 0.31 20100131-2156, the dirt background had slow vertical scrolling animation. This was removed in Indev 20100206-2034.

Minecraft logo animation in menu screen

In Java Edition Alpha 1.0.4, when Minecraft logo in menu screen was changed from Minecraft:cobblestone to Minecraft:stone, it received animation upon entering menu screen. When Minecraft logo was changed again in Minecraft:Java Edition Beta 1.4, the animation was removed.

"Loading..." screen

Between Infdev 20100629 and Alpha 1.0.3, a "Loading..." screen with dirt background appeared upon starting the game. Unlike Mojang splash screen, the "Loading..." screen was hardcoded and the dirt background in it hadn't texture independent from the dirt background in the menu screen itself. This was removed in Alpha 1.0.4 and replaced with Mojang splash screen.

Old world selection

Save level, Load level and Generate new level were features in game menu between Classic and Indev. Save level allowed player to save world which was currently opened, Load level allowed player to load previously saved worlds, while Generate new level allowed player to generate new world. This was removed in Infdev 20100327 and replaced with Select World menu and Minecraft:Autosave.

In 0.24_SURVIVAL_TEST, Save level and Load level options were disabled.

World slots

Between Infdev 20100327 and Beta 1.2_02, players could create only up to 5 worlds. If players wanted to create a new world, they had to delete an existing world. World slots were removed in Beta 1.3 and players could create as many worlds as they want.

Options

Texture packs

Minecraft:Texture packs were added in Alpha v1.2.2, and were replaced with Minecraft:resource packs in snapshot 13w24a for 1.6.1.

"Super Secret Settings" button

Template:Main The "Super Secret Settings", added in snapshot Minecraft:13w38a for 1.7.2, were removed in snapshot Minecraft:15w31a for 1.9 due to an internal rewrite. It was a button under the Minecraft:options menu that, when pressed, would blare a random game sound with a lower pitch, and activate a Minecraft:shader.

"3D Anaglyph" option

File:3D Anaglyph pre-17w43a.png

"3D Anaglyph" option before 1.13.

File:Notch3D.jpg

3D Anaglyph image from Notch's blog.

File:3D Anaglyph.png

3D Anaglyph image from Notch's website.

"3D Anaglyph" was an option (added in Minecraft:Java Edition Classic 0.24_SURVIVAL_TEST) in video settings that applies a red-cyan stereoscopic effect, enabling the use of red-cyan 3D glasses to experience the game in more depth. This option was removed in snapshot 17w43a for 1.13 due to low usage of the feature.Template:Cn

Note: It sometimes leaves a stain on your skin when you turn it off.

"Limit Framerate" option

"Limit Framerate" was an option (added in 0.26 SURVIVAL TEST) in video settings that allowed player to toggle framerate of game by changing the setting between ON and OFF. It was removed in Beta 1.6.5 and replaced with "Performance" option.

"Performance" option

"Performance" was an option (added in Minecraft:Java Edition Beta 1.6.5) in video settings that allowed player to configure framerate of game. It had three states, Balanced (limits to 120 maximum FPS), Power Saver (constantly limits to 35 FPS) and Max FPS (sets no limit to maximum FPS). It was removed in Minecraft:Java Edition 1.7.2 and replaced with Max Framerate slider.

For some reason in Beta 1.6.5, this option was named "Framerate cap" and instead of Balanced, Power Sawer and Max FPS states, it had numerical states (200, 90 and 40 FPS).

"Maximum" and "Minimum" Smooth lighting

"Maximum" and "Minimum" (added in Minecraft:Java Edition 1.5) were states of the Smooth lighting option. "Minimum" state used the original smooth lighting rendering that existed since Beta 1.3, while "Maximum" state existed as way to correct lighting of certain blocks (like back of Minecraft:stairs). Over time, there wasn't any difference between these states and in Java Edition 1.19.3 RC1, the "Minimum" state of smooth lighting was removed and the "Maximum" state was renamed to ON.

"Advanced OpenGL" option

"Advanced OpenGL" was an option (added in Minecraft:Java Edition Beta 1.5) in video settings that allowed players to use occlusion culling which disabled the rending of blocks that weren't in the players field of view. This was meant to improve performance in graphics cards that supported it, but many players complained that it was counterproductive.Template:Citation needed This option was removed in 1.8.

"Use VBOs" option

"Use VBOs" was an option (added in Minecraft:Java Edition 14w29a) in video settings that allowed players to toggle VBOs which offered a ~10% performance increase when set to ON. It was removed in Minecraft:Java Edition 18w44a and VBOs are now always used.

"Show FPS" option

"Show FPS" was an option (added in Minecraft:Java Edition Classic 0.0.23a) that allowed players to show debug screen. It was removed in Alpha 1.1.1 and debug screen is now opened with Template:Key key.

"Alternate Blocks" option

"Alternate Blocks" was an option (added in Minecraft:Java Edition 14w28a) that allowed players to enable (or disable) weighted alternative block models. When turned off, the least complex highest priority model is always used for each block. It was removed in Minecraft:Java Edition 1.9.

"Server Textures" option

"Server Textures" was a client-side option (added in Minecraft:Java Edition 1.3.1) in video settings that allowed players to enable (or disable) texture pack/resource pack used by server. It was removed in Minecraft:Java Edition 1.7.6 and replaced with server-side "Server Resource Packs" option and moved from video settings to Edit Server Info.

"Hide Address" option

"Hide Address" was an option in Edit Server Info that allowed players to toggle display of IP addresses in server list. It was removed in Minecraft:Java Edition 1.7.2, probably for privacy reasons.Template:Citation needed

"Touchscreen Mode" option

"Touchscreen Mode" was an option (added in Minecraft:Java Edition 1.4.2) in controls settings that allowed player to use touchscreen-optimised inventory drag mode. It was removed in Minecraft:Java Edition 26.2.

"Delete world" button in hardcore death screen

Prior to Minecraft:Java Edition 1.8.3, after dying in hardcore mode world, singleplayer players were supposed to delete their hardcore world using "Delete world" button in death screen (while multiplayer players were banned after clicking "Leave server" option). In 1.8.3, this behavior was changed and when attempting to delete singleplayer world (or leave multiplayer world) in death screen, it redirected player to main menu instead, without actually deleting their world (or without being banned from server). In 1.9, players received option to spectate hardcore world instead, and in 1.15 the Delete world option was removed and replaced with Title screen option.

Multiplayer and streaming

"Player Activity" button

The "Player Activity" button in "Minecraft:Minecraft Realms" was added in 1.5, but it was removed in 1.14.4 for unknown reasons.Template:More info This button was used to show the online activities of players.

Chat preview

Chat preview was a feature (added in Minecraft:Java Edition 1.19) which displayed a server-controlled preview above the chat edit box, showing how messages appeared when sent. Chat preview sent chat messages to the server as they were typed, even before they were sent, the server then sent back the styled preview in real time. This allowed servers to apply dynamic message stylings while still allowing chat to be securely signed. Chat preview was removed in Minecraft:Java Edition 1.19.3.

Native Twitch.tv integration

Native Minecraft:Twitch.tv integration was added in snapshot Minecraft:13w47a for 1.7.4, and was removed in snapshot Minecraft:15w31a for 1.9. It integrated Twitch chat into the game.

• File:Dinnerbone Twitch 1.png
• File:Dinnerbone Twitch 2.png
• File:Dinnerbone Twitch 3.png
• File:Dinnerbone Twitch 4.png

Classic online saving

Starting with 0.0.13a, people with registered accounts were able to save/load levels up to 5 worlds, while the feature coexisted with local level saving/loading. It was disabled in Indev 0.31 20100129-2332 (presumably intended temporarily), but was later never re-enabled. This feature was fully superseded by local world saving/loading.Template:More info

Wolds could be played at the URL http://www.minecraft.net/play.jsp?name=<username>&id=<the slot saved in, starting from 0>.

Splashes

Note: When a line of splash text is removed, the line it occupied in splashes.txt is deleted, meaning the line number of all subsequent splashes lowers by one.

Main splashes

Splash text	Explanation	Version added	Version removed	Pre-removal line number
Pre-beta!	The Alpha version of Minecraft.	Indev 0.31 20100131	Minecraft:Beta 1.2	1
Alpha version!		Indev 0.31 20100202		30
9.95 euro!	The pricing of the Alpha version of Minecraft, which was less than half that of the final price.	Minecraft:Indev 20100206-2034		48
Half price!		Minecraft:Indev 20100206-2034		49
Check it out!	Duplicate of "Check it out!" on line 21.	Minecraft:Indev 20100206-2034	Minecraft:Beta 1.8 Pre-release	47
Minecraft:Notch <3 Minecraft:ez!	Notch was married to Minecraft:Ez, at the time.	Minecraft:Indev 20100219	1.8.5	100
SOPA means LOSER in Swedish!	SOPA was a highly controversial anti-piracy bill that made its way through the United States House of Representatives before it was rejected. In Swedish, "sopa" is a noun meaning "trash" or "garbage" and also commonly used as a slang insult. Prior to 1.3, this splash read "SOPA means LOSER in Swedish", without an exclamation point. The specific bill SOPA had not been a current issue for several years, by the time of the splash's removal.	1.1	1.9 (15w42a)	304
Better than Prey!	Prey (2006) is a first-person shooter that was well received by critics. The splash was removed four months after the release of the identically named Prey (2017).	Indev 0.31 20100202	1.12.1 (Minecraft:17w31a)	5
Hobo humping slobo babe!	"Hobo Humpin' Slobo Babe" was the critically-acclaimed first single of the band Whale. Removed due to being inappropiate.	Minecraft:Beta 1.8 (Pre-release)	1.14 (Minecraft:19w12a)	259
Made by Notch!	Minecraft:Notch is the creator of Minecraft. The splashes were removed following controversial statements Notch made on Twitter.	Indev 0.31 20100202	1.14 (Minecraft:19w13a)	9
The Work of Notch!		Minecraft:Alpha v1.0.4		136
110813!	Minecraft:Notch's and Minecraft:Ez's wedding day, August 13, 2011. Removed following controversial statements Notch made on Twitter.	Minecraft:Beta 1.8 (Pre-release)		233
Woo, minecraftforum!	Referring to Minecraft:Minecraft Forum. Removed shortly after it was announced that the forum would shut down.<ref>"Important Minecraft Forum Announcement" – Minecraft:Minecraft Forum, May 21, 2019</ref> However, despite the forums instead being sold to a third-party host,<ref>Template:Citation</ref> this splash remains removed from the latest version, this was removed around the same time that splashes on Minecraft:Bedrock Edition removed references to this, alongside other forums like /v or Reddit, so it's likely that was the reason.	Minecraft:Alpha v1.0.13	1.14.2 (1.14.2-pre4 reupload)	171
Undocumented!		Indev 0.31 20100202	1.16 (Minecraft:1.16-rc1)	29
Down with O.P.P.!	Line from the song "O.P.P." by American hip hop trio "Naughty by Nature". Likely removed due to the song's lyrics containing inappropriate language.	Minecraft:Indev 20100206-2034		39
Lewd with two dudes with food!	A line from "If You're Into It" by Flight of the Conchords. Prior to Minecraft:Alpha v1.0.14, this splash read "Rude with two dudes with food!". Likely removed due to the song's lyrics containing inappropriate language.	Minecraft:Alpha v1.0.4		126
Switches and ores!	Minecraft:Redstone is used to create switches, and many types of Minecraft:ore can be found. Likely removed due to referencing an inappropriate phrase.	Minecraft:Alpha v1.0.14		191
Huge tracts of land!	A quote from Monty Python and the Holy Grail, describing the breasts of a bride-to-be. Also, refers to the large areas of terrain present in Minecraft:Minecraft. Likely removed due to the inappropriate connotations of the reference.	Minecraft:Beta 1.0		207
Totally forgot about Dre!	Reference to the song "Forgot about Dre" by Dr. Dre. Likely removed due to the song's lyrics containing inappropriate language.	Minecraft:Beta 1.8 (Pre-release)		252
Popping tags!	A reference to Macklemore's "Thrift Shop".<ref>Template:Tweet</ref> Likely removed due to the song's lyrics containing inappropriate language.	1.8 (Minecraft:14w10a)		325
Getting ready to show!	Lines from the song "Skeletons" by Stevie Wonder. It's unknown why these were removed despite the lyrics to the song being clean.	1.8 (Minecraft:14w25a)		335
Getting ready to know!				336
Getting ready to drop!				337
Getting ready to shock!				338
Getting ready to freak!				339
Getting ready to speak!				340
Woo, /v/!	The video game board on Template:W, where Minecraft:Minecraft is frequently discussed (and was occasionally promoted by Minecraft:Notch).	Alpha v1.0.13	1.17 (pre1)	166
Привет Россия!	Russian for "Hello Russia!". Likely removed due to Microsoft suspending operations in Russia at the time.	1.1 (Minecraft:11w50a)	1.19 (Minecraft:22w17a)	282
Minors welcome!	A pun on 'miners' being a homophone of 'minors', and the game is commonly played among children. Likely removed due to controversy about Template:W.	Indev	1.21.6 (Minecraft:25w20a)	56

Special splashes

Splash text	When displayed	Explanation	Version added	Version removed
Happy birthday! I love you! Alex x	For player "athna" on July 26, 2010	One-time splash.	Minecraft:Alpha 1.0.6_01	Minecraft:Alpha 1.0.17
Happy birthday, ez!	November 9	Shown on Minecraft:ez's birthday. Notch left Mojang.	Minecraft:Alpha 1.0.6_01	1.8.5
Happy birthday, Notch!	June 1	Shown on Notch's birthday. Notch left Mojang.	Minecraft:Alpha 1.0.6_01	1.8.5
missingno		Shown when the splashes.txt file has been modified or deleted without also deleting the META-INF folder. References a glitch Pokémon found in Pokémon Red and Blue. Likely removed due to referencing third-party material.	Minecraft:Alpha v1.0.12	1.14 (Minecraft:19w13a)
Finally beta!		Excluding "Merry X-Mas!" and "Happy new year!", this was the only splash from Beta 1.0 to Beta 1.2. Removed because it had been "finally beta" for a good while.	Minecraft:Beta 1.0	Minecraft:Beta 1.2_01

Commands

Command	Description	Version removed	Reason for removal
/?	An alias of /help. Provides help for commands.	1.13 (17w45a)	Superseded by /help
/achievement	Gives or takes an achievement from a player.	1.12 (17w13a)	Minecraft:Achievements were superseded by Minecraft:advancements.
/banip	Bans a player by IP number.	Indev 0.31	Superseded by /ban-ip
/blockdata	Modifies the data tag of a block.	1.13 (17w47a)	Superseded by /data
/broadcast	Broadcasts a message across the entire server.	Classic 0.0.16a_01	Superseded by /say
/chunk	Force chunks to load constantly or not.	1.13.1 (pre1)	Superseded by /forceload
/entitydata	Modifies the data tag of an entity.	1.13 (17w45b)	Superseded by /data
/home	Teleports player to the Minecraft:world spawn.	Alpha v1.2.5	Superseded by /kill
/iron	Drops 4 iron ingots. Can only be executed every 5 minutes.	Alpha v1.2.0	Removed for unknown reason.
/locatebiome	Locates biomes.	1.19 (Minecraft:22w19a)	Superseded by /locate
/placefeature	Used to place a configured feature at a given location.	1.19 (22w18a)	Superseded by /place
/replaceitem	Replaces items in inventories.	1.17 (20w46a)	Superseded by /item
/setspawn	Sets the current location as the default spawn location for new players.	Indev 0.31	Superseded by /setworldspawn
/solid	Toggles between placing stone or bedrock.	Indev 0.31	Minecraft:Bedrock was added to the Creative inventory as a separate item.
/stats	Update objectives from command results.	1.13 (17w45a)	Merged with /execute
/testfor	Counts entities matching specified conditions.	1.13 (17w45a)	Merged with /execute
/testforblock	Tests whether a block is in a location.	1.13 (17w45a)	Merged with /execute
/testforblocks	Tests whether the blocks in two regions match.	1.13 (17w45a)	Merged with /execute
/toggledownfall	Toggles the weather.	1.13 (17w45a)	Redundancy with /weather
/unban	Pardons a banned player.	Alpha v1.0.16	Superseded by /pardon
/wood	Drops 4 oak saplings. Can only be executed every 5 minutes.	Alpha v1.2.0	Removed for unknown reason.

Abbreviated forms of /gamemode command

Prior to 1.13, several abbreviated forms of /gamemode command existed.

Letter form	Numeric form	Function
/gamemode s	/gamemode 0	Changes game mode to Survival.
/gamemode c	/gamemode 1	Changes game mode to Creative.
/gamemode a	/gamemode 2	Changes game mode to Adventure.

Game rules

Game rule	Description	Version removed	Reason for removal
allowFireTicksAwayFromPlayer	Determines, if Minecraft:fire and Minecraft:lava ticks occurs outside the range of a player.	1.21.11 (25w44a)	Superseded by fire_spread_radius_around_player.
doFireTick	Determines, if fire and lava ticks occurs.	1.21.11 (25w44a)	Superseded by fire_spread_radius_around_player.
entitiesWithPassengersCanUsePortals	Determines, if entities with passengers can use portals.	1.21 (pre1)	Entities with passengers now always use portals.
gameLoopFunction	Ability to toggle the GameLoop() function.	1.13 (17w49b)	Superseded by random_tick_speed.
spawnChunkRadius	Controls the radius of loaded chunks around the world spawn point.	1.21.9 (25w31a)	In the same snapshot, spawn chunks were removed entirely, as the developers believed they incurred a heavy performance cost and are now rendered obsolete due to the official implementation of other means of forced chunk loading such as /forceload, Minecraft:Nether portals, and Minecraft:ender pearls.

server.properties keys

Key	Description	Version removed	Reason for removal
allow-nether	Allows players to travel to the Nether.	1.21.9 (25w35a)	Superseded by game rule allowEnteringNetherUsingPortals.
announce-player-achievements	Allows server to announce when a player gets an achievement.	1.12 (17w18a)	Superseded by game rule announceAdvancements.
enable-command-block	Enables command blocks.	1.21.9 (25w35a)	Superseded by game rule enableCommandBlocks.
max-build-height	The maximum height allowed for building.	1.17 (20w49a)	Removed due to massive changes to worlds.
previews-chat	If set to true, chat preview will be enabled.	1.19.3 (22w42a)	Removed, because the chat preview was also removed.
pvp	Enable PvP on the server.	1.21.9 (25w35a)	Superseded by game rule pvp.
snooper-enabled	Sets whether the server sends data regularly to telemetry site.	1.18 (21w43a)	Removed for unknown reason.
spawn-animals	Determines if animals can spawn.	1.21.2 (24w33a)	Superseded by game rule spawn_mobs.
spawn-npcs	Determines if villagers can spawn.	1.21.2 (24w33a)	Superseded by game rule spawn_mobs.
spawn-monsters	Determines if monsters can spawn.	1.21.9 (25w35a)	Superseded by game rule spawn_monsters.
test-rainbow-chat	Existed temporarily only in 22w19a for testing.	1.19 (pre1)	It was only a temporary feature intended for testing.

Classic server.properties keys

In Minecraft:Java Edition Classic, several old server.properties keys existed.

Key	Description
admin-slot	Allow ops to join even if the server is full.
grow-trees	Whether or not the server allows planted saplings to grow into trees.
max-connections	The max number of connections the server accepts from the same IP address.
max-players	The max numbers of players that can play on the server at the same time.
motd	MOTD is short for Message of the day. The MOTD is displayed when people join the server.
public	Whether the server should be displayed in the server list, or not.
server-name	The name of the server. This is displayed in the server list and when someone is joining the server.
verify-names	If enabled, the server ensures that the client is logged in with the same IP address seen on Minecraft.net.

Statistic types

Several old statistic types existed in old versions of Minecraft.

• Removed in 1.7.2 - Times Played, Worlds Created, Saves Loaded and Multiplayer Joins.
• Removed in 1.11.1 - Junk Fished and Treasure Fished.

Creative inventory tabs

Template:Main articleSeveral old creative inventory tabs existed in old versions of Minecraft.

• Removed in 1.12 - Materials.
• Removed in 1.19.3 - Transportation and Brewing.

Player reporting categories

During development of 1.19.1, three removed player reporting categories (specifically "Extreme violence or gore", "Nudity or pornography" and "Profanity") existed before they were removed in 1.19.1 RC 1.

Numeric IDs

Template:Main article Prior to Minecraft:Java Edition 1.13, all blocks and items had unique numeric IDs alongside namespaced IDs. Numeric IDs were removed during The Flattening in 1.13 and all blocks and items now only have namespaced IDs.

Java launcher easter eggs

Prior to the release of Minecraft:Launcher 2.1.497x, the launcher contained multiple easter eggs. If the player hovered their cursor over the "Play" button for a few seconds, a random mob would appear in the bottom right corner of the launcher. In the top left corner of the launcher, the player could see a translucent Minecraft:creeper face. There was about a ¹⁄₁₁ chance of the creeper face being replaced with a shrugging kaomoji, ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. When the player clicked on either of these, they turned solid white. Clicking them again would return them to their translucent state. In addition, if the player pressed Template:Key+Template:Key, the Minecraft:experience orb pickup sound would play (Template:Sound).

Other

Block interactions

Dispensing command blocks

From snapshot Minecraft:14w07a for 1.8, Minecraft:dispensers had the ability to place Minecraft:command blocks, when activated. This feature was removed as of 1.8.6 to solve a security issue.<ref>Template:Tweet</ref><ref>"Unfortunately this feature had to be removed in 1.8.6 for security reasons. It wasn't an easy decision, but there was no other viable option. We usually don't break compatibility and this will be an exception to the rule, hopefully the only one. – Searge, May 26, 2015</ref>

Water evaporating on magma blocks

In snapshot Minecraft:16w20a for 1.10, water evaporated on top of Minecraft:magma blocks when randomly ticked. From snapshot Minecraft:18w07a for 1.13, whirlpool Minecraft:bubble columns are produced on top of magma blocks instead.

Restricted placement of non-full blocks

Template:MainPrior to 1.14, it was not possible to place non-full blocks (such as buttons, levers, pressure plates, tripwire hooks, etc...) on top and on side of transparent blocks (such as Minecraft:glass, Minecraft:glowstone, Minecraft:ice, sea lanterns, etc...). In snapshot 19w13a for 1.14, these restrictions were removed.

Restricted placement of chests

Prior to Minecraft:Java Edition 1.13, placement of chests (and trapped chests as well) was restricted and players had to place a new chest with an 1 block-wide gap between an existing double chest. In 1.13 (snapshot 17w47a), this restriction was removed and players were able to place a new chest directly next to an existing double chest (or hold shift-click to place a new chest next to a single chest).

Arbitrary placement of cacti

Between Minecraft:Java Edition Alpha v1.0.6 and v1.0.10, it was possible to place cacti directly next to blocks and it was also possible to place cacti on any blocks, and not only on Minecraft:sand. This was removed in Alpha v1.0.11 and attempting to place a cactus next to the block destroyed it and its placement was restricted to sand.

Destroying cacti hurts player

Between Java Edition Alpha v1.0.6 and v1.0.10, attempting to break cacti hurt the player. This feature was removed in Alpha v1.0.11.

Trampling redstone dust

When redstone dust was firstly added in Minecraft:Java Edition Alpha v1.0.1, walking on it would destroy it (much like crops). This feature was removed in Alpha v1.0.2_01. It is unknown whether this behavior was intentional or accidentally implemented. Template:More info

Hitting doors opens/closes them

Prior to Minecraft:Java Edition 1.4.2, it was possible to open and close wooden doors by hitting them with left click. This feature was removed, probably because destroying doors was more difficult.

Hitting primed TNT defuses it

In Minecraft:Java Edition Classic 0.30, it was possible to defuse primed Minecraft:TNT by hitting it with left click. This feature was removed in Indev.

Tilling grass

Prior to Minecraft:Java Edition Beta 1.6, tilling a grass block with a Minecraft:hoe had a small chance of dropping wheat seeds. This feature was removed and wheat seeds are now obtained by breaking a short grass instead.

Walking tramples farmland

Prior to Minecraft:Java Edition 1.1, players (and other mobs as well) could trample Minecraft:farmland by walking on it. To avoid this, players had to use Minecraft:sneaking. This feature was removed and farmland is now trampled only when a player jumps onto it.

Sponges decaying

When sponges were firstly added in 0.0.19a, they disappeared when certain amount of time passed after player placed them.Template:More info This behavior was removed in 0.0.19a_01.

Plants decaying in darkness

When dandelions, roses and mushrooms were added in 0.0.20a, they decayed when placed in darkness. This behavior was removed in 0.24_SURVIVAL_TEST.

Arbitrary placement of plants

Between pre-Classic and early Indev, it was possible to place plants (saplings, mushrooms, and flowers) on any blocks, even on top of another plant, and not only on grass blocks or Minecraft:dirt. Last version where this was possible is Java Edition Indev 0.31 20100202-2330 (the exact removal date is uncertain because Indev versions between 20100202-2330 and 20100206-2103 are not archived).

Pre-Classic block interactions

In pre-Classic and early Classic versions, block interactions behaved differently.

• Prior to 0.0.9a, blocks were placed by left click and destroyed by right click. After 0.0.9a, this behavior was changed and players would toggle block placing/destroying by right click and use configured interaction with left click. Survival Test reverted this behavior to that before 0.0.9a with only difference that left click and right click are doing opposite, like today.
• Block outline appeared as white glowing square (instead of black outline box). Prior to 0.0.9a, it appeared only on side of block at which player was pointing (rather than around entire block). After 0.0.9a, block outline appeared around entire block, and before placing block a transparent preview cube appeared as visual indication of block placement. This outline behavior was removed in Survival Test and replaced with black outline box, that is used until today.
• In rd-132211 and rd-132328, it was not possible to select blocks. Grass had pre-defined placement on surface layer (Y=0), while cobblestone placement was possible anywhere below or higher.
• Between Classic 0.0.14a and Infdev 20100617-1531, placing Minecraft:sand or Minecraft:gravel above an Minecraft:air block made them appear instantly at the lowest point they can go rather than turning into falling block entity.

Item interactions

Items falling to the floor of water

Prior to Minecraft:Java Edition 1.13, throwing items into water made them instantly fall to the floor of water. In 1.13, this was changed and items slowly submerge into water before they slowly float to the surface.

Ender pearls passing through nether portals

Prior to Minecraft:Java Edition 1.21, throwing ender pearls at a nether portal made them pass through portal blocks. In 1.21, this was changed and ender pearls now teleport players to Minecraft:The Nether if thrown into portal.

Additionally, prior to Minecraft:Java Edition 1.4.2, throwing ender pearls at a nether portal made them collide into portal blocks and player teleported into portal, however without entering The Nether.

Boats shatter on impact

Prior to Minecraft:Java Edition 1.9, crashing boats at high speeds instantly broke them into Minecraft:planks and sticks. In 1.9, this behavior was removed as many players complained about it.Template:Citation needed

This was even more strict in Alpha 1.0.6 where boats instantly shattered even at low speeds, and even placement of boats outside water was impossible due to them being destroyed, but all this was changed in Alpha 1.0.6_01.

Instant growth from bone meal

Prior to Minecraft:Java Edition 1.5, using bone meal on Minecraft:crops and saplings made them grow instantly. This behavior was removed in 1.5 and bone meal was severely nerfed.

Mob behavior

Mobs running from creepers

In 1.8, mobs ran away from Minecraft:creepers that were about to explode. In 1.8.1-pre1, this feature was removed because every mob that had the ability to run from a creeper was looking for an exploding creeper every Minecraft:tick, degrading performance.

Iron golems attacking creepers

Prior to 1.8.1, Minecraft:iron golems would attack and kill Minecraft:creepers if they were within the golem's detection range range (like any other monsters). This was removed in 1.8.1 to prevent accidental destruction of buildings.<ref>"The Biome that Broke Minecraft" – October 12, 2025 on YouTube</ref>

Illagers attacking baby villagers

Prior to 1.18, Minecraft:vindicators, Minecraft:evokers, Minecraft:illusioners and Minecraft:pillagers would attack and kill baby Minecraft:villagers, which was controversial.Template:Citation needed This was removed in 1.18 (snapshot 21w37a) and illagers now spare baby villagers.

Vindicators spawning in pillager patrols

In 1.14, Minecraft:vindicators were able to spawn in pillager patrols (along with raids) and sometimes also spawned as patrol leaders. This was removed in 1.14.3 and vindicators now only spawn in raids and Minecraft:woodland mansions.

Villagers using pig AI

In 1.0.0 and 1.1, villagers used same AI as pigs. This was removed in 1.2.1 and villagers now use their own AI.

Zombies and skeletons dying from drowning

Prior to 1.13, when zombies were underwater for too long, they started taking drowning damage and died. In 1.13 (snapshot 18w11a), this behavior was removed and zombies will now start converting to Minecraft:drowned instead. Skeletons were also drowning underwater, and in 1.13 (snapshot 18w19a) this was also removed, however skeletons would simply sink into water without converting to any other mob.

Slimes dying from drowning

Prior to 1.8, when slimes (as well as magma cubes) entered Minecraft:water, they were not able to get out and if water was deeper than one block, they would drown and die. In 1.8 (snapshot 14w06b), this was changed and slimes can now swim as a result of the update to the new AI.

Monsters living at day

In Survival Test and early Indev versions, zombies and skeletons weren't burning from sunlight and were able to live at day on surface for infinite long time. This was removed in Minecraft:Java Edition Indev 20100213 and now both zombies and skeletons burn at sunlight, and if they are not able find cover in time (like hiding under tree or jumping into water) they will die.

Baby zombies living at day

Between 1.4.2 and 1.12.2, baby zombies weren't burning from sunlight (unlike adult zombies) and were able to live at day for infinite long time. This was fixed in Minecraft:Java Edition 1.13 (snapshot 18w10d).

Taming ocelots into cats

Prior to 1.14, cats were initially meant to be tamed from ocelots. In 1.14, ocelots can no longer be tamed and cats can be tamed from stray cats instead. Attempting to tame ocelots, a player can gain an ocelot's trust instead by feeding it raw cod or salmon until heart particles show, causing it to no longer flee from players.

Baby horses gradually growing

Prior to 1.9, baby horses were gradually growing when fed or when certain amout of time passed. This was removed in 1.9 and baby horses now grow only after they turn adult.

Sheep drop wool upon being hit

Between Indev and Beta 1.6.6, hitting Minecraft:sheep with left click made them drop Minecraft:wool. This feature was removed in Beta 1.7 due to addition of Minecraft:shears.

Arrows sticking to mobs

When player hit any mobs with arrow using bow, arrows stayed attached to their bodies. This feature was removed in 1.0.0 and arrows no longer visually appears on mobs.

Monsters attacking players in Creative mode

Between Minecraft:Java Edition Beta 1.8 and Beta 1.9 Pre-release 4, monsters were trying to attack players in Creative mode. This behavior was removed in Beta 1.9 Pre-release 5 and all monsters remained neutral towards Creative mode players, unless player provoked them by hitting (until versions 1.6.1 and 1.7.2 where provocation was gradually removed).

Wolves hurting players in peaceful difficulty

Between Minecraft:Java Edition Beta 1.4 and 1.2.5, angry wolves were hurting players in Survival mode even when peaceful difficulty was enabled. This was removed in 1.3.1 and behavior of angry wolves is now respectful towards players in peaceful difficulty.

Old passive mob spawning

Prior to Minecraft:Java Edition Beta 1.8, passive mobs spawned much more often and their spawning was determined by two primary conditions: a light level (at least 9 light level) and a surface (specifically grass blocks). After Beta 1.8, passive mob spawning was determined by chunk properties and new passive mobs spawned very rarely if player killed all mobs in all nearby chunks (instead of building mob farms).

Environment

Void fog and particles

From Minecraft:Java Edition Beta 1.8 Pre-release up to its removal in Minecraft:Java Edition 14w34c, a fog effect and particles would appear in the lower 16 blocks of the world.

Lower sky effect

Template:MainThe lower sky was a visual effect in the Minecraft:Overworld in which a colored plane existed below the horizon in the world, similarly to the Minecraft:sky opposite it. It was removed in 1.14 after the ability to turn off VBOs was also removed.

Old fire spreading behavior

Prior to Minecraft:Java Edition Beta 1.6, fire spreading was very aggressive and fire was able to spread infinitely. This behavior was removed in Beta 1.6 and fire spreading was severely nerfed.

Removed after Survival Test

Placeholder block drops

Minecraft:Survival Test introduced block Minecraft:drops, which were mapped as follows:

Minecraft:Block	Historical Minecraft:drops	Current drops
Template:LegacyBlockSprite Minecraft:Gold Ore	Template:LegacyBlockSprite Minecraft:Block of Gold	Template:ItemSprite Minecraft:Raw Gold
Template:LegacyBlockSprite Minecraft:Iron Ore	Template:LegacyBlockSprite Minecraft:Block of Iron	Template:ItemSprite Minecraft:Raw Iron
Template:LegacyBlockSprite Minecraft:Coal Ore	Template:LegacyBlockSprite Minecraft:Stone Slab	Template:ItemSprite Minecraft:Coal
Template:LegacyBlockSprite Wood	Template:LegacyBlockSprite Minecraft:Planks	Template:BlockSprite (itself)

Block drops were reworked in Indev.

Minimized textures

In Survival Test, item Minecraft:drops were restricted to the cube shape used for blocks. The projected texture was the same on all faces and the texture scale was closer to those of blocks, making it look cropped.

Old walking animation for mobs

In Survival Test, mobs (Minecraft:pigs, Minecraft:sheep, Minecraft:skeletons, Minecraft:zombies, Minecraft:spiders and Minecraft:creepers) had different walking animations.

Creeper melee attack

In Survival Test, Minecraft:creepers did melee damage (Template:Health) to the player. In Indev 0.31, this feature was removed.

Eating mushrooms

In Survival Test, brown mushrooms added health (Template:Health), while red mushrooms depleted health (Template:Health) if player ate them. With start of Indev, this feature was removed.

Accidentally removed

Villagers accepting flowers from iron golems

Baby villagers used to accept poppies (originally roses) offered to them by iron golems since their addition in Minecraft:Java Edition 12w08a. This feature was removed at some point during the development of Minecraft:Java Edition 1.14. Iron golems still offer poppies to baby villagers, but they don't take the flower from the golem's hand.<ref>Template:Bug</ref>

Erosion basins

Minecraft:Erosions, also known as basins, are terrain features that strip away the surface layer of blocks in a small area, exposing the stone underneath. They were accidentally removed in 1.18 (Minecraft:Java Edition 21w41a).<ref>Template:Bug</ref>

Underground mushrooms

Mushrooms generated in caves from Minecraft:Java Edition Classic 0.24_SURVIVAL_TEST until 1.18 (Minecraft:Java Edition 21w39a), when underground mushroom patches were (probably accidentally) removed from Java Edition, and have yet to be re-added.<ref>Template:Bug.</ref>

Removed with the 1.3 client-server split

Template:Main When 1.3 split client and server logic, several features lost significant functionality. While some of these have been effectively restored or at least substituted, many of them remain removed to this day, such as expanding ghasts or dimensional text.

Old mob drops

Mob	Drops	Amount	Removed in
Template:EntityLink	Template:BlockLink	0-2	Indev 0.31 20100202
Template:EntityLink	Template:BlockLink	0-2	Indev 0.31 20100202
Template:EntityLink	Template:BlockLink	0-1	1.20 (23w13a)
Template:EntityLink	Template:ItemLink	1	1.16 (20w07a)
Template:EntityLink	Template:ItemLink	4-6	1.20.5 (24w11a)
Template:EntityLink	Template:ItemLink	1-4	1.13 (18w14a)
Template:EntityLink	Template:ItemLink	0-1	1.14 (18w46a)
Template:EntityLink	Template:ItemLink	0-1	1.4.2 (12w40a)
Template:EntityLink	Template:ItemLink	0-1	1.17 (21w05a)
Template:EntityLink	Template:ItemLink	0-2	Beta 1.8
Template:EntityLink	Template:ItemLink	0-2	1.0.0 (Beta 1.9 pre)
Template:EntityLinkTemplate:EntityLinkTemplate:EntityLinkTemplate:EntityLink	Template:ItemLink	1 (flint and steel) 1-3 (all other)	Indev 20100219
Template:EntityLink	(same as row above)	(same as row above)	Indev 20100202

Old breeding items

Mob	Original item	Removed in	Replaced with	Note
Template:EntityLink	Template:ItemLink	1.4.2 (12w36a)	Template:ItemLink Template:ItemLink Template:ItemLink
Template:EntityLink	Template:ItemLink	1.4.2 (12w36a)	Template:ItemLink Template:ItemLink
Template:EntityLink	Template:ItemLink	1.8 (14w34d)	(none, fully removed)	Only any type of seeds is now used.
Template:EntityLink	Template:ItemLink	1.13 (18w07b)	Template:ItemLink	Used only in 18w07a.
Template:EntityLink	Template:ItemLink	1.17 (21w20a)	Template:ItemLink	Used only during development of 1.17, between 20w51a and 21w19a.
Template:EntityLink	Template:ItemLink	1.2.1 (12w03a)	Any raw meat/fish, Template:ItemLink and Template:ItemLink
Template:EntityLink Template:EntityLink	Template:ItemLink Template:ItemLink	1.14 (18w44a)	(none, fully removed)	Removed probably for realism.Template:Citation needed Only raw cod and raw salmon are now used.
Template:EntityLink	Template:ItemLink	1.12 (Pre-release 3)	Template:ItemLink Template:ItemLink	Used only during development of 1.12, between 17w13a and 1.12-pre2. Parrots will die when player attempts to feed them with cookies.

Old dye interactions

Prior to 1.14, bone meal, ink sac, cocoa beans and lapis lazuli were used as white, black, brown and blue dyes. In 1.14, this was changed and white dye, black dye, brown dye and blue dye were added as separate dye items while bone meal, ink sac, cocoa beans and lapis lazuli are no longer used for dyeing.

Old spawn egg interactions

Prior to 1.11, horse spawn eggs were used for spawning donkeys. Zombie spawn eggs were used for spawning zombie villagers and husks. Skeleton spawn eggs were used for spawning wither skeletons (only in nether) and strays. Mules could only be spawned by breeding horse and donkey or by using commands. Elder guardians required commands in order to spawn them in creative mode. Zombie and skeleton horses also required commands in order to spawn them in creative mode.

In 1.11 (snapshot 16w32a), separate spawn eggs were added for donkeys, mules, zombie horses, skeleton horses, zombie villagers, husks, strays, wither skeletons and elder guardians, while spawn eggs for horses, zombies, skeletons and guardians are no longer used for spawning different variants of mobs.

Old freight minecarts

When minecarts were added in Minecraft:Java Edition Infdev 20100618, their functionality was to store items, not to function as rideable transport (much like current minecarts with chests). Filling minecarts with items made the dirt layer in them rising, which served as visual indication of capacity without needing to open its UI (9x3 container like today). Freight functionality was removed in Minecraft:Java Edition Infdev 20100624 and players would use minecarts as rideable transport instead. Minecarts with chests were later added in Minecraft:Java Edition Alpha v1.0.14 as a separate entity with simpler freight functionality that doesn't have any visual indication of capacity.

Outdated mechanics

Minecart boosting

Minecart boosting was a feature prior to Minecraft:Java Edition Beta 1.6, that allowed players to boost Minecraft:minecart by using another minecart when they ran alongside one another on two parallelly-placed rails. This physics-based minecart boosting was removed in Beta 1.6 and players are now supposed to use redstone-based powered rails instead.

Outdated block and item duplication

Template:Main articleThroughout the history of Minecraft, several outdated block and item duplication methods existed until they were ultimately patched.

Instant wiring

Template:Main articleInstant wiring was a glitch found in Beta which allowed for instant Minecraft:redstone repeater, and logic gates to be created by players.

Repeater reboot system

Template:Main articleUsed as workaround for glitch when player saved and left the game, and when came back, any repeaters that were running in a continuous circuit were frozen. A block directly next to the repeater had to be "updated" to jump start player's redstone circuit.

Man-made lakes

Template:Main articlePlayers had to use complicated Minecraft:water placement methods in order to properly build lakes due to bug that caused water not forming source blocks properly on top of existing source blocks.<ref>MC-916</ref>

Water ladders

Template:Main articleWater ladders were structures used to facilitate quick climbing in a strictly vertical manner.

Water trams

Template:Main articleWater trams were fast travel structures which consisted of streams of water flowing in the direction player wished to travel with boats.

Door-based iron golem farming

Template:Main articlePrior to 1.14, iron golem farming was much more simple due to conditions for their spawning required only certain amount of villagers and doors.

Village chaining

Template:Main articleVillage chaining was the process by which player was able to move Minecraft:village centers abnormally close to, or within, each other.

End of light mob farms

Template:Main articleThe end of light mob farm (EOL) involved 2 key components: update suppressors and light suppressors. It used an update suppressor to prevent the portals from updating when the side obsidian blocks were removed. This created a sliced portal in which mobs were able to spawn where the light level was 0. The light suppressors allowed the light levels of the portal blocks to be 0, meaning that mobs were able to spawn directly into the portals and got transported into a drop chute.

Unused human code

Despite human mobs were removed in Survival Test (then briefly reintroduced in Indev and then removed again), it was still possible to spawn them in Minecraft:Java Edition Infdev, Alpha and Beta using third-party tools or mods, because IDs for mob (48) and monster (49) and their respective mob behavior codes still existed. Codes that allowed to spawn them were removed in Beta 1.2 (for mob) and Beta 1.6.6 (for monster) which made them no longer possible to spawn in game, while IDs themselves were removed in Minecraft:Java Edition 1.11.

Code obfuscation

Code obfuscation (added in Early Classic) was a security feature designed to prevent unauthorised access to game source code. Code obfuscation was removed in Minecraft:Java Edition 26.1 because Mojang wanted for mod development to become easier.Template:Citation needed Even before code obfuscation was removed, Mojang started including obfuscation maps for both client and server of every version since Minecraft:Java Edition 1.15 (snapshot 19w36a).

For some reason, version Minecraft:Java Edition Beta 1.2_02 (20110517) had code obfuscation absent.

Old authentication systems

Several old authentication systems existed before the Minecraft:Microsoft authentication.

• Minecraft:Legacy Minecraft authentication
• Minecraft:Yggdrasil

Old issue reporting

Template:Main articleBefore 2012, reporting issues with Minecraft was done directly on Minecraft Wiki issues page. This method was abandoned after bug tracker was officially released by Mojang in October 2012.

Playing Minecraft on web browser

During pre-Classic, Classic, Indev and early Infdev versions, it was possible to play Minecraft on a web browser. This method of playing was abandoned shortly after Minecraft:Minecraft Launcher was released in June 2010.

Web browser Minecraft version was based on Java applet (an obsolete Java feature based on old technology NPAPI, phased out in major web browsers between 2013-2018). [1][2]

Animation placeholder textures

Template:Main articleAnimation placeholder textures were special textures stored in pre-defined texture atlases which served as stand-ins for animated textures. When texture atlases were loaded into memory, the placeholder textures were internally overwritten with the animated versions. They were removed in Minecraft:Java Edition 1.5.

Outdated texture atlases

Template:Main articleSeveral historical texture atlases existed in old versions of Minecraft (or were neutered into standard texture files).

• Predefined texture atlases: items.png, terrain.png, particles.png, explosion.png, sweep.png, paintings_kristoffer_zetterstrand.png, widgets.png, icons.png, map_icons.png, moon_phases.png, inventory.png <ref group="note">File inventory.png still exists, however it no longer serves as a texture atlas due to all textures other than the inventory window itself have been split off into individual files in 1.20.2.</ref> and mojang.png <ref group="note">It is unverified whether mojang.png was a texture atlas or a standard texture.</ref>.
• Generated texture atlases: blocks-atlas, items-atlas, textures-atlas, hanging_signs.png-atlas and mob_effect.png-atlas.

Spawn Egg coloring system

Template:Main articlePrior to the Minecraft:Spring to Life game drop, spawn eggs used textures (base texture and overlay texture) that were accordingly colored to match each mob, rather than all spawn eggs using individual textures. The coloring system was removed in Minecraft:Java Edition 1.21.5 and all spawn eggs now have separate texture files.

Block materials

Template:Main articleMaterials in Minecraft classified blocks into different types, more or less indicating what blocks were "made of". Block materials were removed in 1.20.

Temporary features

These features were never meant to get into final releases. They were either quickly reconsidered by developers, implemented temporarily or remained as leftovers from internal development.

Block interactions

Coral blocks instantly dying outside water

In snapshot 18w09a for 1.13, coral blocks instantly turned into dead coral block if player placed them outside water. In 18w16a, this was changed and coral blocks now have short delay before dying and turning into dead coral blocks.

Hoppers filling regular minecarts

In snapshot 13w01a for 1.5, hoppers were able to load items into minecarts without chests. This was fixed in 13w01b.

Hoppers interacting with beacons

In snapshot 15w47a for 1.9, hoppers were able to interact with beacons. This was reverted in 15w49a.

Cobwebs catching projectiles

In snapshot 15w49a for 1.9, throwing projectiles into cobwebs made them instantly turn into normal item drops. This was reverted in 15w49b.

Old composter chances

Between 19w03a and 19w04b, composters used to have smaller chances of successful composting, with values 10/20/50/80/100%. In 19w05a, composting chances were reworked and changed to 30/50/65/85/100%.

Mob behavior

Ravagers spawning in pillager patrols

In snapshot 18w45a for 1.14, ravagers were originally meant to spawn in pillager patrols rather than raids. In 18w46a, ravagers were removed from pillager patrols which made them briefly unused, and in 18w47a, ravagers were now spawning in raids instead.

Ravagers fleeing away from rabbits

In snapshot 18w43a for 1.14, ravagers were fleeing away in presence of rabbits. This feature was removed in 18w44a because it didn't fit with ravager's lore.<ref>"FYI, I asked Josh to remove this feature again. Although funny, being scared of rabbits doesn't fit with the Beast's lore." – @jeb_ (Jens Bergensten) on X (formerly Twitter), October 30, 2018</ref>

Phantoms spawning in The End

In snapshot 18w07a for 1.13, phantoms were able to spawn in Minecraft:The End. This feature existed only briefly and was shortly after removed in 18w09a.

Respawning Ender Dragon with clay

In snapshot 15w31a for 1.9, it was possible to respawn the Minecraft:Ender Dragon by building flat creeper face using clay blocks. This was removed shortly after in 15w44a due to addition of end crystal items.

Endermen teleporting spawns endermites

In snapshot 14w11a for 1.8, endermites were able to spawn when endermen teleported. This behavior was removed in 14w28a.

Hoglins living in overworld

In snapshot 20w06a for 1.16, when players transported hoglins to Minecraft:overworld, they were able to live there endlessly. After addition of zoglins in 20w14a, this was no longer possible as hoglins will always convert to zoglins after certain amout of time passes.

Separate helmet models for piglins

In snapshot 20w10a for 1.16, piglins worn own special helmet models of Minecraft:armor. In 1.16 Pre-release 3, piglin helmet models were removed and piglins started wearing player helmet models instead. Strangely, the textures for leather piglin helmet remained existing unused until 1.17.

Striders stacking endlessly

In snapshot 20w13a for 1.16, striders were able to spawn stacked with 3 (and more) striders (including adult striders) on top of each other. This was removed in 20w18a, and adult striders can spawn only with one baby strider or one zombified piglin on them.

Breezes provoking monsters by attack

In snapshot 23w45a for 1.20.3, when breezes were added to experimental data pack, if they attacked monsters, they provoked them (and vice versa). This behavior was removed in 1.20.5 (snapshot 24w04a) and breezes can no longer provoke monsters, and monsters can no longer provoke breezes either.

Dolphins wearing armor

In snapshot 18w15a for 1.13, when players thrown Minecraft:armor items at dolphins, they picked them up and equipped them. This was removed in 18w21a.<ref>MC-128493</ref>

Furthermore, since 1.14 (19w08a), it is no longer possible to equip dolphins with armor using dispensers.

Foxes wearing armor

In snapshot 19w07a for 1.14, it was possible to equip foxes with armor using dispensers. This was removed in 19w08a.

Dolphins sitting in boats

In snapshot 18w15a for 1.13, it was possible to put dolphins into boats. In 1.13 Pre-release 2, this functionality was removed.

Nautiluses sitting in boats

In snapshot 25w41a for 1.21.11, it was possible to put nautiluses (as well as zombie nautiluses) into boats. In 25w43a, this functionality was removed.

Sulfur cubes sitting in boats

In Snapshot 1 for 26.2, it was possible to put sulfur cubes into boats. In 26.2 Snapshot 3, this functionality was removed.

Tameable rabbits

In snapshot 14w27a for 1.8, it was possible to tame rabbits with carrots. In 14w34a, taming functionality was removed and rabbits can no longer be tamed.

Parrots changing colors when dancing

In snapshot 17w14a for 1.12, parrots were cycling through variants if Minecraft:music was playing on a nearby Minecraft:jukebox. In 17w15a, this behavior was removed and parrots no longer cycle through variants.

"TESTIFICATE" placeholder villager name

In Java Edition Beta 1.9 Pre-release 1, all villagers had name "TESTIFICATE" above their heads by default. This was removed in Beta 1.9 Pre-release 2.

Passive monsters

When monsters (zombies, skeletons, spiders and creepers) were re-added to game in Indev 0.31 20100202 (after they were initially removed in Indev 0.31 20091223-0040), they were accidentally programmed to be passive (instead of hostile), because Notch forgot to re-implement hostile AI. This behavior was fixed shortly after in Indev 0.31 20100204-2027.

Killer rabbits spawning naturally

In snapshot 14w27a for 1.8, killer rabbits were spawning naturally (prior to 14w29a also in peaceful mode). Their natural spawning was removed in 14w34a.

Endermen dying in water

In Java Edition Beta 1.8 and Beta 1.8.1, when endermen entered water, they started taking damage and died. This is no longer happening in 1.0.0 and endermen now always teleport away if they step into the water.

Endermen picking up any blocks

When endermen were added in Java Edition Beta 1.8 Pre-release 1, they were able to pick up any blocks including unobtainable blocks (like Minecraft:bedrock, double slabs and spawners) and blocks that had inventories (like chests, furnaces and dispensers). In Beta 1.8 release, endermen were no longer able to pick up unobtainable blocks and blocks with inventories. In Minecraft:Java Edition 1.0.0, the list of blocks that endermen were able to pick up was severely limited.

Furthermore in 1.16, endermen are no longer able to pick up Minecraft:netherrack. During development of 1.17, endermen were able to pick up flowering azaleas and flowering azalea leaves which was removed in 1.17 Pre-release 1.

Player features

Ability to milk squids

Between Minecraft:Java Edition Beta 1.2 and Beta 1.2_02, it was possible to milk squids with an empty Minecraft:bucket. This feature was removed in Beta 1.3.

Jumping increases experience

In Java Edition Beta 1.9 Pre-release, it was possible to gain experience points by jumping. This was only a testing feature and was removed in Java Edition Beta 1.9 Pre-release 2.

Hitting mobs from distance

In Minecraft:Java Edition Beta 1.8 and Beta 1.8.1, it was possible to hit mobs in creative mode from distance of 30 blocks. This was fixed in 1.0.0.

Hitting endermen with projectiles

In Java Edition Beta 1.8 and Beta 1.8.1, it was possible to hit endermen with projectiles. This was no longer possible in 1.0.0 as endermen will always teleport when attacked by projectiles.

Arrows spawning mobs

In Infdev 20100316, throwing arrows with Minecraft:bow had high chance of spawning either a Minecraft:sheep, a Minecraft:pig, a Minecraft:skeleton, a Minecraft:creeper, a Minecraft:spider, or a Minecraft:zombie upon hitting a block. This feature was removed in Infdev 20100413-1951.

Reverted during development

Bee nests generating on grown trees

In snapshot 19w34a for 1.15, bee nests always had a small chance to generate on trees grown from saplings (regardless of flowers), which caused many players complain that it would break automatic tree farms.Template:Citation needed This behavior was removed in 19w35a.

From 1.15.2, it is again possible to generate bee nests on trees grown from saplings, however only when player places flower next to sapling.

Inventory changes

An inventory rewrite was originally partially implemented in snapshot Minecraft:14w07a, but it was reverted before the release of 1.8.Template:More info<ref>Template:Reddit</ref>

Orange default dog collars

In snapshot 14w18a for 1.8, default color of dog collars was (probably accidentally) changed to from red to orange.<ref>MC-54109</ref> This was reverted in 1.9 back to red color.

Changes to minecart physics

In snapshot 14w11a for 1.8, Minecraft:minecart physics were changed. They were going faster and further, were derailing at corners if they were going too fast and refused to go uphill and they were also (if going fast enough) going over 1 block. These changes were reverted in 14w17a.

Biome-colored lava

In snapshot 18w15a for 1.13, Minecraft:lava was accidentally programmed to use coloring system based on biomes (much like Minecraft:water). This was reverted in 18w16a.<ref>MC-128233</ref>

Giants behaving like zombies

In snapshot 18w50a for 1.14, giants used zombie AI, used zombie sounds, were able to infect villagers and baby variant of giant was also added. This was reverted in 19w03a.

Changes to behavior of witches

In snapshot 18w50a for 1.14, witches were accidentally programmed to be neutral (instead of hostile) and worn hoods. This was reverted in 19w02a.

Outline box thickness change

In snapshot 19w38a for 1.15, outline box thickness was changed to look slightly thicker. This was reverted in 19w39a.

Recipe book search changes

In Pre-release 1 for 1.20.2, several changes were made to search in Minecraft:recipe book's UI. The recipe book search matched the beginning of any word in the item's name, and all recipes, including those that have not been unlocked appeared in search results. This was reverted in 1.20.2 Pre-release 2.

Illagers opening wooden doors

In snapshot 19w13a for 1.14, vindicators, evokers, illusioners and pillagers were able to open wooden doors in villages. This was reverted in 19w14a and illagers can no longer open doors anymore.

More naturally spawning sheep variants

In snapshot 25w07a for 1.21.5, light blue, blue, cyan, yellow, orange, and red Minecraft:sheep started spawning naturally. This was reverted in 25w08a.

Tags

Temporary water-related tags

The water_hacked and waterlogged tags were added in snapshots 18w07a and 18w07b for 1.13 respectively and removed in 18w10c. Before the removal, these tags functioned as follows:

Minecraft:Tag	Values	Usage
minecraft:water_hacked	#minecraft:stairs, #minecraft:waterlogged, #minecraft:slabs, minecraft:chest	Blocks in this tag render in water as if any non-filled space in the block Minecraft:model was water.
minecraft:waterlogged	#minecraft:coral_plants, minecraft:bubble_column, minecraft:kelp, minecraft:kelp_top, minecraft:sea_grass, minecraft:tall_sea_grass	Used in the water_hacked.json block tag file. Prevents non-water mobs from spawning in this block. Allows swimming in this block.

Block tags

Template:MainSeveral block tags were removed during development of Minecraft (specifically: azalea_log_replaceable, dirt_like, fire_aspect_lightable, lush_plants_replaceable, non_flammable_wood, replaceable_plants, stripped_logs, tall_flowers).

Item tags

Template:MainSeveral item tags were removed during development of Minecraft (specifically: coral_blocks, coral_fans, corals, dead_coral_blocks, furnace_materials, live_coral_blocks, music_discs, overworld_natural_logs, stripped_logs, tall_flowers, tools, trim_templates, dyeable).

Entity type tags

Template:MainSeveral entity type tags were removed during development of Minecraft (specifically: axolotl_tempted_hostiles, deflects_arrows, deflects_tridents).

Game event tags

Template:MainOnly one game event tag (dampenable_vibrations) was removed during development of Minecraft.

Biome tags

Template:MainSeveral biome tags were removed during development of Minecraft (specifically: has_closer_water_fog, increased_fire_burnout, plays_underwater_music, snow_golem_melts, without_patrol_spawns).

Damage type tags

Template:MainOnly one damage type tag (breeze_immune_to) was removed during development of Minecraft.

Old conduit particles

Template:Main File:Nautilus (texture 0) JE1 BE1.png File:Nautilus (texture 1) JE1 BE1.png File:Nautilus (texture 2) JE1 BE1.png File:Nautilus (texture 3) JE1 BE1.png File:Nautilus (texture 4) JE1 BE1.png File:Nautilus (texture 5) JE1 BE1.png File:Nautilus (texture 6) JE1 BE1.png File:Nautilus (texture 7) JE1 BE1.png File:Nautilus (texture 8) JE1 BE1.png File:Nautilus (texture 9) JE1 BE1.png File:Nautilus (texture 10) JE1 BE1.png File:Nautilus (texture 11) JE1 BE1.png

The Minecraft:conduit was added in snapshot Minecraft:18w15a with Minecraft:particles, but those particles were changed in the next snapshot, Minecraft:18w16a.

entity.hanging.place and entity.hanging.pop

entity.hanging.place and entity.hanging.pop were two sound effects added in snapshot Minecraft:15w49a and removed in the next snapshot, Minecraft:15w49b. The sound effects were blank audio files and were likely intended as sound effects for the Minecraft:lead.Template:Verify

/locate New_Village

There was a locate command called Template:Cmd. This was implemented in snapshot Minecraft:18w48a for Village & Pillage before the Minecraft:village structures from Minecraft:Update Aquatic and prior were removed. Once these "old" villages were officially taken from the game's structure spawn list in snapshot Minecraft:19w02a, Template:Cmd was replaced by Template:Cmd as the Template:Cd ID was no longer needed.

Unused

These features never had any functionality in-game.

Other

"Play Tutorial Level" button

An unclickable "Play Tutorial Level" button was added to the main menu during Indev. With the addition of Minecraft:texture packs in Alpha v1.2.2, the button was removed. No tutorial level had actually existed during that time.

File:Fluff.png

Fluff.png.

Textures

Fluff.png

In Infdev, a texture called Fluff.png was added. It was used as a texture for clouds from Infdev 20100611 to Infdev 20100618, but became unused in Infdev 20100624 and was removed by Alpha v1.2.2.

File:Fluffy Clouds.jpg

Clouds using the fluff.png texture in Minecraft Infdev

Minecart texture

File:Minecart dirt.png

The minecart dirt texture.

The texture from the Minecraft:minecart model is rarely visible. The texture appears to be dirt, which is an artifact of when the minecart used to act as a portable chest. The "dirt" level used to raise when items were put into it. The texture still appeared inside minecarts until Minecraft:Java Edition 1.18 Pre-release 2.<ref>Template:Bug</ref>

Purple arrow

File:Purple Arrow.png

A purple arrow.

File:Purple arrow in game.jpg

The purple arrow shot by a skeleton in Survival Test.

Template:See also Purple arrows were shot by Minecraft:skeletons in Minecraft:Survival Test versions from 0.25. They acted the same as regular Minecraft:arrows, but could not be picked up. The purple arrow used a texture on the same sheet as the normal arrows, but the texture is not currently in use.

Despite being unused, their texture was updated with the normal arrow's in the April Fools' snapshot Minecraft:15w14a. With the addition of a new arrow texture in Minecraft:Java Edition 1.9, the original arrow texture, including the purple arrows, became entirely unused. The original texture was removed in snapshot Minecraft:21w13a.<ref name="UnusedFiles">Template:Bug</ref>

Resources

chunkinfo command

From 1.8 (snapshot Minecraft:14w30a) to 1.13 (snapshot Minecraft:17w45a), the file en_us.lang contained translation strings for a /chunkinfo Minecraft:command, which never existed in game. The following keys existed:

commands.chunkinfo.usage=/chunkinfo [<x> <y> <z>]
commands.chunkinfo.location=Chunk location: (%s, %s, %s)
commands.chunkinfo.noChunk=No chunk found at chunk position %s, %s, %s
commands.chunkinfo.notEmpty=Chunk is not empty.
commands.chunkinfo.empty=Chunk is empty.
commands.chunkinfo.notCompiled=Chunk is not compiled.
commands.chunkinfo.compiled=Chunk is compiled.
commands.chunkinfo.hasNoRenderableLayers=Chunk has no renderable layers.
commands.chunkinfo.hasLayers=Chunk has layers: %s
commands.chunkinfo.isEmpty=Chunk has empty layers: %s
commands.chunkinfo.vertices=%s layer's buffer contains %s vertices
commands.chunkinfo.data=First 64 vertices are: %s

It is unknown if this command was used for development or was simply a dropped feature.

command_blocks.pdn

File:Command blocks.pdn

command_blocks.pdn

command_blocks.pdn was an unused file added in Minecraft:15w34a and quickly removed in the next snapshot. This file was created with the Paint.NET program and, presumably, was used in the creation of the textures for the impulse, chain and repeat types of Minecraft:command block, added in the same snapshot.

The file also contains multiple layers. From 10 layers, by default, only "Back Shadow", "Back Panel", and "Orange Back" layers are visible, forming the back texture for the impulse command block. The "Background" name is given to the first created layer in an image created by Paint.NET. This layer contains the old texture for command block, which implies that all other layers were created based upon it. Compared to the final textures, the layers included in command_blocks.pdn lack animation frames and use different colors for the individual “lights” on each “panel”.

Layer	Layer name	Blend mode	Visible
File:Command blocks.pdn (layer 1).png	Arrow Shadow	Multiply	No
File:Command blocks.pdn (layer 2).png	Arrow Panel	Normal	No
File:Command blocks.pdn (layer 3).png	Front Shadow	Multiply	No
File:Command blocks.pdn (layer 4).png	Front Panel	Normal	No
File:Command blocks.pdn (layer 5).png	Back Shadow	Multiply	Yes
File:Command blocks.pdn (layer 6).png	Back Panel	Normal	Yes
File:Command blocks.pdn (layer 7).png	Green Background	Normal	No
File:Command blocks.pdn (layer 8).png	Purple Background	Normal	No
File:Command blocks.pdn (layer 9).png	Orange BackTemplate:Sic	Normal	Yes
File:Command Block (texture) JE1 BE1.png	Background	Normal	No

High-distance anomalies

Many of the game's mechanics would break down in strange ways when at a large distance from the origin of the world. The vast majority of these effects have been patched, or at least minimised, in modern versions.

Hard limits

Template:Main For elements of the game which are integer-aligned, such as the positions of blocks, Java Edition uses integer data types, which can be either 32-bit or 64-bit. 32-bit integers were more commonly used in older versions, which allowed for 4,294,967,296 possible distinct integer values, ranging from -2,147,483,648 to 2,147,483,647. Exceeding these boundaries, such as by using an external editor to move the player to beyond 2,147,483,647 blocks from the origin as to force the game to load blocks beyond this position, often would result in major game-breaking bugs and crashes.

Accessing such regions is now much more difficult than it was previously, as distance is now much more restrictive, requiring modifications to the game to allow these limits to be exposed.

Floating point imprecision

For elements of the game which are not integer-aligned, such as the positions of entities, Java Edition uses 64-bit floating point (or "double") values for arithmetic and storage of relevant variables. However, there are odd cases in which a 32-bit floating point value is used instead. Such cases are rare in the modern game (a full list of those which still exist in 1.20 can be found at Minecraft:Java Edition distance effects), however older versions of the game used 32-bit values (or unnecessarily casted from and to them, resulting in data loss which could have easily been avoided without this pointless casting) much more heavily, resulting in a plethora of strange gameplay bugs which were tied to how far the player was from the center of the world, getting twice as intense for every integer power of 2 blocks the player went from the center.

File:World rendering precision loss.gif

The rendering precision loss bug, one of the more famous float bugs.

One of the most notable floating point precision loss bugs is where the rendering of the world stops being accurate depending on the player's position. Commonly experienced alongside (and frequently, and incorrectly, blamed on) the Far Lands, the position at which blocks render does not match up with that of entities and other world elements such as the Minecraft:hitboxes of blocks. At 8,388,608 blocks and beyond, the game assumes the player is standing at the edge or corner of each block, and always renders the blocks of the world as if they player is standing at one of those corners. This effect is difficult to describe in text, and is best experienced firsthand.

Most of the other issues regarding floating point imprecision deal with the creation of particles, spawning of entities, and (prior to their standardisation in 1.8 with json files, which fixed all of these permanently) the geometrical distortion of block models.

A comprehensive list of since-fixed issues, as well as breakdowns of how they progress, can be found at Minecraft:Java Edition distance effects/Historical effects.

Boundary effects

Boundary effects refer to oddities which arise due to hardcoded numerical limits in the game, such as the 30 million wall (as opposed to hard limits, which are defined by the programming language and/or computer architecture rather than the game code).

The current world boundary as of 1.21 is a "pseudo-wall" which exists at 30 million blocks from the origin, a chunk beyond the Minecraft:world border. (This is defined as a "pseudo-wall" rather than a true wall as rather than being solid and preventing passage like the world border or a solid block does, the player's position is instead set to 30 million by the game if the player attempts to exceed it, which can be seen by the fact that the walking animation, step sounds and view bobbing can still be experienced by walking into the wall, as does the sounds of flying with an elytra.)

However, previous versions had much stranger effects at great distances. The world boundary was something commonly experienced in Classic and Indev due to worlds being small by design. The first versions of Infdev, which did away with such boundaries, therefore had no such effects, instead exposing the existing hard limits of the game (although experiencing these was effectively impossible due to floating point bugs rendering the game unplayable much earlier).

The version of Infdev released on March 13, 2010 reimplemented a boundary at 32 million blocks, likely to prevent access to the then-relatively-new Far Lands which existed at a bit over 33 million blocks. This boundary was considerably different and buggier than those from Indev, although this was largely to be expected due to it being effectively impossible to reach legitimately. Beyond this 32 million limit, blocks would no longer exist at all, and give way to an empty void. When major changes to world generation brought the Far Lands much closer to the world origin later that same month, however, the world boundary still remained at 32 million, meaning the Far Lands were completely possible to reach without modding the game.

File:InfdevFarBeyond32000000.png

Looking back at the world from beyond the 32 million limit.

Updating blocks next to this void would cause the game to freeze due to it having to calculate an immense amount of lighting updates. This void could still be traversed by entities normally until the April 13 build, in which entities that render it would become stuck in place and jitter eternally. This was later fixed in an unknown version.

In Alpha v1.2.0, the boundary effects would get stranger than before. While previously no blocks would render beyond this point, Alpha v1.2.0 and onwards would cause a strange phenomenon in which chunks would appear to generate, but would be intangible, appear fully lit, and generated features such as trees and ores would not generate at all in these chunks.

File:Fake chunks ocean.png

The corner of the world in 1.0.0.

For reasons which remain completely unknown to this day, Beta 1.8 would shrink the world boundaries inwards from 32 million blocks out to only 30 million blocks out. While the effects would remain similar, with blocks beyond the 30 million boundary appearing fully lit and ignoring collision and feature generation, these fake chunks would only generate a small distance out from this boundary, stopping at 30,000,064, or four chunks from the boundary. In addition, any entity attempting to surpass 30,000,032 would again be stuck in a jittery stasis, with players in particular having their heads twist unnaturally if looking around after this point (a bug that was patched in 12w03a, where facing direction would no longer change and preventing this unnatural twisting).

With the client-server split in snapshot 12w18a for 1.3 (a change which broke many other things about the game), the stasis bug was actually fixed, and fake chunks could be generated beyond the 30,000,064 point, allowing for the player to keep flying outwards until 32,000,000 blocks, where they would be kicked out of the game due to being in an illegal position, revealing that not all elements of the 32,000,000 limit had been removed from the game yet. 12w27a, a later snapshot for 1.3, would clamp nether portal positions to be within the 30 million limit.

1.7 and 1.8 started to make major changes to the world boundary to bring it to its modern state. 1.7 first made all blocks beyond 30 million completely solid, including air. Said wall could still be surpassed, however, by flying over it, as it only extended to the 32-bit limit on the Y-axis, allowing for 32 million blocks to be reached once more and the illegal position game crash triggered. The boundary became more unstable from version to version throughout 1.8's development, with the end result on its release being that chunks beyond 30 million blocks would no longer render, and teleporting beyond 30 million would crash the game. 1.9 would allow chunks beyond 30 million blocks to render once more, and prevent teleportation beyond 30 million blocks at all. Little has changed about the world boundary between this point and 1.21.

Far Lands

Basic theory

The Far Lands were a complex terrain phenomenon which arise due to a major bug in terrain generation works. Generally, "far lands" are the result of what happens when a given Minecraft:noise generator exceeds the largest value it can handle, resulting in an integer overflow and resulting in the generated values reaching unnatural magnitudes. The term "Far Lands" in isolation most commonly refers to what results from "low noise" and "high noise" overflowing simultaneously.

What the Far Lands are not

Far Lands/What the Far Lands are not

The Far Lands

File:Corner Far Lands.png

The "corner" of the Far Lands, at ±12,550,821 on both X and Z axes.

In their most well-known iteration, the Far Lands manifested as a sort of "wall" which would extend from the lowest point of the world to the very top. This wall contained a series of holes in it, with these holes reaching back almost infinitely, with only minor changes even after millions of blocks. The density of a cross-section of this wall was roughly 50%, with solid portions and hollow portions being around equal. Given their positions at the four sides of a world, there regions are often referred to as the "Edge Far Lands" when distinction from other regions of a world is necessary, and, due to their "Swiss cheese"-like formation, informally as "The Loop".

Since the Far Lands existed on both the X and Z axes, it is entirely possible for them to "intersect" each other when surpassing their starting point on both axes. The resulting terrain, named the "Corner Far Lands" in analogy to the vertices of a square, is markedly different from that of the edge regions: the world appears to be solid layers of terrain arranged on top of each other with air gaps in between. Due to this distinctive morphology, the Corner Far Lands are also informally referred to as "The Stack". The terrain seen in these regions is comparable to that which is seen in Minecraft:the Nether. Often, major diagonal or oblique patterns can be seen within the generated terrain, which, if they exist, are especially obvious at the beginning of the corner Far Lands.

In the unmodified game, only four sets each of the edge and corner Far Lands can exist in a world, from the noise overflowing on the X and Z axes. However, game modifications can modify aspects of either chunk saving or terrain generation in ways that ultimately allows for noise to overflow on the Y axis as well. Such modifications reveal two more sets of Edge Far Lands for a total of six sets (corresponding to the faces of a cube), eight sets of Corner Far Lands from these Y axis Edge Far Lands intersecting X and Z axis Edge Far Lands for a total of twelve sets (corresponding to the edges of a cube), and new regions in which all three axes simultaneously overflow due to Y axis Edge Far Lands intersecting the existing Corner Far Lands, with eight of these regions in total (corresponding to the vertices of a cube). These regions, referred to as the "Vertex Far Lands", are incredibly unstable; sometimes these regions are completely solid, other times are completely empty, and other times still feature incredibly strange terrain atypical of even "The Loop" or "The Stack".

With default settings, the noise would overflow at twice the distance on the Y axis as it does on the X and Z axes, at around 25,101,640 blocks.

The Farther Lands

File:Edge farlands turning into farther lands.png

The Edge Far Lands are on the right, with the comparatively featureless Edge Farther Lands on the left.

The Farther Lands is the name given to another noise overflow which, by default, happens at a greater distance than the normal Far Lands. Whereas the usual Far Lands arise from the overflowing of "low noise" and "high noise", the Farther Lands sees "selector noise" break down instead. Low noise and high noise are two different noise generators which the game uses to generate the potential fundamental shape of terrain, whereas selector noise chooses whether low noise or high noise is used to actually generate the terrain at that given point. When the conventional Far Lands start, despite both low noise and high noise overflowing simultaneously, selector noise still functions normally, meaning that there is still a large amount of possible variation in the shape of the Far Lands.

When selector noise does eventually break, which happens at roughly 1,004,065,920 blocks from the world origin, it follows that the variation between low and high noise also breaks down. Like how the usual Far Lands is a series of straight tunnels, the Farther Lands divides the world into a series of straight regions, with low noise used exclusively in one region and high noise in others. As such, the variation usually seen in the Far Lands vanishes after the Farther Lands.

The Corner Farther Lands take this effect to an extreme: while the normal Corner Far Lands are rich in nuance, the Corner Farther Lands are almost devoid of it. The beginning of the corner makes this all the more obvious, and also highlights edge Farther Lands-corner Far Lands intersections, making the aforementioned straight line regions clear to see.

Before inf-20100327

File:Overflowing old noise.png

The stone wall at 33,554,432 blocks from the origin in inf-20100227-1433.

Terrain generation was much simpler in versions before March 27, 2010. While in modern versions, the noise generator used for terrain is 3D, earlier versions used a purely 2D noise generator for the world instead. The resulting terrain was much more cliff-based as a result, and overhangs were an impossibility. In addition, noise incremented much slower than the modern noise generator does, resulting in it overflowing at 33,554,432 blocks out (coincidentally a power of 2).

Rather than featuring a series of holes, this noise generator instead created a huge, featureless wall as it broke, as the purely 2D nature of the noise forbids any overhangs from generating. This wall is completely solid stone and extends infinitely outwards when it starts. Occasionally, the faces of this wall may appear ridged like a radiator or heat sink, resulting in a slightly more gradual transformation of the terrain.

Further investigations

While largely removed as of Beta 1.8, simple modifications to the game can effectively reintroduce them, in which case they behave effectively identically to how they did before, but much more stable due to the fixing of the vast majority of high-distance precision loss effects in earlier versions which caused lag and hindered movement. In addition, several aspects of the Far Lands persisted into later versions:

• The Far Lands also existed on the y-axis at twice the distance as they did on the x-axis. While obviously unobservable due to blocks not being able to exist at all outside of a certain height range, abuse of the Minecraft:Old Customized world type in which the height scale is increased to absurd values could allow for the positive Y-axis Far Lands, or "Sky Far Lands", to generate within vanilla bounds without modding.
• Beta 1.8 fixed the Far Lands by adding code to the noise generator to have it repeat after a certain amount of units. It is possible to have the amount of times the generator repeats to itself overflow, although the effects of this are not possible to see in vanilla worlds (it would only break down after almost 54 quadrillion blocks). However, further exploitation of Old Customized to set the coordinate scale to even more ludicrous values brings this overflow point into vanilla bounds once more. As setting it to values like these causes normal terrain to become incredibly chaotic, the point at where it breaks is difficult to see.
  • For low and high noise, these overflowed regions are called the Fartherer Lands, and for selector noise, the Farthest Lands.

Modding has allowed for y-axis Far and Farther Lands, the Fartherer and Farthest Lands, and 64-bit versions of the Far and Farther Lands (distinct from the Fartherer and Farthest Lands in while they appear at the same locations as them, they result from 64-bit noise breaking normally rather than the modulo that prevents 32-bit noise from breaking itself) to be seen in their natural habitats.

Notes

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References

• Template:AnchorJune 29, 2009 IRC logs: IRC logs on Archive.org; #minecraft.20090629.log. June 29, 2009 (UTC−5).