The stable build of Minecraft Update 1.11 (aka the Exploration Update) is now being distributed via the game’s launcher, just six days after the first pre-release build was published by Mojang. It might be the fastest we’ve seen a new patch emerge, after the first snapshot goes live, but it’s also one of the smallest additions to Minecraft in the game’s seven-year history.
We’ve known about the biggest changes in Minecraft Update 1.11 for the better part of two months, following the patch’s Minecon 2016 reveal, but today’s release gives us a final tally of new features and bug fixes for the beloved sandbox game. And, given our current proximity to the end of the year, it’s likely to be the last big influx of new Minecraft content that we’ll see in 2016. Some of the changes aren’t easy to spot, like changes to the game’s command system, but patch notes for this week’s Minecraft update are about as long as any of its predecessors.
Changes run the gamut, from the aforementioned command system improvements to new world generation improvements, with hundreds of bug fixes to boot. Minecraft Update 1.11 also tweaks many of the game’s existing mobs, including skeletons and villagers, along with new additions like Illagers and Shulkers. The Exploration Update even improves the game’s chat client, upping the character limit of chat messages to 256.
Here are the newest gameplay changes in the Exploration Update:
Added & changed some minor things
Significantly reduced hunger rate for everything but healing
Reduced Skeletal Rider spawning rate
Chat warnings like "You can only sleep at night" now appear in the status bar - Screenshot
Changed the durability bar display and colors - Screenshot - Note that there is more than just one color per pixel increment
Flower hitboxes now move with the Flower
Cursed enchantments
Classified as Treasure Enchantments, like Frost Walker
Enchantment name in tooltip is red - Screenshot
Curse of Binding
Only for items that can be worn in the armor slots
Once equipped, items can only be unequipped by death
Curse of Vanishing
Items disappear on death unless the keepInventory gamerule is enabled
Can be applied to any enchantable or wearable item using an Anvil
Complete patch notes for Minecraft Update 1.11 can be found on reddit.
For a closer look at the Exploration Update, take a few minutes to check out the new Minecraft 1.11 trailer from Microsoft and Mojang. Then head down to the comments section and let us know what you think of all the new content in Minecraft Update 1.11.
Be sure to check back with iDigitalTimes.com and follow Scott on Twitter for more Minecraft news throughout 2016 and however long Mojang supports Minecraft in the years ahead.
