Minecraft Snapshot 21W11A is here with some changes to the game — you can finally remove that nasty oxidation from Copper Blocks. This (and other changes) gives builders some nice cosmetic options.
Fans of Minecraft have been patiently waiting for the release of the Caves and Cliffs Update, expected to arrive sometime in the middle of 2021. Features from this new update have been gradually added to the experimental branches of both the Java and Bedrock editions; most recently, the Bedrock edition got a Beta that made mountains a heck of a lot taller. Now it's time for the Java players to get some new goodies!
What's New in Minecraft Snapshot 21W11A?
As Windows Central reports, Minecraft Snapshot 21W11A mostly focuses on cosmetic changes in terms of new features. The first major addition is the ability to remove oxidation from Copper blocks.
Players can now hold Wax in their hand and right-click on a Copper block to apply it; after that, it can be scraped away with an Axe and remove the oxidation from the block. That's not the only way to remove oxidation, though! A fortuitous lightning strike can also melt it away (as shown in our header image).
Speaking of lightning, Lightning Rods can now be properly waterlogged. What this means is that a Lightning Rod placed into the water will be properly surrounded by water instead of having a gap of air around it. It's unclear if this is purely for cosmetic purposes or if the developers plan to change how lightning and water interact in a future patch.
There are two more major additions in this patch. The first is the ability to use Bonemeal on Rooted Dirt and grow Hanging Roots, adding yet another new cosmetic option for decorative flair. The second, however, is a helpful technical tool. By pressing F3 + L, players can log 10 seconds of game data to a file. This should help with bug reporting, but it could also potentially be used to help players fix issues with framerate or other problems.
These are the major highlights, but a bunch of bug fixes have also arrived! You can read the full Minecraft Snapshot 21W11A patch notes for all of the details. You can start enjoying these latest Snapshot features by buying Minecraft Java Edition via its official website.
What do you think of the new features in Minecraft Snapshot 21W11A? Do you wish there were a way to permanently protect Copper blocks from oxidation? Let us know in the comments below!