Minecraft developer pushes out update to ‘hopefully fix’ framerate problems on PC

Minecraft developer pushes out update to ‘hopefully fix’ framerate problems on PC

Even with a dual GTX 780 Ti setup, this PC is getting 0 frames per second in certain circumstances.

Above: Even with a dual GTX 780 Ti setup, this PC is getting 0 frames per second in certain circumstances.

Image Credit: Reddit

Minecraft may have antiquated-looking visuals, but some people are finding out this doesn’t guarantee a solid framerate.

Developer Mojang says it is aware that some people are experiencing issues with lower-than-usual framerates for Minecraft on PC. One of the recent incremental updates (which Mojang calls Snapshots) for the block-building phenomenon introduced a problem with its optimization, and this manifests in the game by causing stuttering, huge dips in frames-per-second, and block lag (where you can’t destroy a placed block due to desyncing issues). Now, the Microsoft-owned studio is working to fix the problem.

Minecraft designer and programmer Nathan “Dinnerbone” Adams posted to Twitter earlier today to let fans know that he was personally addressing the issue.

Normally, Mojang issues a new Minecraft snapshot on Wednesdays, but Adams didn’t want to wait that long to fix the framerate. The snapshot is available now, and you can download it here if you already own Minecraft.Late last week, Adams tweeted that he found a possible cause for the framerate issue.

Put simply, the game was loading the information for in-game locations into your processor’s main thread. Apparently, this was taxing hardware too much, and now Mojang only plans to do that for blocks that players have placed themselves.The latest snapshot only went live a few hours ago, so we’ll have to see if this fixes the problem for most players.

Minecraft developer pushes out update to ‘hopefully fix’ framerate problems on PC

Here’s What’s New In The Latest Minecraft PE Update

Here’s What’s New In The Latest Minecraft PE Update

 

Minecraft has been one of the most widely downloaded and played apps of the last couple of years, with the franchise itself spawning various toys, books and there’s even a movie in the works. With Microsoft including the latest version of Minecraft for free on Windows 10, the mobile app, Minecraft PE (Pocket Edition) received a huge number of improvements in the 0.12.1 (currently on 0.12.2 which is mostly just bug fixes) update to allow the game to be played cross-platform – meaning you can quit the game on your PC at home and carry on playing on your mobile or tablet without missing a beat.

minecraft-peThere are various new updates which improve the pocket edition experience for players, bringing the game more in line with the desktop and console version. These include:

New Inventory – The app edition will feature the same inventory users have gotten used to in the desktop version, which will make crafting a little more challenging than it has been in the past!

Customise Your Interface – You’ll be able to change the layout of your Minecraft interface to help suit your style of play better, moving around the main onscreen items like buttons and the experience bar.

The Nether – This new dimension has now been added to the pocket edition of the game, allowing you to do battle with new enemies and obtain some cool new materials.

Weather – The addition of changing weather will bring the game more in line with the console and PC experience, with rain falling during play and snow piling up on the landscape

Hunger Bar – In this new edition you’ll need to eat to survive, with the hunger bar monitoring your food intake and draining your health if you don’t eat something quickly!

Potions – Another feature from the desktop edition that’s coming to mobile, you’ll be able to mix up various potions to give you temporary abilities and regenerate your health

Music – at last, music has been added to the pocket edition of Minecraft! The music in the desktop edition helps set the mood perfectly, so it’s a more than welcome addition to the game

New Mobs – Alongside the new enemies being added to the Nether dimension, a number of new mobs will be included in the update. These include Ocelots which will spawn in jungle biomes, and Iron Golems who will help protect the villagers. Another cool addition is that villagers can now turn into zombies – as if we needed something else to give us a scare in the game!

New Blocks and Items – A number of new blocks will be added to the game, including anvils, brewing stands and enchantment tables. There’s also a whole range of new items being added to help add a little more depth to the game (as if it needed it!)

Overall it’s an exciting update, and the option of continuing with your game when you’re commuting to work or over at a friend’s house means there’s even more reason to get lost in your own world.

You can get the latest Minecraft versions on the official Minecraft website.

Here’s What’s New In The Latest Minecraft PE Update

‘Minecraft’ Updates & Gameplay: Game Getting New DLC Featuring ‘Halo 5’ Character Skins

‘Minecraft’ Updates & Gameplay: Game Getting New DLC Featuring ‘Halo 5’ Character Skins

Minecraft: Halo Edition
(Photo : Flickr / BagoGames / CC)

As part of its marketing efforts to promote the upcoming “Halo 5: Guardians,” Microsoft will release a new content updated inspired by the popular sci-fi first-person shooter for “Minecraft.”

The update, which will be released for free, will serve as an add-on for the “Minecraft: Halo Edition” mash-up pack, according to a report by the Xbox Wire.

The update will be available for the Xbox One and Xbox 360 versions of “Minecraft” and will feature new skins designed after characters from “Halo 5: Guardians.” These include Master Chief and members of his Blue Team as well as Spartan Locke and his Fireteam Osiris.

Those who already have the “Minecraft: Halo Edition” mash-up pack can get the content update for free once it comes out on October 27. Those who still don’t have the game can purchase it through the Xbox online store for $3.99.

The “Minecraft: Halo Edition” mash-up pack first came out in May last year for the Xbox 360 followed by Xbox One version in August.

As its name suggests, the pack features various elements from the “Halo” series such as 31 music tracks, themed menus and user interface, craft-able items and a textured set.

It also includes “Halo” world designed in the style of “Minecraft” such as Silent Cartographer, Sandtrap, Valhalla, Blackout, Guardian and Blood Gulch. It also features 41 character skins such as Cortana, Sergeant Johnson and the Arbiter.

Of course, since the “Halo” series is only available for the Xbox platforms, PlayStation owners should not expect to get receive the upcoming update for their console’s “Minecraft” version. After all, the mash-up pack was only released for the Xbox One and Xbox 360.

As for the “Halo 5: Guardians,” the game is scheduled to come out on October 27 exclusively for Microsoft’s next-gen console. Recently, development studio 343 Industries released a blog post detailing the game’s rules for its multiplayer or Arena mode.

One of the guidelines explained by the studio is the game’s Competitive Skill Ranking (CSR), which is the system that determines a player’s status based on his or her performance in matches.

“The Competitive Skill Rating system in ‘Halo 5’ is designed to ensure high quality matches between players of equal skill, on a per-playlist basis,” 343 Industries wrote. “When you first hop into any Arena playlist, you will play a series of placement matches before earning your CSR.”

“After you complete 10 games, you will be placed into one of 7 CSR ranks based on your performance,” the studio continued.

‘Minecraft’ Updates & Gameplay: Game Getting New DLC Featuring ‘Halo 5’ Character Skins

Halo 5: Guardians Lands This Week on Minecraft for Xbox

Halo 5: Guardians Lands This Week on Minecraft for Xbox

xcited to start the newest saga in the Halo universe in Halo 5: Guardians on Oct. 27? Well, the fun begins in Minecraft first, and starting Oct. 23 you can play as the Master Chief along with Blue Team and Fireteam Osiris from Halo 5: Guardians for Minecraft: Xbox One Edition and Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition.

This free update to the Minecraft: Halo Edition mash-up pack will bring new characters from Halo 5: Guardians to Minecraft on Xbox and include all of the content from the original pack for those purchasing for the first time ($3.99 USD).

The mash-up pack, expertly crafted by 4J Studios, includes a Halo-themed texture set, themed menus and user interface, craft-able items and 31 music tracks across the Halo franchise. Also available are 40 pixel-perfect character skins depicting beloved Halo characters such as the Master Chief, Cortana, Sergeant Johnson, the Arbiter and more. For fans looking to fully immerse themselves into the Halo universe, the Halo Mash-up pack also features pre-made worlds such as Silent Cartographer, Sandtrap, Valhalla, Blackout, Guardian, Blood Gulch and plenty of well-known Halo vehicles and features.

Characters included in the update:

Blue Team:

  • Spartan-117 The Master Chief
  • Spartan-104 Fredric
  • Spartan-087 Kelly
  • Spartan-058 Linda

Fireteam Osiris:

  • Spartan Locke
  • Spartan Buck
  • Spartan Tanaka
  • Spartan Vale

Master the Halo universe within Minecraft this week, and stay tuned to Xbox Wire for up-to-date news on both games.

Halo 5: Guardians Lands This Week on Minecraft for Xbox

Minecraft update brings several new features and limited edition DLC to Xbox 360 and Xbox One

Minecraft update brings several new features and limited edition DLC to Xbox 360 and Xbox One

Some massive free updates went live on the Xbox 360 and Xbox One versions of Minecraft today. They upgrade the game to a new version and bring with it a host of new features that many Minecraft fans have been clamoring for.

Among the new additions are new Fence, Gate and Door blocks as well as new Oak, Spruce, Birch and Jungle wood type blocks. There’s a new ability to flatten mountains and caverns and several new items like Iron Trapdoors, Inverted Daylight Sensors, Books & Quills, and Stained Glass.

The update also adds options that can change the game mode, difficulty, time, player spawn position, ambient cave sounds, and weather without leaving a game session and brings PC-style crafting to console versions .

To tie-in to this year’s Minecon (a real-world convention for Minecraft fans), a limited edition Minecon 2015 Skin Pack has also been released and is downloadable for free from the Xbox Store until the 15th of July. The skin pack contains special Minecon capes for both male and female character models.

Minecraft has been in the news a lot recently. The game made headlines during this year’s E3 where a special version of the game was shown off during Microsoft’s HoloLens presentation and they’ve now launched a special Minecraft for Education website to help educators use Minecraft for teaching students a variety of subjects and skills. Earlier today it was announced that Minecraft has sold over 20 million copies worldwide on PC since its launch and the developer, Mojang even boasted about selling 10,364 copies on PC within the 24 hours leading up to that announcement.

Microsoft purchased Mojang and the rights to Minecraft in November 2014 and has been actively expanding the franchise. Which new Minecraft project excites you the most? Would you like to see the brand expand even further or are you happy with Minecraft sticking to its basic video game roots? Let us know in the comments below.

Minecraft update brings several new features and limited edition DLC to Xbox 360 and Xbox One

Minecraft developer pushes out update to ‘hopefully fix’ framerate problems on PC

Minecraft developer pushes out update to ‘hopefully fix’ framerate problems on PC

Even with a dual GTX 780 Ti setup, this PC is getting 0 frames per second in certain circumstances.

Above: Even with a dual GTX 780 Ti setup, this PC is getting 0 frames per second in certain circumstances.

Minecraft may have antiquated-looking visuals, but some people are finding out this doesn’t guarantee a solid framerate.

Developer Mojang says it is aware that some people are experiencing issues with lower-than-usual framerates for Minecraft on PC. One of the recent incremental updates (which Mojang calls Snapshots) for the block-building phenomenon introduced a problem with its optimization, and this manifests in the game by causing stuttering, huge dips in frames-per-second, and block lag (where you can’t destroy a placed block due to desyncing issues). Now, the Microsoft-owned studio is working to fix the problem.

Minecraft designer and programmer Nathan “Dinnerbone” Adams posted to Twitter earlier today to let fans know that he was personally addressing the issue.

Normally, Mojang issues a new Minecraft snapshot on Wednesdays, but Adams didn’t want to wait that long to fix the framerate. The snapshot is available now, and you can download it here if you already own Minecraft.


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Late last week, Adams tweeted that he found a possible cause for the framerate issue.

Put simply, the game was loading the information for in-game locations into your processor’s main thread. Apparently, this was taxing hardware too much, and now Mojang only plans to do that for blocks that players have placed themselves.The latest snapshot only went live a few hours ago, so we’ll have to see if this fixes the problem for most players.

Minecraft developer pushes out update to ‘hopefully fix’ framerate problems on PC