Jeb's New World Format

It's called "Anvil".
http://www.mojang.com/2012/02/14/new-minecraft-map-format-anvil/

Quote :

Jon and I have been working on a new map format for Minecraft that we’ve dubbed “Anvil” (it’s just a name). The purpose of the new format is to prepare for modding, especially to allow for more block types, but also to improve other areas of the game (such as map height). The changes are:

* Maximum build height has been increased to 256 (was 128)
* Empty sections of the world are not loaded into memory
* Block ids have been increased to 4096 (was 256) by adding a 4 bit data layer (similar to how meta data is stored)
* Block ordering have been changed from x/z/y to y/z/x in order to improve compression
* Packets for sending chunks have been updated (a full 128-high chunk is smaller than the old format, and a chunk with lots of empty space is much smaller)
* Biomes are saved per x/z column, which means they can be altered by tools

The next snapshot, and Minecraft 1.2, will automatically convert worlds to the new format. The files of the current format (“McRegion”) will remain in your save folder, if you need to restore them for some reason.

I’ve prepared a converter (with source code) for tool makers that wants to be prepared. You do not need to use this to convert your maps! It’s only for reference!

Download the converter+source here

Some info:

* The 16x128x16 “Blocks”, “Data”, “SkyLight” and “BlockLight” tags are removed
* A “Sections” tag has been added with up to 16 compound tags
* Each section has 16x16x16 “Blocks”, “Data”, “SkyLight” and “BlockLight” tags
* Each section has a “Y” integer tag saying which section it is (note that some Y positions can be skipped). 0 is at the bottom of the world and 15 is the topmost section
* Each section also has a “AddBlocks” tag, which is a DataLayer byte array just like “Data”. The “AddBlocks” tag is not included in the converter since the old format never had block ids above 255. This extra tag is created whenever a block requires it, so the getTile() method needs to check if the array exists and then combine it with the default block data. In other words, blockId = (addBlock << 8) + baseId.
* Each chunk has a 16×16 byte array with biome ids called “Biomes”. If this array is missing it will be filled when the game starts. The converter doesn’t include any biome sources, though (it had too many dependencies to be included).
* Note that the old format is XZY and the new format is YZX (see the difference between DataLayer and OldDataLayer).
* The new format uses the extension “.mca” instead of “.mcr” (the old format is kept for safety, with the level.dat backed up as “level.dat_mcr”)

Finally, a shoutout to Robinton’s hard work on his mods: http://www.minecraftforum.net/topic/310298-100robintons-mods/

Cheers,

// jeb_

I don't yet know what this will mean for Futurecraft, but it is interesting. Besides doubling the world height, it's got a bit of a cubic chunks feel to it, like isolating chunks to 16^3 sections.
Also the block ID slots have been increased from 256 to 4096, which is fantastic. And I think before this is done there will also be native support for both HD textures and multiple texture pages. In short, Minecraft is all of a sudden taking on lots of engine mods from the community, and that's fantastic. But regarding the save model, that alone shouldn't affect us terribly, but its implications on what that does to the internal world format will.

Gonna be playing this one by ear.

fr0stbyte124 wrote:

It's called "Anvil".
http://www.mojang.com/2012/02/14/new-minecraft-map-format-anvil/

Quote :

stuff jeb said

I don't yet know what this will mean for Futurecraft, but it is interesting. Besides doubling the world height, it's got a bit of a cubic chunks feel to it, like isolating chunks to 16^3 sections.
Also the block ID slots have been increased from 256 to 4096, which is fantastic. And I think before this is done there will also be native support for both HD textures and multiple texture pages. In short, Minecraft is all of a sudden taking on lots of engine mods from the community, and that's fantastic. But regarding the save model, that alone shouldn't affect us terribly, but its implications on what that does to the internal world format will.

Gonna be playing this one by ear.

that looks like good news, from what i can understand anyway

thanks for posting it!

I feel like this solves a lot of problems for us. Now to wait until it's released...

Yep, saw this a while ago, nearly jumped for joy. Frost, as you were saying, Jeb isn't they guy who likes to fix the engine, he just steals it from the modders!
(Actually that would be a big honor.) Good news, I guess!

I didn't say that. I said he doesn't like working on the engine, so he collaborates with modders. Which is like stealing only you get free technical support, so really it's even better.

Collaboration: Stealing with free technical support.

Thats a quotable quote

fr0stbyte124 wrote:

I didn't say that. I said he doesn't like working on the engine, so he collaborates with modders. Which is like stealing only you get free technical support, so really it's even better.

wait, so does he work with you???

(I'm not really joking, and would you offer to let them(mojang) integrate part of this mod into vanilla minecraft if they wanted to?)

Oh man, I would collaborate with them so hard, you don't even wanna know.

They would never. Except maybe Copernicus. Not spaceships.

Keon wrote:

They would never. Except maybe Copernicus. Not spaceships.

that's what i meant

I'll be doing work at some point on the network protocol. That, at least, would probably be something worth integrating.

I'm also a little surprised they haven't done anything with Optifine yet. I know there is a story behind that but I don't remember the details.

*edit*
Found it. He couldn't come to an agreement with Mojang over compensation. It's like he doesn't know how collaborating works...

Or the fact that they are mojang. I mean, if I had an epic mod and Notch/Jeb said "Would you let us put it it?" I would stuff money in their face and beg them to.

I would Avada Kedavera both of them and take over Mojang with my Dark Arts.

daman200 wrote:

I would Avada Kedavera both of them and take over Mojang with my Dark Arts.

...

is that.. good?

I assume no

Haven't sen Harry Potter? Avada Kedavera!

Mod Edit: Expelliarmus! But seriously, Magic doesn't mix with Technology.

Little Question why is the server world from Tacokingbob 64 Blocks high???

Cool3303 wrote:

Little Question why is the server world from Tacokingbob 64 Blocks high???

It's not, you're just not very bright.

If I could sig, that would be my sig. Anybody want to enlighten him, because I don't. Let him stay in the darkness forever.

Okay If the world from Tacokingbob is higher than 64 how do you explain that I just can build 64 Blocks

Cool3303 wrote:

Okay If the world from Tacokingbob is higher than 64 how do you explain that I just can build 64 Blocks

look down, add to the 64

Okay sorry my fault I haven´t the Normla height (Fishtaco rocks) so I thought the World height would be 128 from the water

glad to help

CoalMiningAlchemist wrote:

glad to help

Who are you and what have you Done with our Coal Mining Alchemist?

somebannedguy wrote:

CoalMiningAlchemist wrote:

glad to help

Who are you and what have you Done with our Coal Mining Alchemist?

am I that much of a troll?

I get the happys from seeing Cools avatar and location.
No, you aren't. You seem pretty sane, actually.