Minecraft 1.5 Redstone Update chips away a January 2013 launch
The Minecraft 1.5 update for PC, titled the Redstone Update, is due to hit in 2013 and mainly addresses – wait for it – redstone ore. The update gives redstone variable signal strength and introduces a new capacitor block with one input and one output. Combining these two objects creates weighted pressure plates and pressure-sensitive detector rails, among other items, Gamespot reports.
The Redstone Update brings improved minecarts, including special tracks to unload unwanted livestock and an option to link carts together. The update also adds a daylight detector that can be hooked up to a capacitor to create a solar-panel-type device, a new ore based in the Nether that can be used in capacitors, and fireworks for New Year's Eve. Whether this means 1.5 will hit on New Year's Eve remains to be seen.
Mojang is also fixing a few bugs, including the south-east rule. The south-east rule is a glitch that affects some objects based on their compass coordinates, causing them to gather, generally, in the southeast quadrant of an area. This fix may impact some designs that exploit the south-east rule.
The Redstone Update is the first in a series of single-feature-focused updates. Mojang plans to launch one of these every two months.
