Minecraft Redstone Update hits March 13, pre-release out now

Prepare yourself for the Minecraft Redstone Update, which enables exciting additions such as the Redstone Comparator, a daylight sensor, weighted pressure plate, Nether quartz and ore, more detailed death messages, three settings in smooth lighting, and "many, many bug fixes." Minecraft 1.5, the Redstone Update, hits on Wednesday, March 13.

Update 1.5 provides a number of changes to Minecraft's Redstone, including variable signal strength, the introduction of a new capacitor block with one input and output each, new minecarts and more.

Take a look at the complete pre-release change list below, and grab it directly from Mojang here.

• Added Redstone Comparator (used in Redstone logic)

• Added Hopper (collects items and moves them to containers)

• Added Dropper (similar to Dispensers, but always drops the item)

• Added Activator Rail (activates TNT Minecarts)

• Added Daylight Sensor

• Added Trapped Chest

• Added Weighed Pressure Plate

• Added Block of Redstone

• Added Nether Brick (item)

• Added Nether Quartz and ore

• Added Block of Quartz, with half blocks and chiseled variants

• New command: /scoreboard

• New command: /effect

• Containers and mobs can have custom names

• Inventory management has been changed, for example you can drag-place items over slots

• Texture packs now have separate images for each block and item, and can have animations

• Nether Quartz Ore now spawns in the Nether

• Smooth lighting now has three settings (none, minimal, maximum)

• More detailed death messages

• Some hostile mobs now are harder in Hard difficulty

• Many, many, bug fixes

• Removed Herobrine