Ah, sorry, it wasn't listed in the suggestion index and I didn't see it when searching (I was looking for 'position') so I figured it hadn't been posted. I see now that it's on the 3rd page as 'coordinates' though.
This is a simplistic command suggestion that works great in games with big maps like Minecraft. Simply type /position or /pos and you will be given your X, Y, and Z coordinates. This is great for getting at least a general idea of where you are, of saying where something is (ex: Hey check out my castle at 40, 57, 3), or for making it easier to meet up with people. If possible, also make it so that typing the command in chat makes it appear s the numbers, so that if you type "I'm at /pos" it comes up looking like "I'm at 67, 91, -20" (negative Z-axis numbers would mean underground or at least below the middle height of the map).
Null Blocks are a type of admin-only block that could be useful to people in general in the current sandbox mode and in the future Survival Mode. What they do is prevent people from building or destroying blocks to a certain extent, hence why they would have to be an admin-only block to prevent abuse and they would also have t be indestructible.
I can think of several valuable uses for them:
-Surround monuments and other important structures with them to prevent griefers from destroying it
-Any platforming puzzles in survival mode or that people create in the current mode can use Null Blocks to make that segment purely traditional platforming
-On the main server I play on people spawn inside of a prison of indestructible blocks so that only admins can let them out as a way of limiting griefing. On this server and servers with similar systems, Null Blocks could prevent people from filling the prisons with random blocks.
-Could add interesting challenges to Spleef arenas.
I can also see 2 seperate ways in which these blocks can function. I'm not sure which of the two would be better though.
Null Block Method 1: Once a person steps on a Null Block that person can not build/destroy blocks until stepping on a Powers Block, which restores the ability to build/destroy. Null Blocks placed in this sort of way would mean that typical nullified areas would probably consist of a single 2-3 space tall entrance with a few rows of Null Blocks on the floor (this way anyone entering is forced to step on the block and can not jump over it, multiple rows prevents a person from standing just outside the entrance and altering the inside from there) followed by a row of Power Blocks at the exit(s). These could be implemented into Spleef Arenas by placing a few Null Blocks on the floor and if anyone steps on one they would need to try to run and touch an outer ring of Power Blocks (standing on top of the Power Blocks would of course be cheating). The downsides to this form of Null Block is entrances to structures would have to be made that ensure people touch the block before entering, meaning that several rings of Null Blocks around monuments would likely be necessary to prevent griefing from above and structures such as castles would have to either have null blocks below the floor or an entire floor of indestructibles to prevent digging from below to bypass the block. Respawning would also likely have to be nullified while under the block's effects to prevent someone from setting a spawn point inside of the area, walking outside, and then respawning inside without being nullified.
The second way does not involve using Power Blocks so it may be more simplistic. Instead, Null Blocks simply emit a visible nullification aura (perhaps a toggle button that allows people to turn aura visibility on/off if they don't like how it looks) that prevents anyone standing near it to build/destroy, similar to the way sponges currently work on water. This would mean elaborate entrances would not be needed for entering areas and nullification can be more selective Since it's an aura, they can also be placed below or inside walls/floors so that they do not need to be seen, this would also make them more useful against digging attempts. There would have to be a slight addition to the nullification in that either building on top of the block or just inside of the aura in general from outside of the aura is also impossible, otherwise people could always just place a few blocks on top of it to stand above the aura area. This could be added to Spleef arenas by putting them below certain blocks, if the block above a Null Block is destroyed and you fall on top of the Null Block it still counts as 'falling'. The downside to this form is since it's an aura the range is more limited. Thus, many of them would have to be placed inside of big structures to prevent building from being used at any point. If there are floating platforms or just a jumping puzzle than either the platforms themselves would have to be made of null blocks or every single platform would have to have a block under it, which could prove tedious and even somewhat difficult depending on the shape of the structure. Being an aura also would mean that it would be harder to control the exact area, meaning the nullification range would likely be somewhat smaller or somewhat larger than desired.
In either form though, these blocks would be a great way to control griefing, to introduce more traditional platforming, traps, and puzzles, and could even add new challenges to Spleef, so I think it it would be great to have them or something similar implemented one day.
Adding a few more block types, I figured that it would be better to just add them to this thread instead of creating an entirely new thread. The new blocks are edited into the original post as well as in this post.
Goo/Tar Block: This is a block covered in black goo. If a person is walking on top of it that person becomes about as slow as in water or maybe a little slower. Jumping ability is also very limited while on top of this block. However, if a person touches the side of it than that person can jump a few times to move upwards like in water. Also, if a person touches the block from the bottom while jumping than the person can also rapidly press jump to stick to the bottom of the block and move around a bit, just like 'floating water' caused by sponges can be used. It could be an interesting way of vertical movement (or even horizontal movement if they are used to move over a pit while using the bottom side). It basically works the same way as swimming in water, except the center is solid so you can stand on it and can't pass directly through it.
Number Blocks: These will likely not be worth the trouble since they would take up 10 spots, but they are simply blocks, each with a different digit on them 0-9.
Admin Glass: I'm not sure how this could be graphically different than normal glass (perhaps make it clearer with a heavier outline?) but I think this would be very useful. It is the same concept as the current admin stone blocks, except see-through glass. These would be great for preserving any monuments. For example, on the server I play on a person made a giant White Mage from Final Fantasy but it got griefed about 5 times before he gave up on rebuilding it. Admin stone would be useless for protecting it since people would not be able to actually see it, ruining the entire point, but if it was surrounded by unbreakable glass than it could be protected while still being easy to see.
Counter Block: I'm not sure what this block would look like, but it's sort of a more advanced version of the Crumble Block. Basically, people can walk/jump on it a fixed amount of times before it disappears beneath someone's feet. The amount of times it can be walked/jumped on could be a fixed amount, but I think a more interesting concept, if possible, would be to allow each person to edit how many times that person's Counter Blocks can be touched before disappearing in the Preferences page. That way people can decide if they want their Counter Blocks to have a short amount (likely for puzzles) or a long amount (likely for just plain luck).
Sign Block: This is a block I would particularly like to see in the game. It's a sign that either upon touching, or preferably upon pressing a certain key while standing next to it, gives a message to the player (I would suggest limiting the message to 3 lines). This would be a great way of labeling monuments or of showing ownership (ex: a sign block saying Seeric's House next to a door of a house I made) or of just saying funny messages. It would also be useful for certain things, like putting one next to the spawn stating server rules or anything particularly interesting about a place (for example, I made a dungeon that I named The Lost Shrine of Sacred Colors which had a few color-related puzzles and a goal at the end and in which the building or destruction of blocks was not allowed, but I had to tell this rule to anyone interested in the place while a Sign Block at the entrance with the dungeon name and the no building/destroying rule would have been a lot easier).So that sign blocks don't get out of control, I suggest putting some sort of limit on the amount of signs each person can have on a server at a time (I'd say somewhere between 3-5). One idea I have for these once again involves the Preference page. In this idea each person gets 3 separate sign block slots and each sign block can only be placed 1 time (instead of a single sign block slot that can be placed 3 times). However, the message for each specific sign block can be edited in the Preference page so that if a sign block ever gets accidentally destroyed or griefed, then that person can just instantly replace it without having to remember and rewrite the entire message.
Combination/Alchemy Block: This block is pretty cool, but it's also fairly weird and I'm not sure if it could actually be made with the game's engine. What it is is a block that can not be built on top of, but instead 2 other blocks are placed inside of it to create a new type of block in it's location. For example, using the blocks available now, placing a dirt block and a flower block inside of it would make the combination block turn into a flower that is somewhat larger than usual or placing a colored block and a glass block inside of it may result in a stained glass block. Of course, not every combination of blocks would work (I can't see a flower and a mushroom resulting in anything for example) in which case the combination block simply disappears. Perhaps the environment could also affect combination blocks, maybe making it so that combinations like sponge+sponge normally do not do anything but if used with the block in lava it creates a lava-absorbing sponge. It would probably be best to require that combination blocks must have something underneath them or else they fall.
Emblem Block: A block that each person can only place 1 of. This block starts off plain, but the design can be edited in the Preference page just like player skins currently can be.
The next part is not technically a block, but it goes along with several of the block ideas I have listed here and I think it would be difficult to explain by itself in its own thread.
Special Block Slots: These are slots that initially have no blocks in them. I think there should be 3 Special Block Slots initially and perhaps have more slots unlock via playing Survival Mode. What these do is hold all/most of the blocks with special abilities, such as Sign Blocks or Counter Blocks. Which special block each holds can be edited by the player, likely in the Preference page. Some special blocks can have infinite usage, such as Dark Blocks, Counter Blocks, or Goo Blocks since their abilities are generally only really effective if used in large amounts. Other special blocks that work perfectly fine when just one or a handful are placed can have a limit on them, such as placing an Emblem Block inside of a special block slot only lets you place 1 emblem block on a map and if you want 2 emblem blocks than you must use up 2 special block slots. Perhaps several of the special block types themselves can be unlocked via reaching a certain point in Survival Mode or winning X amount of CTF matches or other goals. The creation of Special Block Slots serves a few purposes. The most important purpose is likely the fact that it would allow Notch to create as many different block types as he wants without having to worry about the block list that pops up upon pressing B becoming overly large. It also allows for a bit of player diversity since each player will have a different set of special blocks. By having special blocks and/or additional special block slots as rewards from reaching goals in Survival Mode and other modes it will encourage people to try out all the aspects of the game and give a bit more of an actual reward outside of fun factor. Finally, the fact that each person only can have so many special block types on them at a time means that it will encourage players to work together by combining their special blocks to create all sorts of things while at the same time allowing for more powerful blocks to be created without worrying about them getting out of control (for example, once sponges are changed to be less powerful, perhaps the current sponge block can be turned into a special block with limited uses so that it is still quite powerful, but only a handful can be placed on the map at a time and not every person will even have them).
I don't think water/lava will be much of a problem once the way they work is changed, especially if the sponge blocks coming out will soak it up in some way.
That aside, if there was some way to detect water/lava I think it would be best to be able to detect it with a block type in order to keep with the spirit of the game and also to not completely eliminate the risk of floods. It could be a block that is normally cloudy or grey, but which changes color when placed in or directly next to water (blue) or lava (red). This way you can see when water/lava is directly behind a wall similar to how you can see it through leaf blocks now. However, the gimmick for this block could be that it's impossible to actually put it on top of another block and instead it instantly takes the place of a currently existing block. That way if you plan to destroy a wall you could first replace a block with this Detector Block and if it doesn't change colors you can safely destroy it. This would also allow for a bit of Effort vs. Reward as it would of course be faster to just rapidly plow through walls, but taking the time to check panels with this block beforehand would guarantee that you never accidentally flood your base.
I think one thing to keep in mind is that once the game goes official and requires people to pay to buy it, the % of griefers will likely dramatically decrease since I doubt many people are going to pay actual money just so they can go on and randomly destroy stuff.
That being said, I do think steps should be taken to combat griefing.
I like the idea of a tier system of Host-->Admins-->Members-->Visitors.
Using this system, Admins can promote Visitors to Members and the Host can do this in addition to promoting Members to Admins.
There should be a kick system in place. Perhaps Members can start a vote to kick other Members and Visitors while Visitors can only start a vote to kick other Visitors; Admins can not be kicked with a vote. I agree that there should be some sort of minimum requirement *in addition* to needing a majority vote, perhaps a minimum of 3 votes in favor of kicking. Admins can instantly kick any Member or Visitor and only the Host can kick Admins.
I also think there should be a permanent block system of sorts in place. In this system, people can delete blocks belonging to those of their tier or lower. Since griefers would very likely never go higher than Visitor status, they would only be able to at worst delete some of the ground and blocks belonging to other Visitors. In addition, if a person is on another person's friend list, that person can delete blocks made by the other person regardless of tier rank. Furthermore, I think two options should be given to the Host either at any given time or at server creation/reset: Time Limit and Tier. If Tier is turned on, than block deletion follows the tier system described in this paragraph, but if it is turned off than the server acts the way it is now where anyone can delete any block. The second option, Time Limit, can only be turned on if Tier is turned on and what it does is if a person has not been on the server for a set amount of time than regardless of tier rank that person's blocks become destroyable by everyone. Time Limit could be useful for situations like if an Admin quits the game or does not go online for a week or more and the Members of the server want to use space taken up by that Admin's buildings for something else.
Also, I'm not sure if it would make a difference, but if a block ownership system would cause a ton of lag, than what if once a person is promoted once they log off the server and back on they load up with a new set of blocks that look exactly the same but which react differently (destructible/indestructible) based upon tier rank. For example, if a person is a Visitor than they have a Visitor Sand Block that can be destroyed by anyone, but if they are promoted than if they log off the server when they log back in they'll get a small patch that changes their Visitor Sand Block (and every other Visitor Block) to a Member Sand Block which reacts to people marked as Visitors by not being breakable when they try to delete it.
I think these systems would work well together since they do not limit what people can create much at all, so new Visitors to a server won't feel limited in what they can build, while at the same time they mainly only limit what people new to a server can destroy so griefers will not be able to simply destroy a server if they log on when no Admins/Members are on.
Push Blocks: Blocks that move 1 square in the direction opposite from the direction the character touches it from unless another block is in the way. This includes up and down so rapidly jumping on top of it can make it like a one-way elevator.
Crumble Block: A block that will be destroyed the moment a player steps on it. It looks like normal stone/wood blocks except has cracks in it.
Ghost Block: Blocks that are somewhat transparent, they count as blocks for building purposes, so other blocks can not be placed in the same space as them and blocks such as sand can be placed directly on top of them, but players can walk/fall through them.
Metal Block: A block that functions similar to sand in that it must be created directly on top of another block, but if a block is removed from underneath it it remains floating.
Ice Block: A slippery block that makes players slide forward. Disappears if placed in or on top of lava. Perhaps make it slowly spread if placed in water.
Air Block: Another block that the player can pass through, except it slows falling speed as long as the player is touching it allowing for longer jumps or simply a chance to admire the view on the way down.
Music Block: It would likely be best to make 3 or so different 'types' of music blocks. These play a single note when a player touches them (the note does not continue if the player remains standing on it). Each music block type could play a different note.
Hole Block: A block with a big hole on each side of it (not big enough to fall through). Water and Lava can flow through it.
Snake Block: A block that moves around randomly similar to current 'mobs'. However, the snake block stays on horizontal level it is currently on, meaning it will not climb up/down stairs and it will avoid gaps. Since it is a block, players can ride on top of it. Similar to the game of Snake, if a snake block touches another snake block, the other block will begin to follow behind it and perhaps the 'head' block will change color. So, 10 Snake Blocks placed on the same field together will eventually become a single 10-block-long snake. Blocks can not be placed on top of Snake Blocks and if someone deletes a block in the center of the snake, it simply becomes two separate snakes until they combine again. Snake blocks will go around players instead of pushing them. Also, while Snake Blocks will not walk over water/lava, if any blocks with special effects are added (such as the ghost, ice, music, push, and crumble blocks I suggested), Snake Blocks being blocks themselves, will just treat them as normal blocks so players will not experience any hazardous/helpful effects if using a snake block to ride over them.
Shadow Block: A mysterious block that makes the area around it darker (perhaps a 3x3x3 area). If it is placed in an area that would normally have light, that area now has shadow, but if it is placed in an area that is already shadowed, it becomes even darker. Perhaps make shadow block effects 'stack' so that multiple shadow blocks placed near each other can make an area completely black.
Glow Block: The opposite of Shadow Blocks these make an area around it brighter (area size would be the same as Shadow Block size). These do nothing when placed in light, but when placed in shadow it instantly makes the area around it bright regardless of how dark it was originally (so if multiple Shadow Blocks are stacked to make an area pitch black a single Glow Block will still make the area completely bright).
Disco Block: A block that randomly changes color when players walk/jump on it.
Down Elevator Block: A more effective elevator than a Push Block, but it can only move vertically. This block will slowly move downward one block at a time about 2 seconds after a person stands on it and will quickly move up 1 block at a time if nobody is on it. Elevator blocks will only move upwards until they reach their original position (or if someone has placed a block below the original position, until they touch a block). Since they move upwards instantly but take a few seconds to begin moving downwards, rapidly jumping will allow a person to move upwards with it.
Up Elevator Block: The same as the Down Elevator Block, except this block will gradually rise 1 block at a time if a person stands on it while stepping/jumping off of it will cause it to rapidly descend back to its original location or until it touches another block/player that has been placed in its path. These would be useful if placed next to Down Elevator Blocks and will be a less messy (although slower) alternative to making giant pillars to easily reach high places.
***edit***
Adding a few more block types, I figured that it would be better to just add them to this thread instead of creating an entirely new thread.
Goo/Tar Block: This is a block covered in black goo. If a person is walking on top of it that person becomes about as slow as in water or maybe a little slower. Jumping ability is also very limited while on top of this block. However, if a person touches the side of it than that person can jump a few times to move upwards like in water. Also, if a person touches the block from the bottom while jumping than the person can also rapidly press jump to stick to the bottom of the block and move around a bit, just like 'floating water' caused by sponges can be used. It could be an interesting way of vertical movement (or even horizontal movement if they are used to move over a pit while using the bottom side). It basically works the same way as swimming in water, except the center is solid so you can stand on it and can't pass directly through it.
Number Blocks: These will likely not be worth the trouble since they would take up 10 spots, but they are simply blocks, each with a different digit on them 0-9.
Admin Glass: I'm not sure how this could be graphically different than normal glass (perhaps make it clearer with a heavier outline?) but I think this would be very useful. It is the same concept as the current admin stone blocks, except see-through glass. These would be great for preserving any monuments. For example, on the server I play on a person made a giant White Mage from Final Fantasy but it got griefed about 5 times before he gave up on rebuilding it. Admin stone would be useless for protecting it since people would not be able to actually see it, ruining the entire point, but if it was surrounded by unbreakable glass than it could be protected while still being easy to see.
Counter Block: I'm not sure what this block would look like, but it's sort of a more advanced version of the Crumble Block. Basically, people can walk/jump on it a fixed amount of times before it disappears beneath someone's feet. The amount of times it can be walked/jumped on could be a fixed amount, but I think a more interesting concept, if possible, would be to allow each person to edit how many times that person's Counter Blocks can be touched before disappearing in the Preferences page. That way people can decide if they want their Counter Blocks to have a short amount (likely for puzzles) or a long amount (likely for just plain luck).
Sign Block: This is a block I would particularly like to see in the game. It's a sign that either upon touching, or preferably upon pressing a certain key while standing next to it, gives a message to the player (I would suggest limiting the message to 3 lines). This would be a great way of labeling monuments or of showing ownership (ex: a sign block saying Seeric's House next to a door of a house I made) or of just saying funny messages. It would also be useful for certain things, like putting one next to the spawn stating server rules or anything particularly interesting about a place (for example, I made a dungeon that I named The Lost Shrine of Sacred Colors which had a few color-related puzzles and a goal at the end and in which the building or destruction of blocks was not allowed, but I had to tell this rule to anyone interested in the place while a Sign Block at the entrance with the dungeon name and the no building/destroying rule would have been a lot easier).So that sign blocks don't get out of control, I suggest putting some sort of limit on the amount of signs each person can have on a server at a time (I'd say somewhere between 3-5). One idea I have for these once again involves the Preference page. In this idea each person gets 3 separate sign block slots and each sign block can only be placed 1 time (instead of a single sign block slot that can be placed 3 times). However, the message for each specific sign block can be edited in the Preference page so that if a sign block ever gets accidentally destroyed or griefed, then that person can just instantly replace it without having to remember and rewrite the entire message.
Combination/Alchemy Block: This block is pretty cool, but it's also fairly weird and I'm not sure if it could actually be made with the game's engine. What it is is a block that can not be built on top of, but instead 2 other blocks are placed inside of it to create a new type of block in it's location. For example, using the blocks available now, placing a dirt block and a flower block inside of it would make the combination block turn into a flower that is somewhat larger than usual or placing a colored block and a glass block inside of it may result in a stained glass block. Of course, not every combination of blocks would work (I can't see a flower and a mushroom resulting in anything for example) in which case the combination block simply disappears. Perhaps the environment could also affect combination blocks, maybe making it so that combinations like sponge+sponge normally do not do anything but if used with the block in lava it creates a lava-absorbing sponge. It would probably be best to require that combination blocks must have something underneath them or else they fall.
Emblem Block: A block that each person can only place 1 of. This block starts off plain, but the design can be edited in the Preference page just like player skins currently can be.
The next part is not technically a block, but it goes along with several of the block ideas I have listed here and I think it would be difficult to explain by itself in its own thread.
Special Block Slots: These are slots that initially have no blocks in them. I think there should be 3 Special Block Slots initially and perhaps have more slots unlock via playing Survival Mode. What these do is hold all/most of the blocks with special abilities, such as Sign Blocks or Counter Blocks. Which special block each holds can be edited by the player, likely in the Preference page. Some special blocks can have infinite usage, such as Dark Blocks, Counter Blocks, or Goo Blocks since their abilities are generally only really effective if used in large amounts. Other special blocks that work perfectly fine when just one or a handful are placed can have a limit on them, such as placing an Emblem Block inside of a special block slot only lets you place 1 emblem block on a map and if you want 2 emblem blocks than you must use up 2 special block slots. Perhaps several of the special block types themselves can be unlocked via reaching a certain point in Survival Mode or winning X amount of CTF matches or other goals. The creation of Special Block Slots serves a few purposes. The most important purpose is likely the fact that it would allow Notch to create as many different block types as he wants without having to worry about the block list that pops up upon pressing B becoming overly large. It also allows for a bit of player diversity since each player will have a different set of special blocks. By having special blocks and/or additional special block slots as rewards from reaching goals in Survival Mode and other modes it will encourage people to try out all the aspects of the game and give a bit more of an actual reward outside of fun factor. Finally, the fact that each person only can have so many special block types on them at a time means that it will encourage players to work together by combining their special blocks to create all sorts of things while at the same time allowing for more powerful blocks to be created without worrying about them getting out of control (for example, once sponges are changed to be less powerful, perhaps the current sponge block can be turned into a special block with limited uses so that it is still quite powerful, but only a handful can be placed on the map at a time and not every person will even have them).
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I can think of several valuable uses for them:
-Surround monuments and other important structures with them to prevent griefers from destroying it
-Any platforming puzzles in survival mode or that people create in the current mode can use Null Blocks to make that segment purely traditional platforming
-On the main server I play on people spawn inside of a prison of indestructible blocks so that only admins can let them out as a way of limiting griefing. On this server and servers with similar systems, Null Blocks could prevent people from filling the prisons with random blocks.
-Could add interesting challenges to Spleef arenas.
I can also see 2 seperate ways in which these blocks can function. I'm not sure which of the two would be better though.
Null Block Method 1: Once a person steps on a Null Block that person can not build/destroy blocks until stepping on a Powers Block, which restores the ability to build/destroy. Null Blocks placed in this sort of way would mean that typical nullified areas would probably consist of a single 2-3 space tall entrance with a few rows of Null Blocks on the floor (this way anyone entering is forced to step on the block and can not jump over it, multiple rows prevents a person from standing just outside the entrance and altering the inside from there) followed by a row of Power Blocks at the exit(s). These could be implemented into Spleef Arenas by placing a few Null Blocks on the floor and if anyone steps on one they would need to try to run and touch an outer ring of Power Blocks (standing on top of the Power Blocks would of course be cheating). The downsides to this form of Null Block is entrances to structures would have to be made that ensure people touch the block before entering, meaning that several rings of Null Blocks around monuments would likely be necessary to prevent griefing from above and structures such as castles would have to either have null blocks below the floor or an entire floor of indestructibles to prevent digging from below to bypass the block. Respawning would also likely have to be nullified while under the block's effects to prevent someone from setting a spawn point inside of the area, walking outside, and then respawning inside without being nullified.
The second way does not involve using Power Blocks so it may be more simplistic. Instead, Null Blocks simply emit a visible nullification aura (perhaps a toggle button that allows people to turn aura visibility on/off if they don't like how it looks) that prevents anyone standing near it to build/destroy, similar to the way sponges currently work on water. This would mean elaborate entrances would not be needed for entering areas and nullification can be more selective Since it's an aura, they can also be placed below or inside walls/floors so that they do not need to be seen, this would also make them more useful against digging attempts. There would have to be a slight addition to the nullification in that either building on top of the block or just inside of the aura in general from outside of the aura is also impossible, otherwise people could always just place a few blocks on top of it to stand above the aura area. This could be added to Spleef arenas by putting them below certain blocks, if the block above a Null Block is destroyed and you fall on top of the Null Block it still counts as 'falling'. The downside to this form is since it's an aura the range is more limited. Thus, many of them would have to be placed inside of big structures to prevent building from being used at any point. If there are floating platforms or just a jumping puzzle than either the platforms themselves would have to be made of null blocks or every single platform would have to have a block under it, which could prove tedious and even somewhat difficult depending on the shape of the structure. Being an aura also would mean that it would be harder to control the exact area, meaning the nullification range would likely be somewhat smaller or somewhat larger than desired.
In either form though, these blocks would be a great way to control griefing, to introduce more traditional platforming, traps, and puzzles, and could even add new challenges to Spleef, so I think it it would be great to have them or something similar implemented one day.
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Goo/Tar Block: This is a block covered in black goo. If a person is walking on top of it that person becomes about as slow as in water or maybe a little slower. Jumping ability is also very limited while on top of this block. However, if a person touches the side of it than that person can jump a few times to move upwards like in water. Also, if a person touches the block from the bottom while jumping than the person can also rapidly press jump to stick to the bottom of the block and move around a bit, just like 'floating water' caused by sponges can be used. It could be an interesting way of vertical movement (or even horizontal movement if they are used to move over a pit while using the bottom side). It basically works the same way as swimming in water, except the center is solid so you can stand on it and can't pass directly through it.
Number Blocks: These will likely not be worth the trouble since they would take up 10 spots, but they are simply blocks, each with a different digit on them 0-9.
Admin Glass: I'm not sure how this could be graphically different than normal glass (perhaps make it clearer with a heavier outline?) but I think this would be very useful. It is the same concept as the current admin stone blocks, except see-through glass. These would be great for preserving any monuments. For example, on the server I play on a person made a giant White Mage from Final Fantasy but it got griefed about 5 times before he gave up on rebuilding it. Admin stone would be useless for protecting it since people would not be able to actually see it, ruining the entire point, but if it was surrounded by unbreakable glass than it could be protected while still being easy to see.
Counter Block: I'm not sure what this block would look like, but it's sort of a more advanced version of the Crumble Block. Basically, people can walk/jump on it a fixed amount of times before it disappears beneath someone's feet. The amount of times it can be walked/jumped on could be a fixed amount, but I think a more interesting concept, if possible, would be to allow each person to edit how many times that person's Counter Blocks can be touched before disappearing in the Preferences page. That way people can decide if they want their Counter Blocks to have a short amount (likely for puzzles) or a long amount (likely for just plain luck).
Sign Block: This is a block I would particularly like to see in the game. It's a sign that either upon touching, or preferably upon pressing a certain key while standing next to it, gives a message to the player (I would suggest limiting the message to 3 lines). This would be a great way of labeling monuments or of showing ownership (ex: a sign block saying Seeric's House next to a door of a house I made) or of just saying funny messages. It would also be useful for certain things, like putting one next to the spawn stating server rules or anything particularly interesting about a place (for example, I made a dungeon that I named The Lost Shrine of Sacred Colors which had a few color-related puzzles and a goal at the end and in which the building or destruction of blocks was not allowed, but I had to tell this rule to anyone interested in the place while a Sign Block at the entrance with the dungeon name and the no building/destroying rule would have been a lot easier).So that sign blocks don't get out of control, I suggest putting some sort of limit on the amount of signs each person can have on a server at a time (I'd say somewhere between 3-5). One idea I have for these once again involves the Preference page. In this idea each person gets 3 separate sign block slots and each sign block can only be placed 1 time (instead of a single sign block slot that can be placed 3 times). However, the message for each specific sign block can be edited in the Preference page so that if a sign block ever gets accidentally destroyed or griefed, then that person can just instantly replace it without having to remember and rewrite the entire message.
Combination/Alchemy Block: This block is pretty cool, but it's also fairly weird and I'm not sure if it could actually be made with the game's engine. What it is is a block that can not be built on top of, but instead 2 other blocks are placed inside of it to create a new type of block in it's location. For example, using the blocks available now, placing a dirt block and a flower block inside of it would make the combination block turn into a flower that is somewhat larger than usual or placing a colored block and a glass block inside of it may result in a stained glass block. Of course, not every combination of blocks would work (I can't see a flower and a mushroom resulting in anything for example) in which case the combination block simply disappears. Perhaps the environment could also affect combination blocks, maybe making it so that combinations like sponge+sponge normally do not do anything but if used with the block in lava it creates a lava-absorbing sponge. It would probably be best to require that combination blocks must have something underneath them or else they fall.
Emblem Block: A block that each person can only place 1 of. This block starts off plain, but the design can be edited in the Preference page just like player skins currently can be.
The next part is not technically a block, but it goes along with several of the block ideas I have listed here and I think it would be difficult to explain by itself in its own thread.
Special Block Slots: These are slots that initially have no blocks in them. I think there should be 3 Special Block Slots initially and perhaps have more slots unlock via playing Survival Mode. What these do is hold all/most of the blocks with special abilities, such as Sign Blocks or Counter Blocks. Which special block each holds can be edited by the player, likely in the Preference page. Some special blocks can have infinite usage, such as Dark Blocks, Counter Blocks, or Goo Blocks since their abilities are generally only really effective if used in large amounts. Other special blocks that work perfectly fine when just one or a handful are placed can have a limit on them, such as placing an Emblem Block inside of a special block slot only lets you place 1 emblem block on a map and if you want 2 emblem blocks than you must use up 2 special block slots. Perhaps several of the special block types themselves can be unlocked via reaching a certain point in Survival Mode or winning X amount of CTF matches or other goals. The creation of Special Block Slots serves a few purposes. The most important purpose is likely the fact that it would allow Notch to create as many different block types as he wants without having to worry about the block list that pops up upon pressing B becoming overly large. It also allows for a bit of player diversity since each player will have a different set of special blocks. By having special blocks and/or additional special block slots as rewards from reaching goals in Survival Mode and other modes it will encourage people to try out all the aspects of the game and give a bit more of an actual reward outside of fun factor. Finally, the fact that each person only can have so many special block types on them at a time means that it will encourage players to work together by combining their special blocks to create all sorts of things while at the same time allowing for more powerful blocks to be created without worrying about them getting out of control (for example, once sponges are changed to be less powerful, perhaps the current sponge block can be turned into a special block with limited uses so that it is still quite powerful, but only a handful can be placed on the map at a time and not every person will even have them).
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"This game requires Java. Press escape to release the mouse."
directly followed by the controls.
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That aside, if there was some way to detect water/lava I think it would be best to be able to detect it with a block type in order to keep with the spirit of the game and also to not completely eliminate the risk of floods. It could be a block that is normally cloudy or grey, but which changes color when placed in or directly next to water (blue) or lava (red). This way you can see when water/lava is directly behind a wall similar to how you can see it through leaf blocks now. However, the gimmick for this block could be that it's impossible to actually put it on top of another block and instead it instantly takes the place of a currently existing block. That way if you plan to destroy a wall you could first replace a block with this Detector Block and if it doesn't change colors you can safely destroy it. This would also allow for a bit of Effort vs. Reward as it would of course be faster to just rapidly plow through walls, but taking the time to check panels with this block beforehand would guarantee that you never accidentally flood your base.
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That being said, I do think steps should be taken to combat griefing.
I like the idea of a tier system of Host-->Admins-->Members-->Visitors.
Using this system, Admins can promote Visitors to Members and the Host can do this in addition to promoting Members to Admins.
There should be a kick system in place. Perhaps Members can start a vote to kick other Members and Visitors while Visitors can only start a vote to kick other Visitors; Admins can not be kicked with a vote. I agree that there should be some sort of minimum requirement *in addition* to needing a majority vote, perhaps a minimum of 3 votes in favor of kicking. Admins can instantly kick any Member or Visitor and only the Host can kick Admins.
I also think there should be a permanent block system of sorts in place. In this system, people can delete blocks belonging to those of their tier or lower. Since griefers would very likely never go higher than Visitor status, they would only be able to at worst delete some of the ground and blocks belonging to other Visitors. In addition, if a person is on another person's friend list, that person can delete blocks made by the other person regardless of tier rank. Furthermore, I think two options should be given to the Host either at any given time or at server creation/reset: Time Limit and Tier. If Tier is turned on, than block deletion follows the tier system described in this paragraph, but if it is turned off than the server acts the way it is now where anyone can delete any block. The second option, Time Limit, can only be turned on if Tier is turned on and what it does is if a person has not been on the server for a set amount of time than regardless of tier rank that person's blocks become destroyable by everyone. Time Limit could be useful for situations like if an Admin quits the game or does not go online for a week or more and the Members of the server want to use space taken up by that Admin's buildings for something else.
Also, I'm not sure if it would make a difference, but if a block ownership system would cause a ton of lag, than what if once a person is promoted once they log off the server and back on they load up with a new set of blocks that look exactly the same but which react differently (destructible/indestructible) based upon tier rank. For example, if a person is a Visitor than they have a Visitor Sand Block that can be destroyed by anyone, but if they are promoted than if they log off the server when they log back in they'll get a small patch that changes their Visitor Sand Block (and every other Visitor Block) to a Member Sand Block which reacts to people marked as Visitors by not being breakable when they try to delete it.
I think these systems would work well together since they do not limit what people can create much at all, so new Visitors to a server won't feel limited in what they can build, while at the same time they mainly only limit what people new to a server can destroy so griefers will not be able to simply destroy a server if they log on when no Admins/Members are on.
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Push Blocks: Blocks that move 1 square in the direction opposite from the direction the character touches it from unless another block is in the way. This includes up and down so rapidly jumping on top of it can make it like a one-way elevator.
Crumble Block: A block that will be destroyed the moment a player steps on it. It looks like normal stone/wood blocks except has cracks in it.
Ghost Block: Blocks that are somewhat transparent, they count as blocks for building purposes, so other blocks can not be placed in the same space as them and blocks such as sand can be placed directly on top of them, but players can walk/fall through them.
Metal Block: A block that functions similar to sand in that it must be created directly on top of another block, but if a block is removed from underneath it it remains floating.
Ice Block: A slippery block that makes players slide forward. Disappears if placed in or on top of lava. Perhaps make it slowly spread if placed in water.
Air Block: Another block that the player can pass through, except it slows falling speed as long as the player is touching it allowing for longer jumps or simply a chance to admire the view on the way down.
Music Block: It would likely be best to make 3 or so different 'types' of music blocks. These play a single note when a player touches them (the note does not continue if the player remains standing on it). Each music block type could play a different note.
Hole Block: A block with a big hole on each side of it (not big enough to fall through). Water and Lava can flow through it.
Snake Block: A block that moves around randomly similar to current 'mobs'. However, the snake block stays on horizontal level it is currently on, meaning it will not climb up/down stairs and it will avoid gaps. Since it is a block, players can ride on top of it. Similar to the game of Snake, if a snake block touches another snake block, the other block will begin to follow behind it and perhaps the 'head' block will change color. So, 10 Snake Blocks placed on the same field together will eventually become a single 10-block-long snake. Blocks can not be placed on top of Snake Blocks and if someone deletes a block in the center of the snake, it simply becomes two separate snakes until they combine again. Snake blocks will go around players instead of pushing them. Also, while Snake Blocks will not walk over water/lava, if any blocks with special effects are added (such as the ghost, ice, music, push, and crumble blocks I suggested), Snake Blocks being blocks themselves, will just treat them as normal blocks so players will not experience any hazardous/helpful effects if using a snake block to ride over them.
Shadow Block: A mysterious block that makes the area around it darker (perhaps a 3x3x3 area). If it is placed in an area that would normally have light, that area now has shadow, but if it is placed in an area that is already shadowed, it becomes even darker. Perhaps make shadow block effects 'stack' so that multiple shadow blocks placed near each other can make an area completely black.
Glow Block: The opposite of Shadow Blocks these make an area around it brighter (area size would be the same as Shadow Block size). These do nothing when placed in light, but when placed in shadow it instantly makes the area around it bright regardless of how dark it was originally (so if multiple Shadow Blocks are stacked to make an area pitch black a single Glow Block will still make the area completely bright).
Disco Block: A block that randomly changes color when players walk/jump on it.
Down Elevator Block: A more effective elevator than a Push Block, but it can only move vertically. This block will slowly move downward one block at a time about 2 seconds after a person stands on it and will quickly move up 1 block at a time if nobody is on it. Elevator blocks will only move upwards until they reach their original position (or if someone has placed a block below the original position, until they touch a block). Since they move upwards instantly but take a few seconds to begin moving downwards, rapidly jumping will allow a person to move upwards with it.
Up Elevator Block: The same as the Down Elevator Block, except this block will gradually rise 1 block at a time if a person stands on it while stepping/jumping off of it will cause it to rapidly descend back to its original location or until it touches another block/player that has been placed in its path. These would be useful if placed next to Down Elevator Blocks and will be a less messy (although slower) alternative to making giant pillars to easily reach high places.
***edit***
Adding a few more block types, I figured that it would be better to just add them to this thread instead of creating an entirely new thread.
Goo/Tar Block: This is a block covered in black goo. If a person is walking on top of it that person becomes about as slow as in water or maybe a little slower. Jumping ability is also very limited while on top of this block. However, if a person touches the side of it than that person can jump a few times to move upwards like in water. Also, if a person touches the block from the bottom while jumping than the person can also rapidly press jump to stick to the bottom of the block and move around a bit, just like 'floating water' caused by sponges can be used. It could be an interesting way of vertical movement (or even horizontal movement if they are used to move over a pit while using the bottom side). It basically works the same way as swimming in water, except the center is solid so you can stand on it and can't pass directly through it.
Number Blocks: These will likely not be worth the trouble since they would take up 10 spots, but they are simply blocks, each with a different digit on them 0-9.
Admin Glass: I'm not sure how this could be graphically different than normal glass (perhaps make it clearer with a heavier outline?) but I think this would be very useful. It is the same concept as the current admin stone blocks, except see-through glass. These would be great for preserving any monuments. For example, on the server I play on a person made a giant White Mage from Final Fantasy but it got griefed about 5 times before he gave up on rebuilding it. Admin stone would be useless for protecting it since people would not be able to actually see it, ruining the entire point, but if it was surrounded by unbreakable glass than it could be protected while still being easy to see.
Counter Block: I'm not sure what this block would look like, but it's sort of a more advanced version of the Crumble Block. Basically, people can walk/jump on it a fixed amount of times before it disappears beneath someone's feet. The amount of times it can be walked/jumped on could be a fixed amount, but I think a more interesting concept, if possible, would be to allow each person to edit how many times that person's Counter Blocks can be touched before disappearing in the Preferences page. That way people can decide if they want their Counter Blocks to have a short amount (likely for puzzles) or a long amount (likely for just plain luck).
Sign Block: This is a block I would particularly like to see in the game. It's a sign that either upon touching, or preferably upon pressing a certain key while standing next to it, gives a message to the player (I would suggest limiting the message to 3 lines). This would be a great way of labeling monuments or of showing ownership (ex: a sign block saying Seeric's House next to a door of a house I made) or of just saying funny messages. It would also be useful for certain things, like putting one next to the spawn stating server rules or anything particularly interesting about a place (for example, I made a dungeon that I named The Lost Shrine of Sacred Colors which had a few color-related puzzles and a goal at the end and in which the building or destruction of blocks was not allowed, but I had to tell this rule to anyone interested in the place while a Sign Block at the entrance with the dungeon name and the no building/destroying rule would have been a lot easier).So that sign blocks don't get out of control, I suggest putting some sort of limit on the amount of signs each person can have on a server at a time (I'd say somewhere between 3-5). One idea I have for these once again involves the Preference page. In this idea each person gets 3 separate sign block slots and each sign block can only be placed 1 time (instead of a single sign block slot that can be placed 3 times). However, the message for each specific sign block can be edited in the Preference page so that if a sign block ever gets accidentally destroyed or griefed, then that person can just instantly replace it without having to remember and rewrite the entire message.
Combination/Alchemy Block: This block is pretty cool, but it's also fairly weird and I'm not sure if it could actually be made with the game's engine. What it is is a block that can not be built on top of, but instead 2 other blocks are placed inside of it to create a new type of block in it's location. For example, using the blocks available now, placing a dirt block and a flower block inside of it would make the combination block turn into a flower that is somewhat larger than usual or placing a colored block and a glass block inside of it may result in a stained glass block. Of course, not every combination of blocks would work (I can't see a flower and a mushroom resulting in anything for example) in which case the combination block simply disappears. Perhaps the environment could also affect combination blocks, maybe making it so that combinations like sponge+sponge normally do not do anything but if used with the block in lava it creates a lava-absorbing sponge. It would probably be best to require that combination blocks must have something underneath them or else they fall.
Emblem Block: A block that each person can only place 1 of. This block starts off plain, but the design can be edited in the Preference page just like player skins currently can be.
The next part is not technically a block, but it goes along with several of the block ideas I have listed here and I think it would be difficult to explain by itself in its own thread.
Special Block Slots: These are slots that initially have no blocks in them. I think there should be 3 Special Block Slots initially and perhaps have more slots unlock via playing Survival Mode. What these do is hold all/most of the blocks with special abilities, such as Sign Blocks or Counter Blocks. Which special block each holds can be edited by the player, likely in the Preference page. Some special blocks can have infinite usage, such as Dark Blocks, Counter Blocks, or Goo Blocks since their abilities are generally only really effective if used in large amounts. Other special blocks that work perfectly fine when just one or a handful are placed can have a limit on them, such as placing an Emblem Block inside of a special block slot only lets you place 1 emblem block on a map and if you want 2 emblem blocks than you must use up 2 special block slots. Perhaps several of the special block types themselves can be unlocked via reaching a certain point in Survival Mode or winning X amount of CTF matches or other goals. The creation of Special Block Slots serves a few purposes. The most important purpose is likely the fact that it would allow Notch to create as many different block types as he wants without having to worry about the block list that pops up upon pressing B becoming overly large. It also allows for a bit of player diversity since each player will have a different set of special blocks. By having special blocks and/or additional special block slots as rewards from reaching goals in Survival Mode and other modes it will encourage people to try out all the aspects of the game and give a bit more of an actual reward outside of fun factor. Finally, the fact that each person only can have so many special block types on them at a time means that it will encourage players to work together by combining their special blocks to create all sorts of things while at the same time allowing for more powerful blocks to be created without worrying about them getting out of control (for example, once sponges are changed to be less powerful, perhaps the current sponge block can be turned into a special block with limited uses so that it is still quite powerful, but only a handful can be placed on the map at a time and not every person will even have them).