User:Squid45/sandbox

= Caves and Cliffs (Minecraft update) = The Caves and Cliffs update is a major upcoming update for the video game Minecraft.

Development
The update was first announced at Minecraft Live 2020, where many of the features were first presented. Beta versions began to be released on the fourth of November 2020, and development continued until pre-releases began releasing on May 27th 2021. While creating the caves, the developers used noise to distinguish two different formations: "cheese caves", which were underground pockets, and "spaghetti caves", which were long tunnels. This method allowed the new generation to blend in with the old cave systems. Due to the huge scope of the update announced at Minecraft Live 2021, the developers announced on April 14th 2021 that the new update would have to be split in two. This was due to the "significant technical challenges" that coding the world generation posed. The developers stated that delivering the full update at the scheduled date of Summer 2021 would require "compromising on quality", and that had the update had to released in Summer, the team would have to "work very long hours" instead of "prioritizing [their] team's health". The team also stated that the pandemic's affect on their "collaborative" workflow was a factor. The update's first part, entitled "Caves and Cliffs Part 1", will release on June 8th 2020, and will focus on blocks and mobs. The second half, focusing on the more complex terrain generation, will come in Winter 2021. The archaeology feature will be delayed even further, beyond the Winter release, due to the difficulties of adding an entirely new system to the game. The developers decided to change the textures of various ores in the game due to accessibility issues, as all ores looked the same shape, causing difficulty for colourblind people. The only ore not to be changed was diamond, as Mojang stated it was too "iconic".

Release
The Caves and Cliffs: Part 1 update will release on June 8th, 2021.