From minecraftforums.net:

Notch just dropped a bombshell on Twitter: patch 1.6 will be coming to the Minecraft beta next week. While it's probably taken a little longer than originally planned, it's for a good reason. The patch was primarily a bug-fix update that would include only one new feature: an awesome in-game map system.

Then a few weeks ago Notch updated the timetable for the patch release as "not soon" because he wanted to do something else: add a fully functional Nether to multiplayer.

So we know that maps are coming, as is a working Nether, and there are a lot of bugs squashed to boot. What are you looking forward to most in the patch?

NOTE:

Keep in mind that the server will NOT be updated to 1.6 as soon as it becomes available. If you want to be able to connect to our server, be sure to either:

• Make a backup of your minecraft .bin folder (so you can play around on 1.6 and revert to 1.5 once your satisfied) or;
  
• Wait until the server gets updated.

Copied from freeminecraftskins.com:

Notch just Tweeted that the 1.6 update will be dropping sometime next week, so I thought now would be a good time to go over the new features and major bug fixes we can expect to see in 1.6.

New Features:

* Maps! [Tumblr]
* Hatches [Twitter]
* Powered minecarts have been sped up [Twitter]
* Booster tracks provide a bigger boost [Twitter]

Major Bug-fixes:

* Old “glitch-based” boosters will no longer work [Twitter]
* Shift-clicking will place crafted or smelted item in your inventory [Twitter]
* Boat/Water elevators have been nerfed (slowed) [Twitter]
* Beds in the Nether have been fixed [Twitter]
* Nether fixed in SMP [Tumblr]

UNCONFIRMED Features:

* Possibly a new “Sky Dimension”/floating islands world [Twitter]
* Possibly Pistons (they will be added, but it is unsure which version they will be added in)

notch is a huge troll!

What does "hatches" mean exactly? Like a cellar door type thing?

Copied from wiki

Hatches are a new block type not currently in the game. They will function the same as doors, but are oriented such that they will be placed on a flat, horizontal surface. Like doors, they require a solid block next to them to be placed, and also do not allow water to pass through. Unlike doors, hatches only occupy a single block of space, and they open upwards.

So basically a door that goes on the floor. Like a trapdoor or something.

Oh cool! That'll be lots of fun to play around with.

UNCONFIRMED Features:
* Possibly a new “Sky Dimension”/floating islands world [Twitter]
* Possibly Pistons (they will be added, but it is unsure which version they will be added in)

waggoner

PISTAAAANS!!!! WOOP!!

The sky dimension has been confirmed - Notch's Twitter

And because PC Gamer made such a big deal of the sky dimension, I guess I'll have to finish it. Consider it confirmed.

Notch's Imgur for Sky Simension here
Don't bother researching the PCGamer article, it's basically Notch's tweet on Sky Dimension plus the screen-shots. There's more info on this page TBH.

I'm thinking of turning the dispensary into a PISTAN playground muahaha! Quite sure the eco-system won't allow for a moderated form of dispensing now I've had time to think about it and a read of Broonie's personal blog...so it'd just be ransacked every 5 mins... shame really.

is it just me seeing this, or did notch intentionally take a pic of that map with grassy balls and a bent knob? *laughs*

/me makes a note to self: Map a pair of boobs and share with world.

is it just me seeing this, or did notch intentionally take a pic of that map with grassy balls and a bent knob? *laughs*

diablothe2nd

How did I not notice before?! Haha.

OK guys what are your theories on the sky dimension? Will it just be very high up i.e. world sky limit expanded (hard coded in Java?) or would it be a portal system like Nether ?

Hah, we have to use pistons to reach the sky places.

DUDE don't mess with me like that!! PISTANS hooooo *boing* hey floating islands

DUDE don't mess with me like that!! PISTANS hooooo *boing* hey floating islands

DavH27

I don't know what Pistans are, but I hear Pistons is going to be fun.

Though, am I the only one that noticed the fine text about no one knowing EXACTLY when Pistons will be arriving? It's probably not coming yet.

I don't know what Pistans are, but I hear Pistons is going to be fun.

Kahr

You hear pistons are going to be fun

I don't know what Pistans are, but I hear Pistons is going to be fun.

Kahr

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=salYX2iDyqs
^ The guy who made the video likes to stand around and do nothing for about 55 seconds(So id skip to about there), but the video seems to show the majority of things you can use pistons for.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKRt9dk8Y_M
^ Talk about an ungriefable building.

I don't know what Pistans are, but I hear Pistons is going to be fun.

Kahr

You hear pistons are going to be fun

beagrie

Darn it! Such a simple mistake, I should have known better!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=salYX2iDyqs
^ The guy who made the video likes to stand around and do nothing for about 55 seconds(So id skip to about there), but the video seems to show the majority of things you can use pistons for.

Stucuk

I know what Pistons are and what they can do... I was joking. If you read my sentence twice, you may see what I was joking about, and why beagrie went all grammar nazi on me.

My thoughts on the upcoming patch.....

The reduction of the speed from glitched carts will cause us to re-write the book on how to build track systems. It could a lot easier and simpler though, since now its simply a matter of putting power rails every X number of normal rails. I think a bigger question will be if C-boosters still generate their insane force field if you dump a bunch of carts together in the same physical spot. Not sure he can fix that, or if they get their insane force field effect from the glitching with each other. It will be interesting to figure this out after the patch though.

As for pistons and sky dimension... I highly doubt they will be in the 1.6 update. In fact, no Mojang employee has twittered about pistons for the past several weeks now. And even then, it was just conjecture on their part. At the time they were still in "talks" with the mod developer. Since that time, nothing has been mentioned about pistons. Also, one of the coders, Jens, was pulled off Minecraft for a "special project"... further delaying its possible implementation. However, the CEO of Mojang did seem to have a series of "good meetings" the past couple of weeks. Not sure if that means they are adding more officially approved mods, or just came up with a Notch action figure. Could go either way, lol.

And the sky dimension.... that was just a map generation thing that notch was playing around with this past week.... it cannot possibly be ready for integration into 1.6 at this early stage, in my opinion. And that is if Notch wasn't simply being a sarcastic troll to PC Gamer. Although, I doubt that is the case; he holds the magazine in high regard (watch the P2P Productions "proof of concept" documentary on Notch/Minecraft). Since the sky limit is one of the hard coded things in the game due to the way the map data is stored, a major re-write of the game map save system would be needed to extend the sky limit... therefore, it will more than likely be a separate dimension like the nether is now. Not sure how they plan on implementing portals to that dimension, though. Perhaps it will still be a nether portal type thing, but a different block layout or putting the portal horizontally on the ground? In any case, I seriously doubt it will be thrown into 1.6.

As far as when the patch will be released.... I am betting on it being sooner rather than later. Mojang has learned their lesson the hard way about releasing a patch on Friday then taking off for the weekend. I can't imagine them releasing it on Friday or even a Thursday. I suspect Wednesday at the latest, or it will get pushed back to the week after next.

therefore, it will more than likely be a separate dimension like the nether is now. Not sure how they plan on implementing portals to that dimension, though.

minecraftblock0

I would guess that it would be a replacement option for the normal and/or the hell dimension. Notch may do the dimension thing decently so that you can have an unlimited(Well you know what i mean, larger than 2) amount of dimensions, but i wouldn't hold my breath.

therefore, it will more than likely be a separate dimension like the nether is now. Not sure how they plan on implementing portals to that dimension, though.

minecraftblock0

I would guess that it would be a replacement option for the normal and/or the hell dimension. Notch may do the dimension thing decently so that you can have an unlimited(Well you know what i mean, larger than 2) amount of dimensions, but i wouldn't hold my breath.

Stucuk

I doubt it's a replacement to the hell dimension, as he's said he's fixed the Nether (I'm guessing you meant Nether by "Hell Dimension") in SMP, so why replace it if he's fixing it.

As for implementation of the sky dimension, somebody on Twitter suggested that it should be a dream realm, and you would get there by sleeping in your bed. Notch replied that "that is not a bad idea at all.."

It's not exactly gospel but, at this point, it's as reliable an indicator on how the sky dimension will be accessed as the current info on the sky dimension itself, as he hasn't actually said it will be in the next update outright.

so why replace it if he's fixing it.

beagrie

What i meant was he could have it implemented like how Hell is currently implemented (Well was in the past anyway) where your default dimention can be either "Earth" or Hell. If it was done that way then you could have servers where people didn't have a hell dimention, they would port to a sky dimension instead. Etc. I know that some people are bound to prefer having "Earth" and a sky dimention than having a hell dimention.

We don't currently know what he means by "Fixing it" other than you should be able to have 2 different dimentions at least. There is no firm indication that you could have more than 2 dimensions. So its all speculation at this point.

Notch has tweeted that 1.6 will come Thursday this week

Notch has tweeted that 1.6 will come Thursday this week

diablothe2nd

Actually he said they were aiming for Wednesday... which means it will probably be Thursday

better for me to interate thursday and everyone not on twitter be surprised on wednesday than dissapointed the other way around

I won't be downloading it until i have to. I wouldn't be surprised if it will break Minecraft.