10 hours ago Notch tweeted:

I keep getting the great idea to make lanterns cast skylight instead of blocklight to make them stand out. Then I realize why it won't work.

Am i reading this wrong or am i right in assuming that he's made the lanterns, they have block light but he was thinking of changing it?

I think though lanterns are coming!

Could he have been talking about jack 'o lanterns?

I have been calling lanterns for about a week now!

Good thing is that it's been said, a long time ago, that any torches placed now will automatically be turned into lanterns with the update.

I just hope that these new lanterns don't become full sized blocks. Will be irritating to rearrange all the torches in some of the narrow corridors we've all undoubtedly lit with torches.

I'm assuming that they will probably look like an oil lantern or something and will be considered as "air" when you walk into them (like torches)..



Just a wild guess, ofcourse.

did he say how you would craft them?

did he say how you would craft them?

CreepersWantHug

Ages ago when they were first announced he said you would have to get something from the nether to be able to craft them.

did he say how you would craft them?

CreepersWantHug

Ages ago when they were first announced he said you would have to get something from the nether to be able to craft them.

Stucuk

Glowdust.

Glowdust, Glass, Glass and Iron would be about as "real" as you could get, but if lanterns will replace torches, it would be a high cost of entry to craft lighting.

torches would still be in the game, they'll just go out after some time.. You'd need flint and steel to reignite them.

Has the use time for regular torches been released? I would've hoped for at the very least a full Minecraft day. Also what I'd like to see is if you're holding a lantern you'll generate a light source on the spot wherever you go. Would be great for underground exploration (and for those dungeon/puzzle builders wanting to keep things dark.)

Can somebody help me with this. We have glowstone-blocks, we have torches and we have jack-o-lantern for the Halloween vibe.

What's the point in lanterns? Or am I missing something?

Lanterns will be a source of light that doesnt take up a full block (ala Jack-O-Lanterns/Glowstone) that doesn't die down like torches will when the update for them comes.

EDIT: Or so its speculated.

Well, Notch has stated that a lot of 1.7 will remain a secret till the patch comes out, and, there is the new "adventure mode" he is introducing. Normal torches dying out after a few minutes might be part of the "atmosphere" of the adventure.

Can somebody help me with this. We have glowstone-blocks, we have torches and we have jack-o-lantern for the Halloween vibe.

What's the point in lanterns? Or am I missing something?

DavH27

A light source that can be activated by Redstone, or so I would hope.

Can somebody help me with this. We have glowstone-blocks, we have torches and we have jack-o-lantern for the Halloween vibe.

What's the point in lanterns? Or am I missing something?

DavH27

Torches will die out after a while once lanterns are in.

So everyone will use lanterns, right? I know it'll cost in crafting.

So when exploring and mining, a temporary light source is all that is needed anyway so this is kind of a bit superfluous IMO. If you want a permanent light source, you'd use lightstone or just a few lanterns.

Imagine if it was the other way around. Imagine at the moment all we used were able to give light temporarily. We then introduce a new light source that is permanent. We'd forget all about the temporary ones and use only perm ones (unless mining, etc) so again...I don't see the point. It just seems he's running out of innovative things to incorporate >_<

Torches will die out after a while once lanterns are in.

BRooNiE

They would literally die out as no one would use them. Pointless to put torches up because if you for example put them all around your house and you disconnected from the server, the next time you log in you would be in the dark with some nice angry mobs.

The only real purpose for torches is to stop mobs from spawning. Making them temporary removes there purpose in life.

Would be far better to make it so torches just had a weaker light than lanterns. That way they would still have there uses.

Indeed, players prevent mobs from spawning too close anyway, so a mobile lantern wouldn't help keep mobs away, only light up so you can see.

I don't want my mines being filled with mobs every time I log back on... I don't think lanterns is a good idea. Its going to be rather expensive to craft them too by the sounds of it.

Maybe we should all stockpile doublechests full of torches in anticipation?

So everyone will use lanterns, right? I know it'll cost in crafting.

So when exploring and mining, a temporary light source is all that is needed anyway so this is kind of a bit superfluous IMO. If you want a permanent light source, you'd use lightstone or just a few lanterns.

Imagine if it was the other way around. Imagine at the moment all we used were able to give light temporarily. We then introduce a new light source that is permanent. We'd forget all about the temporary ones and use only perm ones (unless mining, etc) so again...I don't see the point. It just seems he's running out of innovative things to incorporate >_<

DavH27

I'm not so sure lanterns in this context would be superfluous. Torches are relatively easy to obtain the base materials for and, thus, craft. Glowstone is supposed to be difficult to obtain in that, if you don't have kits like donators do, you would have to get yourself some obsidian, make a portal, go to the Nether (which is dangerous) and mine some. Plus there's the annoyance factor of having to craft the glow dust you've mined.

Building on Jiggy's comment (and my own previous comment) if lanterns were crafted using, say, some glass, coal and redstone. They would be harder to craft than torches, but wouldn't require a troublesome trip to the Nether to get the materials and, presumably, you'd be able to control them with redstone.

I think there's a place for them - if it's done right.

if it's done right.

beagrie

We are talking about Mojang here. There is the right way, and there is the Mojang way. Though it all depends on how much input Notch has.

We are talking about Mojang here.

Stucuk

Good point.