Talk:Technical blocks

Should we add these?
"Technical blocks are blocks that cannot be achieved legitimately and serve a purpose during events within the game."

Do you guys think the block 43 (double slabs block), portal block, diamond ore, coal ore, farmland, and Redstone Repeater ("on" state) count as a technical blocks? Jtlcr777 23:26, 3 August 2011 (UTC)
 * I believe that RS repeater on state and lever on state should be added, and I wanted to add them for some time now, but was too lazy.
 * About the rest...when I said "serve a purpose" I didn't mean that they are created in an event, but are used in the event itself, i.e block 36 only exist during the piston extension, but ore blocks don't only exist during world generation. so the only arguable block here is the portal block, on which tbh...idk...--Yurisho 05:53, 4 August 2011 (UTC)


 * This page seems to have the purpose of storing blocks that don't have a page, but are still present in the game for either mechanical or aesthetic purposes. The portal block would fit, but it does already have its own page, which seems to be the right place for it.  Verhalthur (talk)(contribs) 13:19, 4 August 2011 (UTC)


 * The lever on state is the same block id as off, so it does not need to bee added. Pokechu22 03:44, 17 July 2012 (UTC)

Page Removement
I think this page should be deleted and 2 more pages should be created. Block 34 should be renamed Arm and put next to Sticky Piston. I don't know what Block 36 should be renamed to, but it should be put next to Arm. I'm not demanding, but I think this would be better. Piber20 13:25, 6 July 2011 (UTC)
 * I wanted to make them separated, but there is just so little to say about them individually, so I combined them.--Yurisho 14:18, 6 July 2011 (UTC)

Reinforced Wood?
I tried using this machine and depending on which piston you put in, a glitch block comes out. Add please? Tehninjah 10:46, 10 July 2011 (UTC)
 * Problem is I don't know what is that, I guess it's block 34, but I cant be sure.--Yurisho 10:37, 10 July 2011 (UTC)
 * Might be a piston extension with no bit set for direction, so it thinks it's all directions? Tehninjah 10:46, 10 July 2011 (UTC)
 * that's what I think as well.--Yurisho 10:49, 10 July 2011 (UTC)
 * Here is a way to see if it's block 34 that I though of:
 * in the run command prompt write %appdata%
 * from there follow this path: /.minecraft/bin
 * open the minecraft.jar file useing zip-7, winzip, winrar or what ever program like this you have.
 * locate the terrain.png file and open it using a photo editor with alpha capabilities(Paint.NET, photoshop, but not MC paint).
 * backup the terrain.png file.
 * make the textures at row:11-12, col:7 transparent(the piston pushing part).
 * save and run the game.
 * activate you'r machine.
 * if you see 3 piston extension arms one inside the other where the glitch block should be - it's block 34.
 * at any case upload the photo of the result.--Yurisho 10:49, 10 July 2011 (UTC)
 * Nope, just an invisible, blank block. Tehninjah 11:01, 10 July 2011 (UTC)
 * did you have OpenGL turned off?--Yurisho 11:46, 10 July 2011 (UTC)
 * Yeah, and it being on or off makes no difference. Or fast/fancy. Tehninjah 11:50, 10 July 2011 (UTC)
 * Then as long as the piston extension arm's texture is not derived from the texture you made transparent, then the glitched block is not block 34, and thus has no place in this page.--Yurisho 11:56, 10 July 2011 (UTC)
 * I'll try with the sticky piston- if the arm IS derived from the normal piston end, the arms should be there- trying it now.
 * EDIT:nope, it's not 34. Any idea what it is? Tehninjah 11:59, 10 July 2011 (UTC)
 * Don't forget to return the normal piston end back to normal.--Yurisho 12:03, 10 July 2011 (UTC)
 * It sure seems like block 34. It matches my results when I tested the block. Just for final confirmation:
 * Can you remove it by right-clicking?
 * Can you walk into it?
 * Does it make stone stepping/breaking sounds when you jump into it/try to break it by holding the left mouse button?
 * Drenay 14:50, 10 July 2011 (UTC)
 * What you say describes block 34, are you sure it's true about block 34 as well? also did a bit of formating for your post no offence.--Yurisho 16:34, 10 July 2011 (UTC)
 * Sorry, that was a typo. I meant block 36. Drenay 19:04, 10 July 2011 (UTC)
 * No for all 3. You can't place torches on it, either, and there is a sticky version. Does anyone know of a tool that tells you what id a block is? That might work.-Tehninjah 16:00, 11 July 2011 (UTC)
 * Use the mod TooManyItems and scroll through the list. When you find something strange, note its id number and take a screenshot. Drenay 18:03, 11 July 2011 (UTC)
 * I've already tried 36 and 34, nothing else is glitchy. 36 is a grass block, 34 is the piston head.-Tehninjah 17:18, 12 July 2011 (UTC)
 * That's what block 36 looks like in the inventory, as told on the actual page. What you have is block 36. Of course, you can't place it. You can only hack it into the world with map editors, or let a piston, sticky or not, generate it. I think you didn't bother to read the article, or you skipped over that line. Drenay 18:08, 12 July 2011 (UTC)
 * I read, just didn't think it would be that. Technically then, using a furnace in my machine would make the top/front of the furnace on all sides! Testing, this machine could be a nice aesthetics function. EDIT: no blocks with different sides output with one side, so only pistons work. --Tehninjah (Tehninjah99) 16:48, 31 July 2011 (UTC)
 * It would help if we had a diagram of the machine you used to produce it. That way, some of us could replicate the production of the block and be able to gather the information ourselves.  Right now, all I can see is a very dark, very unclear screenshot of what looks like a simple contraption.  Verhalthur (talk)(contribs) 21:46, 31 July 2011 (UTC)

Block 36
Hi, I'm from the German wiki and I want to put the informations of this page into it but I didn't unterstand the reason of Block 36. I've understood the text but I don't know why this block is there. What's the function of Block 36 (except for setting down the light level)? I hope my english isn't too bad.--Sven 13:04, 27 July 2011 (UTC)
 * It's a block that's used for the pistons to store the block being moved; so if you save half-way through a block being pushed, the block is stored and pushed next time you load. And your english is great! --Tehninjah (Tehninjah99) 16:43, 31 July 2011 (UTC)
 * Thank you! --Sven 17:08, 31 July 2011 (UTC)

Possible Additions?
Should these be added as well?


 * Primed TNT
 * Air

I choose these, since Primed TNT is an altered form of TNT you cannot legitimately obtain through inventory hacking. Air could possibly be added, but it's technically not a block but a space filler. MinecraftFan1 11:16, 8 August 2011 (UTC)
 * Primed TNT is not a block, it's an entity, and of desiccation. Air is not taking part in an event.--Yurisho 11:23, 8 August 2011 (UTC)

Gotcha. Thanks for the info. MinecraftFan1 03:43, 10 August 2011 (UTC)

Added a third possible addition: Block 68 (Wall Signs). MinecraftFan1 11:19, 8 August 2011 (UTC)
 * IDK if it should be added TBH.--Yurisho 11:23, 8 August 2011 (UTC)

Possibly more?
Here is some possible technical blocks:
 * On state Redstone Repeater.
 * On state Redstone wire.
 * On state Pressure Plate.
 * On state Button.
 * Flowing Water.
 * Flowing Lava/Magma.

I think some of these are likely candidates. Spartangold125 17:58, 8 August 2011 (UTC)


 * On state Redstone Repeater - indeed, was planed from the start, I'm just lazy.
 * On state Redstone wire - indeed, was planed from the start, I'm just lazy.
 * On state Pressure Plate - This is not a different block, it doesn't have a different ID.
 * On state Button - This is not a different block, it doesn't have a different ID.
 * Flowing Water - indeed, was planed from the start, I'm just lazy.
 * Flowing Lava/Magma - indeed, was planed from the start, I'm just lazy.--Yurisho 20:12, 8 August 2011 (UTC)


 * *On state Redstone Repeater
 * *On state Redstone wire
 * *Flowing Water
 * *Flowing Lava/Magma Verhalthur (talk)(contribs) 13:51, 10 August 2011 (UTC)


 * Should someone add Power Rails On? And don't Detector Rails have an on/off state or is that just me bothering not to look at Detector rails? &#124; JSan 20:09, 23 August 2011 (UTC)
 * No, when Powered rails change state they don't change a block, it's always the same block, the same with detector rails.--Yurisho 07:15, 24 August 2011 (UTC)

Block 34 non-solidity
Block 34 isn't fully solid, the arm section is thinner than the rest--71.53.114.147 22:07, 14 September 2011 (UTC)

wheat
in the page of technical blocks there are the block of plant of melon or pumpkin,but why there not are the block of plant of wheat?
 * because unlike pumpkins and melons, wheat and its seeds are one and the same block, making them obtainable.--Yurisho 19:52, 22 September 2011 (UTC)

Ghast Fireball...
is actually a new entity. There's two actually, the large one for Ghasts (which is old), and the small one for Blazes. Neither, however, is a block. --Wizjany 00:38, 25 September 2011 (UTC)

Hydrated farmland
Is hydrated farmland a technical block? If so, it should be mentoned here as well. - Asterick6 05:53, 29 September 2011 (UTC)
 * No, this is a classic farmland bloc, only the Data value is changed, not the block ID. – Scaler (t) 07:32, 3 October 2011 (UTC)
 * Indeed, but what about farmland itself? it's a technical block no? it's unobtainable and is used in farming related events...--Yurisho 16:26, 3 October 2011 (UTC)


 * No I believe farmland is "obtainable" once you till dirt or grass. The piston blocks here are not actually used directly by the player. So I guess hydrated farmland/dry farmland are actual blocks. (I already populated the farmland page anyways). - Asterick6 06:21, 4 October 2011 (UTC)

Idea for addition
Mycelium should probably be added, since it is a block that cannot be obtained in-game and serves a purpose (spawns mooshrooms). MinecraftFan1 11:33, 6 October 2011 (UTC)
 * No, the block doesn't spawn the mooshrooms, they spawn on the Mycelium, it's the other way around.--Yurisho 17:05, 8 October 2011 (UTC)

Who decides...
what blocks belong on this list? "blocks that cannot be acquired legitimately". There's a lot of blocks that can't be acquired legitimately, why are they not on this list? "various purposes". Yea, every single block serves a purpose...every single one. Even if it's decoration. For example, why are pumpkin and melon stems on the list, but not crops? Why are silverfish blocks listed, but not mob spawners? Mob spawners are also blocks that can't be legitimately acquired and are obviously mob related and serve a purpose... --Wizjany 20:41, 7 October 2011 (UTC)
 * "Technical blocks are blocks that cannot be acquired legitimately and serve various purposes during events within the game".
 * There maybe a lot of blocks that cannot be acquired legitimately, but they don't serve a purpose in an event! An event is some code that is executed when primed to. The mob spawner works all the time, and not only if something happened, it even works in peaceful! Corps and seeds item are one and the same so they can be acquired, unlike their pumpkin and melon counterpart. Silverfish blocks prime a silverfish spawn event once destroy thus making them technical blocks.--Yurisho 17:02, 8 October 2011 (UTC)

End Portal Blocks
Should the Trivia section mention that they appear to be constructed from White Stone? Cobalt32 14:39, 14 October 2011 (UTC)

And maybe in the future we can craft a portal back to overworld!

Regarding destructibility of ender portal frame
I think the fact that an ender portal frame is indestructible should be added somewhere. I haven't been able to find that information anywhere on the wiki. I am frustrated because I read about these, went to all the trouble of getting a silk touch pickaxe in my survival map (freaking level 31+ enchantment!), fought like 20 endermen and blazes to make eyes of ender, used them to find a stronghold, made my way to the portal room, killed the silverfish spawner, whipped out my extremely-tedious-to-obtain pickaxe and started hacking away, only to find that it never breaks. I wanted to move the portal into my base, but only now after a week of work do I discover that is impossible. As you may imagine, this is more than a little frustrating.74.192.10.38 22:40, 17 October 2011 (UTC)

Silverfish block selection
Is there any way you can choose the format of the silverfish block? (cobble, smooth, brick) in 1.9 PRE4? I'm using Silk Touch in SMP and want a trap 153.107.33.161 23:50, 26 October 2011 (UTC)

Silverfish block selection
Is there any way you can choose the format of the silverfish block? (cobble, smooth, brick) in 1.9 PRE4? I'm using Silk Touch in SMP and want a trap 153.107.33.161 23:50, 26 October 2011 (UTC)

Silk touch info for glowing redstone?
Should the silk touch effect on glowing redstone ore be briefly mentioned here? just a thought...

New Page for Portals??
Who thinks there should be a new page for the End Portal Frame, End Portal Block, and the Nether Portal Block? alexkill51 - 14 November 2011
 * . This page is becoming too cramped. I don't know why someone moved the page here in the first place when there's more than 1 portal block. We can just give them a separate page and link using the template instead of this mess. - Asterick6 05:18, 15 November 2011 (UTC)


 * Wanna work on a page for the three of them? alexkill51 17 November 2011 (Day before Minecraft 1.0!

silverfish blocks cant be picked up by endermen.
ive found that endermen cannot pick up block 97. but they can pick up blocks that silverfish have entered. basically they cant pick up the blocks silverfish come from in the strong hold, and cant pick up edited in block 97. but they can pick up blocks that a silverfish was left near and reentered. i did a little test and got a bunch of silverfish to hide in cobble, if i broke the cobble they were in they came out like it was block 97, but endermen could pick it up unlike block 97. --Higbey 01:14, 17 November 2011 (UTC)

End Portal Frame
I think End Portal Frames aren't a technical block and they should have a separate page. They're naturally generated inside strongholds, and if they are listed here because they aren't legitimately obtainable or because they're indestructible, I can say Bedrock is a technical block--Ua 20:06, 23 November 2011 (UTC)


 * Bedrock doesn't take part in an event but the End Portal blocks take part in the opening of the End Portal. In the past there was so little to write about the block I preferred deleting the page and putting the block here, now that there is a substantial amount of info I don't have a problem with you making a new page for it, as long as you keep a brief overview and a Main Page: link here.--Yurisho 08:20, 24 November 2011 (UTC)


 * Actually I disagree. The End Portal block should certainly be here, but I don't think the frame should be. If we do keep the frame (or at least a reference) here, then shouldn't we also have obsidian? It's used in the event of opening the Nether Portal. – ultradude25 ( T &#124; C ) at 08:48, 24 November 2011 (UTC)


 * I have made a stupid example, but I agree with Ultradude25.Ua 13:16, 24 November 2011 (UTC)


 * I wanted to replay earlier but could find the words, I'll try to do my best. The definition of tech blocks is not official, it was made by me to fit for the piston extension and block 36, so they'll be mentioned somewhere in this wiki. As you can see this page had since grown to be a very important page and a home to many blocks that their common attribute is having no other page. But then the farmland debate started, as it fitted the tech block definition but had enough info to have it's own page. In the end it was entitled a technical blocks which means that now the definition of the technical block must be something that will engulf all the blocks in the page already, but that actually makes sense. For that we must understand why did the original definition worked. A block that takes part in events - this part of the definition comes because the "technical blocks are created during events" - you have no block 36 if a piston is not activated, you have no off state Redstone torch if there is no Redstone current. "and cannot be legitimately obtained" - this part is tricky. Its here because there are 2 different types of events - thous that the player can control and thous he can't. a player controls the place block event but not the spider movement event. When it comes to blocks this part of the definition excludes blocks like the Crafting Table and the Furnace which take part in the crafting event and the smelting event respectively. effectively removing from the page the player driven events. This is the problematic point thou - the player has something to do with almost all the events, so how much does this something needs to be to be to turn the event into a player driven one? If you say that every event a player can trigger - this page turns empty, might be water and lava will stay. So I say it's any event that the player directly affects, without any other event in the middle. a piston extending event happens when a piston is powered by Redstone current event that is triggered by the player. Now that the base definition is explained lets look at what we have here - an End portal opening event is triggered directly by the player, so the End Portal Blocks might just not be technical blocks at all, but the portal itself can be destroyed by the water flowing event which can but doesn't have to be triggered by the player - so it is a technical block. Obsidian can be formed via water and lava flowing events and water and lava colliding events - it's a technical block by heart.--Yurisho 14:17, 24 November 2011 (UTC)

Silverfish block technical?
The article states that "Technical blocks are blocks that cannot be acquired legitimately and serve various purposes during events within the game." But it also says that block 97, the silverfish block, can be acquired through Silk Touch. Silk Touch is an enchantment in vanilla, meaning that a block acquired through it is acquired legitimately, which goes against the definition of a technical block. So can we call block 97 technical then?
 * Look at the topic above you(Although some stuff had changed since then and even the definition given there is not perfect), the definition in the page itself is not good, and we still don't have a set-in-stone definition.--Yurisho 17:39, 1 January 2012 (UTC)


 * It appears from my limited testing, Silk Touch no longer works on this block. It activates a silverfish and drops the normal block since 1.0. Someone should confirm and remove the "With the Silk Touch" sentence. 70.190.88.117 17:51, 1 January 2012 (UTC)

I cannot get Silk Touch to work properly with silverfish blocks (block 97) either in 1.0.0--very disappointing since I just spent hours dismantling an entire stronghold block-by-block, marking all the block 97s to harvest last with my Silk Touch pickaxe! I edited the page to reflect this change to block 97, though someone with better editing skills may want to redo it to better integrate it into the full description.76.242.176.160 10:48, 2 January 2012 (UTC)

Active redstone lamp
Maybe the active redstone lamp should be a technical block, too. I've already added it to the German page. --☺ Sven Kein Schwein ruft mich an! 12:29, 16 February 2012 (UTC)

End Portal Frame Help
I read something on the End Portal Frame section that was something like this: "The texure used to look like this until it was repaired to look like this". I was in creative mode and found a stronghold. I was so excited becuz i never went o the end or found a stronghold. I knew End Portal Frames wer'e indestructable... but destructable in creative. Like the idiot i am, i broke one of them. Does that mean i have to do all that work over again to find another stronghold? Is there a way to get it back? HELP!!! –Preceding unsigned comment was added by PizzaPenguin (Talk&#124;Contribs) 21:25, 8 April 2012. Please sign your posts with
 * Assuming you're using 1.2.5, clear a space in your inventory bar, then use the 'pick block' feature (default is middle click/mouse wheel) to get the end portal frame block. Rebuild the portal from the inside (above the lava) and activate it. -- Orthotope 23:09, 8 April 2012 (UTC)

Nether Portal Block Update
In 1.2.5., using the "pick block" key on a nether portal will give you a nether portal block. If the block next to the nether portal is powered, it will disappear, although it can be placed on a powered block. It can also be placed next to any block except another portal block. 75.132.35.214 15:57, 20 April 2012 (UTC)

Piston arm obtainable
I was playing Creative, and when I 'selected' the piston arm, I got an item that was the front sprite of the piston arm(the wood part). Try for yourself for confirmation. It might belong in the piston page. Please respond.

SwagZillah 20:21, 15 May 2012 (UTC)

Half beds?
I've seen half beds on many Minecraft servers. I didn't see anything about it on Bed Minecraft Wiki page. Would this be considered as a "Technical block"? 75.106.37.197 11:04, 11 June 2012 (UTC)


 * No. Beds consist of two blocks. A half bed is just one of these blocks. ☺ Sven ? ! 11:49, 11 June 2012 (UTC)


 * Also, both blocks of a placed bed have the same block ID; the data value determines if it's the head or foot. -- Orthotope 15:46, 11 June 2012 (UTC)

Monster Egg Official(ish) Ruling?
Monster egg has once again been added to the page, my understanding is that will no longer be a technical block due to its coming attainability in creative. I think it is likely to be removed and re-added multiple more times if an agreement and explanation is not displayed here. I personally think that it is not a technical block, but that a see also, history, or similar note would be valid, perhaps the same things should be said about end portal frame. Cultist O 21:35, 17 June 2012 (UTC)

Spawners?
Could monster spawners be considered technical blocks? I know that I could be totally wrong, I'm just curious.

Nether portal animation image
Is it worth noting that the nether portal animation image at the nether portal section is reversed and the colours are wrong? The colours are also too light, even though the image is not transparent. Should I upload a better, more accurate version? heldplayer 09:04, 10 July 2012 (UTC)

Monster Eggs and wheat/pumpkin/melon crops
Monster Eggs aren't technical blocks: they can be obtained with Silk Touch and Creative mode. Also, wheat/pumpkin/melon crops are the block version of the seeds. If we have these in the page, we should also insert nether wart block, sign block, cake block, etc.--94.101.49.119 06:32, 7 August 2012 (UTC)

bloxk 36 and end portal block
when i get these items in-game, theyre icon looks like weird static... why is that? 205.188.116.72 23:30, 8 August 2012 (UTC)


 * As stated vaguely in the article, they have no texture assigned, so they use the grass texture (the one from atop a grass block) because that is the first texture in terrain.png. Grass blocks use the biome data to colour that texture a shade of green, as this is not done, it remains grey. Cultist O 04:02, 9 August 2012 (UTC)

why farmland and crops are technical
Farmland is NOT obtainable with a hoe any more than piston arm is obtainable with a redstone torch, or obsidian portals with flint and steel. It is a block that is caused to enter the game due to an event. Despite the shortest stage of crops essentially being the block version of seeds, each taller version is in fact its own independent block with its own data value. Perhaps as was mentioned earlier netherwart crops and partial cakes should be added. As far as the silverfish block, that debate exceeds the scope of this post. Cultist O 11:28, 9 August 2012 (UTC)


 * I have to disagree with one thing: Wheat and cake are always the same block, no matter how big or small they are. --☺ Sven ? ! 14:04, 9 August 2012 (UTC)


 * I agree about nether wart, wheat, cake and farmland. None of these items can be obtained. Wheat, Netherwart and Cake are not blocks in your inventory, they are items that can create blocks of the same name but the blocks themselves are not obtainable and are therefore technical. Farmland is modified dirt and is also not obtainable. All of them are technical blocks. --Moxxy 14:19, 9 August 2012 (UTC)


 * Well, according to this, still water and lava, sugar cane, fire, activated redstone repeaters, both kinds of doors and signs, beds, redstone wire and brewing stands would be technical blocks, too. They are all represented by an item in the inventory. --☺ Sven ? ! 16:48, 9 August 2012 (UTC)


 * I personally wouldn't go so far as to say that any block represented by an item should be here, but the crops blocks ARE all different blocks, you can give yourself crops:7 for example for full grown wheat, or cake:2 for a cake that is partially eaten. You would not say that cocoa beans and ink sacks are the same item would you? But as far as the game is concerned they are just as similar. Cultist O 17:55, 9 August 2012 (UTC)


 * There is a difference between how players see the game and how it actually works. Many blocks and items have several variants defined by their metadata and of course all variants look and act different but that doesn't matter to the game. Their is just 1 wool block in the game, just 1 wheat, 1 dye, 1 cake, 1 log and so on. We just say all 16 dyes are different items because in the real world cocoa beans and bone meal wouldn't be the same thing. Of course we see a cake with one missing slice as something different as a complete cake but for the game it's just twice the same thing with different details. All stages of wheat are the block variant of the item "wheat seeds", not just the first. --☺ Sven ? ! 19:08, 9 August 2012 (UTC)


 * So shall we redefine technical blocks as follows?


 * "Technical blocks are blocks with independent block IDs, that can normally be acquired in neither block nor item form but serve various purposes within the game."


 * I think that would best define the intent of the page, because if we include the sub values, we end up with every block with a facing being here, not to mention all the blocks that have item representation. I would think that any creative attainable block should also be absent from the page, otherwise bedrock, cobweb, and whatnot would also have to be here. If folks agree, please make sure that all information in an ex-tech-block's entry is on the block's main page. Cultist O 04:46, 14 August 2012 (UTC)