If this split may potentially be controversial, do not split until a consensus has been reached. Reason:to differentiate between what has already been added in development versions and what is yet to be added
Please note that the names of many features are currently placeholders.
Can be lit with a flint and steel or fire charge or an arrow fired from a flame-enchanted bow or a fire charge shot by a dispenser if it hits the candle.
When lit, the player can left click it to snuff it.
Right-clicking a candle on a cake makes a "birthday cake", which can have 1 candle placed on it.
Uncolored candle crafted with 1 string and 1 honeycomb
Colored candle crafted using one of the 16 dyes and one uncolored candle
Similar to snow, but entities fall through it, similar to cobwebs, but faster.
This is how regular snow layer blocks worked in old versions of Minecraft, but it was changed because it created accidental booby traps when lava ponds generated at the right height to cut out the ground but not the snow.
"Snowier snow" was announced to be part of the Mountains biome in the biome vote at MINECON Live 2019, which is related to powder snow.[8]
Seen in the distance of a lush caves biome behind a spore blossom.
Can also be seen hanging beneath the dirt variant that spawns below the Azalea tree and on the ceiling in the axolotl clip, possibly just a decorative feature of this block.
While this block's use and function is currently unknown, it is speculated that this block is the source of the other sculk blocks due to the block always appearing in the middle of each sculk growth. This could possibly mean that the other sculk blocks grow out from the sculk chute, however this is just speculation.
A video by Henrik Kniberg explicitly states that the temporary showcased feature of ore blocks emitting light was intended as a placeholder for underground light sources, potentially hinting at further new cave light sources.[12]
Can contain one cumulative stack of any variety of item types.
Stack sizes are sustained. For example, a bundle containing 32 blocks with a stack size of 64 could hold only an additional 8 ender pearls, as the stack size of an ender pearl is 16; the half stack of ender pearls added to the half stack of blocks is calculated as one full stack. Unstackable items like minecarts remain unstackable.
Displays a blue bar below the bundle that shows how full it is.
When full, the bundle changes to a full texture and the blue bar disappears.
Items are added by dragging the bundle to an item or by dragging items onto the bundle.
Obtained by using a water bucket on an axolotl, similar to fish.
Had no name in the Minecraft Live 2020 demo, showing its translation string item.minecraft.axolotl_bucket.
Brush
Used to sweep away debris from archaeological items.
Sweeps debris off archaeological items one layer at a time. If interrupted, the block it was being used on simply disappears, and does not yield custom block heights.
Also comes in a blue-green variant:
This may imply a connection to copper, as both the variant and normal brushes have corresponding colors to the blocks shown.
Ceramic Shards
Obtained with a brush at archeological sites.
Come in different colors and different designs, each depicting a different picture, such as an ender dragon, a cow, Alex, a skeleton, a tree and a vindicator.
When sensing movement, it moves toward the source of the movement.
When attacked, it path finds toward the player.
Seems to follow the same rules as the sculk sensor when detecting noise.
When it detects a vibration, the growths on its head rattle and light up, similar to the sculk sensor.
If any projectile, like a snowball or an arrow, lands near the Warden, it causes the mob to head to the location of where the projectile landed, due to the projectile itself creating movement and noise, therefore distracting the warden.
Likely change to the generation of alternate stone types, to make them appear in larger but less numerous deposits.[26]
Possibly seen in a screenshot tweeted by Henrik Kniberg,[27] in which Diorite appears to generate in a long and flat horizontal strip, rather than a small unevenly shaped patch.
Gameplay
Archaeology
The player can find items and blocks in gravel and dirt inside the dig site structure by using the brush.
Possible items shown in the preview footage include:
Ceramic shards of varying color that depict different images.
While in the deep dark cave biome, the ambient lighting occasionally dims temporarily, limiting the player's visibility. This serves as a warning that the warden is nearby.[28]
Vibrations
An action can cause vibrations in the air, which can be picked up by sculk sensors and wardens
Can be caused by walking (but bats?), block placing, block breaking, doors or trapdoors opening, chests of any kind opening, pistons activating, and projectiles such as snowballs, eggs, or arrows landing. This does not include ambient weather such as rain or snow [10]
Planned changes
A picture of the local water levels in use forming an underground lake or ocean shown in Minecraft Live 2020.
A new underground water level generation aspect has been introduced, which allows for certain areas of a world to generate with a specified water level different from that of another area (such as sea level).
A Shulker hitting a Shulker with a Shulker Bullet can create a new Shulker.
Unconfirmed features
These features are not confirmed for 1.17, but were mentioned or showcased by developers during the development of 1.17. Main article: Mentioned features.
Structures
Underground Cabin[unofficial name]
Seen in the Deep Dark biome during the Minecraft Live 2020 stream.[30]
Consists of a chamber with a cobblestone floor and stripped log support beams, containing 3 barrels, a blast furnace, and a large chest, with cobwebs and candles in and around it.
May possibly not be a generated structure, but instead a construction built for the purpose of the Warden showcase.
Swedish painter John Bauer was one of the main inspirations behind the design and idea of the lush caves biome, specifically Bauer's 'Oskuldens Vandring' (Innocent's Journey) painting.
Although the axolotl is the first amphibian mob implemented into Minecraft, it was not the first announced one, since frogs were announced during the MINECON Live 2019 biome vote.
Despite ores being shown to emit light during the reveal of this update, this was later confirmed to be just for demonstration purposes, to give a much clearer vision for viewers, and not for the final version.
It was confirmed to be a placeholder for new, biome-specific light sources.[12]
The name "Sculk sensor" is derived from the word "skulk", meaning "keep out of sight, typically with a sinister or cowardly motive".[9]
Mojang employees explored real caves to research for the update. This helped give inspiration and ideas for the update, including for the mesh caves.[32][33]
Henrik Kniberg also recalled memories of past visits to caves around the world.[34]
↑"And speaking of snow, yes, it will be snowier. We will also have a new block called 'powder snow'" — Vu Bui on "Minecraft Live 2020 @ 48:25" – Minecraft on YouTube