Hobbies And Interests
Major Gameplay Changes
The Beta version of "Minecraft" includes several gameplay changes. For example, as a player you can craft beds that serve two major purposes: to sleep through the night and avoid monsters, and to set your spawn point in the event your character dies. Spiders can also climb walls, meaning you cannot trap them in simple pits. Cake was introduced in this version, which is a huge help toward healing yourself in a pinch when surrounded by aggressive monsters at night.
Minor Gameplay Changes
"Minecraft" Beta also introduced numerous other changes that had a smaller impact on gameplay. For example, the Beta version contains Lapis Lazuli, an ore you can mine and use to dye your wool blue. Additionally, weather began to occur in the game to add a change of pace beyond simple night and day. Finally, the Beta version removed the ability to punch sheep to obtain wool; you must now use shears to shave them.
Achievements and Statistics
Achievements and statistics, both available for viewing in your pause menu, were new Beta features that didn't have a real impact on the gameplay, but were provided to help guide new players. For example, you earn achievements for completing beginner tasks, like punching a tree until you obtain wood, making a wooden pickaxe and getting a better quality pickaxe. The statistics show little details, such as how long you have spent playing "Minecraft" and how far you have walked.
Bug Fixes
Along with new changes, many bugs present in the Alpha version of "Minecraft" were fixed in the Beta version. For example, players who tried to play "Minecraft" on Mac computers had difficulty loading the game, and there was a glitch in which players could duplicate items without crafting them. The Beta version of the game removed these bugs and glitches. However, a few others were introduced. For example, as of September 2011, opening the inventory while the player is falling asleep causes him to appear sideways in the bed, messing up the game's camera.