this post was submitted on 08 Jun 2024
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It is unfortunate, but there is also reason to be optimistic. It's clear that they want to make use of existing items, especially under-utilized ones from previous releases. It's something that they've repeatedly talked about over the past year. It's even one of the design principles from Jeb's internal handbook. Take copper: added in 1.17, used for brushes in 1.20, and used for copper bulbs, doors, grates, and trapdoors in 1.21. They even briefly played with copper horns in Bedrock. Or tuff: also added in 1.17 as a totally useless block, with variants fleshed out in 1.21 that makes it surprisingly useful for building. Not to mention the crafter and potions of infestation/oozing/weaving are entirely made from existing items, or the new paintings that don't require any new items at all. Even completely new items are tried to have as many uses as possible from the start: wind charges have tons of different applications. I think Mojang has been paying attention to this trend for longer than most of us have, and we're finally starting to see it shift how they approach update design.
Those are good points. I've played MC since early alpha, but haven't played much of the 1.20+ content yet. I still haven't fought the Warden! Ahhhh!!!
I do really appreciate hearing that Jeb has that mindset and goal. And you are right that they have eventually added more uses for things that started useless.
From a design standpoint it is often surprisingly difficult to remember to use older content and mechanics on new content. You see it in RPGs and story type games often. In level 1 you unlock a skill or item, have to use it over and over for a dungeon or level, and then by level 3 you never ever use it again. Sometimes games will manage to remember the "old" things and keep them relevant and when I notice that I always really appreciate it. Several of the Zelda series games manage this. E.G. the Deku Nuts/Sticks still being used in the last dungeons.