Minecraft 1.18 snapshot 21w43a for Java Edition: Full list of changes revealed

Every week, Minecraft developers release a new snapshot and a beta update. Snapshots are for Java Edition only and can be installed directly from the official Minecraft launcher. A new beta has also come out today for Bedrock Edition. Interested readers can check out the patch notes for that update from here.

The new Minecraft 1.18 snapshot, 21w43a, has been released. The developers have updated the terrain generation in this snapshot, which has affected seed parity between Bedrock and Java Edition. It is also recommended that players create a backup of the old worlds before opening them in this snapshot.

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Minecraft 1.18 Snapshot 21w43a

New Features

• The edge between the old and new world generation is now adjusted when a world is upgraded.

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Upgrading of old world

• New terrain is adjusted to match the existing terrain at the borders better when generating close to old chunks.
• If there is bedrock at Y0 in old chunks, the column below will be filled with Deepslate.
• The old bedrock between y=0 and y=4 in old chunks will now get replaced with Deepslate.
• From now on, a new Bedrock layer is placed at y=-64.

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Changes made in Snapshot 21w43a

• The Priority Updates video setting has been renamed to Chunk loader.
• The amount of flooded caves near river and ocean coastlines has been reduced.
• Aquifer water levels change less often. Therefore, players will more often get to see larger areas with the same water level. This means slightly fewer underground waterfalls and slightly easier underground boat travel.
• Changes have been made to lava aquifers, and they generate slightly less.
• Changes have been made to big dripleaf placement. They have been restricted to clay, dirt, grass, moss, podzol, rooted dirt, farmland, and mycelium.

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Technical changes made in Snapshot 21w43a

• To improve the save times, a few internal details of block and fluid ticking have been changed. Redstone should behave the way it is supposed to, but the developers recommended the players to test their redstone contraptions.
• The developers have updated the chunk format.