Minecraft Xbox 360 update: Superflat worlds, ANVIL map format and chainmail on the way

There's something deeply surreal, almost disturbing about 4J Studios' readiness to share details on in-development Minecraft Xbox 360 updates. The videogames industry is notoriously secretive (though of course, I would say that) about games that are finished, so anybody cheerily Tweeting actual concrete information about on-going projects makes me uneasy. It could be a trap. Perhaps they're just trying to butter us up ahead of something dreadful, like the introduction of Perks and killstreaks.

Still, make hay while they going's good. Last night, 4J shared a few new details about how the omnipotence-endowing Creative and head-crushing Survival Modes planned for update 1.8.2 (still "weeks" away) will function.

You won't be able to switch from one to the other mid-game, as this would make the system easy to abuse, but you will be able to choose between the two game types every time you load a world. Cobbled together a labyrinth of doom in Creative? Go right ahead and fire the thing up in Survival for an experience that puts the "hard" in "hardcore". Or possibly the "cult" in "difficult".

The developer also intends to push the later "Superflat" world creation option forward to update 1.8.2. As the name implies, "Superflat" irons out unsightly mountains and valleys so you've got tonnes of level terrain to build on. I'd miss the vistas myself, but urban planners will probably be stoked.

Once again, 4J man Stuart Ross was on hand to field questions. According to Ross, the studio is considering introducing an option that will stop co-op players building and destroying blocks. Oh, what OXM Land might look like if such an option had been available at launch. Literally years of vandalism could have been avoided. 4J is also looking into the idea of additional texture packs.

A few minor tit-bits. Update 1.8.2 will add an experience system, for more of an RPG feel, but there won't be any potions for the moment. New clothing options include chainmail, bringing the universe one step closer to a Minecraft Xbox 360 rendition of Monty Python's Holy Grail. Enchanting tables are still TBC.

Last but very much not least, Ross says Minecraft Xbox 360 will switch to the ANVIL map format in a future update. The new format improves how the game handles memory and makes it easier to mod. Here's a shortlist of features from Mojang's blog.

- Maximum build height has been increased to 256 (was 128)

- Empty sections of the world are not loaded into memory

- Block ids have been increased to 4096 (was 256) by adding a 4 bit data layer (similar to how meta data is stored)

- Block ordering have been changed from x/z/y to y/z/x in order to improve compression

- Packets for sending chunks have been updated (a full 128-high chunk is smaller than the old format, and a chunk with lots of empty space is much smaller)

- Biomes are saved per x/z column, which means they can be altered by tools

Worried that Minecraft Xbox 360's Creative Mode will be a gristly cluster of PC UI assets? Fear not, they're reshaping the beast for consumption by controller-wielding audiences. This is the most difficult Minecraft update yet, don't you know.

Here are 10 things to do in Minecraft, eight astonishing piston-powered creations and eight forthcoming features that will totally change the game. If you're starting afresh, you might want to look over this list of the best Minecraft Xbox 360 world seeds