Minecraft Xbox 360 update 1.8.2 is now deep into Microsoft certification testing, hurtling towards daylight like some cataclysmic undersea eruption. The update is an absolute treasure trove, as detailed in our ultimate guide and Minecraft Survival Mode 2.0 tips piece, but a disturbing thought nags at our brains - will we have to restart existing Minecraft worlds from scratch in order to sample the new features?
The answer, thankfully, is "not necessarily". According to 4J Studios' Stuart Ross, new mechanics like Hunger and sprinting "will be universal, so you can play with those features on your old worlds. Just world generation that's different." The same's true of new enemy mobs, such as the dastardly Silverfish.
We're still waiting for clarification on the fate of new structures like Strongholds - of which players are allotted a maximum of three per world. The key thing to remember right now is thus: if you've got a world in play, stay put. Wait for the update to arrive before venturing further afield.
A few other recent Twitter takeaways: the update won't add any additional Achievements, and 4J forgot to mention critical hits in the Minecraft Xbox 360 update 1.8.2 changelog. According to the Minecraft wiki, critical hits are marked by floating sparkles, and are executed when you attack something in mid-air. Don't forget to jump a lot during your first punch-up with the Endermen. (Apparently you can also perform them while sprinting, too - cheers, TinnoUnited.)
Here are eight Minecraft PC texture packs we demand on Xbox 360. One for update 1.9, perhaps?
15 comments so far...
TinnoUnited on 10 Oct '12 said:
I think critical hits are also performed when you hit them while sprinting, and it also knocks them back a block or 2. I could be wrong, but I think that is what it is on PC.
OXM ETboy on 10 Oct '12 said:
Cheers, have added that in.
Clanger67 on 10 Oct '12 said:
Wow that's good news.
Shame that all my worlds i have explored the whole map.Don't mind starting again though with all this brings.Plus will still be able to build the same things but with more varied resources. 
Windowlicker79 on 10 Oct '12 said:
This is pretty much how it works with the PC version when they do major updates on it. Thats why its a good idea to limit any exploration you do to just one direction. That way you can keep exploring whilst waiting for updates. The worst thing you can do is randomly go off exploring in different directions as you'll just have to travel even further when new features are added.
Red stone powered minecarts are a really good way of travelling between distant destinations although they can take a LONG time to set up if you want to travel a long distance. The teleport mod on the PC version is great for exploring. You can walk or sail for an hour in one direction and set up a teleporter when you find somewhere nice which will allow you to easily travel between distant bases. I really hope they bring this to the Xbox 360 version as its a real game changer.
Windowlicker79 on 10 Oct '12 said:
Explored the whole map? How is that possible? Is the world not continually generated like in the PC version? Hmmm, might have to reconsider changing to the Xbox version if that's the case
Clanger67 on 10 Oct '12 said:
No you get one map when you first generate a new world and can only go to the boundaries.We where on about this the other week as to the 360 memory limitations compared to a near infinite pc memory upgrade.Reckon they are on about making the worlds bigger eventually.Not sure they could make it like the pc one unless it loaded another random biome at the extents of your map.Everyone would be moaning about loading screens then though i reckon,lol.
RyanGowran on 10 Oct '12 said:
darn it, ive already deleted my world
awell it will be easier to rebuild with creative mode anyway
ChillieBonBon on 10 Oct '12 said:
Since this update was announced i have tried to keep exploring my world to a minimun but every time i go onto it i keep on slowly crawling around the map. At this rate theres going to be no map left so hurry up update!!
Bezza89 on 10 Oct '12 said:
Excellent! I've only searched the top left quarter, and have a whole 3 quarters left, go maths. Or are we doing everything american now dishonored is out. Go math
On topic, where is the release date?
richwk on 11 Oct '12 said:
How will Seeds work? Will the same seed generate essentially the same world between versions, but with ravines, strongholds, mineshafts etc? I found a fantastic seed, full of dungeons, chests, and useful stuff, that i wouldn't mind starting again but with the added features. (The seed phrase will be familiar to anyone who remembers the famous sweary cheat for New Zealand Story!)
kronk10 on 11 Oct '12 said:
i have heard you will only be able to use the world you have built in creative mode on survival mode you will not be able to build something in creative mode then jump into it on a normal mode with creatures etc. Can anyone confirm this?
GHOSTY05 on 11 Oct '12 said:
No that's not correct.
You CAN build anything you want in creative mode and then you CAN play that world in any other mode including survival.
However.... they have confirmed if you do this then you will not be able to earn achievements.
kronk10 on 11 Oct '12 said:
That is good new very very good news
GHOSTY05 on 11 Oct '12 said:
I agree, makes it easier to build with creative and then play the same world on survival with most of the work already done
kevicus12 on 12 Oct '12 said:
Yeah, this is all happy and good but WHEN IS THIS UPDATE COMING?! I'm actually almost at the stage of thinking this update won't happen this year because they've been spouting all this rhetoric for months now. Why can't OXM get some firm dates out of these people?! STOP TEASING US YOU SHITS! ONLY TELL US ABOUT THE UPDATE WHEN YOU HAVE AN ACTUAL DATE TO ACCOMPANY IT!