Code Mysteries: Part Two of the Chronicle of Removed Minecraft Features

In the first part, we discussed iconic losses like rubies and the Sky Dimension. But the basement of Minecraft's history runs much deeper than it seems. Mojang's archives hold concepts ranging from strange and eerie to outright mysterious. Some existed for only a few versions, while others remained as lines of code or screenshots on Notch's blog.

We continue our journey through the museum of unrealized ideas to uncover the story of a clone mob, bloody stones, and vanished technologies.

Humans (Human Mob): Creepy Clones of Steve

In the earliest versions of Classic (even before Alpha), the Minecraft world wasn’t so lonely. Mobs that looked exactly like the player — with Steve’s classic skin — roamed the map.

• How it worked: These "humans" (Monster in the code) wandered aimlessly across the map, waving their arms. Later, there was a version where they became hostile.
• Why it was removed: They looked unnatural and caused an "uncanny valley" effect. Developers decided the world should be populated by unique creatures, not player clones.
• Legacy: The "Human" model code became the basis for Zombies (essentially recolored Steves) and, years later, for Villagers. So, the spirit of this mob still lives on in the game.

Camera: Snapshots for Memory

Veterans of Minecraft: Pocket Edition (now Bedrock) might remember a strange item that looked like an old-fashioned tripod camera.

• How it worked: The camera could be placed on the ground. When activated, it took a screenshot and saved it to the device’s memory.
• Why it was removed: Its functionality was extremely limited and often buggy. With the development of built-in screenshot features on smartphones, the in-game item became unnecessary.
• Current status: Interestingly, the camera didn’t disappear entirely. It was revived in the Education Edition as a tool for creating student portfolios but was permanently removed from regular survival mode.

Spikes: The Unfinished Trap

The idea of a spike block appeared several times in the developers’ plans. It was supposed to be a block that extended spikes when triggered by a redstone signal (similar to a piston but with damage).

• Why it was removed: Jens Bergensten (Jeb) felt that such a block made creating traps and griefing too easy. Minecraft’s philosophy encourages creative approaches: if you want to kill a mob or player, design a complex mechanism with lava, falls, or drowning. A simple "press and kill" block seemed too boring.
• Alternative: The Magma Block was added to the game, which deals damage when stood on but isn’t an active trap in the way spikes were envisioned.

Bloody Stone

Before the Nether gained its recognizable look, Notch experimented with textures.

• What it was: The predecessor to Netherrack. The texture resembled regular cobblestone but with red, blood-like spots.
• Why it was removed: It looked too graphic and unpleasant, resembling a horror game more than an adventure one. The texture was replaced with a more abstract reddish stone, which we know as Netherrack. Later, in the 1.14 update, the Netherrack texture was changed again, making it even softer and more visually appealing.

Teeth and Strange Resources

In the deep texture archives of the Indev version, a sprite depicting teeth can be found.

• Intended use: There’s no precise information, but fans speculate that teeth were meant to drop from mobs and be used to craft arrows (instead of flint) or bone meal.
• Why it was removed: It was likely just an unnecessary crafting step. Flint worked perfectly as an arrowhead, and skeleton bones served as fertilizer. Introducing a separate "teeth" item would only complicate the inventory without real benefit.

Obsidian Ship

This is one of the most nebulous legends of development.

• What it was: A concept structure that could generate in the world or be related to interdimensional travel. Some theories link it to Notch’s early ideas about pirates or sky travel.
• Why it wasn’t implemented: The idea never went beyond discussions and sketches. At the time, the world generator was too primitive to create complex obsidian structures.
• Evolution of the idea: While we didn’t get an obsidian ship, the idea of a "vessel in another world" materialized in End Ships, where players find elytras. And the theme of sunken ships was addressed with the shipwreck ruins added in the aquatic update.

Conclusion: Trial and Error

The list of removed features proves that Minecraft is the result of thousands of small decisions. The removal of "Bloody Stone" defined the game’s visual style as friendly yet mysterious. The removal of "Humans" paved the way for unique mobs like the Creeper and Enderman.

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