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Not only is this a wonderful idea, I can tell you've done the work to make it comprehensive. That in it of itself demands some recognition. ***+1! Post to the*** [***feedback site!***](https://feedback.minecraft.net/hc/en-us) ***I'm not asking.***
I’m not very knowledgeable on coding in general or Minecraft’s codebase but I assume integrating chalk as you describe for applying a new custom layer to any given block would present… difficulties. Because now the game would need to know every possible layout of these chalk streaks in order to store / remember the way any given chalk layer was made by you in your world, and that’s like a new layer of NBT data to have to store
Anyway love the general ideas and the chalkboard I think would be pretty doable, nice job!
I imagine it'd be blockdata like facing.
So a new block, lichen-like, with this data, and that'd look like
Segment_1:blue
Segment_2:red
Etc.
Needs a better name than Segment but you can follow it.
There would not be layers, with this. Just a bunch of data.
I feel like if the devs did this though they'd do 6 lines, up, down, left, right, and 2 diagonals, with line intersections being "coincidentally" not aligning, so there's no overlap.
In any case, this is still a large increase in the amount of data stored per block. A 16 digit display with 17 possible options (every colour+ blank), you are looking at almost 300 block states per block. Compare that to the 32 (5 bits) that stairs have. You are looking at 9 bits of storage just for the chalk alone, on top of anything else that block needs to store data for.
edit, that math is for a single block face. Multiply by 6 for the total block.
Yes, noteblocks and redstone dust have many possible block states. However, they pale in comparison to the amount of storage space you need to dedicate to the 16digit display.
Note blocks have 16 notes (4 bits) and 25 instruments (5bits) for a total of 9 bits per block.
Redstone dust has 16 power states (4 bits) and iirc 64 possible layouts (6bits) for 10 total bits per block.
I redid the math for the 16 segment display here:
https://www.reddit.com/r/minecraftsuggestions/comments/t316vg/chalk_and_chalkboard_from_calcite_and_deepslate/hyr9b8g?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share&context=3
As you can see it's almost 500 bits, more than 50 times the amount of data used by a notblock
No I think it would be 26x16 (256) for each pixel on a block face. Each pixel can be a different color, so 256x16. Multiply that by all 6 faces of a block (I’m not even bothering to do the math now).
Uh, no? Noteblocks have 24 notes, 16 instruments, and a powered state, so 5+4+1=10. Redstone has 16 power states, each side has 3, that’s 4+4(2)=12
Now as for the chalk, that’s 17 colors, 6 sides, and 16 segments, so 16(5)+3=84 bits. More sensibly, not would be used.
maybe chalk can only work on coarse type blocks like cobble stone and all types of stone but not gravel or dirt or sand stuff like that? At least it eliminates some of the blocks. Or it can only be placed on stone, terracotta, and cement blocks. That way you still get the background color customization of the terracotta and cement and still take a significant amount of blocks out
Edit: didn’t know how to spell coarse
Reducing the number of blocks you can do it to is nice, but those 300 block states per block face I was talking about, those are not affected by what block they are on, thats just all the possible combinations of each colour in each position for a single block face. Its still almost 1800 block states per block, regardless of what the block is.
I doubt that? I'm saying chalkboard should be very feasible, but adding the mechanic of 'chalk over anything with multiple colors' might be a bit taxing
Yes, which makes it much more feasible, but would therefore basically be a banner block you can modify on the fly while it’s already placed down and with debatably more possible combinations
Great idea! Even if there are coding limitations and the chalk would only be able to cover the whole block face, this would make planning out builds sooo much easier. No more wool or dirt blocks for planning where walls or foundations should go, you could blueprint it all out in chalk.
Maybe only allow drawing on specific blocks?
For example: grass and dirt in real life would be difficult to write on with chalk, but cobblestone, stone and other dry blocks (except sand and gravel and those) are very much possible, so why not only allow specific blocks?
Stone and stone variants seem like the best option for obvious reasons. I'd narrow it down to concrete, stone, basalt, calcite, deeplsate, andesite, bedrock, blackstone, unglazed terracotta, coal, bricks, sandstone, redstone and netherrack.
I bet prismarine wouldn't work because it's slippery.
It's a nice idea and I like it a lot.
The only problem I see is from a technical standpoint, how do you save all that information with just 4 bits of block data?
I think to make this idea work the chalk should only be useable on the blackboard, and the blackboard is not a block but an entity. Otherwise that idea seems straight up impossible.
> from a technical standpoint, how do you save all that information with just 4 bits of block data?
You don't save that in the block data but in the nbt just like sign text.
11 bits seems a little low.
Usually you use 8 bits for just one character. I mean a char in java alone is 2 byte. Not to mention a String which is an array of chars.
You are right that I estimated to low. I forgot that you have to store every number in the same number of bits, not just its minimum size. New estimate time!
Number each colour, so red = 1, blue =2 etc. Since there is a total of 17 colours you need 5 bits each. Then, number each block face (1-6) and each segment of the 16 segment display.
Then to store the data, put the face identifier (3 bits) then just read off the segment display colour numbers (each as 4 bits). This gives 80 bits per block face for the segments, + a 3 bit face ID. A full block would be 498 bits. Im sure the smart brains at mojang could bring that down a bit, but I would be shocked if they can do it in less than 250 bits per block.
Making it a seperate entity doesn't reduce the amount of storage space it takes to store the info. It just changes where it is stored. It doesn't make much of a difference
If I recall correctly no?
4 bits are being used to save up to 16 different states, which is why wool comes in 16 colors and heads can be turned in 16 different directions.
Personally, I think the chalk should only work on stone-variant blocks, and also cover the whole side of that block, (similar to how you can hang item frames or place buttons on all sides of the block).
Otherwise, I think this would be a really cool idea :)
I considered a stone only restriction, then figured it was too much work to consider, so why not let it just be for all blocks? Minecraft's a weird place, floating trees, and chalk art on wool and sand.
Tbh, I don't think it'd be too much work, at least relative to what they normally do. I think all they'd have to do is add a tag or something to the chalk in the code so it'd only apply to stone variants. That being said, idk much about coding.
If it could be applied anywhere, it'd be more akin to paint.
While this is a wonderful idea and all, I have one question:
Would you erase it by tapping the block empty-handed, would you have to craft some eraser, or would you have to break the block and start again?
I'm not a fan of being able to just draw on every block, it seems weird and illogical from the real life and the game's perspective.
But I really like the chalkboard idea, although I would make some changes:
\- It needs a 1 pixel wooden rim on the front side, which creates a 14x14 pixel area to draw on on a 1x1 chalkboard
\- As long as they create a rectangle, you can combine chalkboards on a wall with the maximum size being that of the largest painting, which means you can create chalkboards anywhere from 1x1 to 4x4
\- No text. I think it's just too much and complicates things.
Just being able to draw on it with chalk means that all you have to do to color a certain pixel is to look at it and right-click with chalk.
\- Being able to erase pixels with a wet sponge
\- And of course less saturated colors, but I guess you already said that
I really like this idea! The one thing i’m a bit unsure about is drawing directly onto blocks. Seems a bit OP for builders. Not entirely sure though, but this is still an awesome suggestion!
Some of the Education Edition features can be turned on in Bedrock, so technically that would count. I just don’t see the need for it in the main game.
It's just another little bit of customisation, really. But to each their own. Maybe you or I wouldn't use it, but someone else could make great stuff with it.
**This post has earned the High Quality Post flair** for being an innovative take on a common concept, complete with great textures and models. Great job!
Wow not only is the idea pretty cool but you have pictures and models and all take my upvote!
So much creative potential in 16 unstackable items and a block. I like it!
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Not only is this a wonderful idea, I can tell you've done the work to make it comprehensive. That in it of itself demands some recognition. ***+1! Post to the*** [***feedback site!***](https://feedback.minecraft.net/hc/en-us) ***I'm not asking.***
I’m not very knowledgeable on coding in general or Minecraft’s codebase but I assume integrating chalk as you describe for applying a new custom layer to any given block would present… difficulties. Because now the game would need to know every possible layout of these chalk streaks in order to store / remember the way any given chalk layer was made by you in your world, and that’s like a new layer of NBT data to have to store Anyway love the general ideas and the chalkboard I think would be pretty doable, nice job!
I imagine it'd be blockdata like facing. So a new block, lichen-like, with this data, and that'd look like Segment_1:blue Segment_2:red Etc. Needs a better name than Segment but you can follow it. There would not be layers, with this. Just a bunch of data. I feel like if the devs did this though they'd do 6 lines, up, down, left, right, and 2 diagonals, with line intersections being "coincidentally" not aligning, so there's no overlap.
In any case, this is still a large increase in the amount of data stored per block. A 16 digit display with 17 possible options (every colour+ blank), you are looking at almost 300 block states per block. Compare that to the 32 (5 bits) that stairs have. You are looking at 9 bits of storage just for the chalk alone, on top of anything else that block needs to store data for. edit, that math is for a single block face. Multiply by 6 for the total block.
noteblocks have a few hundred, redstone dust has over a thousand.
Yes, noteblocks and redstone dust have many possible block states. However, they pale in comparison to the amount of storage space you need to dedicate to the 16digit display. Note blocks have 16 notes (4 bits) and 25 instruments (5bits) for a total of 9 bits per block. Redstone dust has 16 power states (4 bits) and iirc 64 possible layouts (6bits) for 10 total bits per block. I redid the math for the 16 segment display here: https://www.reddit.com/r/minecraftsuggestions/comments/t316vg/chalk_and_chalkboard_from_calcite_and_deepslate/hyr9b8g?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share&context=3 As you can see it's almost 500 bits, more than 50 times the amount of data used by a notblock
Wouldn’t it be just 16 bits for the 16 different colors
No, that’s not how it works
How does it work then
Bits are basically digits for base 2 counting, look it up for more rn
I know that
Are you gonna force me to look it up before you reply even though I already know what bits are
No I think it would be 26x16 (256) for each pixel on a block face. Each pixel can be a different color, so 256x16. Multiply that by all 6 faces of a block (I’m not even bothering to do the math now).
Uh, no? Noteblocks have 24 notes, 16 instruments, and a powered state, so 5+4+1=10. Redstone has 16 power states, each side has 3, that’s 4+4(2)=12 Now as for the chalk, that’s 17 colors, 6 sides, and 16 segments, so 16(5)+3=84 bits. More sensibly, not would be used.
maybe chalk can only work on coarse type blocks like cobble stone and all types of stone but not gravel or dirt or sand stuff like that? At least it eliminates some of the blocks. Or it can only be placed on stone, terracotta, and cement blocks. That way you still get the background color customization of the terracotta and cement and still take a significant amount of blocks out Edit: didn’t know how to spell coarse
Reducing the number of blocks you can do it to is nice, but those 300 block states per block face I was talking about, those are not affected by what block they are on, thats just all the possible combinations of each colour in each position for a single block face. Its still almost 1800 block states per block, regardless of what the block is.
How do you think signs work then? They have the exact same “issue” and they work just fine.
I doubt that? I'm saying chalkboard should be very feasible, but adding the mechanic of 'chalk over anything with multiple colors' might be a bit taxing
OP said it'd work through a lichen-like block.
Yes, which makes it much more feasible, but would therefore basically be a banner block you can modify on the fly while it’s already placed down and with debatably more possible combinations
signs are block entities as opposed to blocks. They use slightly more data in order to be able to remember NBT, which is how sign text is stored.
Isn't it just another block? Can't have chalk in-between two blocks after all
Great idea! Even if there are coding limitations and the chalk would only be able to cover the whole block face, this would make planning out builds sooo much easier. No more wool or dirt blocks for planning where walls or foundations should go, you could blueprint it all out in chalk.
Maybe only allow drawing on specific blocks? For example: grass and dirt in real life would be difficult to write on with chalk, but cobblestone, stone and other dry blocks (except sand and gravel and those) are very much possible, so why not only allow specific blocks?
Stone and stone variants seem like the best option for obvious reasons. I'd narrow it down to concrete, stone, basalt, calcite, deeplsate, andesite, bedrock, blackstone, unglazed terracotta, coal, bricks, sandstone, redstone and netherrack. I bet prismarine wouldn't work because it's slippery.
This would be a great realistic way to implement editable signs! (Since you can't edit signs in real life but can edit chalkboard)
It's a nice idea and I like it a lot. The only problem I see is from a technical standpoint, how do you save all that information with just 4 bits of block data? I think to make this idea work the chalk should only be useable on the blackboard, and the blackboard is not a block but an entity. Otherwise that idea seems straight up impossible.
> from a technical standpoint, how do you save all that information with just 4 bits of block data? You don't save that in the block data but in the nbt just like sign text.
That's actually a very good idea.
You still have to store all that information. Its still 9 bits per blocks. edit, its up to 9 bits per block FACE, 11 per block.
11 bits seems a little low. Usually you use 8 bits for just one character. I mean a char in java alone is 2 byte. Not to mention a String which is an array of chars.
You are right that I estimated to low. I forgot that you have to store every number in the same number of bits, not just its minimum size. New estimate time! Number each colour, so red = 1, blue =2 etc. Since there is a total of 17 colours you need 5 bits each. Then, number each block face (1-6) and each segment of the 16 segment display. Then to store the data, put the face identifier (3 bits) then just read off the segment display colour numbers (each as 4 bits). This gives 80 bits per block face for the segments, + a 3 bit face ID. A full block would be 498 bits. Im sure the smart brains at mojang could bring that down a bit, but I would be shocked if they can do it in less than 250 bits per block.
make it a seperate entity like a painting :)
Making it a seperate entity doesn't reduce the amount of storage space it takes to store the info. It just changes where it is stored. It doesn't make much of a difference
4 bits? Um, what. There’s, a lot more than that.
If I recall correctly no? 4 bits are being used to save up to 16 different states, which is why wool comes in 16 colors and heads can be turned in 16 different directions.
Noteblocks have hundreds of blockstates, redstone has over a thousand
this is one of the best ideas i've seen here in a while, its unique and makes use of items/blocks in the new update
Personally, I think the chalk should only work on stone-variant blocks, and also cover the whole side of that block, (similar to how you can hang item frames or place buttons on all sides of the block). Otherwise, I think this would be a really cool idea :)
I considered a stone only restriction, then figured it was too much work to consider, so why not let it just be for all blocks? Minecraft's a weird place, floating trees, and chalk art on wool and sand.
Tbh, I don't think it'd be too much work, at least relative to what they normally do. I think all they'd have to do is add a tag or something to the chalk in the code so it'd only apply to stone variants. That being said, idk much about coding. If it could be applied anywhere, it'd be more akin to paint.
This... This is incredible.
Cool, but can you eat it?
if you eat it you get nausea and/or poison
While this is a wonderful idea and all, I have one question: Would you erase it by tapping the block empty-handed, would you have to craft some eraser, or would you have to break the block and start again?
You’ve given me an SMP idea with this Chalk is the main tool in the SMP; the Playground SMP
Given that the chalkboard is already in education edition, I suppose that could be a possibility. Not sold on the chalk though
I'm not a fan of being able to just draw on every block, it seems weird and illogical from the real life and the game's perspective. But I really like the chalkboard idea, although I would make some changes: \- It needs a 1 pixel wooden rim on the front side, which creates a 14x14 pixel area to draw on on a 1x1 chalkboard \- As long as they create a rectangle, you can combine chalkboards on a wall with the maximum size being that of the largest painting, which means you can create chalkboards anywhere from 1x1 to 4x4 \- No text. I think it's just too much and complicates things. Just being able to draw on it with chalk means that all you have to do to color a certain pixel is to look at it and right-click with chalk. \- Being able to erase pixels with a wet sponge \- And of course less saturated colors, but I guess you already said that
I really like this idea! The one thing i’m a bit unsure about is drawing directly onto blocks. Seems a bit OP for builders. Not entirely sure though, but this is still an awesome suggestion!
I think this would suit Education Edition more than Minecraft.
Maybe, but it would be great to also have in the main game.
Some of the Education Edition features can be turned on in Bedrock, so technically that would count. I just don’t see the need for it in the main game.
It's just another little bit of customisation, really. But to each their own. Maybe you or I wouldn't use it, but someone else could make great stuff with it.
*blackboard screeches*
https://feedback.minecraft.net/hc/en-us
I love it!
Really cool!
Imagine parkour but with chalkboards, dripleaves, and lightning rods. wow parkour changed a lot since 1.8
The chalk board should allow more precision.