To bring a bit of comfort into Minecraft players’ lives, an inventive modder has created a new TNT block capable of mining tunnels automatically. But even without that mod, the process of mining in vanilla Minecraft is about to change forever quite soon with the upcoming Caves & Cliffs update.

The upcoming massive Caves & Cliffs update, which is expected to launch this year, will refine and improve the underground structures’ generation. The most exciting part is the introduction of new mega caves, which became possible due to the expanded world’s height. Players will have additional 60 blocks of rock mass located below the current bedrock level where new caves with exposed precious ores will generate. Ultimately, it will change the established process of mining in Minecraft, as exploring new caves will likely be more profitable than digging tunnels.

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An inventive Minecraft modder has successfully turned one of the most exhausting routines in the game into an effortless automated process. As shared by jpdude98 on Reddit, a new TNT can create mines and shafts automatically without the need to manually place and ignite each individual block. That being said, it does require a bit of preparatory setup, although no special tools are needed (except for downloading and installing the mod itself). A player can simply place a TNT block and throw a sticky piston at it in the desired direction of digging a tunnel. Extra TNT blocks can be added after that step to determine how far the explosive mining will dig. Finally, the TNT needs to be ignited with a flint and steel, after which a tunnel is being rapidly created. This way, mines can be dug upwards or downwards, too. The mod also adds a protective saddle to ride the TNT as it goes off through the rock mass. As noted by players, the modded TNT can be especially effective for mining for ancient debris, the rarest and most valuable Minecraft ore commonly found in the Nether.

The process of modding Minecraft can get really insane sometimes, as vividly demonstrated by a mod that allows launching multiple versions of the game within itself, with each being playable to some extent. This bizarre Minecraftception requires a lot of computing power, as each time a player dives into the next launched client, a significant performance drop occurs. Obviously, the mod is more of a proof of concept rather than an enjoyable way of playing Minecraft.

Although a TNT saddle with blast protection sounds a bit weird, the mod itself with automated explosive mining makes a natural fit in Minecraft’s classic gameplay. This new TNT doesn’t break any core mechanics, nor it is ridiculously overpowered. It’s just immensely useful, leaving tons of free time for other enjoyable activities in the game. Additionally, the author has left clear instructions on how to install and utilize the mod, which makes it extremely easy to take advantage of.

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Minecraft is available on all platforms.

Source: jpdude98/Reddit