There are multiple levels of cool represented in this screenshot. Most prominent is probably the sombrero jack-o-lantern made with a glowing pumpkin inside of a giant mushroom. There is also the new moon in the background. This is one of the later additions to Minecraft: moon phases.
This view shows the hill on the left in which our main base is located. From the top you can take the wooden stairs to the top of the mob spawner dark rooms. Near the bottom of this screenshot, from left to right you can see our cactus farm, reed farms and our colored wool […]
Darryl made this awesome balcony/platform thing on top of the hill in which our main base is situated. On the left you see our “front yard” with the stone steps leading down to the reed farms and animal breeding zone. The stairs I’m standing on lead up to the mob spawner rooms.
In this multi-player world we’ve built this artificial fields and some awesome stairs that lead down to it. On the right you can see the reed farming operations and the automatic cactus farm behind it.
Giant mushrooms are a pretty cool addition to Minecraft. It’s an alternative to traditional farming and they really help to mark the landscape. Besides a rumored secret mushroom biome, they are not naturally occurring. To grow a giant mushroom of either type you just need to bonemeal a small one.
The world generation algorithms have changed from before version 1.8 until now and not a single f**k was given about the transition between the terrain generated in older versions of Minecraft and the new terrains. Previously unloaded chunks will end abruptly causing visual mind stabs like seen here in the screenshots.
Terrain generation in Minecraft version 1.8 gives us bigger biomes and more interesting landscapes than before. Here we can see a weird looking mountian in the center of the view.
Instead of sections of the landscape turning to darker lighting modes, the colors change gradually in this leaked release of Minecraft version 1.8. When the sun rises and sets the colors change and provide for greater atmospheric impacts.
Not only are there beautiful mountainous terrains, you’ll also find rolling rills and fields that stretch out in the leaked release of Minecraft version 1.8.
Along side grandiose mountains, cliffs and ravines you’ll also find rivers snaking their way through the Minecraft landscape. At the moment, rivers do not actually flow, but they are a very pleasing feature in terms of appearance and they help making the landscape more realistic.