Highlights
- Adding more aquatic life like sharks, whales, and fantastical creatures would refresh Minecraft’s oceans.
- Introducing new structures like ancient ruins and preserved buildings would deepen lore and reward exploration.
- Including ocean-exclusive items and gear, along with boss fights, would incentivize exploration and engagement.
When talking about the oceans in Minecraft, the community has long had a laundry list of content additions that Mojang Studios should bring about. The sandbox title is more than a decade old at this point. Naturally, the developer has added a lot of material over the years to enhance the player experience. But after the Aquatic Update in 2018, the changes have mostly been geared towards the End, the Nether, or the Overworld’s land, like Minecraft 1.21 update’s Trial Chambers.
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Meanwhile, the oceans are still mostly barren. Yes, there are coral reefs and some plant life. Yes, there are different biomes, and terrain generation can be unique. There are some mobs. But compared to what can be present, there’s not a whole lot to explore. For starters, probably the biggest reason why players sail the high seas is to raid Ocean Monuments. And because there’s a lot left to be desired, let’s take a look at some changes that Mojang should make to the oceans in Minecraft.
1 Aquatic animal life
Adding More Life Will Make The Oceans More Realistic
The sea life that’s present in Minecraft’s oceans has variety, no doubt, but there’s a lack of depth, so to speak. Most are harmless tropical fishes, dolphins, glow squids, and turtles, and while that’s good, the experience is limited and has become stale. Adding more types of sea life, like say sharks, crabs, whales, and even fantastical creatures like the Loch Ness monster would really freshen up the oceans in Minecraft.
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The content could come with a wide variety of utility. Fighting or engaging with the Loch Ness monster to get some new high-tier armor, item, or make it a “pet”; have tamed sharks attack the Drowned, like the Wolves on land; use crustaceans for different meals or their shells as decorative pieces; there’s a whole lot that can be done here. Adding more sea life to the oceans in Minecraft would flesh out the title’s immersion to a greater extent, and help from an educational perspective as well. For example, SteveKunG’s Fish of Thieves mod adds a nice variety of fish that players would enjoy seeing in the vanilla experience.
2 Structures
Different Kinds Of Buildings Will Deepen Lore And Reward Exploration
Currently, the oceans in Minecraft have Ocean Monuments, deep ravines, and sunken ships, but nothing more. Adding in different structures will help move things along quite well. For example, a couple of underground ruins and some preserved structures could add one or two ancient civilizations to the game. Not only would this add more humanoid creatures like the Drowned, but expand the game’s lore. While it’s a long shot that the upcoming live-action Minecraft movie starring Jack Black will include anything players haven’t already seen, video game adaptations are known to add a spin of their own.
Such a content update for Minecraft’s oceans would take quite some time. Even then, adding a variety for underwater bases, item collection, things to discover, etc., would be a major refresher. As is natural in the industry, Mojang can also take inspiration from some of the mods made for the oceans in Minecraft. For example, creator YUNGNICKYOUNG’s YUNG’s Better Ocean Monuments (Forge) redesigns Ocean Monuments and adds randomized layouts, better loot, and more. With Ancient Cities and Trial Chambers already added to the Overworld’s land-based generation, perhaps Minecraft‘s oceans will benefit next.
3 Items and Gear
Ocean-Exclusive Items Will Incentivize Exploration And Open Up Gameplay Even More
New loot, whether it be just for aesthetic purposes or functionality, is important to rejuvenate players’ interest in the oceans in Minecraft. There are currently only a few things found exclusively from water sources if fans include the various types of coral reefs as well. When talking about items in particular, there’s one, Heart of the Sea, which can be found in buried treasure that must first be found via raiding shipwrecks and ocean ruins. Otherwise, the ocean is mostly barren and provides materials that are easier to source on land.
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As such, it becomes important to add varied items to the oceans in Minecraft. There can be those for decorative purposes, like prismarine blocks, and those for utility, like the trident. The addition of different types of armor, geared towards different purposes, would also help a lot. For example, there could be armor that allows better oxygen control, one that offers faster swimming, one that makes sea life friendly, and others that offer related status effects. Creator ModdingLegacy’s Scuba Gear mod adds “armor” just like this, bringing in many status effects that help with underwater travel.
4 Boss fights
Adding Boss Fights To Minecraft’s Oceans Will Bring In More Player Engagement
The oceans in Minecraft need a boss fight, period. And if there are multiple, all woven into the lore with a couple of ancient civilizations and structures, all the better. The Drowned are an annoying presence to deal with, and sometimes dangerous as well, but adding new humanoid mobs and boss fights will ensure players engage more with Minecraft’s oceans than the absolute minimum. This is also where new loot and enchantments, potentially tameable mobs like sharks, and more could come into play.
The Ender Dragon and the Wither pose pretty good boss fights in Minecraft, but they have become run-of-the-mill after so many years. Players frequently take to Hardcore worlds and mods that significantly change the game to have a refresher. For example, creator Barribob’s Bosses of Mass Destruction mod adds four unique bosses to the world, providing an experience that the community greatly enjoys – 13.6M downloads is no simple feat. And while they aren’t a part of the oceans in Minecraft, these do serve as an example of what is possible if Mojang takes up the cause.
5 Weather and Geography
Different Types Of Weather And Terrain Generation Will Break Up Boring Ocean Travel
Currently, exploring the oceans in Minecraft is simple, but tedious. There isn’t much to see other than small barren islands, and the weather is rather simple as well. To make the experience more immersive, Mojang should consider adding different weather and events to the oceans, like whirlpools, heavy rainfall with thunder and choppy water, storms, and more. This will make exploration more intensive and eventful, rather than simply sailing on and on. Also, increasing the size and depth of Minecraft’s oceans will go a long way.
Adding in islands with different terrain generations with life on them that can be exclusive to the biomes would aid discovery and a sense of wonder. Creator Lupin’s Island Adventure – QUALITY UPDATE!, for example, transforms the world so there are no large continents, but only islands of various sizes. This certainly looks like a step in the right direction. And if there are mobs that have their exclusive trade system in Minecraft, as those on land do, the overall quantity and quality of goods will improve quite a bit. Players will have more items to enchant, use, trade, and build with, expanding the sandbox title’s horizons to flesh out its infinite creative scope.
Minecraft
- Platform(s)
- PS4 , PS3 , PS Vita , Xbox One , Xbox 360 , Switch , 3DS , PC , Android , iOS , Wii U
- Released
- November 18, 2011
