Survey Results and Changes for 1.16
World size
The initial world size will be 8750 blocks (diameter)
This only applies to the overworld. Other worlds will have their own sizes.
We previously announced our intention to make the 1.16 world smaller, for a variety of reasons. The 1.14 world size was too heavy on disk space, with the Dynmap taking up almost 100GB. In addition, only 0.92% of the 1.14 world's surface area was ever claimed, and the Dynmap still shows large unexplored areas. With the additional world changes discussed below, some larger builds will no longer be present in the overworld too, further reducing the need for space.
As a result, despite 49% of survey respondents saying the world size was "Just right", we will be using a smaller initial size for 1.16. We have opted for a size of 8750 blocks, which is in-between the 2 most popular alternative sizes - 10k (19%) and 7.5k (10%). This is roughly 80% smaller than the 1.14 world, but should still offer plenty of space. Further expansions can always be considered if the world ends up too full, as well as for 1.17 and its expected mountain changes.
The world will be square
Exactly 2/3 voted for keeping the world square like 1.14, and we will be doing so. A square world also allows the world border to remain visible, which will help with world wrapping. This results in a world with a similar surface area to the 10k circular 1.13 world.
The world will wrap around
There is a surprising majority - 58% - who would like to see a wrap around world, where reaching the border will teleport you to the other side. We are up for trying this, so it will be enabled in 1.16. It can always be disabled again if it proves too confusing or buggy. Since the world is square, the visible world border will give a visual indication of where wrapping will occur, which should make it less jarring.
Server Settings
The difficulty level will be set to Hard
This is one of our bigger departures from the survey results. In the survey, 67% of responses preferred normal difficulty, with 29% wanting hard. However after a discussion with staff, and some survey participants, we are keen to try and experiment with hard difficulty. Staff are generally for this idea, and several comments within the survey, and conversations outside the survey have shown that some normal voters are willing to try hard difficulty.
We feel that the additional challenge added by hard may make the game more interesting, as food is more important, and mobs hit harder. In the end it is unlikely to be a significant difference, as Minecraft is significantly easier in a multiplayer setting, but we would at least like to give it a try.
All existing gamerules will remain the same
The majority of responses wanted all the listed gamerules to stay at their 1.14 settings:
mobGriefing - Enabled
65% wanted mob griefing to remain enabled. This is unsurprising due to issues like villagers being unable to pick up items when it is disabled. Note that is does not affect the ability for mobs to damage claimed areas, or explosions above sea level. These are managed by other settings we will cover below.
doFireTick - Disabled
64% preferred fire spread to remain disabled, and remain disabled it will be. Fire will therefore not spread, as in 1.14.
doInsomnia - Enabled
In one of the closest results of the whole survey, 41% of responses wanted phantoms to remain enabled, with 38% wanting them disabled. With such a close result, we decided to go with our personal preference of keeping them enabled, which also avoids issues with membrane becoming very hard to find.
doImmediateRespawn - Disabled
49% did not want immediate respawn to be enabled, so the 1.14 behaviour will remain. Dying will still present you with the respawn screen, and will allow you to try and work out where you are, while also risking your items despawning while doing so.
doPatrolSpawning - Enabled
Pillager patrols will continue to spawn as they did in 1.14, as 74% of responses preferred this setting.
doTraderSpawning - Enabled
The wandering trader will also continue to spawn, with 82% of responses preferred this setting.
doLimitedCrafting - Disabled
Enabling this gamerule was unlikely to ever be considered, nonetheless 86% voted against it. Crafting with be unrestricted as a result.
disableRaids - Disabled
Raids will remain enabled, with the support of 2/3 of the responses.
keepInventory - Disabled
Another unlikely consideration which received little support, with 52% preferring it disabled. Dying will therefore drop items as normal.
doWeatherCycle - Enabled
90% of responses wanted weather to remain enabled, as it likely would have anyway.
doDaylightCycle - Enabled
The day/night cycle gets the highest level of support of all the gamerules, with 95% in favour. Time will continue to progress normally in 1.16.
Newly added gamerules will stay at their default values
The 2 new 1.16 gamerules received large majorities for their default settings, which we will keep:
forgiveDeadPlayers - Enabled
82% preferred players to be forgiven by angry mobs, if said mobs see them die.
universalAnger - Disabled
Nearby innocent players will not get attacked by angered mobs, after 49% of responses wanted this gamerule to remain at it's default disabled value.