Two things that would increase the QoL for builders that I would like to see in this game are an block direction tool and scaffolds.
Edit: Rewrote most of this idea, it was too rambly.
When you place a block, depending on the block type, it will get a direction based on what face you target and which direction you face. What I propose is a tool (or a boon) to change the data of a placed block so that it faces another direction. If you have ever placed metamorphic rock, stone or refined, you probably know what I mean.
In case of a tool or a boon for chisels, it would let you cycle through the different basic directions available for that block type.
It could also be implemented as two different tools, like with the beacon plotters, one that saves the direction of a block, and one that applies that saved direction to another block.
The other idea, which I think is more likely to happen, is scaffolds. A block that does not award xp or prestige but breaks after one hit, making them excellent temporary blocks for making floaty builds or just to get the blocks to face the right direction.
That’s why I wondered about a paint brush tool? Would it be possible to “paint” a pattern onto a block, or would that still require the million+ block shapes to be programmed?
I’m not talking about creating whole new directions though, so the save and apply solution should do the trick.
Blocks gets some kind of direction when they are placed, that information should be able to be copied and pasted onto another block. Feels like a weird implementation if it would generate additional information to be stored.
Now that I’ve seen the second idea in this post (scaffolds) is getting some traction in another thread, I’m gonna casually necro this thread and see if the first idea (direction tools) goes anywhere. Also edited the first idea a little to hopefully be a bit more comprehensive.
Also (I’ve found it again), there’s been a fairly lengthy discussion on this topic (with a dev answer and everything) that might be worth a read through too for more background on what is / isn’t / might be possible. The prominent dev post is (I’ve only quote a little, but the whole thing is good):
This is a interesting topic, as not all blocks function properly, having a tool, or two, 1 to change the horizontal and 1 for vertical, would be hugely beneficial, As depending on the block, placement plays a key factor in designing. For instance twisted refined wood, like the pattern, but having the game tell me how it’s going to be is not fun, but having a tool to help fix it, marvelous.
Also, doing this here as I’m confused as to where to do it, let us shape glass with chisels. You guys are doing a lot of things cooler and better than Mojang, but the inability to have shaped, and colored glasses is the one thing, well 2 technically, keeping me in mine raft. Add this/these abilities and you guys could easily win over a huge community.