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(Java Parity) Shield activation mechanic and offhand fix

TL;DR: Throw away the sneak-to-block mess and update the controls to make the correct mechanic that Java uses possible in all platforms. 

 

When I heard that shields are comming to Bedrock, I was pretty hyped for the potential offhand fix that would come alongside the blocking mechanic. However, what we actually got was a strange and slow mechanic that isn't even consistent with the other tools. Every hand-held tool in the game is supposed to be used via clicks in PC, triggers on Consol, and tap/tap&hold on touch. The sneak-to-block mechanic, in my opinion, just looks like an excuse for not updating the offhand and control system. 

The current Bedrock offhand doesn't even look like a HAND slot, but rather, some sort of a belt/ring/ornament slot that gives the player extra quirks, opens a floating widget, or some tiny mechanics that are so inferior to call it a hand slot. Java players were able to place blocks, eat food, shoot arrows and snowballs with the offhand slot for years, which Bedrock players envied.  If we're talking parity, the offhand shouldn't be neglected. 

At this moment, some people might ask, "so how is this gonna work with other controls, for example, touch?" Simple. Just add a button on screen to support it. "I don't like tons of buttons cluttering my screen." Add another button to hide the other buttons just like the f1 button on PC. I actually made a post spefically about the Touch contro

https://feedback.minecraft.net/hc/en-us/community/posts/360009305612--Bedrock-Touch-control-HUD-Improvements-More-on-screen-buttons-and-new-combat

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  • 5
    Registered User commented
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     I agreed that would be separate controller that would be "block" button and triggers to block.

    I've died many times pvp community it's doesn't fair.

  • 7
    Registered User commented
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    I agree if it's like this you need to sneak to place a blok too. I think that is better if on touch screen devices you need to touch on the right of the screen if do you want to use the main hand and left for off hand.

  • 2
    Registered User commented
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    This please, I want to be able to play Trident golf.

  • 18
    Registered User commented
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    How does this not have more votes?! I happen to play both Java and Bedrock (depending on what’s convenient) and it’s an absolute PAIN to switch my brain between play styles. I want to be able to right click to shield, and I want to hold other things in the offhand. Idk why it’s not that way already in bedrock when it’s been that way in Java for years.

  • 25
    Registered User commented
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    Yes, please PLEASE fix the disparity between Java and Bedrock offhand functionality! The offhand is so useful in Java as it allows you to wield a tool and block at the same time (ie a pick and some type of stone for quick placing and breaking when building), plus the ability to quickly slap down torches (super useful for clearing out gravity blocks like sand and gravel, which is just really cumbersome and annoying to do in bedrock).

    One thing I'm surprised OP didn't mention is mending. Putting mending on your tools is a little pointless in Bedrock because you have to be holding the tool for the experience to go toward repairs. Easy to do in Java, just pop the tool into your offhand and spend some time at your local xp farm, rather than the annoying "swipe with sword, QUICK switch to your tool before the xp gets to you!!!!okay now back to the sword" that Bedrock has to deal with.

    And I agree that the crouch-to-block mechanic is garbage and has gotten me killed on more than one occasion because of how unpolished it feels. Nowhere near the smooth and quick click-to-block that java has.

    Please just give us the full functionality that the offhand is supposed to have.

  • 15
    Registered User commented
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    I actaully made a similar bug report before I saw this one.

    MCPE-68622

    In Minecraft Bedrock edition, the Offhand is way less powerful than MC Java Edition. You can only use shields, totems, arrows, and maps. (And maybe a couple other little things). In Java Edition, you can literally put anything you want in the offhand, and activate it when your main hand is inapplicable. This is really helpful. You can keep fireworks there for easy flight access, food for easy food eating, and use pairs. Some pairs are ladder and block (to make a quick ladder tower), Pickaxe and Torch (For mining), Pickaxe and block (for building), and many other things. Sometime there are two main inventory items you need for a project, and with the Offhand, you can just use one slot, whereas in Bedrock edition, you have to switch BACK and FORTH and BACK and FORTH. The offhand tool is a very convenient quality of life change, yet it hasn't been fixed in MCPE since it came out 4 years ago! We also need a button like F to swap hands, or even keep this button in the unmapped control category. I really hope that this relatively easy code-fix is implemented into MCPE.

  • 4
    Registered User commented
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    This is a feature that java has but it is limited to bedrock. This one feature might make me switch to bedrock edition if the left hand slot was fully implemented from java edition. It’s currently limited to arrows, maps, totems, and their related items. It’s a stinker that you can’t use food or fireworks in that slot. The shield mechanic in bedrock is BS so I hope it’s like java edition.

    (excess formatting removed by admin for readability)

  • 0
    Registered User commented
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    I agree with all of that but mainly the middle paragraph. Because you could like hold 2 firework crossbows with max damage fireworks and multi-shot with over 100 damage output. But even then we have firework crossbow parity to deal with: https://feedback.minecraft.net/hc/en-us/community/posts/360043513372--Java-Parity-Fireworks-shot-from-crossbows-on- 

  • 4
    Registered User commented
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    People and devs didn't noticed this because it should be java parity not bedrock parity

  • 1
    Registered User commented
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    On handheld devices like Android and iOS, there could be slots on the left separated from the main hot bar which would allow you to hold tools in each hand or blocks like a trident in the offhand and a netherite sword in the other. One way to not make it overpowered would add a cool down for weapons like the combat update on java between hits. Fireworks in theory can also be used as well.

  • 2
    Registered User commented
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    Why is this still not implemented? WHY

  • 4
    Registered User commented
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    CivetKitty - please edit your post title to read Java Parity, not Bedrock Parity. You're looking to have Bedrock match the Java behavior (and I 100% agree with you here - the current implementation on Bedrock is useless), not vice versa.

  • 5
    Registered User commented
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    There is no need to add an extra button, it could perfectly work with a priority system, if you have a pick axe on main hand and food on offhand if you are looking into a block and you hold, you use the pickaxe, if you are looking at the air you eat, in case there were blocks on the off hand would be even easier as is different control, hold to mine, tap to place

    and this for everything

  • 4
    Registered User commented
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    Java parity*

    it's on java and you want it on bedrock

  • 1
    Registered User commented
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    I agree, mending is incredibly difficult to use on bedrock without designated xp farms.

  • 1
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    I agree. This Combat Update, I hope Will Release at 1.17. But It Will Release if Java Combat Mechanics is Done completely.(Java Combat is still Not Finished) So It may come to Bedrock when It is Done

  • 2
    Registered User commented
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    Update the title to java parity otherwise they will not choose it

  • 1
    Registered User commented
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    I'm normally a Java player and I tried Bedrock for a little. Sneak-blocking feels amazing since in Java I often activate my shield when trying to use items in my main hand, separating shield usage from other items seems like a good choice.

    Apart from that, just having an offhand slot in Bedrock seems like an obvious thing and makes me wonder why it doesn't exist. They've implemented much more difficult stuff, why would replacing the shield slot with an offhand slot be this hard.

  • 1
    Registered User commented
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    There is also a glitch in bedrock were the shield is upside down I would really like a fix for this one because my shield texture pack looks weird because they are upsidedown.

  • 4
    Registered User commented
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    This is actually called Java parity because it originated on Java and isn’t in bedrock yet.

  • 0
    Registered User commented
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    I wish shields weren't as obnoxious in Bedrock, they cover half of the screen when you use them.

  • 2
    Registered User commented
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    The offhand slot would be so useful.

  • 0
    Registered User commented
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    how do we fix an weapon with an mending like pickaxe in java there are so many ways. like killing mobs with an sword and the pickaxe can be fixed its that simple.

  • 0
    Registered User commented
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    I really hope this gets picked up and changed because I hate the sneak block garbage and not being able to place torches with the off hand

  • 2
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    I play Minecraft Bedrock edition on a PS4 and I feel like at the VERY least, Bedrock offhand needs to allow the player to hold and place torches in their offhand, as well as use fireworks with an Elytra like in Java. We can even already hold fireworks in our offhand on Bedrock, but only to use as ammo in crossbows. I find it such a tease that we can hold fireworks in our offhand, but we can't use them to fly with an Elytra! If I could add a third type of item to Bedrock offhand, it would just be all food so we could say run around with a bow/sword and also eat. Golden apples in one hand and a sword in the other sounds awesome!

  • 1
    Registered User commented
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    I agree and plus instead of putting more buttons in PE. They can put the shield activate option in the settings. For example shift to active shield/right-click to activate shield. So then the people who play on mobile won't get issue.

  • 0
    Registered User commented
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    I play with a controller.  Give controller users at least the option to make your offhanded item usable.  I don't need a separate button for crafting and inventory, so I would probably make Y using my offhand item use, but I don't even have the option. 

  • 1
    Registered User commented
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    i think it should be customizable in the key binds menu, personally i prefer crouching to block, so i think that would be the best

  • 0
    Registered User commented
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    When I broke the block the block is disappearing not coming in my hand