One thing that I noticed in minecraft builds, was that most designs were crafted like they had real world physics. For example, lightposts always had to go to the ground as though the pole was required to hold up the light, even though it actually isn't.
This got me thinking about how different things would be with minecraft like physics.
So I'm developing a setting where the physics of the setting are inspired by minecraft physics, though I'm adding plenty of personal twists to it.
Fair warning, I dive way too deep into the nuance.
I figure some may find it interesting.
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General traits I'm seeking to explain and maintain.
-Blocky Nature. Having objects tend towards blocky shapes. A difference from minecraft though, is that I figure objects and materials will naturally form into a variety of shapes, but cubes are just the most common. I'm thinking the shapes are primarily the Platonic solids, but also sphere, torus, and sheet.
-Locked in space. Another aspect to keep is how blocks can be locked in space and don't move unless broken or under special circumstances. I figure on giving materials different strengths that dictate how much effort it takes to move.
However, there is also the question of locked in space relative to planet but not the sun.
-Liquids with source blocks but also flow beyond that fed by the source.
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So, I have the idea that all things have a fundamental existence that is non-physical, that is then projected into the physical. The projection follows it's own rules and can be affected separately from the object's own existence. Thus, an object can be projected into physical reality as a shape.
Now, multiple objects can bond on different levels. So, at the core level, a core bond, two objects can bond into a singular new object. This can repeat into a variety of scales, from atoms to planets.
The next level of bond is a rigid bond, in which the two objects remain separate objects but stayed locked together external forces act on them together.
The third level of bond is a flexible bond, in which two objects seem attached and affect each other, forces acting on one doesn't inherently act on the other.
The last level of bonding is the field bond. In which the two objects interact but in non-obvious ways. This is the kind of bond that gets magnetism, gravity, spacial locking, etc.
When objects merge with a core bond, the resulting object is the next scale up.
An object, as a projection, has the physical form that is the intermediary in which objects interact based on physical form by default. But they also have an aura, which is what field bonds interact with. Thus, a planet has an aura, and blocks get locked in place in the aura of the planet. Objects in the planet's aura get moved with the planet and don't feel any effect of the planet's motion. This is also how a block locked in space relative to the planet, still moves relative to other planets or the star, because the whole planet and everything in the planet's aura moves together because of the field bond.
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So, what about state, solids, liquids, etc.
An object can still be in a number of states. Some states can be achieved only by certain materials, and there are two spectrums of states.
The first spectrum is solid, liquid, and gas, which all materials can be, based on heat. Different materials change state at different levels of heat. Some materials can be gel state or flow state, or a few other states instead.
The solid state is locked in place, rigid, and resists being affected by forces.
The liquid state has a source block, but projects material that flows and interacts at a distance, like water or lava in minecraft. The difference from minecraft is that the distance and amount is limited, so for example, water flows 7 blocks, period the end, never further. Also different liquids flow differently. Some might flow upwards instead of down for example.
The air state flows from a source block like a liquid, but in all directions, and the source block freely moves and responds to pressure, so it moves and has buoyancy.
Objects can normally move through liquid or air state materials.
The gel state is like the liquid state in that other objects can move through it, but it does not spread (think the powder snow in minecraft that you can fall into and get frozen).
The flow state is like a solid except it is not locked in space and can move around. Like sand or gravel in minecraft.
The second spectrum. This spectrum is about the object's physical projection.
An object can be in the set state, like when you've placed a block in minecraft.
Then there is the collapsed state, like a broken block in minecraft that is waiting to be picked up. This state can still interact with other things, can't pass through solid objects, etc. But does not lock in space and the object itself is in a kind of stasis. A clock in the collapsed state does not count the time for example.
Then there is the unprojected state, in which the object is no longer physical and gets sticky with the existence of other existences of objects but doesn't react physically and has no physical form. Can still be interacted with magically. This is like objects in your inventory in mineceaft.
Of course, the unprojected and collapsed states are unstable and objects will eventually return to the set state.
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This should be enough to give a general experience of minecraftish physics.
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Living things, as objects have their own aura, that means that at certain scales, blocks can be in a set state in the aura of that object. Creatures are like this, and thus contain set blocks that remain locked in placed relative to the creature's aura, or that can move, etc. For example, a blood block that is the source block for a creature's blood, which if collapsed, suddenly results in no more blood in that creature.
Creatures can also go from set to collapsed to unprojected states. But it is much more difficult as creatures are more complex than simple substances.
This is how some magics work. A petrification spell collapses the creature's liquid blocks. A stasis spell puts the whole creature into the collapsed state. A teleport spell makes the whole creature, or object, into the unprojected state and moves it as a pure non-physical entity to the destination where it explodes into the set state again.
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In any case, these are some ridiculously deep explanations for how the physics of the setting work to produce a minecraft like world.
There's plenty of additional details to work out, but I figured I would present what I have so far, and see what kind of hate mail I can get. Maybe someone out there will like it or at least find it inspiring.
I plan on making a rogue-like mix of minecraft, pokemon, and DnD. So, someday this may result in something playable, and seeing a water source block with a teardrop hanging from it will be quite interesting to see.