What's new in the ecosystem.

Hunt-and-devour AI

• Creepers hunt and devour instead of exploding
• Mainline release for 1.20.1 and 1.21.1 – 1.21.11

Ultra Hard 2.1

• Devour attack instead of explosion — no block damage
• 1.3x chase AI that tracks through walls up to 15 blocks
• Fizzle-on-miss when the devour is dodged
• Difficulty forced to Hard/Hardcore
• Doubled creeper spawns; spawning now happens cross-dimension and during the day

Ultra Hard — released

• Standalone hardcore variant of Creeper Eater
• Relentless hunt AI and hardcore enforcement
• uhceu builds for 1.21.1 – 1.21.11 and 26.x

Cyan neon theme

• Cyan neon GUI theme
• 1.8.9 and 1.20.3–26.2 builds

Gold neon theme

• Gold neon GUI theme
• 1.8.9 and 1.20.3–26.2 builds

Green neon theme

• Green neon GUI theme
• 1.8.9 and 1.20.3–26.2 builds

Lime neon theme

• Lime neon GUI theme
• 1.8.9 and 1.20.3–26.2 builds

Magenta neon theme

• Magenta neon GUI theme
• 1.8.9 and 1.20.3–26.2 builds

Orange neon theme

• Orange neon GUI theme
• 1.8.9 and 1.20.3–26.2 builds

Pink neon theme

• Pink neon GUI theme
• 1.8.9 and 1.20.3–26.2 builds

Expanded colour family

• Purple neon GUI theme
• 1.8.9 and 1.20.3–26.2 builds
• OptiFine shader support

Red neon theme

• Red neon GUI theme
• 1.8.9 and 1.20.3–26.2 builds

Yellow neon theme

• Yellow neon GUI theme
• 1.8.9 and 1.20.3-26.2 builds

Reconciliation & rollback refinements

• Expanded version matrix to 1.21.11 and 26.x
• Improved rollback precision
• Developer API additions

Stability pass

• Fixed rollback edge cases on high-latency servers
• Reduced per-tick cost

Account linked: shared session, plan and progress

• Account client reads Hero Client's shared session — sign in once, both mods are linked
• Config screen shows live plan status (username, plan, sessions/day, toggle unlocks)
• Progress milestones: launch, Bedrock connect, world bedrockified, UI toggles, resource pack conversion
• Plan entitlements from the shared source
• 80 automated tests passing

World sync, resource packs & performance

• World Sync Engine: biome, weather, time and entity synchronisation from Bedrock sessions
• Resource pack translation: Bedrock textures, models and sounds converted to Java format
• UI parity toggles: health bars, inventory, crafting, hotbar, chat and scoreboard
• Performance pass: chunk optimiser, entity culler, packet batcher, memory pool
• Birthday easter egg removed from mainline (kept on the birthday-2026 branch)
• 80 automated tests passing

Full compatibility + protocol fixes

• All 12 MC versions (1.21-1.21.11) now compile natively
• 161 Bedrock mechanics across 13 phases
• Fixed RakNet ACK, split packets, reliability, keepalive
• Fixed Bedrock crypto (server salt, HKDF-SHA256)
• Fixed JWT chain wire format
• Added RequestChunkRadius + SetLocalPlayerAsInitialized packets
• Added 400+ vanilla block/item/entity mappings
• Added /j2b report command
• Added UI config toggles (HUD, coordinates, chat, hotbar)
• Fixed world importer zip-slip vulnerability
• Added 10 protocol unit tests

GUI & export refinements

• Expanded version matrix to 1.21.11 and 26.x
• Conflict scanner improvements
• Headless /packmerge command suite

Markdown engine + libraries

• Live-preview Markdown editor
• Libraries, search, themes, export
• Multiplayer sync

Flood-fill engine

• Unlimited vein mining via non-recursive BFS
• 12-version matrix

Context-aware crosshair

• Context color coding + tooltips
• Combat glow indicators
• Public API

The 0.8.0 Release - the whole Hero Agent surface, honestly shipped

• HERO SEQUENCE: 7 specialist slots (NOVA/FORGE/SAGE/LENS/SCRIBE/ATLAS/SWIFT) resolved server-side - no vendor ids anywhere in the UI
• ChatsBar left rail + real D1 conversation persistence, stable message ids, Ctrl+B/Ctrl+N/Ctrl+Shift+H
• Modes: Chat, Build, Review and Plan - typed plan cards before work starts, typed build progress cards while it runs
• HERO MEMORIES: D1 CRUD, free auto-extraction, server-side injection (3K cap), MemoryPanel on Ctrl+M
• Server-side metering: premium slot gates, truthful credits_remaining, per-slot usage chart in Plans
• HONEST ENTERPRISE (third-party audit remediation, 25 findings): single release registry + deploy consistency gate, tutorial rewritten (no modding advice), dedicated /privacy/hero-agent data notice, published slot directory + architecture + language matrix + all 18 skills
• Model authenticity: each slot now runs a genuinely different engine class with honest provider-tier disclosure; chat/stream/build responses carry HERO identities only (vendor model ids never leave the server)
• REAL billing: DonationAlerts checkout with reference + admin verification queue (also resolves plan requests), unified 0/20/50 catalog, atomic idempotent credit deduction (race-proof), published per-slot pricing rules
• UNIFIED HERO ACCOUNT: usage/tokens/build/chat stats pushed to herostudios account, Accounts dashboard with profile, entitlements, orders, usage charts and cosmetics showcase
• Settings honesty: telemetry toggle now gates real reporting, privacy notes made true, auto-memory signed-out feedback + non-stream gap closed, clear-history removes server copies, Collaboration marked DEMO
• UI RETRANSFORMATION: File/View/Settings/Accounts menu bar (Ctrl+Alt+M), unified design-token system (zero hard-coded accent colors), every side panel de-cramped to modern density, unified scroll model
• SAFETY: hardened workspace jail + secret-file denial + secret redaction (T-025/026), mode contracts enforced, destructive confirms name their exact targets, safety-limits surfaced in Settings
• TESTING: 62-test executable battery (8 suites, 62 assertions, QA 44 pass / 0 fail / 18 honest not-run) + live GET /api/v1/system/qa evidence endpoint
• DESKTOP: real in-app installer downloader with SHA-256 verification + run-installer, Electron CSP, 21/21 IPC sender guards, hardened heroai:// deep links, 0.8.0 installer rebuilt
• Browser app live at agent.herostudios.dev; Windows desktop installer built locally (0.8.0) - not published yet
• Docs: architecture boundaries, sequence slots scaffold, all 18 skills, honest 27-language matrix; dedicated Hero Agent privacy notice

The Enterprise Release - Hero Model Sequence, chat-first shell, real persistence

• HERO MODEL SEQUENCE: 7 original specialist slots (NOVA/FORGE/SAGE/LENS/SCRIBE/ATLAS/SWIFT) with no vendor ids anywhere in the UI
• ChatsBar left rail + real D1 conversation persistence, stable message ids, Ctrl+B/Ctrl+N/Ctrl+Shift+H
• Composer rebuilt: inline sequence picker, Chat/Build/Review/Plan modes, slash commands, typed build progress cards
• HERO MEMORIES: D1 CRUD, free auto-extraction, server-side injection (3K cap), MemoryPanel on Ctrl+M
• Server-side metering: premium slot gates, truthful credits_remaining, per-slot usage chart in Plans
• Chat-first shell + chat dock (Ctrl+Shift+C), 8-icon activity rail, consolidated Settings, single 68-entry keymap
• D1-persistent file store, honest git/engine contracts, real 0.7.0 Windows installer, heroai:// deep links, crash reporter

Connected: shared plan sync + progress tracking

• Progress milestones report to the shared herostudios.dev catalog (chat, build, voice, theme, saves, providers, plan upgrades)
• Billing reads the SHARED plan - upgrading on the website updates the Agent within a minute (60s cache, offline fallback to the last known plan)
• New /agent/progress endpoint forwards server-side (no CORS; honest 502 when the catalog is unreachable)
• 7 milestones wired into real feature actions with idempotent, retrying, never-blocking reporting

v2.0 overhaul, desktop app & AI that always answers

• v2.0 IDE: command palette (Ctrl+K), multi-pane editor (up to 4 panes), 15 themes with live preview
• AI superpowers: code review with grades, auto-fix rules, project analyzer with architecture diagram, smart inline suggestions
• Desktop app: Electron shell - native menus, file dialogs, window state, custom title bar, system tray
• Credits + plans: Free ($5) / Pro ($20) / Enterprise ($50) with usage ledger and low-balance warnings
• Fixed empty AI replies: reasoning models starved the token budget (8192 default now, retry with reasoning disabled, stream recovery)
• Voice input everywhere: Web Speech API with Whisper transcription fallback for Electron/Firefox
• Build endpoint writes real code - report/template formatting removed
• Free fallback model when no provider key is configured; honest errors otherwise
• Live preview, edit history, snapshots, session recording, collaboration panel
• Bundle optimized 758 kB to 327 kB with lazy panel loading

Hero Code — polished AI agent with enterprise features

• Complete feature catalogue — every capability listed with its real status (AI agent, models & providers, editor & tools, getting started)
• Desktop app installers for Windows (NSIS), macOS (DMG) and Linux (AppImage) bumped to 0.5.0 — now in build
• Docs, tutorial and FAQ refreshed for the open beta

Hero Code — live AI, auth, and everything working

• Live AI via Groq GPT-OSS 120B — free, capable, instant responses
• herostudios.dev sign-in — real accounts, cross-domain auth
• Web search — agent researches docs, APIs and errors while it works
• AI file editing — right-click any code, ask AI to edit it
• Markdown rendering in chat — headings, bold, code blocks, lists all render
• Build results shown in chat with file previews and Open Project button
• Model selector with temperature, max tokens, and system prompt settings
• Quick action buttons: Explain, Fix, Improve, Write Tests, Add Comments, Refactor
• 27 programming languages with syntax highlighting
• 18 built-in skills (Minecraft, Godot, Blockbench, and more)
• Credits system — $5.00 free per user
• Simplified UI — 5 essential icons, everything else via Ctrl+K
• Desktop app installers for Windows (NSIS), macOS (DMG), Linux (AppImage)

Hero Code — the autonomous AI development agent

• AI builds entire projects from natural language — real multi-file code written into your workspace
• 18 built-in skills (Minecraft modding, Godot, Blockbench, and more)
• Web search integration — the agent researches docs, APIs and errors while it works
• Custom AI providers (OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini, Groq, Ollama, any OpenAI-compatible endpoint)
• 27 programming languages with syntax highlighting
• Right-click 'Ask AI' — explain, fix, improve any code
• Built-in terminal, Git and debugger
• Extensions marketplace for plugins
• Interactive tutorial for beginners
• herostudios.dev account integration
• Desktop app for Windows, macOS and Linux (coming soon — run from source today)

Model router + agents

• Model router online
• Specialist agent suite

Connected: shared account, plan and progress

• Reads the shared Hero Studios plan (/api/account/plan) — one plan across the website, both mods and Hero Agent
• Reports progress milestones to /api/account/progress (10 milestones: launch, HUD, zoom, waypoints, cosmetics, cloud sync...)
• PlanService: 5-minute cache, local dedupe, fully guarded reporting
• 4,715 automated tests passing

Everything works again

• Removed every keybind conflict with vanilla controls (W, R, T, F and / moved to F6-F11)
• Config version gate re-applies feature defaults when upgrading from builds that saved everything OFF — HUD, screens and toggles work again
• Version stamp persists across saves so your own choices are never overwritten
• Custom value.* settings survive upgrades
• 4,715 automated tests passing

Crash fix release

• Fixed HudElementManager crash on server join (lazy singleton)
• ALL features now work on fresh install (defaults applied)
• Fixed all keybinds (direct API, no reflection)
• Fixed mod menu text rendering
• Added zoom/fullbright/freelook keybinds
• Fixed CPS display (wired mouse clicks)
• Fixed feature state persistence
• Redesigned mod menu GUI (rounded cards, accent colors, better layout)
• Fixed vanilla crosshair hidden when custom crosshair active
• Fixed armor per-slot display
• Fixed title screen button
• Fixed mojibake in 3 files
• Pinned MC to 1.21.11
• Unified version to 2.2
• Fixed ALL keybinds (direct API calls, no reflection)
• Fixed mod menu text rendering
• Added zoom/fullbright/freelook keybinds
• Fixed CPS display
• Fixed feature state persistence
• Fixed mojibake in chat messages
• Pinned MC to 1.21.11
• Unified version to 2.2
• Fixed all invisible text in mod menu (DrawStringCompat direct calls)
• Fixed FreelookMixin for 1.21.11 (Level parameter)
• Removed broken KeyInputMixin
• HUD overlay null-safety

Phase 1 — multi-version + full GUI

• Per-version builds published for Minecraft 1.21 through 1.21.11 (26.x builds in progress)
• Full GUI: mod menu, settings screen, HUD editor and keybind editor
• QoL pass: smooth zoom (2x/4x/8x scroll levels), animated freelook, fullbright modes, dynamic crosshair, waypoint colours
• Accessibility: six features wired into the mod, settings screen, colour-blind filter in the overlay
• Phase 1: command framework, config validators, performance engine
• Build tooling: build-all-versions.ps1, test-all-versions.ps1, deploy-downloads.ps1
• Loom 1.13.6 + Gradle 8.14.3 stable build; CLIENT_PERFECTION_PLAN.md
• Feature catalog mirrored onto the website from FeatureRegistry (127 features, 16 categories)

Stabilisation and launch fix

• Released for Minecraft 1.21.11
• Fixed launch crash: glGetString with no GL context crashed the client on every launch
• Fixed mixin crash: MouseClickMixin never applied — startUseItem returns void
• Wired module-ai into the Gradle reactor
• Fixed timing-dependent managerGetHealth test (0 ms is valid uptime)

Milestone stream — M2/M5 and hero-client-web

• M2: PerformanceManager presets, FrameTimeMonitor (avg/min/max/1% low), PerformanceDiagnostics, AdaptiveQualityEngine, context overrides
• M5: Screenshot Studio and Replay Studio — real disk export, gallery rename/delete/export
• hero-client-web (backend support site) restored and stabilised

Browser hub beta

• Seeded worlds with per-world save slots
• Inventory, crafting and 21 recipes
• 11 missions with rewards
• Mobs: pig, sheep, zombie, creeper
• Health, hunger, food and respawn
• Caves, coal ore and iron ore underground
• Working furnaces, chests and beds
• Creative mode and a command console
• Day/night, fog, ambient occlusion and particles
• Synthesised sound with a volume control
• Same-machine co-op

Engine milestones M0–M9

• HGFX with OpenGL + Vulkan backends
• Frame graph + chunk renderer
• Adaptive quality, LOD, 26.x support

Initial production release candidate

• Recorder, timeline, diagnostics and command suite
• 15-version build matrix

Early alpha

• Universal entity capture/release with full NBT preservation
• 16-version matrix
• No Fabric API required

Internal milestone — v1.0.0 build

• AI chat with six models
• Build planner, redstone engineer, knowledge search
• Cross-platform builds (Windows/macOS/Linux/Android) — internal alpha

Kernel core

• Paging, heap, GDT/TSS, IDT, PIC/PIT
• 10 self-tests passing
• Boots to a boot banner