Slime Blocks:

Slime blocks are a new block that will be added in Minecraft 1.8 as a new block. Slime blocks are made of slime balls put together using a crafting table. Slime blocks are one of the many reasons everyone is looking forward to 1.8 and are arguably the most exciting feature. Slime blocks have a wide variety of capabilities in terms of redstone machines, decoration, and normal gameplay.

Slime blocks are made up of two sections. The first section is a solid, semi-opaque core in the middle that you cannot see through, while the second layer is a semi-transparent layer that covers the core. They are made by putting a slime ball in each of the 9 slots of a crafting table. Now it is time to find out what these blocks can do!

 

Bouncing with Slime Blocks:

This is the most basic thing you can do with slime blocks. The physics of it are pretty simple too. The higher you fall from = the higher you jump. Once you jump, you slowly bounce less and less high until you reach a full stop. While you can bounce from any height, it is recommended to bounce from high up as possible for maximum enjoyment.

You can also make an automatic trampoline using a repeating redstone circuit and a piston with slime blocks on it. Please note that this may cause client or even server lag. It is recommended to set repeaters to 3 ticks.

 

Moving Blocks with the use of Slime Blocks:

The GIF explains it all. When a piston moves a slime block, any block connected to it will move with it in the direction the piston moves. This can be used as an alternative way to make contraptions like piston doors, secret passageways, and more. It is important to note that obsidian and bedrock are not moved by pistons. This is important when you are using slime blocks and you do not want to move some blocks that are around the slime.

 

Flying Machines & Submarines:

Flying Machines are a new redstone invention in Minecraft 1.8 which optimizes the sticking abilities of Slime Blocks and uses pistons to push them along with the blocks. The flying machine is optimized to be a slow but safe form of travel. You cannot encounter hostile mobs when you are soaring above the landscape. It is slow (max speeds of 3.3 blocks per second), but you can AFK when using it without needing to have a railroad system. To work make sure you have a good computer since it can cause bugs with slow rendering or FPS.
Submarines use the same principle as Flying machines, but with a surrounding area with air. They travel at the same speed but with an enclosed cabin. Both are possible in the future update. Whether flying machines and submarines will be legal on EMC is not yet decided. Feel free to use these in your own world or private server, but make sure flying machines are not against server rules.

Slime Blocks in Decoration:

Slime blocks are a very unique block. Its texture is semi-transparent block similar to a beacon. The outside layer is transparent with a barely transparent center core. The exterior transparent layers is light green with a few dots to add texture to the block as if it were bumpy. This makes for many new combinations of design. Placing blocks behind the see-through slime block makes even more interesting designs available.

 

Hopefully this guide has helped to illuminate some of the more anticipated features of the Slime blocks coming shortly in the Minecraft 1.8 Update!