Vines work fine too, at least in my test world. The wider coverage area is great, especially if you place several cutters so that their areas overlap. When each tree is getting hit by multiple iron axes, they come down fast.
Well, the beans only grow naturally on original trees, not planted trees, so the tree cutter probably shouldn't do it. Now, if you wanted a block / blocks that harvested sugar cane, cocoa, cactus, and/or mushrooms, that might be a thing. The only issue here is, we're getting away from the common and time-consuming tasks into the more rare and occasional ones. We should probably leave something for the player to do, and these are simple tasks that you can already mostly automate. =)
Out of everything that I've watched you all discuss today the biggest thing that jumped out at me was a Mushroom farm block. So, I'll make a note of it and see if I can release it with the Farm Hand. Speaking of the Farm Hand, I am almost done testing it, but I found some serious issues involving the Breeder that took up a lot of my time.
Hopefully I can have a new release soon. Thanks for being patient everyone!
Automated mushroom farming is tricky. Either you grow big ones with bonemeal (and you'll need a sunshade unless you have mycelium), or you slowly spread small ones (in which case you need to leave the "seed" mushrooms alone, and growth speed depends on how many seed mushrooms you have in the area). The best bet for farming them with a helper would be to clone some of the tree helper code to place a mushroom, fertilize it somehow, then use an axe to chop it back down. Not sure how you'd balance that, as it needs a very long cool-down or you'll be swimming in mushrooms. Spread-growth is much more balanced, but very slow unless you have the right number and spacing of seed mushrooms, and I don't know how you'd implement that. The vanilla mechanics are here.
TL;DR: with all the other food options you're providing (especially with auto-milking and egg collecting), and given the difficulties in using the vanilla mechanics, unless you want to invent a mechanism of your own for mushroom farming, I think you'd be better off leaving it alone.
The seeds thing is just the random number generator messing with you. Sometimes you get more than you need, sometimes you run out. The same thing happens with saplings sometimes; you can get jungle trees that just don't drop enough saplings to re-plant. It averages out in the end, but it's very annoying if you get a string of unlucky trees and run out of saplings before your tree farm is established.
Just for your analysis in balancing the extractor, here's the results from a large run:
16 extractors connected to breakers and crushers. 3 magnets and 4 iron picks per pair, costing 168 iron. Run time about 60 minutes using default config.
For comparison, a 4-cell iron golem farm would produce around 160 iron ingots in the same time, free of cost or human interaction.
The balance of output vs. cost seems balanced, especially since this takes human interaction. However, after accounting for iron consumed, it produces a bit more useable gold than iron. Now, this could be a balancing technique, but if you wanted the output to be closer to natural spawn rates, I'd shift about half of the gold ore odds over to iron ore. That would give us 272 useable iron, and 126 useable gold.
Hmm... ah! Unless you have changed the config file, you need shears in the chest. The cutter shears the leaves first, then cuts the logs with the axe. If you want to break the leaves with the axe instead, you need to tell the config file.
I'm finished with the Farm Hand block which has several uses. The full feature list will be released with the update. Also, since I didn't think it would take too long, I created the Spore Keeper. This block automates mushroom farms. I'm still working out a few kinks, but everything should be done soon and released for your enjoyment. I can't wait to see more large scale contraptions like Zobrux's!
Hmm... ah! Unless you have changed the config file, you need shears in the chest. The cutter shears the leaves first, then cuts the logs with the axe. If you want to break the leaves with the axe instead, you need to tell the config file.
Thanks for answering this one Zoburx.
P.S. The Spore Keeper is giving me trouble so I may just release the Farm Hand update when I get a chance. Since I have the brain pain I'll be headed to bed now. Update tomorrow. Wether the Spore Keeper will be included or not, I'm not sure.
Well, since you asked for more contraptions, here's the improved auto-extractor:
It's modular, with 2 extractors per pod, and 4 pods per level. This one has 4 levels, for 32 extractors. It's very noisy when running, so it's meant to be put underground, deep under your base. Just use hopper ducts to pipe the ores topside.
One pod contains a breaker, four crushers, and two extractors. Put picks and magnets in the chest, and set the grated hopper underneath to only allow the ores and nuggets.
The cobble generator. One lava source per level, one water source for the whole setup.
A side view.
The output for one run using 3 magnets and 4 iron picks per chest, taking about an hour. The iron on the left is needed to re-stock the chests with tools; the rest is the profit. This is why I suggest you tilt the odds a bit more in iron's favor.
Well, since you asked for more contraptions, here's the improved auto-extractor:
Truly awesome! I haven't even had time to play with my own mod. Once I release this update I may take some time to enjoy minecraft for a while while only fixing bugs. Of course that'll only last a few days before I want to either create a new mod or add to this one.
Hmm... ah! Unless you have changed the config file, you need shears in the chest. The cutter shears the leaves first, then cuts the logs with the axe. If you want to break the leaves with the axe instead, you need to tell the config file.
Oh ok, thanks a lot
Now I put shears and its working. It's more expensive, but it works (I dont get 100% of the leaves, is that normal?)
Well, since you asked for more contraptions, here's the improved auto-extractor:
It's modular, with 2 extractors per pod, and 4 pods per level. This one has 4 levels, for 32 extractors. It's very noisy when running, so it's meant to be put underground, deep under your base. Just use hopper ducts to pipe the ores topside.
One pod contains a breaker, four crushers, and two extractors. Put picks and magnets in the chest, and set the grated hopper underneath to only allow the ores and nuggets.
The cobble generator. One lava source per level, one water source for the whole setup.
A side view.
The output for one run using 3 magnets and 4 iron picks per chest, taking about an hour. The iron on the left is needed to re-stock the chests with tools; the rest is the profit. This is why I suggest you tilt the odds a bit more in iron's favor.
Wow, it looks amazing. Really looks like a good setup, gonna make some tests on creative
yup that's normal. It's a countermeasure to full storage in a matter of minutes.
Thanks NavyBofus I wouldn't mind a full chest of leaves, I'm thinking on use this mods together with "Ex Nihilo" hope you know it, it's a mod to use on Skyblocks maps. In this mod, 8 leaves gives 1 Dirt block, so, the more leaves the better But for sure I'll need to set up the Ores first, as it will get iron expensive otherway
Remember, the shears have almost as much durability as an iron axe, but cost 2 iron instead of 3. It's actually cheaper to use shears than iron (or diamond!) axes to break leaves. Now, if you're using stone everything, that's different.
BEWARE: This version of the mod will probably not break your worlds, but there are some possiblities that it will, so I wanted to express my concern.
RELEASE NOTES
NEW: Farm Hand - This new LittleHelper will collect various items from adult animals without killing them. This of course means that no meat will be collected. - Chickens: Will collect layed eggs. This is not instant, but will be done before they despawn. Also if shears are provided, feathers will be collected. More chickens will provide feathers faster. If the ChickenShed mod is loaded, the dropped feathers will be collected in the same manner as eggs. - Pigs: Will collect truffles from pigs. Speed depends on number of pigs in the area (speed will be tweaked in a future version to give less truffels per hour). - Sheep: Will shear sheep for wool if shears are provided. All vanilla mechanics are used versus creating new code to handle the sheep. - Cows: Will collect milk from cows if buckets are provided. Speed depends on number of cows in the area. - Mooshroom: Will collect soup from mooshroom if bowls are provided. Speed depends on number of mooshroom in the area.
NEW: Enchanted Shears - This new mod item has 500 durability at the cost of a higher recipe cost. Recipe: 1st Row | Iron, Gold - 2nd Row | Gold, Iron
NEW: Truffle - This new mod item is a source of food that isn't very tasty.
REVISED: Metal Extractor - This block now has a 60% chance to find Iron Ore, 30% chance to find a Gold Nugget and a 10% chance to find Gold Ore (This change will increase the Iron production and lessen the Gold production).
FUTURE RELEASE: Spore Keeper - This new LittleHelper will maintain a 5x5 area of mushrooms much like the Crop Farmer does. May requires buckets of water occasionally to maintain humidity (for balance).
The OP for this topic will be updated when an official version of 1.5 is released.
Tip 1: use 2x2 tree types (dark oak, jungle, spruce), as they grow a huge tree whenever any of the saplings tries to grow. That means more wood faster. Tip 2: don't try this specific layout using big trees without hopper automation, or your chest will overflow.
This layout is the key. Each tree is covered by 3 cutters when you stagger the cutters and planters like this.
Using a grated hopper, you can put the leaves and apples/vines in one chest, and the logs in the other.
Now testing the farm hand. Quick question: what are the effective dimensions supposed to be?
Truffles: same nutritional value as melon slices. Seems OK, especially if you lower the rate, but not really necessary. Another option would be to find a random mushroom, or possibly (very rarely) a block of mycelium, which would help for setting up mushroom farms.
Feathers: this seems way too fast, compared to sheep and eggs, especially with multiple overlapping blocks.
Eggs: if two blocks try to pick up the egg at the same time, sometimes both get one. Bug or feature?
Hopefully I can have a new release soon. Thanks for being patient everyone!
TL;DR: with all the other food options you're providing (especially with auto-milking and egg collecting), and given the difficulties in using the vanilla mechanics, unless you want to invent a mechanism of your own for mushroom farming, I think you'd be better off leaving it alone.
16 extractors connected to breakers and crushers. 3 magnets and 4 iron picks per pair, costing 168 iron. Run time about 60 minutes using default config.
Output: 350 iron (182 net), 180 gold ore + 328 nuggets (216 gold ingots total).
For comparison, a 4-cell iron golem farm would produce around 160 iron ingots in the same time, free of cost or human interaction.
The balance of output vs. cost seems balanced, especially since this takes human interaction. However, after accounting for iron consumed, it produces a bit more useable gold than iron. Now, this could be a balancing technique, but if you wanted the output to be closer to natural spawn rates, I'd shift about half of the gold ore odds over to iron ore. That would give us 272 useable iron, and 126 useable gold.
Thanks a lot.
And inside the chest next to the Tree breaker there is an Iron Axe...
I'm finished with the Farm Hand block which has several uses. The full feature list will be released with the update. Also, since I didn't think it would take too long, I created the Spore Keeper. This block automates mushroom farms. I'm still working out a few kinks, but everything should be done soon and released for your enjoyment. I can't wait to see more large scale contraptions like Zobrux's!
Thanks for answering this one Zoburx.
P.S. The Spore Keeper is giving me trouble so I may just release the Farm Hand update when I get a chance. Since I have the brain pain I'll be headed to bed now. Update tomorrow. Wether the Spore Keeper will be included or not, I'm not sure.
It's modular, with 2 extractors per pod, and 4 pods per level. This one has 4 levels, for 32 extractors. It's very noisy when running, so it's meant to be put underground, deep under your base. Just use hopper ducts to pipe the ores topside.
One pod contains a breaker, four crushers, and two extractors. Put picks and magnets in the chest, and set the grated hopper underneath to only allow the ores and nuggets.
The cobble generator. One lava source per level, one water source for the whole setup.
A side view.
The output for one run using 3 magnets and 4 iron picks per chest, taking about an hour. The iron on the left is needed to re-stock the chests with tools; the rest is the profit. This is why I suggest you tilt the odds a bit more in iron's favor.
Oh ok, thanks a lot
Now I put shears and its working. It's more expensive, but it works (I dont get 100% of the leaves, is that normal?)
Wow, it looks amazing. Really looks like a good setup, gonna make some tests on creative
Thanks NavyBofus I wouldn't mind a full chest of leaves, I'm thinking on use this mods together with "Ex Nihilo" hope you know it, it's a mod to use on Skyblocks maps. In this mod, 8 leaves gives 1 Dirt block, so, the more leaves the better But for sure I'll need to set up the Ores first, as it will get iron expensive otherway
EDIT: Also, I'm working on the UPDATE again so hopefully within the next hour I'll have something for you all to download.
BEWARE: This version of the mod will probably not break your worlds, but there are some possiblities that it will, so I wanted to express my concern.
RELEASE NOTES
NEW: Farm Hand - This new LittleHelper will collect various items from adult animals without killing them. This of course means that no meat will be collected.
- Chickens: Will collect layed eggs. This is not instant, but will be done before they despawn. Also if shears are provided, feathers will be collected. More chickens will provide feathers faster. If the ChickenShed mod is loaded, the dropped feathers will be collected in the same manner as eggs.
- Pigs: Will collect truffles from pigs. Speed depends on number of pigs in the area (speed will be tweaked in a future version to give less truffels per hour).
- Sheep: Will shear sheep for wool if shears are provided. All vanilla mechanics are used versus creating new code to handle the sheep.
- Cows: Will collect milk from cows if buckets are provided. Speed depends on number of cows in the area.
- Mooshroom: Will collect soup from mooshroom if bowls are provided. Speed depends on number of mooshroom in the area.
NEW: Enchanted Shears - This new mod item has 500 durability at the cost of a higher recipe cost. Recipe: 1st Row | Iron, Gold - 2nd Row | Gold, Iron
NEW: Truffle - This new mod item is a source of food that isn't very tasty.
REVISED: Metal Extractor - This block now has a 60% chance to find Iron Ore, 30% chance to find a Gold Nugget and a 10% chance to find Gold Ore (This change will increase the Iron production and lessen the Gold production).
FUTURE RELEASE: Spore Keeper - This new LittleHelper will maintain a 5x5 area of mushrooms much like the Crop Farmer does. May requires buckets of water occasionally to maintain humidity (for balance).
The OP for this topic will be updated when an official version of 1.5 is released.
Tip 1: use 2x2 tree types (dark oak, jungle, spruce), as they grow a huge tree whenever any of the saplings tries to grow. That means more wood faster. Tip 2: don't try this specific layout using big trees without hopper automation, or your chest will overflow.
This layout is the key. Each tree is covered by 3 cutters when you stagger the cutters and planters like this.
Using a grated hopper, you can put the leaves and apples/vines in one chest, and the logs in the other.
Truffles: same nutritional value as melon slices. Seems OK, especially if you lower the rate, but not really necessary. Another option would be to find a random mushroom, or possibly (very rarely) a block of mycelium, which would help for setting up mushroom farms.
Feathers: this seems way too fast, compared to sheep and eggs, especially with multiple overlapping blocks.
Eggs: if two blocks try to pick up the egg at the same time, sometimes both get one. Bug or feature?