Hi, I plan a rather large mod (I guess) which focuses on earth and the ground. This means a lot of earth blocks will be added including a bit of interaction between them. The main reason for this is because I think default dirt etc. alone gets boring very quickly. =)
For Minetest version 0.4.9 or later.
License of everything: WTFPL
Dependencies: None!
Optional dependency: Internationalization Library [intllib]
Download version 3.1: download/file.php?mode=view&id=7979
Links for developers and interested users:
Project page: http://repo.or.cz/w/minetest_pedology.git
Long description
Concepts and ideas of this planned mod:
- Provide a basis for other mods to build upon. This is not intended to be a standalone mod, except as sandbox mod maybe.
- Introduce a lot of new ground blocks and replace the boring default ones: Clay, silt, sand, gravel, turf, snow and ice, most of them in several density levels, allowing for more variety.
- Solid ground block can become wet and transfer the wetness to other blocks.
- By default, most blocks do not drop themselves when mined, instead they give you lumps or pieces or whatever; possibly enabling more interesting crafting recipes.
For version 1, proper wetness and 10 basic ground blocks in several wetness levels are planned. They are, sorted by density/corn size:
- clay (5)
- fine silt (5)
- medium silt (4)
- coarse silt (3)
- fine sand (2)
- medium sand (1)
- coarse sand (0)
- fine gravel (1)
- medium gravel (2)
- coarse gravel (2)
Here is how the wetness is planned: Every ground block has a level of wetness from 0 to 5 (0=dry). Over time, they can slowly suck water from surrounding water blocks and can ooze water to other blocks. The wetness is preferably given to blocks below. If this is not possible, the wetness goes to the sides. Otherwise, the wetness level stays. Over time, wet blocks on the surface my dry out on their own.
It was also intended that wetness levels 4 and 5 are for mud, but I guess this idea has to wait a bit.
One important part of the wetness code has been implemented already, but it is not done. What is also missing for verision 1 are proper textures for all ground blocks for all wetness levels. But some are done already, see this screenshot:
URL: https://i.imgur.com/Vv7c35M.png
The gray blocks are 3 kinds of gravel, the darker ones in the front are actually wet. The light brown/red ones are clay. The brown ones in the background are dry silt. And the yellow blocks are of course sand. The grass is actually from minetest_game, ignore it. You also see transparent nodes. This is mud, but for now I have temprarily disabled it.
To test this, play this mod in creative mode. But remember, some textures are missing. The water is also very buggy, ignore it for now.
Long term plans
For version 2 planned are 3 types of turf:
- fibric turf (2)
- hemic turf (2)
- sapric turf (2)
For version 3, a variety of snow and ice blocks is planned as well, sorted by density:
- slush (wet snow)
- very soft snow
- soft snow
- snow
- packing snow
- firn
- white ice (opaque)
- pure ice (transparent)
If possible, two special blocks are planned:
Snow cornice: breaks into pieces when something steps on it. Variant of snow.
Quicksand (=watery fine sand).
However, it is unsure if these ideas are even possible with the engine.
Further long-term goals of this mod:
- Provide a solid framework for other mods to build upon
- Introduce a great variety of ground blocks, replacing the boring default ones
- Introduce turf
- Introduce snow and ice variety
- Introduce thin air and vacuum (done, but experimental!)
- Create individual images for each block and wetness
- Create individual sounds for each block and wetness
- Introduce the concept of “wet” blocks.
- Blocks can be wet
- Wetness wanders from block to block (oozing) (done!)
- Water blocks wetten ground blocks very slowly (sucking)
- Very wet blocks can be eroded when surrounded by a lot of water (erosion)
- Get rid of the dependency on the default mod. (done! It actually never depended on default. Silly me!)
- Questionable goal: Introduce quicksand and snow cornice.
Possible purposes of this mod:
- The variety of blocks can be the basis for great map generators
- The several kinds of ground blocks may be a good foundation for complex vegetation systems.
- The wetness system can be the foundation for more complex farming mods.
- The vacuum and thin air may be used by space mods.
Non-goals for this mod:
- To create a fully standalone mod (It is intended for other mods to build upon)
- New stone types (maybe I’ll do it in another mod!)
- Map generation
- New ores
New ideas are welcome if they fit somehow to the spirit of this mod. I am likely to throw away existing concepts if they turn out to be flawed; I am half in the implementation, half in the planning phase. :=)