Tree farming

[neko259]

What about growing trees? Maybe existing trees could spread, or leaves can give player saplink like in MC.

[mstoykov]

I have thought about this too and I come up with ... ideas (different ones that don't interfere with each other ) :
1. MC style saplings
1.1. needs new textures
1.2. new code for the saplings
1.2.1.either it just grows into a tree and that it (after time)
1.2.2. or it grows into a tree and it continues to grows in time based on some things (old trees needs to grow too) <-- coolest solution
2. Every few days randomly put new trees <-- the easiest solution just needs to make sure not to break something (like growing inside someones home and breaking the roof)
3. extension of the previous idea : server defined areas where trees grows (trees still spawn at start at other areas)

all the ideas need additional code - idea 2 will probably be the easiest - just put x trees in every zone every y time.

[neko259]

I can add a new idea:
4. Add a new block for the lowest part of the tree. If you don't break it, the new tree will grow from it.

[benajamin]

Notch made mushrooms self-replicate in the latest Minecraft update. Despite the slow rate of growth, they are gradually taking over entire maps and driving people crazy. This is a warning to anyone thinking about self-replicating items in Minetest.

[neko259]

Notch made mushrooms self-replicate in the latest Minecraft update. Despite the slow rate of growth, they are gradually taking over entire maps and driving people crazy. This is a warning to anyone thinking about self-replicating items in Minetest.

I put a single mushroom in a room in minecraft but I don't see it spreading :)
I think self-replicating trees would do no harm in cities or human-living areas where they often cut them down. But they could take over the free areas. Just like in real life. Oh, and they will take over abandoned player homes too, that would be nice!

[mstoykov]

ok just to clarify
option 2 and 3(self replication) are meant with a restriction - like you dont have trees next to another tree but atleast 3-4 cubes away (so it looks natural ) It never was meant like tree on one spot and a tree on the next cube and then another on the other one and so on.

[benajamin]

I'm not saying it is a completely bad idea, just that the parameters determining the rate of self-replication have to be carefully considered. I do like the idea of abandoned areas becoming overgrown, but you have to also keep in mind that only the sectors close to a player will be calculated and so areas close to where player frequent can quickly become overgrown. Consider if you made a house on the side of a hill - you may not go to the other side of the hill often, but the trees will continue to multiply and you'll have a jungle there by the time you finish building the house.

[O'Hara]

I can add a new idea:
4. Add a new block for the lowest part of the tree. If you don't break it, the new tree will grow from it.

This. Not sure how you would make a block, but I like this idea.

[mstoykov]

I see 4. as 1. basically it's another block with bunch of new code.
Again to clarify
placing new trees randomly isn't - place 10 trees in this 50 blocks it's place 10 trees in this 50 blocks IF :
1. there is place for them (which means there is free 4x4x6,5x5x7,6x6x8 place (given that last one is the height not the second one :) )
2. there is mud
3. there arent 20 trees there already
4. ????
5. profit
I think this will be enough to not get areas which are overgrown

[spongie]

I can add a new idea:
4. Add a new block for the lowest part of the tree. If you don't break it, the new tree will grow from it.

This is what I was thinking too. I have a few feature requests on my list that are high priority, after that I'm going to have a closer look at this since it's one of the more popular requests.

Basically, I will pick any random dirt block. If it's surrounded by n number of more dirt a tree can grow. It will start with a stump (one block of wood). After that another wood block on top and some leaves. It continues to grow based on how much dirt is available directly beneath it and how much room is available on top of it.
I was also thinking of making sure that it can only grow if it has open sky above it.
Also, a player can grow a tree by simply placing a wood block in plenty of dirt and just wait for it to sprout.

Does this seem acceptable? It would not break client backwards compatibility since it's all done server side and no new items are needed.

[marvalis]

I see only one problem: grass land for decorating purpose outdoor.
The simple solution would be not to let any tree trunks spawn unless there is one.
Place a block and you can grow trees, no random trees spawning.

[mstoykov]

@spongie
as far as I'm concerned ANY way of regrowing trees is good :). I would've liked if it's another block not just a normal wood block but that can be changed. Dunno if the implementation of the growing mechanism will be easy at all and if it wont be too hard on the server (The only real problem i see with it). But I'm waiting for your changes ;)