Upcoming Changes to Spawners

[Cryptite]

In order to combat lag and tackle the growth of Loka of late, we're about to make a big change to how spawners work. The short of it is that we have too many players with grinders and farms and those things alone can really lag up Loka. So here's what's gonna change:

• Monster Spawners will no longer spawn mobs at all. Instead, what they will do is automatically generate XP and give it to the nearest player to the grinder at an interval that's approximately equal to how much you would normally get if you were slaying mobs.
• In order to handle spawner-mob-drops, a chest can be placed next to the spawner. When a monster would spawn, the nearby player would get the XP and the loot table of that monster will automatically be put into a chest.

We realize this essentially renders everybody's elaborate monster grinders dead in the water, but the change is necessary for Loka to sustain large numbers without everybody lagging constantly. This change will be implemented probably within the next couple of days.

 

[Cryptite]

Additionally, we will be implementing a similar change involving Farms (animals). That post will come soon as well.

 

[Kobeyador]

Will there be a way to include looting 1/2/3 swords into the model? Increased drops per looting lvl while trading the durability of the looting sword?

 

[Cryptite]

Will there be a way to include looting 1/2/3 swords into the model? Increased drops per looting lvl while trading the durability of the looting sword?

Given the 'ease' of getting xp and stuff out of spawners now, there won't be any factoring of Looting swords into the equation. I'll talk to Mag about it, but it seems weird to have a slowly auto-breaking sword just because you're standing in a spot. I get the idea though.

Honestly, I almost never see people using them, most people just use the crusher/punch strategy. Grinders seem to be much more about XP than getting drops.

 

[Zor95]

Bonus XP from perks and policies will still be calculated, yes?

 

[Cryptite]

Bonus XP from perks and policies will still be calculated, yes?

Yes they shall

 

[Kobeyador]

Honestly, I almost never see people using them, most people just use the crusher/punch strategy. Grinders seem to be much more about XP than getting drops.

Only reason I mention it is because I have been using a lot of looting swords recently an have come to find them to be quite useful. Also, after certain things are acquired grinders become most useful for their items. IMO

 

[EastBowmen]

I see how lag could be a problem caused from grinders but I personally haven't received any lag what so ever. Even if players are lagging like hell, I'd rather keep the " vanilla-like" community we currently have. Don't get me wrong, the custom plugins are very impressive and quite fun but too many of them changes the game completely. I love playing on this server because it's one of the only servers that actually feel like vanilla Minecraft. Sure, fixing lag is a huge priority but so is keeping the game original ( in other words not adding too many plugins ). Not only does it take away from the vanilla aspect but it also increases the number of possible loopholes and glitches that exist on Loka. Grinding for experience and enchanting has always been one of my favorite aspects about Minecraft and I sure hope it remains the same. If not, I'll find a way to love the new method just as much
This is all IMO so no offense to anyone just wanted to share another side of the story.
Sincerely, East

 

[Cryptite]

I personally haven't received any lag what so ever.

I came on Loka one morning to find you having sat at a Cave Spider spawner for about 1.5 hours. There were 800 spiders in the grinder and the server was running at 7TPS (out of 20). This is what one player can do at a grinder and is the reason (along with animal farms and their high entities counts) that we can't easily afford to keep them around if we're going to be averaging 20+ players online at a time.

We've tried to keep away from grinders as long as possible, but we knew this was going to have to happen at some point.

 

[EastBowmen]

I came on Loka one morning to find you having sat at a Cave Spider spawner for about 1.5 hours. There were 800 spiders in the grinder and the server was running at 7TPS (out of 20). This is what one player can do at a grinder and is the reason (along with animal farms and their high entities counts) that we can't easily afford to keep them around if we're going to be averaging 20+ players online at a time.

We've tried to keep away from grinders as long as possible, but we knew this was going to have to happen at some point.

I have to admit I accidentally left minecraft on while going to a friends party... oops. lmao well fair enough

 

[Grubul]

Well, if You could make it so monster heads still get dropped, it would be cool.

Will this affect Blazes? Oh god yes. no more nightmares to farm blazes.

 

[Grubul]

Will the room have to be dark to spawn the xp and items?

 

[Cryptite]

I'll see about heads at some point, for now, they won't drop heads.

This does not affect blazes yet.

The room still has to be dark to try to spawn mobs.

 

[Grubul]

They should. as the give tons of xp, and people might afk at them and get REALLY huge amounts of them lagging with flying and moving.

 

[MasterAegon]

If you think that blaze spawners don't work according to the changes, Unlimited, I think your wires might be a little crossed. They work like all the others after the change. XP accrues and drops go into a chest; no entities spawn.

 

[Cryptite]

If you think that blaze spawners don't work according to the changes, Unlimited, I think your wires might be a little crossed. They work like all the others after the change. XP accrues and drops go into a chest; no entities spawn.

He was referring to a 30 minute window between when Blaze spawners weren't working the new way yet. All water under the bridge now.

 

[MasterAegon]

Ah, understood. Thanks for clarifying.

 

[mopb3]

And as to the few of us who put significant effort into dark-room type grinders?

 

[Cryptite]

And as to the few of us who put significant effort into dark-room type grinders?

Those should technically still work; however, most dark-room spawner structures don't work very well due to the spawning mechanics of mobs on Loka. They also don't tend to generate hundreds and hundreds of idle mobs, so they're fine for now. Of course we'll keep an eye on them.

 

[Magpieman]

My suggestion would be that we allow spawners to spawn mobs normally until a chest is placed next to them. When this happens they turn into the system we have now where items drop in chest and xp is given to nearest player. This way cave spiders in mine shafts would still pose a threat and the same goes for blazes in the nether. This would allow the PVE experience to remain as vanilla as possible. We would then however need to prevent old school grinders being set up. (its more efficient to use the current chest set up so not many people would) This could be a simple rule change but i fear this could be too hard to manage, or some way to prevent a certain number of mobs being spawned in the same small area.