I would appreciate having at least one new ore to play with but not sure that we need it for tools/armor and the devs think so too if Jeb's comments are to be believed. We have enough material tiers.
Anyway, realism apparently doesn't mean much but if you really want a new tool type aluminum is not the best choice. It is primarily useful because it is lightweight, but it would suck as any tool/armor. It is very soft, flexible, and oxidizes quite readily losing it's shininess to a dull gray.
In fact, because it oxidizes so quickly pretty much every aluminum ore form is an ore called Bauxite which is aluminum oxide. You can never get aluminum from this ore by normal smelting because it doesn't exist as the metal form within the ore (so you couldn't melt it out). Which is why they never had the metal in ancient times. You need to chemically separate it from the oxide which requires extreme heat and maybe even a vacuum for best results.
If you want tools/armor types I think you'd want tin or bronze (the precursors to iron in armor). In reality, bronze is an alloy containing both copper and tin metals and copper is even softer and worse by itself. so really the main ore before iron was the tin ore. To be simple we could just do a bronze ore though which is really the better metal. Both tin and copper by themselves aren't the best for tools though tin was used in some armor types that needed to be flexible (like greaves).
Like I said, I really doubt any new material tiers will be implemented, but if they were it could go something like this:
1. Wood picks breaks stone
2. Stone picks breaks tin/bronze ores, coal, and other stone
3. tin/bronze picks break iron ore, redstone ore, lapiz, emerald
4. iron picks break diamond ore
5. diamond picks break obsidian
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Like others I think Aluminum isn't a necessary addition as far as tools and armor are concerned but I like most of the other uses you posted, particularly ladders, stairs, and fences, and wires especially.
One thought for using aluminum in tools instead of a new tier, what if aluminum rods were usable in place of sticks creating tools with a higher base durability? Or could be added to an existing tool using an anvil to increase the base durability (but not repair the current damage) of a tool? Or maybe purely as an aesthetic difference to have a different color handle on the tool.
Anyway, realism apparently doesn't mean much but if you really want a new tool type aluminum is not the best choice. It is primarily useful because it is lightweight, but it would suck as any tool/armor. It is very soft, flexible, and oxidizes quite readily losing it's shininess to a dull gray.
In fact, because it oxidizes so quickly pretty much every aluminum ore form is an ore called Bauxite which is aluminum oxide. You can never get aluminum from this ore by normal smelting because it doesn't exist as the metal form within the ore (so you couldn't melt it out). Which is why they never had the metal in ancient times. You need to chemically separate it from the oxide which requires extreme heat and maybe even a vacuum for best results.
If you want tools/armor types I think you'd want tin or bronze (the precursors to iron in armor). In reality, bronze is an alloy containing both copper and tin metals and copper is even softer and worse by itself. so really the main ore before iron was the tin ore. To be simple we could just do a bronze ore though which is really the better metal. Both tin and copper by themselves aren't the best for tools though tin was used in some armor types that needed to be flexible (like greaves).
Like I said, I really doubt any new material tiers will be implemented, but if they were it could go something like this:
1. Wood picks breaks stone
2. Stone picks breaks tin/bronze ores, coal, and other stone
3. tin/bronze picks break iron ore, redstone ore, lapiz, emerald
4. iron picks break diamond ore
5. diamond picks break obsidian
Download and play my new Survival Map!
Space Expedition to EPIC 204: Go on a Space-Age Adventure to visit and explore EPIC 204, a wacky world of dense asteroids and full of alien life! Experience Custom Seasons, Weather, Over 50 new creatures, Beautiful Biomes, Alien Ruins, Dungeons, and new space age tech crafting recipes!
One thought for using aluminum in tools instead of a new tier, what if aluminum rods were usable in place of sticks creating tools with a higher base durability? Or could be added to an existing tool using an anvil to increase the base durability (but not repair the current damage) of a tool? Or maybe purely as an aesthetic difference to have a different color handle on the tool.
And no to the thread.
Take away the tools and armour, I'm in all the way.