Sorry, I am sure this has often been discussed on these forums but having a problem with mine. I built a basic spawner 20 odd blocks high with a water system to flush them out. I had one or two skeletons drop through it then nothing else. Can anyone point me towards a useful post/thread on this subject?
1. The most likely culprit is numerous unlit caves and other areas where mobs can spawn within a 24 to 144-block area of where you are standing. Each mob that spawns away from your spawn pads prevents a mob from spawning on your spawn pads. Light as many of these as you can find (or flood them or use slabs).
2. Another possibility is that you're standing too close... you want to be 24 to 32 blocks away from the spawn pads for mobs to spawn, still move around, and not despawn.
3. Mob AI has been improving and they now avoid falling over edges when they move around. You may want to install signs so that they will not recognize the drops as drops.
4. IF this is a somewhat common style mob drop trap, make sure that any water currents carry the mob right to the edge, but the water itself is not going over the edge, so that the current forces them to actually drop but doesn't cushion the fall.
5. Make sure no light is getting to or has been left behind in the spawn area.
6. Spiders are notorious for clogging up the system, especially if the hole where they drop is only 2 x 2 (again if this is based on the common-style mob drop trap). Consider making the center hole 3 x 3 instead or placing blocks on the spawns in a pattern that prevents spiders from spawning there.
7. Since you have gotten a couple, this last one is probably not your issue, but I'll throw it in. Make sure that your spawn floor is not above Y128 since mobs currently don't spawn up there.
1. The most likely culprit is numerous unlit caves and other areas where mobs can spawn within a 24 to 144-block area of where you are standing. Each mob that spawns away from your spawn pads prevents a mob from spawning on your spawn pads. Light as many of these as you can find (or flood them or use slabs).
2. Another possibility is that you're standing too close... you want to be 24 to 32 blocks away from the spawn pads for mobs to spawn, still move around, and not despawn.
3. Mob AI has been improving and they now avoid falling over edges when they move around. You may want to install signs so that they will not recognize the drops as drops.
4. IF this is a somewhat common style mob drop trap, make sure that any water currents carry the mob right to the edge, but the water itself is not going over the edge, so that the current forces them to actually drop but doesn't cushion the fall.
5. Make sure no light is getting to or has been left behind in the spawn area.
6. Spiders are notorious for clogging up the system, especially if the hole where they drop is only 2 x 2 (again if this is based on the common-style mob drop trap). Consider making the center hole 3 x 3 instead or placing blocks on the spawns in a pattern that prevents spiders from spawning there.
7. Since you have gotten a couple, this last one is probably not your issue, but I'll throw it in. Make sure that your spawn floor is not above Y128 since mobs currently don't spawn up there.
All of the above are possible except (3). Mobs fall over an edge fine for me (TU13) without any needed help (e.g., signs).
OP: I assume you know this, but be sure the pads the mobs spawn on are dry because they will not spawn in water. In my experience, it is best to build these over a large area of water, reducing the potential spawn points over land - caves at the bottom of the ocean could still make your device less efficient. Also, note the larger the structure the more frequent the spawns. Ideally, you want a spawn structure that is at least 32x32 blocks x 2 floors. Additionally, mobs spawn in these more frequently during the day than at night and you will experience a lag because of this (more mobs will drop between mid-day and midnight).
Excellent advice guys, thank you. I am aware of some of those issues, so it may be that it just needs to be bigger. I also need to check for nearby caves. The funny thing is, it was bigger, following the cross design, with four water traps. I built it in hardcore survival mode, so it took me a while. Then when I put the water in, I realised I had built it just on the edge of a snow biome and three of the water traps froze up! So at the moment it only has one trap working! I just need to knock it all down and move to another area with it, but I was sooo annoyed.
Excellent advice guys, thank you. I am aware of some of those issues, so it may be that it just needs to be bigger. I also need to check for nearby caves. The funny thing is, it was bigger, following the cross design, with four water traps. I built it in hardcore survival mode, so it took me a while. Then when I put the water in, I realised I had built it just on the edge of a snow biome and three of the water traps froze up! So at the moment it only has one trap working! I just need to knock it all down and move to another area with it, but I was sooo annoyed.
Rather than tear it all down and move it, just run lava channels underneath the water channels to keep the water flowing. Lava will heat straight upward 4 blocks, so it will heat through the 1 stone (or whatever block you've built the trap out of other than wood) and melt the ice.
ETA - Correction per the Wiki - Lava melts ice up to 1 block away in any direction. It burns blocks upward up to 4 blocks away. Still, this should work since there will only be 1 block between the lava and the water (unless they mean that the ice must be in direct contact with the lava to melt). I would test it out first though.
Sorted out the ice with a lava basement, thank you! Lit up all areas and caves nearby that I can find and tried it out. A skeleton and a zombie fell down and I thought, great it's working. But then nothing else came through. Posted some pics here to see if anyone can spot any obvious issues other than the hole in the ceiling i made to get back into it!)...
First off build more layers. You're not going to get many spawns with just one layer. Think about what a spawn system is doing. You're basically trying to force mobs to spawn where you want them. Two ways to increase the amount of mobs spawing in your system:
increase the number of available spaces inside of your system (ie More layers) or
decrease the number of available spaces outside of your system. (Torches, half slabs, etc. - in all dark areas within range of your spawner)
If you want to test the performance with one level, back away, I doubt you're far enough away to get a good spawn rate
Try building your waiting area above the spawner, rather than on the ground. This will put you further away from any caves you haven't lit up, reducing outside spawns a little bit more. If this increases your spawns, it would point to caves being your problem.
If you end up rebuilding in a new location, I would recommend high in the sky, right in the corner of the map. Works well for me. My spawner is smaller than yours and works well.
I don't see anything inherently wrong with it in design, however, there might be some delay is waiting for the MOB's to wonder into the water current.
Have you set up an observation deck/chamber outside your spawning area? Maybe put in some glass windows and have a little covered viewing area just to the outside to see if it is a problem with MOB spawning, or if it might be a congestion issue where the MOB's are either getting stuck or just are not going into the water current?
Also, another couple of levels immediately above this one might help spawning (by increasing available spawn area), and you can drop them all down the same drop shaft.
From the photo, I think the problem may be the half slabs you've installed for spider control. They are eating up a huge amount of your spawnable area on your pads since no mobs spawn on half slabs. Personally, I don't tend to use that particular pattern for spider control. I find making my center hole 3 x 3 (rather than 2 x 2) tends to prevent the spiders from clogging up the system too much. If there are some spiders clinging to the walls in the drop column, the extra block allows the other mobs to fall by them... and usually they knock the spiders down at the same time. It's usually not too big a problem.
A linger trap, never much liked these, they are seriously bad for efficiency, IMHO if your going to take the time to build a mob trap use pistons, pressure plates and repeaters, follow a endermen farm design only expand it to a cross like design. The advantages are that mobs will not get a chance to linger around, fight water currents, ect. The biggest disadvantage is that they require more resources, pistons and repeaters being costly but worth it in the long run. With just 2 layers, in a Cross like design with 32 spawnable pads per section total of (128) per layer, total with 2 layers being 256. The later design will easily outperform a many layer linger farm. The main reason is that mobs tend to linger along time within this farm, sometimes taking at long as 30 or 45mins before they either despawn or walk off the edge. With the other design its instant spawn/push/die and thus frees the mob slot up for another spawn, furthermore because it don't use water, after 42 blocks you can safely provide a 3 high spawn floor and collect ender pearls. This system is also safe against spiders. By adding a drop reset at layer 23, this can easily be transformed into a exp trap making mobs for the most part 1 hit kills and thus subject to looting and rare drops.
I used to build the first design alot, and kept adding layer after layer after layer to get decent drops, but never was satisfied with the rates. The second design is something to consider at least once you have the required resources.
I like Cire360's mob trap. I haven't seen or thought of that trap before and it does sound very efficient, albeit probably a pain to build in survival.
A linger trap, never much liked these, they are seriously bad for efficiency, IMHO if your going to take the time to build a mob trap use pistons, pressure plates and repeaters, follow a endermen farm design only expand it to a cross like design. The advantages are that mobs will not get a chance to linger around, fight water currents, ect. The biggest disadvantage is that they require more resources, pistons and repeaters being costly but worth it in the long run. With just 2 layers, in a Cross like design with 32 spawnable pads per section total of (128) per layer, total with 2 layers being 256. The later design will easily outperform a many layer linger farm. The main reason is that mobs tend to linger along time within this farm, sometimes taking at long as 30 or 45mins before they either despawn or walk off the edge. With the other design its instant spawn/push/die and thus frees the mob slot up for another spawn, furthermore because it don't use water, after 42 blocks you can safely provide a 3 high spawn floor and collect ender pearls. This system is also safe against spiders. By adding a drop reset at layer 23, this can easily be transformed into a exp trap making mobs for the most part 1 hit kills and thus subject to looting and rare drops.
I used to build the first design alot, and kept adding layer after layer after layer to get decent drops, but never was satisfied with the rates. The second design is something to consider at least once you have the required resources.
I like this cross design idea.. I've been building in a new area, and thinking about designs for a farm. but a have a question. How are you handling drop collection? Do you have a wide collection area, or are you dropping them to single point by either funneling the mobs before drop, or flushing the drops after?
The collection requires 2 sets of pistons and a water gateway at least on ours. We ran into alot of issues here with collection, and what we did was setup a stagger drop system more or less.
Think of it like this, Our drop channel is 2 wide, though you can make it 1 wide, choice is upto you. Its important when you do this to remember that when your piston is extended pushing loot onto the next level that if mobs fall on this, it will be '1' less, and thus may not kill them, and must be taken into consideration when your building your first level.
So once mobs drop they fall onto a ledge, the left side is actually 2 blocks higher then the right side, and this pushes the drops to the right where they 'merge' with the right sides drops, the the right sides drops pushes to the left and into a water system. At no time does the kill floor ever open up, the only change is in its height while the pistons are extended pushing the goods. You can set this to occur every so often with a timer or just at a button. Another thing you might want to add if your building it is the ability to 'turn the lights on' using redstone lamps and thus disable the farm.
This is the only solution we found for collecting goods other then the old fashion way of walking around and grabbing them, the reason is if you just 'retract' a kill floor, even just for a faction of a second sometimes mobs will make it through while its open hit the water channel and could be a pain in your butt. I dunno if I expanded it correctly but I hope so, if you can't understand let me knwo and i'll post some screenshots.
If your still at a loss, or need any help let me know I can help build it if you need the help.
It seems to be working better now, having found another nearby cave that I have now lit up. Also removed the slabs. Clearly it does need to be bigger with more layers, but I think I will just start again higher in the sky or over the sea. Thanks for all the ideas though, very helpful.
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Thank you.
1. The most likely culprit is numerous unlit caves and other areas where mobs can spawn within a 24 to 144-block area of where you are standing. Each mob that spawns away from your spawn pads prevents a mob from spawning on your spawn pads. Light as many of these as you can find (or flood them or use slabs).
2. Another possibility is that you're standing too close... you want to be 24 to 32 blocks away from the spawn pads for mobs to spawn, still move around, and not despawn.
3. Mob AI has been improving and they now avoid falling over edges when they move around. You may want to install signs so that they will not recognize the drops as drops.
4. IF this is a somewhat common style mob drop trap, make sure that any water currents carry the mob right to the edge, but the water itself is not going over the edge, so that the current forces them to actually drop but doesn't cushion the fall.
5. Make sure no light is getting to or has been left behind in the spawn area.
6. Spiders are notorious for clogging up the system, especially if the hole where they drop is only 2 x 2 (again if this is based on the common-style mob drop trap). Consider making the center hole 3 x 3 instead or placing blocks on the spawns in a pattern that prevents spiders from spawning there.
7. Since you have gotten a couple, this last one is probably not your issue, but I'll throw it in. Make sure that your spawn floor is not above Y128 since mobs currently don't spawn up there.
All of the above are possible except (3). Mobs fall over an edge fine for me (TU13) without any needed help (e.g., signs).
OP: I assume you know this, but be sure the pads the mobs spawn on are dry because they will not spawn in water. In my experience, it is best to build these over a large area of water, reducing the potential spawn points over land - caves at the bottom of the ocean could still make your device less efficient. Also, note the larger the structure the more frequent the spawns. Ideally, you want a spawn structure that is at least 32x32 blocks x 2 floors. Additionally, mobs spawn in these more frequently during the day than at night and you will experience a lag because of this (more mobs will drop between mid-day and midnight).
Good luck.
Rather than tear it all down and move it, just run lava channels underneath the water channels to keep the water flowing. Lava will heat straight upward 4 blocks, so it will heat through the 1 stone (or whatever block you've built the trap out of other than wood) and melt the ice.
ETA - Correction per the Wiki - Lava melts ice up to 1 block away in any direction. It burns blocks upward up to 4 blocks away. Still, this should work since there will only be 1 block between the lava and the water (unless they mean that the ice must be in direct contact with the lava to melt). I would test it out first though.
If you want to test the performance with one level, back away, I doubt you're far enough away to get a good spawn rate
If you end up rebuilding in a new location, I would recommend high in the sky, right in the corner of the map. Works well for me. My spawner is smaller than yours and works well.
Have you set up an observation deck/chamber outside your spawning area? Maybe put in some glass windows and have a little covered viewing area just to the outside to see if it is a problem with MOB spawning, or if it might be a congestion issue where the MOB's are either getting stuck or just are not going into the water current?
Also, another couple of levels immediately above this one might help spawning (by increasing available spawn area), and you can drop them all down the same drop shaft.
I used to build the first design alot, and kept adding layer after layer after layer to get decent drops, but never was satisfied with the rates. The second design is something to consider at least once you have the required resources.
I like this cross design idea.. I've been building in a new area, and thinking about designs for a farm. but a have a question. How are you handling drop collection? Do you have a wide collection area, or are you dropping them to single point by either funneling the mobs before drop, or flushing the drops after?
Think of it like this, Our drop channel is 2 wide, though you can make it 1 wide, choice is upto you. Its important when you do this to remember that when your piston is extended pushing loot onto the next level that if mobs fall on this, it will be '1' less, and thus may not kill them, and must be taken into consideration when your building your first level.
So once mobs drop they fall onto a ledge, the left side is actually 2 blocks higher then the right side, and this pushes the drops to the right where they 'merge' with the right sides drops, the the right sides drops pushes to the left and into a water system. At no time does the kill floor ever open up, the only change is in its height while the pistons are extended pushing the goods. You can set this to occur every so often with a timer or just at a button. Another thing you might want to add if your building it is the ability to 'turn the lights on' using redstone lamps and thus disable the farm.
This is the only solution we found for collecting goods other then the old fashion way of walking around and grabbing them, the reason is if you just 'retract' a kill floor, even just for a faction of a second sometimes mobs will make it through while its open hit the water channel and could be a pain in your butt. I dunno if I expanded it correctly but I hope so, if you can't understand let me knwo and i'll post some screenshots.
If your still at a loss, or need any help let me know I can help build it if you need the help.