The basic premise of this suggestion is that gunpowder is an excellent candidate for a craftable material. In the real world black powder consists of sulphur, charcoal and saltpetre. Charcoal is already a craftable material in Minecraft, which leaves sulphur and saltpetre.
Sulphur could be a material randomly dropped in the destruction of stone blocks within 1m of lava. Other potential uses could include stink bombs and repellent sprays, acid, and furnace fuel.
Saltpetre might be randomly dropped in the destruction of grass blocks. In addition to gunpowder, saltpetre could be used with vegetable ingredients to create pickles -- a stackable low-end food item.
While TNT is fun, I'd also like to suggest a new gunpowder-related craftable item: the Gorn Cannon. This would be a single-use high damage ranged weapon crafted from 7 reeds, 1 gunpowder and 1 diamond. The name is a reference to an episode of Star Trek in which Capt. Kirk defeats a 'gorn' using essentially this exact apparatus.
That would mess up the balance of TNT. The whole point is you have to kill creepers to get it, which makes it dangerous to acquire. It shouldn't turn into something about mining.
That would mess up the balance of TNT. The whole point is you have to kill creepers to get it, which makes it dangerous to acquire. It shouldn't turn into something about mining.
How valuable is TNT, really? It seems to me as though it's so difficult to obtain that people cheat to get it, but it's uses are actually pretty limited and offset by the indiscriminate damage it causes.
How valuable is TNT, really? It seems to me as though it's so difficult to obtain that people cheat to get it, but it's uses are actually pretty limited and offset by the indiscriminate damage it causes.
Valuable? No. But it makes sense for how you get it: To gain the power of explosions, you must kill the explosive creatures. If you could gain that kind of raw power just by mining a few blocks, then greifing would rise and redundancy would be eminent.
Valuable? No. But it makes sense for how you get it: To gain the power of explosions, you must kill the explosive creatures. If you could gain that kind of raw power just by mining a few blocks, then greifing would rise and redundancy would be eminent.
I think that from a logical perspective it makes far more sense to create explosives from mining than from mobs, particularly in a game with crafting and creation as a major theme. Again, sulphur and saltpetre would not drop commonly; maybe once in 50-100 blocks. Add this to the materials coming from opposite strata, and it really isn't as convenient as all that -- it just offers an alternative to those who prefer mining to fighting.
I don't have a really good answer for the griefing problem, but I have a hard time imagining the kind of person who griefs having the patience to mine 250+ blocks for one stick of TNT.
I think that from a logical perspective it makes far more sense to create explosives from mining than from mobs, particularly in a game with crafting and creation as a major theme. Again, sulphur and saltpetre would not drop commonly; maybe once in 50-100 blocks. Add this to the materials coming from opposite strata, and it really isn't as convenient as all that -- it just offers an alternative to those who prefer mining to fighting.
I don't have a really good answer for the griefing problem, but I have a hard time imagining the kind of person who griefs having the patience to mine 250+ blocks for one stick of TNT.
The problem is, that this turns the exiting, challenging task of slaying enough creepers to get the ridiculously awesome TNT into a mindless job of collection as much dirt, stone, and logs to burn as possible. Minecraft isn't about alternatives. The reason that most items have only one way to get is to encourage players to try new paths of play to gain access to new items to play with.
The problem is, that this turns the exiting, challenging task of slaying enough creepers to get the ridiculously awesome TNT into a mindless job of collection as much dirt, stone, and logs to burn as possible. Minecraft isn't about alternatives. The reason that most items have only one way to get is to encourage players to try new paths of play to gain access to new items to play with.
I think that's a narrow view, but this comes down to matters of opinion over mechanics.
No. Why on earth would I kill creepers for gunpowder if I could get TNT from mining stuff? TNT would becom eunbalanced. Listen to llama, he HAS a point!
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Sulphur could be a material randomly dropped in the destruction of stone blocks within 1m of lava. Other potential uses could include stink bombs and repellent sprays, acid, and furnace fuel.
Saltpetre might be randomly dropped in the destruction of grass blocks. In addition to gunpowder, saltpetre could be used with vegetable ingredients to create pickles -- a stackable low-end food item.
While TNT is fun, I'd also like to suggest a new gunpowder-related craftable item: the Gorn Cannon. This would be a single-use high damage ranged weapon crafted from 7 reeds, 1 gunpowder and 1 diamond. The name is a reference to an episode of Star Trek in which Capt. Kirk defeats a 'gorn' using essentially this exact apparatus.
How valuable is TNT, really? It seems to me as though it's so difficult to obtain that people cheat to get it, but it's uses are actually pretty limited and offset by the indiscriminate damage it causes.
Valuable? No. But it makes sense for how you get it: To gain the power of explosions, you must kill the explosive creatures. If you could gain that kind of raw power just by mining a few blocks, then greifing would rise and redundancy would be eminent.
I think that from a logical perspective it makes far more sense to create explosives from mining than from mobs, particularly in a game with crafting and creation as a major theme. Again, sulphur and saltpetre would not drop commonly; maybe once in 50-100 blocks. Add this to the materials coming from opposite strata, and it really isn't as convenient as all that -- it just offers an alternative to those who prefer mining to fighting.
I don't have a really good answer for the griefing problem, but I have a hard time imagining the kind of person who griefs having the patience to mine 250+ blocks for one stick of TNT.
The problem is, that this turns the exiting, challenging task of slaying enough creepers to get the ridiculously awesome TNT into a mindless job of collection as much dirt, stone, and logs to burn as possible. Minecraft isn't about alternatives. The reason that most items have only one way to get is to encourage players to try new paths of play to gain access to new items to play with.
I think that's a narrow view, but this comes down to matters of opinion over mechanics.
But think of it this way: What would the point even be? What would it add to the game?