I believe that the current Minecraft mob-drop system could use a tad-bit of an overhaul. While I understand both (entirely valid) points: 1) It's a fantasy game, and 2) Gameplay comes first, the drop system can be improved a bit to add a bit more realism in the game.
My ideas…
Food:
First up, is the food from animals. Why is it that the pig is the lone holder of the “kill on sight to restore yo’ hearts” position when every single passive mob in the game (even squid, although calamari doesn’t exactly fit the Minecraft feel) can and should produce some kind of food.
Cows- The first and most obvious thing that comes to mind when you think of a cow is beef. Why is it that cows can drop leather (which is discolored from their actual bodies) but not a nice T-bone steak?
Chicken- Zombies are already in the game, and apparently brains “Taste just like chicken!” Only problem is, Steve wouldn’t even know what that tastes like, as it appears to not exist.
And what about Eggs? Why can’t we eat those either?
Crafted with Bowl: Scrambled Eggs
Crafted with Lava-Bucket: HARD Boiled Egg
Sheep/Lamb- Lambchops, anyone? Porkchops are in, why not they’re once-fluffy friend’s version?
Some might say, “well why choose one animal over another, then? What makes each animal unique now?” Simple. Balance the food itself to have pros and cons (longer cook time but more health, for example.) and give the animals themselves another feature that’s ACTUALLY unique to them. Cows for instance have leather and milk. Chicken’s drop feathers and killing a chicken for food would be a long-term sacrifice as you’d be losing eggs. Sheep are a source of wool.
With passive mobs being a bit more “permanent” in 1.8, the added food sources would keep the game in balance. On your first few nights you can choose to wait and breed, or go straight for the kill. Any “third wheel” animal not needed for mating would be your replacement pig.
Bones:
In reality, any of the mobs we’ve encountered in the game (with the exception of Slimes, and maybe creepers) have some type of skeletal structure.
Granted, bones are one of the most useful mob drops as of yet. Original bones could be retconned into “Undead Bones,” and normal bones would have different uses, such as being smelted into glue, which can be used with pistons as a slimeball alternative (if slimeballs aren’t available, you could craft a sticky piston with glue instead!) or extension (blocks glued together would ALL move when one is moved by a sticky piston.)
New, regular bones could also be crafted together to make a “bone carcass” which would attract all mobs. It would be the counter to a “scare-crow” item.
Zombies:
What should zombies drop? Feathers are easily obtained from chickens, which aren’t exactly vicious. I propose they drop “Undead Flesh,” to be used with “Undead bones.” Crafting these two together would make a place-able/spawn-able zombie. This player-made zombie would require a thunderstorm, and upon placing it would trigger lightning at that very spot. They would still burn up in daylight and follow players, but will not attack them.
Wolves:
Wolf pelts anyone? (And of course, “Regular Bones” as an additional drop) Even if just to server as an indication that your wolf died. Countless of my wolves have “ventured off” while I was exploring, never to be heard from or seen again. I hadn’t even realized they were gone for good until I returned home and they hadn’t teleported by my side.
Pelts could be turned into rugs or a wolf-head cloak/ helmet.
These are just a few of my ideas! Feel free to post yours below!
As I said, the bones dropped by passive mobs wouldn't have the same effects as the ones skeletons drop. They would have entirely different uses.
And passive mobs won't spawn nearly as often once 1.8 hits. This leaves players with a very low supply of food their first unless they decide to kill off all of their pigs, which would hurt in the long run.
And if farming animals provides too much food, that's the point of a farm. If you have (as 1.8 will more than likely offer) melons and pumpkins as another food source, what's so bad about adding more meats?
Also, if the new Villager Mobs are in fact Pigmen, supplying them their less man-like counterparts as food seems a bit unsettling.
While I offered my inputs (and yes, suggestions) this thread isn't for others to comment about them specifically. It's to discuss whether mob drops need any changes with what knowledge we have of the 1.8 update and direction in which Minecraft is headed. Forum-goers can discuss drops in general and while they can offer their own ideas (and suggestions)it doesn't mean this thread is exclusive to that. :smile.gif:
EDIT: Ahh, yet it was moved. Ah well. :tongue.gif:
My ideas…
Food:
First up, is the food from animals. Why is it that the pig is the lone holder of the “kill on sight to restore yo’ hearts” position when every single passive mob in the game (even squid, although calamari doesn’t exactly fit the Minecraft feel) can and should produce some kind of food.
Cows- The first and most obvious thing that comes to mind when you think of a cow is beef. Why is it that cows can drop leather (which is discolored from their actual bodies) but not a nice T-bone steak?
Chicken- Zombies are already in the game, and apparently brains “Taste just like chicken!” Only problem is, Steve wouldn’t even know what that tastes like, as it appears to not exist.
And what about Eggs? Why can’t we eat those either?
Crafted with Bowl: Scrambled Eggs
Crafted with Lava-Bucket: HARD Boiled Egg
Sheep/Lamb- Lambchops, anyone? Porkchops are in, why not they’re once-fluffy friend’s version?
Some might say, “well why choose one animal over another, then? What makes each animal unique now?” Simple. Balance the food itself to have pros and cons (longer cook time but more health, for example.) and give the animals themselves another feature that’s ACTUALLY unique to them. Cows for instance have leather and milk. Chicken’s drop feathers and killing a chicken for food would be a long-term sacrifice as you’d be losing eggs. Sheep are a source of wool.
With passive mobs being a bit more “permanent” in 1.8, the added food sources would keep the game in balance. On your first few nights you can choose to wait and breed, or go straight for the kill. Any “third wheel” animal not needed for mating would be your replacement pig.
Bones:
In reality, any of the mobs we’ve encountered in the game (with the exception of Slimes, and maybe creepers) have some type of skeletal structure.
Granted, bones are one of the most useful mob drops as of yet. Original bones could be retconned into “Undead Bones,” and normal bones would have different uses, such as being smelted into glue, which can be used with pistons as a slimeball alternative (if slimeballs aren’t available, you could craft a sticky piston with glue instead!) or extension (blocks glued together would ALL move when one is moved by a sticky piston.)
New, regular bones could also be crafted together to make a “bone carcass” which would attract all mobs. It would be the counter to a “scare-crow” item.
Zombies:
What should zombies drop? Feathers are easily obtained from chickens, which aren’t exactly vicious. I propose they drop “Undead Flesh,” to be used with “Undead bones.” Crafting these two together would make a place-able/spawn-able zombie. This player-made zombie would require a thunderstorm, and upon placing it would trigger lightning at that very spot. They would still burn up in daylight and follow players, but will not attack them.
Wolves:
Wolf pelts anyone? (And of course, “Regular Bones” as an additional drop) Even if just to server as an indication that your wolf died. Countless of my wolves have “ventured off” while I was exploring, never to be heard from or seen again. I hadn’t even realized they were gone for good until I returned home and they hadn’t teleported by my side.
Pelts could be turned into rugs or a wolf-head cloak/ helmet.
These are just a few of my ideas! Feel free to post yours below!
All mobs dropping bones is overpowered.
It'd be too easy to get food if all (passive) mobs dropped food.
And passive mobs won't spawn nearly as often once 1.8 hits. This leaves players with a very low supply of food their first unless they decide to kill off all of their pigs, which would hurt in the long run.
And if farming animals provides too much food, that's the point of a farm. If you have (as 1.8 will more than likely offer) melons and pumpkins as another food source, what's so bad about adding more meats?
Also, if the new Villager Mobs are in fact Pigmen, supplying them their less man-like counterparts as food seems a bit unsettling.
While I offered my inputs (and yes, suggestions) this thread isn't for others to comment about them specifically. It's to discuss whether mob drops need any changes with what knowledge we have of the 1.8 update and direction in which Minecraft is headed. Forum-goers can discuss drops in general and while they can offer their own ideas (and suggestions)it doesn't mean this thread is exclusive to that. :smile.gif:
EDIT: Ahh, yet it was moved. Ah well. :tongue.gif:
I'll farm all day long with peaceful on.
Jeb_ seems to disgaree. In 1.8, we can assume cows and chickens will drop they're appropriate foodstuffs!
Chicken, from Jeb_'s Twitter.
(Not claiming they took my suggestion, but it's pretty neat how the folk's at Mojang have some of the same thoughts as us!)