I think it's awesome that flowers, mushrooms, and tall grass are able to spread now, but we're now faced with the problem of overgrown fields. Big patches of flowers look nice, but it gets weird when every single block of dirt has a dandelion on it.
As I was trying to think of ways plant growth could be controlled, I remembered reading somewhere that sheep were once able to regenerate their wool by eating grass blocks. Why not use something similar to control plant population? Sheep and cows roaming grasslands could occasionally stop to munch on a flower or tall grass block and regenerate their wool or milk (if applicable). Pigs could also chomp mushrooms, since anyone who's been to the Nether in an SMP server can tell you that they will grow out of control if given the chance.
Not only would this make farming these animals actually viable, but it gives players with weed problems an incentive to keep wild animals around (since it's now possible to permanently clear an area of its animal population). Animals could also actively seek out their respective food sources, making different species naturally more or less common in different biomes without implementing hard coded controls.
this would be cool,but i dont like the eating idea because i like to "girl" my house a bit by putting flowers around it,but the tall grass is a great idea! should put this in,or someone should atleast make this a mod
The idea would be that the rate of growth is balanced with the rate at which they're eaten, but you could always tip it in either direction by adding/removing flowers or animals. If you wanted more flowers, you could plant some more or kill off some sheep.
As I was trying to think of ways plant growth could be controlled, I remembered reading somewhere that sheep were once able to regenerate their wool by eating grass blocks. Why not use something similar to control plant population? Sheep and cows roaming grasslands could occasionally stop to munch on a flower or tall grass block and regenerate their wool or milk (if applicable). Pigs could also chomp mushrooms, since anyone who's been to the Nether in an SMP server can tell you that they will grow out of control if given the chance.
Not only would this make farming these animals actually viable, but it gives players with weed problems an incentive to keep wild animals around (since it's now possible to permanently clear an area of its animal population). Animals could also actively seek out their respective food sources, making different species naturally more or less common in different biomes without implementing hard coded controls.
But what if al the flower go away?
Sweet sally in the ally
Leave them for the cows then.
The idea would be that the rate of growth is balanced with the rate at which they're eaten, but you could always tip it in either direction by adding/removing flowers or animals. If you wanted more flowers, you could plant some more or kill off some sheep.
Bonemeal.