Slime are difficult to find without using online tools or mods. Simply finding a single slime in a tunnel is not a strong indication of locating a slime chunk. This makes amassing slime using only in-game features much more difficult and ambiguous.
Only generates naturally in slime chunks at the same altitude a slime could exist. Requires the same amount of space a slime would normally need to spawn. Will spawn in disjointed, random splotches (as opposed to a single solid sheet like snow, think mossy cobblestone in dungeons but less dense)
The block itself isn't a solid block but is identical in size to a fallen snow tile
Slime Residue cannot be crafted. Destroying it with anything yields no drops
You can obtain it as a decorative item if you use a silk touch shovel or by using console commands/creative mode
Slimes do not "leave" a trail of slime residue (it does not function like a Snow Golem)
Movement speed is not effected by walking on slime residue. Sound effects will change to something similar to walking through shallow, muddy water (just as walking on wood, stone, dirt, and snow sound different)
Mechanics:
The reason this is an optimal solution to finding slimes is that it's immersive. You see the slime patches and you realize that this is a slime chunk. You aren't using a HUD map or looking at your coordinates, you just know your in a slime chunk
This goes well with other similar immersion mechanics in the game. Abandon mineshafts have dense cobwebs that indicate that a Cave Spider Spawner may be up ahead. Or how you can hear there is a Enderman nearby
This isn't the know-all reveal-all slime chunk finder like a HUD map or slime scanner. If a slime chunk doesn't have sufficient tunnels running through it (i.e., your mining through solid rock), you would have no natural indication that slimes could spawn there. This requires you to seek out these chunks, just like how you have to search for biomes, dungeons, strongholds, villages, and other unique areas
The bonus is you also now have a rare aesthetic block you can obtain with the right enchantments. You can use it to make your house look messy, decorate a hidden torture chamber, or even place it back in non-slime chunk tunnels to mess with other players heads.
Background Information/Research:
See this article for the full details of how slimes spawn in Minecraft.
Quick research reveals a number of players feel finding and harvesting slimes for slimeballs to be too difficult or yield too little product. There are mods and tools available to identify slime chunks, but currently no natural way to determine the exact location of a slime chunk other than directly witnessing a slime spawn in an area (otherwise they just wander off). Previous suggestions include:
Increasing the number of slimeballs dropped
Removing Slime Chunks; making slimes spawn like every other mob but below a set elevation
Creating scanners that indicate when a player is standing in a slime chunk
Make slimes spawn naturally in swamps above their regular elevation limit
Making slime purchasable from villagers
Many other variations and editions
Crafting magma cream back into slimeballs
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This wouldn't be a terrible solution, but I still don't like the concept of slime chunks in general. Every other mob except spawner specific mobs spawn in any chunk. Slimes are already limited to the underground, so why should they also be limited to one in ten chunks? We should just decrease the current spawn rate and make them able to spawn in all chunks, which would not only make slimeballs easier to get (as discussed in this idea) and decrease the amount of slimeball farming, making slimes more of a hunting thing as opposed to a farming thing, as almost every other mob is. You should have to explore caves and fight to get slimes, not just build a farm and wait for drops. Short of mob grinders, that is what you have to do with every other mob. You have to fight the creepers and skeletons, so why not the slimes? Most players don't even know what chunks are, meaning that they wouldn't know slimes only spawn in certain places, and there would be no way for them to find out short of happening upon the information online.
Anyway, anyone interested in the solution of removing slime chunks, please view this idea. Though slime residue isn't a terrible idea, slime chunks are a flawed concept and need to go.
I did read your post when I did my search and removing slime chunks while simultaneously adjusting their spawn frequency would certainly be a valid solution. The issue I have though is:
Mojang are probably more likely to add something or adjust something to solve a problem. I don't think their first choice would be to outright remove something. Proof of this concept is when they increased the height at which slimes could form. This indicates to me that they are at least aware of some issues with slimes. Also, we may not know their reasoning behind having slimes spawn the way they do. Maybe they feel very strongly about their decision and may refuse to change it. An idea that requires the least amount of change that works with existing features would probably have the highest success rate of being implemented in that scenario.
Slimes using specific chunks to spawn makes them unique and different from other mobs. Removing this makes them just like any other mob minus the altitude requirement. Personally, Just having a altitude threshold as to where they could appear makes them just like trying to find diamonds, an annoying and irksome process in it of itself.Therefore, a solution that fixes the problem without removing features that contribute to their unique behaviour is optimal and preferable.
Removing slime chunks or keeping them won't stop slime farms from being created. if you know they can exist between certain altitudes, all you need do is mine out those areas. However, if you keep slime chunks, you still need to search for them and even if you find a single chunk, if you keep searching you may find 3 slime chunks that are directly adjacent to each other. Otherwise, you are removing the exploration challenge from the equation. It's still difficult, but not an experience.
I appreciate your feedback and I hope both our threads will bring attention to the issues present so they may be resolved efficiently.
Proposed Solution - Slime Residue Block
Properties:
- Only generates naturally in slime chunks at the same altitude a slime could exist. Requires the same amount of space a slime would normally need to spawn. Will spawn in disjointed, random splotches (as opposed to a single solid sheet like snow, think mossy cobblestone in dungeons but less dense)
- The block itself isn't a solid block but is identical in size to a fallen snow tile
- Slime Residue cannot be crafted. Destroying it with anything yields no drops
- You can obtain it as a decorative item if you use a silk touch shovel or by using console commands/creative mode
- Slimes do not "leave" a trail of slime residue (it does not function like a Snow Golem)
- Movement speed is not effected by walking on slime residue. Sound effects will change to something similar to walking through shallow, muddy water (just as walking on wood, stone, dirt, and snow sound different)
Mechanics:- The reason this is an optimal solution to finding slimes is that it's immersive. You see the slime patches and you realize that this is a slime chunk. You aren't using a HUD map or looking at your coordinates, you just know your in a slime chunk
- This goes well with other similar immersion mechanics in the game. Abandon mineshafts have dense cobwebs that indicate that a Cave Spider Spawner may be up ahead. Or how you can hear there is a Enderman nearby
- This isn't the know-all reveal-all slime chunk finder like a HUD map or slime scanner. If a slime chunk doesn't have sufficient tunnels running through it (i.e., your mining through solid rock), you would have no natural indication that slimes could spawn there. This requires you to seek out these chunks, just like how you have to search for biomes, dungeons, strongholds, villages, and other unique areas
- The bonus is you also now have a rare aesthetic block you can obtain with the right enchantments. You can use it to make your house look messy, decorate a hidden torture chamber, or even place it back in non-slime chunk tunnels to mess with other players heads.
Background Information/Research:Quick research reveals a number of players feel finding and harvesting slimes for slimeballs to be too difficult or yield too little product. There are mods and tools available to identify slime chunks, but currently no natural way to determine the exact location of a slime chunk other than directly witnessing a slime spawn in an area (otherwise they just wander off). Previous suggestions include:
Anyway, anyone interested in the solution of removing slime chunks, please view this idea. Though slime residue isn't a terrible idea, slime chunks are a flawed concept and need to go.
If you want to see a great idea for Minecraft, click the banner! Over 400 supporters and counting!
I did read your post when I did my search and removing slime chunks while simultaneously adjusting their spawn frequency would certainly be a valid solution. The issue I have though is:
- Mojang are probably more likely to add something or adjust something to solve a problem. I don't think their first choice would be to outright remove something. Proof of this concept is when they increased the height at which slimes could form. This indicates to me that they are at least aware of some issues with slimes. Also, we may not know their reasoning behind having slimes spawn the way they do. Maybe they feel very strongly about their decision and may refuse to change it. An idea that requires the least amount of change that works with existing features would probably have the highest success rate of being implemented in that scenario.
- Slimes using specific chunks to spawn makes them unique and different from other mobs. Removing this makes them just like any other mob minus the altitude requirement. Personally, Just having a altitude threshold as to where they could appear makes them just like trying to find diamonds, an annoying and irksome process in it of itself.Therefore, a solution that fixes the problem without removing features that contribute to their unique behaviour is optimal and preferable.
- Removing slime chunks or keeping them won't stop slime farms from being created. if you know they can exist between certain altitudes, all you need do is mine out those areas. However, if you keep slime chunks, you still need to search for them and even if you find a single chunk, if you keep searching you may find 3 slime chunks that are directly adjacent to each other. Otherwise, you are removing the exploration challenge from the equation. It's still difficult, but not an experience.
I appreciate your feedback and I hope both our threads will bring attention to the issues present so they may be resolved efficiently.