Animal spawning rule has become rather confusing since the 1.8 final release. The word is that now once every animal has been killed on a specified chunk, they will not re-spawn and also, they are now persistent so they won't despawn anymore.
That's ok and makes more sense since breeding is coming in future releases (1.9?). The problem is, they dont't respawn after being killed but food is now essential for survival (don't tell me about farming, I know we can live on melon or bread. the topic is about mob spawning). Other fact is that a Minecraft landscape without mobs is rather sad and boring. I used to like when there was plenty of animals around. It was making the game more lively.
Anyway, reading through other threads, some users say that animals still spawn as normal and others say they don't anymore once they've been killed. Also, about persistence, some say animals will despawn when others say the don't despawn since 1.8
In fact, on my server I have noticed that there are no more animal spawning around our spawn area. They all have been killed and eaten. Since then, the only way to get meat and wool is to wander around the land further and further each time. I didn't run any test on persistence but I have noticed a pork sticking around longer than they usually do.
I went on Minepedia to get some answers and here's what we can find:
Animal Spawning
Approximately one in ten newly generated chunks will contain animals, usually in packs of up to four of the same species. They will always spawn on the highest available block in a column i.e. the one that can see the sky. For an animal to spawn on it, this block must be opaque and the two blocks above it must be non-opaque. The block does not need to be Grass nor does it need to be illuminated (as it does with #Mob Spawning).[4]
Animals do not spawn in desert or ocean biomes.
Randomness for animal spawning is derived from the world seed, which means that worlds with the same seed will generate chunks with the same animals in the same places.
Very rarely, new animals can spawn in already generated chunks, just like monsters do. Unlike monsters, animals never despawn. In an upcoming version of the game, it will be possible to create new animals by breeding them.[5]
Despawning
Monsters, squid, and untamed wolves can spontaneously cease to exist, or "despawn", if they are far enough from all players. Other mobs (animals) never despawn in this way.
On every game tick (1/20th of a second), each living mob that is subject to despawning checks the following rules:
A mob that is more than 128 blocks (spherical) from every player will spontaneously despawn (die).
A mob that is more than 32 blocks from every player, and is more than 30 seconds old, has a 1 in 800 chance of despawning. That makes the average lifespan of a mob just under one minute, if they never come within 32 blocks of a player (but see the note below).
A mob that is within 32 blocks of at least one player, and is more than 30 seconds old, has a 1 in 800 chance of being "born again" -- having their age reset to zero and getting another 30 seconds of immunity to despawning (this may actually be a bug, the actual intention being to always reset the mob's age when it comes closer than 32 blocks).
Note that mobs only run their despawning code while standing still. If they are chasing a player or wandering, none of the above happens. They don't even age if they aren't standing still! So, assuming they spend roughly half their time walking, their average lifespan is probably more like 2 minutes. This may also be a bug.
The first section confirms that animals only spawn once when a new chunk is generated (one in ten) but it also clearly states that animals never despawn.
However, the second section is rather contradictory as it explains how mobs (animals) despawn.
In my opinion, the second section is simply not up-to-date from what I have noticed myself and from what I've read in the forums.
To summarize:
- animals spawn randomly in one out of 10 newly generated chunk
- once they've been killed, they do not respawn, causing a lack of animal in the surroundings. However, it appears that they still can respawn but it is very rare. I can confirm this as I have noticed a couple of cows and a couple of pigs in our spawn area over the last 2 days, after we heartlessly slaughter the lot.
- animals will be breedable but not until further release (1.9?)
- animals do no longer despawn, allowing their breeding
What is fact and what is rumor? What is your take on this?
The "Animals do not spawn in desert or ocean biomes." is a myth. I have both a town in middle of a ocean, and also one in a desert, and in both I've seen the rare "old chunk spawning". They seem only not spawning there while chunk generating.
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Animal spawning rule has become rather confusing since the 1.8 final release. The word is that now once every animal has been killed on a specified chunk, they will not re-spawn and also, they are now persistent so they won't despawn anymore.
That's ok and makes more sense since breeding is coming in future releases (1.9?). The problem is, they dont't respawn after being killed but food is now essential for survival (don't tell me about farming, I know we can live on melon or bread. the topic is about mob spawning). Other fact is that a Minecraft landscape without mobs is rather sad and boring. I used to like when there was plenty of animals around. It was making the game more lively.
Anyway, reading through other threads, some users say that animals still spawn as normal and others say they don't anymore once they've been killed. Also, about persistence, some say animals will despawn when others say the don't despawn since 1.8
In fact, on my server I have noticed that there are no more animal spawning around our spawn area. They all have been killed and eaten. Since then, the only way to get meat and wool is to wander around the land further and further each time. I didn't run any test on persistence but I have noticed a pork sticking around longer than they usually do.
I went on Minepedia to get some answers and here's what we can find:
Source: http://www.minecraftwiki.net/wiki/Spawn
The first section confirms that animals only spawn once when a new chunk is generated (one in ten) but it also clearly states that animals never despawn.
However, the second section is rather contradictory as it explains how mobs (animals) despawn.
In my opinion, the second section is simply not up-to-date from what I have noticed myself and from what I've read in the forums.
To summarize:
- animals spawn randomly in one out of 10 newly generated chunk
- once they've been killed, they do not respawn, causing a lack of animal in the surroundings. However, it appears that they still can respawn but it is very rare. I can confirm this as I have noticed a couple of cows and a couple of pigs in our spawn area over the last 2 days, after we heartlessly slaughter the lot.
- animals will be breedable but not until further release (1.9?)
- animals do no longer despawn, allowing their breeding
What is fact and what is rumor? What is your take on this?
Thanks for your answers guys.
http://www.minecraftforum.net/topic/619068-chicken-farming/
Can't wait to be able to breed the other mobs and build up farms.