Multiple Workers For Faster MineColonies Builds

Hey guys! Ever felt like watching your MineColonies town hall upgrade from level 3 to 4 takes forever? You're not alone! This article delves into a feature request that could revolutionize the way we construct large structures in MineColonies: multiple workers on large builds. Let's break down the problem, the proposed solution, and why it would be a game-changer.

The Problem: Mega-Builds Take Ages

Let's face it, some MineColonies structures are massive. We are talking about the town hall, barracks, universities and hospitals! These can require thousands of blocks, and with a single worker placing roughly one block per second, you are looking at potentially hours of real-time construction for a single upgrade. Now, factor in the Minecraft day/night cycle, your worker's need to eat and rest, travel time to grab resources, and that can easily stretch into multiple real-time days. Who has that kind of patience? Especially when you have other buildings just begging for upgrades! Imagine waiting for your fortress to be upgraded for hours, whereas you could be expanding your colony and building more houses and infrastructure.

The Proposed Solution: Teamwork Makes the Dream Work

The core idea is simple: allow multiple workers to collaborate on a single large build. Think of it as a construction crew rather than a lone wolf. Instead of one worker single-handedly placing over 3,100 blocks for a town hall upgrade, you could split the workload between four or five workers, significantly reducing the construction time. This means less waiting, more building, and a faster-growing, more vibrant colony.

Configuration Options for Maximum Control

To make this feature truly shine, it needs to be configurable. Here are a few ideas:

• Enable/Disable Multiple Workers: A simple "yes/no" toggle to turn the feature on or off based on your preferences.
• Worker Allocation Threshold: This is where it gets interesting. Imagine a setting like "split work between 'x' workers for every 'y' blocks to place." For example, you could configure it to use two workers for every 1000 blocks or three workers for every 2000 blocks. This allows you to fine-tune the worker allocation based on the size of the build.
• Manual Worker Assignment: The most direct approach would be to simply let us assign multiple builders to a project when we initiate the build. This gives us the ultimate control over who works on what.

Addressing Potential Challenges

Of course, introducing multiple workers on a single build isn't without its challenges. Here are a few potential hurdles and possible solutions:

• Race Conditions: With multiple workers placing blocks simultaneously, there's a risk of conflicts – two workers trying to place the same block at the same time. This could potentially break the building process. The developers at Minecolonies would need to introduce some serious race condition checks to solve this issue.
• Work Division: How do you ensure that workers don't get in each other's way and that the workload is distributed efficiently? Perhaps the build could be divided into cardinal sections (north, south, east, west), with each worker assigned to a specific area. Alternatively, the system could dynamically assign tasks based on proximity and availability. Think of it like this, one worker gets the North wall and the other gets the South Wall.
• Pathfinding: Ensuring that multiple workers can navigate the construction site without bumping into each other or getting stuck. This might require some optimization of the pathfinding algorithms used by the builders.

Why This Feature Matters

This isn't just about saving time; it's about improving the overall MineColonies experience. Here's why multiple workers on large builds would be such a valuable addition:

• Reduced Downtime: Less waiting for upgrades means more time to focus on other aspects of your colony. You can expand your farms, train soldiers, research new technologies, and explore the world around you.
• Increased Efficiency: By utilizing your builder workforce more effectively, you can accelerate the growth and development of your colony. No more idle builders sitting around while a single worker slogs through a massive project!
• Enhanced Gameplay: This feature would make the game more engaging and rewarding. You'd feel a greater sense of accomplishment as you watch your colony rapidly evolve and expand.
• Better Late-Game Experience: Late-game upgrades can be extremely grindy, so you want to get to the late game content faster. This feature helps to mitigate the slow progression.

Potential Implementations: Hilbert, and More

The original poster mentioned different building styles like Hilbert. Let's explore how different algorithms can split the work and whether or not other options could be employed:

• Hilbert Curve: As mentioned, the Hilbert curve is an interesting approach that could be used to divide the build into continuous segments, each assigned to a worker. This would ensure that workers don't get in each other's way and that the build progresses in a structured manner. It has the advantage of being less likely to split up functional parts of a structure.
• Layer-by-Layer: This is another approach which could function similar to 3D printing. The first worker starts on the base and then continues up. The next worker would start after the base layer has been built and so on. This has the advantage of ensuring that no part of the building is left unfinished.

Conclusion: A Brighter, Faster-Built Future for MineColonies

In conclusion, the ability to assign multiple workers to large builds would be a significant enhancement to MineColonies. It would save us time, increase efficiency, and make the game more enjoyable overall. While there are challenges to overcome, the potential benefits far outweigh the risks. Let's hope the MineColonies developers take note and consider implementing this feature in a future update! Now you can get back to building your massive colony at lightning speed, guys!

So, what do you think? Would you like to see multiple workers on large builds in MineColonies? Share your thoughts and ideas in the comments below!