Suggestion: Implement Time-Based Growth Logic for Dynamic Trees

[izharus]

Suggestion: Implement Time-Based Growth Logic for Dynamic Trees

Dynamic Trees currently has a feature that may lead to significant gameplay issues on public servers when used alongside TerraFirmaCraft (TFC). Trees in Dynamic Trees do not grow unless the chunk they are in is loaded. In TFC, players often require large amounts of charcoal for progression, leading them to cut down increasing numbers of trees. This can cause deforestation and negatively impact server gameplay balance.

Existing solutions to this issue are somewhat "hacky" and include:

1. Allowing players to load chunks manually.
2. Speeding up tree growth artificially.
3. Enabling tree growth with bonemeal (which breaks the immersion and TFC mechanics).

The current behavior also disrupts the atmosphere of TFC. It feels unnatural for trees to "require" a player's presence to grow. By contrast, in TFC, many processes (e.g., charcoal pits) are time-based and do not rely on chunk loading.

Proposed Solution

I propose implementing a time-based growth system for Dynamic Trees, similar to how TFC handles time-dependent mechanics. Here's a rough outline:

1. When a tree grows, it "remembers" the last time it grew.
2. If too many ticks have passed since the last growth (i.e., the chunk was unloaded for a long period), the tree should grow proportionally to the elapsed time when the player returns.

This feature would allow Dynamic Trees to integrate more seamlessly with TFC gameplay while maintaining immersion and reducing the impact on server resources.

Potential Benefits

• Trees would grow naturally even when chunks are unloaded.
• Players would not need to stand near trees or artificially load chunks.
• Server performance and gameplay experience would improve without compromising TFC’s mechanics.

Is there any chance we could see this feature added to Dynamic Trees in the future? If this idea aligns with the goals of the mod, I’d be happy to assist in drafting a more detailed proposal or discussing potential implementation strategies.