An Idea for refreshing underground layers

[RickyRio]

After reading some of the threads about decay mechanics the idea of an "eternal" world in HnH and the issues with refreshing cave layers for mining I had a few ideas.

Main premise: An earthquake is triggered and some or all of the cave layers regenerate fresh

The earthquake event:
The obvious issues with regenerating the cave layers are underground constructions, the first level cave layer and what do we do with hearthlings underground at the time

Its very likely this sort of idea would require a server downtime to pull off, but leave an opportunity to have neat events in the several hours to day leading up to it.

Constructions: (houses, walls, non-liftables, ect.)
Warn hearthlings that "buildings in the unstable underground has its risks" and also give players a way to suppress this notification when they build. Surface mineholes and caves (more on caves at the bottom) would collapse and need to be dug out like cellars to be reused, possibly some added materials.
Any houses or significant structures could end up as ruins randomly found in natural galleries mined out after the earthquake
Issues: removes the possibility of underground villages (see first cave layer section)

Cave layer 1: (the layer with caves)
One option is to exempt the cave layer from the earthquakes, which would allow underground villages (See below "refreshing the cave layer")

What do we do with Heathlings:
I would love to see for the half hour or more leading up to an earthquake event to have cave-ins even under mine supports all over the underground, encouraging players to get the hell out. Offline players could be returned to their hearth fire safe or with some minor wounds (very against this killing a character) with some hearth magic based explanation for why they escaped. Players with hearth fires underground or destroyed could be teleported randomly or within the same supergrid.

Trigger:
Option 1: Time based
After a semi random (at-least a month) period of time an earthquake happens causing the reset
issues: RANDOM

Option 2: Activation based
After a semi random (at-least a month) period of time, a special type of mining on a natural gallery is allowed to activate (you could seed a few hundred into the mapgen and leave them deactivated until the hidden timer goes off, then allow them to activate when mined) revealing the "Heart of the mountain" a room with some special magic crystal and more in it, when you break the crystal it triggers the earthquake to begin (allowing say several hours to a day for people to evacuate anything underground, lots of rumbling and random cave-ins)
Option 2.5: make it multiple crystals and have the underground become more and more dangerous from cave-ins and other hazards as more of them get found and destroyed until enough are broken to activate

Dynamic surface caves:
Surface cave entrances would have to collapse with new cave layer generation, one option is to allow "rock piles" to generate at random on cliff faces near underground caves, you could then clear these piles for a chance to unearth a new cave entrance which would clear a path to the natural cave much like how a minehole clears out around itself.

[Lyrroth]

Some people live underground and put a lot of time and work into thier settlements or art pavement. I dont hate idea but would I have it rather in a manner where it happens to areas that are unloaded for long time and resources spawned are random so people don't wait for "best" nodes to regenerate.

[Omnipotent]

Some people live underground and put a lot of time and work into thier settlements or art pavement. I dont hate idea but would I have it rather in a manner where it happens to areas that are unloaded for long time and resources spawned are random so people don't wait for "best" nodes to regenerate.

Agreed on this. It's an interesting idea but it seems a little too destructive in it's currently suggested form. Random cave in's doesn't sound like a good idea to me, especially under mine supports which are the one way to prevent such a thing.

If this ever does get implemented, any tiles that are supported by mine supports should probably have a strongly increased resistance to any cave-ins (If not complete immunity from cave-ins).

[Fostik]

Some people live underground and put a lot of time and work into thier settlements or art pavement. I dont hate idea but would I have it rather in a manner where it happens to areas that are unloaded for long time and resources spawned are random so people don't wait for "best" nodes to regenerate.

Can be easilly prevent by simple rule: earthquakes will never happen on active claims, 200-300 tiles before active claims, and if place has traffic with players.

[Granger]

Underworld needs to be be cleaned up to keep the world young, I like the suggestion.

Can be easilly prevent by simple rule: earthquakes will never happen on active claims, 200-300 tiles before active claims, and if place has traffic with players.

Something like this could be a sensible solution.

Drawback for art pavement would be that a claim would need to be kept active near it, but the work involved for this is neglible so that shouldn't be a problem.

[RickyRio]

Some people live underground and put a lot of time and work into thier settlements or art pavement. I dont hate idea but would I have it rather in a manner where it happens to areas that are unloaded for long time and resources spawned are random so people don't wait for "best" nodes to regenerate.

This is a major sticking point, and while I do like the cool underground villages its odd to see a stone tower in a cave. also why I suggested to perhaps leave the cave layer out of the event.

Random cave in's doesn't sound like a good idea to me, especially under mine supports which are the one way to prevent such a thing.

in my suggestion, such random cave-ins would be part of the dying throes of the underground before an earthquake. nothing more.


I simply see too many issues with refreshing areas without refreshing the ENTIRE layer. thus the extreme destructiveness of the suggestion. It could be possible to restrict it on a per layer basis (ie: you can roll layers independent from each other)

[Dakkan]

Some people live underground and put a lot of time and work into thier settlements or art pavement. I dont hate idea but would I have it rather in a manner where it happens to areas that are unloaded for long time and resources spawned are random so people don't wait for "best" nodes to regenerate.

This is a major sticking point, and while I do like the cool underground villages its odd to see a stone tower in a cave. also why I suggested to perhaps leave the cave layer out of the event.

What do you mean by that? All 5 levels have natural cave systems, and the occasional village throughout.

[RickyRio]

What do you mean by that? All 5 levels have natural cave systems, and the occasional village throughout.

Ah sorry, I'm referring to layer 1. Mostly due to the potential issues with having to make a system that can deal with creating and removing cave entrances post world generation.

[Jalpha]

Seriously if the cave levels are sufficiently ruined I would just be asking for a server reset. They would want to be pretty empty though. Alternately the map borders could be extended.

[CorwinOfAmber]

Seriously if the cave levels are sufficiently ruined I would just be asking for a server reset. They would want to be pretty empty though. Alternately the map borders could be extended.

This, Plenty of cave space to dig in yet. If you're really tapped out dig deeper.