[Mod] Living (dynamic) trees [living_trees] [WIP]

[RichardTry]

Hi everybody, this is my first mod.
It adds roots, branches and smooth tree growth:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JJ-5R2PjPo
(Growth is fast just for demonstration!)

Screenshots:

branches.png

(975.84 KiB) Not downloaded yet

tree.png

(727.67 KiB) Not downloaded yet

pine.png

(742.23 KiB) Not downloaded yet

GitHub: https://github.com/RichardTry/living_trees

How it works?
For every tree type (apple, pine, etc.) there is a node of roots (can be several: pine_roots_in_dirt, pine_roots_in_sand, etc.) During mapgen (or planting a sapling), every root gets unique L-system string, which generates from axiom for it's tree type. ABM, which runs for every root node, parses its string, and update corresponding node, if it is smaller (or air/leaves), than branch at string (branch getting blocked by other nodes).
Breaking a branch with axe/piston/TNT will recursively break its childs. Leaves will disappear with standart Minetest Game ABM.

Warning: Mapgen and l-string generation parts are not implemented yet!

+ L-system notation

T — Draw trunk and go forward
Q — Draw trunk, turning to large branch and go forward
W — Draw large, turning to medium branch and go forward
E — Draw medium, turning to small branch and go forward
R — Draw small, turning to smallest branch and go forward
1 — Draw large branch and go forward
2 — Draw medium branch and go forward
3 — Draw small branch and go forward
4 — Draw smallest branch and go forward
+ — Yaw the turtle right
- — Yaw the turtle left
& — Pitch the turtle down
^ — Pitch the turtle up
/ — Roll the turtle to the right
* — Roll the turtle to the left
[ — Push/save current state into stack
] — Pop/recover current state from stack
A — Replace with rule set A
B — Replace with rule set B
C — Replace with rule set C
D — Replace with rule set D

You don't need to care about branches, which changes it's size (Q, W, E, R). During string generation they will automatically appear from 1, 2, 3, 4.

Characters for rules (A, B, C, D, ...) is not implemented yet, because string generation is not.

API:
To register a living tree run:

Code: Select all

living_trees.register_tree({name, roots, texture, trunk, leaves})

where:
name — tree's name.
roots — table of node names on which the tree grows.
texture — trunk and branches texture.
leaves — name of leaves node.
Example:

Code: Select all

living_trees.register_tree({
	name = "Apple",
	roots = {"living_trees:apple_roots"},
	texture = "default_tree.png",
	trunk = "default:tree",
	leaves = "default:leaves"
})

Will be implemented:
Mapgen,
L-string generation,
Branch adaptation (growing around obstacles).

[Krock]

This growth mechanism already looks very good. Keep up the good work!
It would be possible to use faster node timers on the next lower trunk node to spawn new branches. ABMs are quite slow and do not scale well when there's neighbour nodes to check.

PS: There's an L-tree/system implementation in Minetest, but it might not contain enough features for your needs.

[cuthbertdoublebarrel]

nice , really like the idea of the trees taking over the world and changing the terrain into woodland and forest . could you do the same with brambles and creeping vines or root systems ? so that they obstruct paths and passages and smother buildings .

[philipbenr]

Very interested to see how this progresses. I like the idea of a dynamic environment, and even just the branches is a nice addition.

[v-rob]

This is very nice! I really like the idea of real branches, but I've never been able to think of a proper way to make them look good. Yours are better than I imagined.

(I wish my first mod was half as cool as this one...)