Windmills vs. Waterwheels

[diegokilla]

So as I see it now, there is hardly much reason to create a Windmill, when u could simply create a waterwheel.
1. Waterwheels are MUCH smaller (5x5 as opposed to windmill 13x13)
2. They are cheaper -> waterwheel=13wood vs windmill= 6wood and 49(unrefined)hemp
3. Waterwheels do not require maintenance,

So unless you want a beautiful windmill, or you are building production facilities in the nether, the waterwheel is the winner.
Some may argue that the waterwheel effectively requires more depth than the windmill, in order to direct the flow of water, but I think this is minimal when compared to the windmill.

Any thoughts?

Side-note: I dont think that either of these are broken or need changing by any means. However, adding or removing some sort of function for one of these I think would help balance these out.

[Miss_Kat]

Windmills have one definite advantage over waterwheels, besides their aesthetic appeal: how do you plan on getting mechanical power to the Nether without water? ;P

[BinoAl]

So as I see it now, there is hardly much reason to create a Windmill, when u could simply create a waterwheel.
1. Waterwheels are MUCH smaller (5x5 as opposed to windmill 13x13)
2. They are cheaper -> waterwheel=13wood vs windmill= 6wood and 49(unrefined)hemp
3. Waterwheels do not require maintenance,

So unless you want a beautiful windmill, or you are building production facilities in the nether, the waterwheel is the winner.
Some may argue that the waterwheel effectively requires more depth than the windmill, in order to direct the flow of water, but I think this is minimal when compared to the windmill.

Any thoughts?

Side-note: I dont think that either of these are broken or need changing by any means. However, adding or removing some sort of function for one of these I think would help balance these out.

On pure functionality, water wheels are more efficient. However, I think a windmill looks better on a wooden tower/house than a water wheel with water magically appearing behind it :p Then again, im pretty ocd about things like that

[magikeh]

If You Don't Want to Maintenance Your Windmill then all you need to do is add a roof over the blades (it only needs to be one block wide) and then you don't need to worry about how the rain breaks the mill, and you can have all those pretty colors swirling around in a circle!!

But seriously i like water wheels a lot better. Mostly because how compact it is!!

[FlowerChild]

If You Don't Want to Maintenance Your Windmill then all you need to do is add a roof over the blades (it only needs to be one block wide) and then you don't need to worry about how the rain breaks the mill, and you can have all those pretty colors swirling around in a circle!!

But seriously i like water wheels a lot better. Mostly because how compact it is!!

If you do that, the Wind Mill won't function. It needs a clear line of site to the sky to receive "wind".

[diegokilla]

So as I see it now, there is hardly much reason to create a Windmill, when u could simply create a waterwheel.
1. Waterwheels are MUCH smaller (5x5 as opposed to windmill 13x13)
2. They are cheaper -> waterwheel=13wood vs windmill= 6wood and 49(unrefined)hemp
3. Waterwheels do not require maintenance,

So unless you want a beautiful windmill, or you are building production facilities in the nether, the waterwheel is the winner.
Some may argue that the waterwheel effectively requires more depth than the windmill, in order to direct the flow of water, but I think this is minimal when compared to the windmill.

Any thoughts?

Side-note: I dont think that either of these are broken or need changing by any means. However, adding or removing some sort of function for one of these I think would help balance these out.

On pure functionality, water wheels are more efficient. However, I think a windmill looks better on a wooden tower/house than a water wheel with water magically appearing behind it :p Then again, im pretty ocd about things like that

I completely agree with the "magically appearing water" .. So I Had wanted to start an Aqueduct that went from a high-ish snow covered mountain and carried water down it to my soon-to-be production facility. But even still i find myself carry a bucket of water when working on any production oriented things just so i can crank out a quick waterwheel for on-the-spot power

I actually also find myself placing hoppers under the first gearbox in-line after the windmill just to catch the gearbox parts when it explodes I'm just OCD like that >.<

[tundragrass]

By windmill matinence you mean it breaking in storms? no worrys. Play a detector faceing up and a opening thats open to the outside. Make the redstone wireing connecting to the first gearbox and BAM when it rains the detector will tell the gearbox to stop. Not quite sure if it works, I just saw it in a video

[FALL3N_ANG3LS]

By windmill matinence you mean it breaking in storms? no worrys. Play a detector faceing up and a opening thats open to the outside. Make the redstone wireing connecting to the first gearbox and BAM when it rains the detector will tell the gearbox to stop. Not quite sure if it works, I just saw it in a video

I had read about that back in the cesspool of the BTW thread. I don't know if it works either, but the theory behind it is spot on. As well as that, redstone and mechanical power play hand in hand.
First of all, you've got yourself a detector block, detecting entities i.e rain, snow etc...
And the gearboxes break from the strain of working in the rain...
So if you got yourself a theory on how a weather detecting redstone circuit can stop a gearbox when it it rain, don't shine;
then you just saved yourself the time it would have taken for repairs and use it for other projects.

[Dralnalak]

Yes, a windmill may cost more to create than a waterwheel, but efficiency is not the only reason to do things, particularly in a building game like Minecraft.

If you think about it, cobblestone is more efficient than "smooth stone" because you don't have to bake the cobblestone first. Yet people build things with tons of smooth stone because they like the way it looks or because it is a little harder to acquire.

In the end, it's probably more about what leaves you more satisfied with your creations.

Plus, I like the windmills because it makes me work harder for it than the watermill does.

[diegokilla]

By windmill matinence you mean it breaking in storms? no worrys. Play a detector faceing up and a opening thats open to the outside. Make the redstone wireing connecting to the first gearbox and BAM when it rains the detector will tell the gearbox to stop. Not quite sure if it works, I just saw it in a video

I had read about that back in the cesspool of the BTW thread. I don't know if it works either, but the theory behind it is spot on. As well as that, redstone and mechanical power play hand in hand.
First of all, you've got yourself a detector block, detecting entities i.e rain, snow etc...
And the gearboxes break from the strain of working in the rain...
So if you got yourself a theory on how a weather detecting redstone circuit can stop a gearbox when it it rain, don't shine;
then you just saved yourself the time it would have taken for repairs and use it for other projects.

First off, didn't know detectors tracked rain. Thanks for the info! Second off, is simply stopping the gearbox save it from being broken?

[Battosay]

First off, didn't know detectors tracked rain. Thanks for the info! Second off, is simply stopping the gearbox save it from being broken?

Yeah, just disengage the GB closest to your windmill with your combo redstone+detector, and everything will be protected from the storm.

[a bear]

Windmills are much better for me, because of two things:

I am in a desert, so it will always work.
There are no rivers in minecraft, and when I make one myself it looks bad, and when i just use water it looks bad too.

[Thalmane]

Honestly I'm 50/50 on this debate 0.o I like both of them equally.

[Urian]

Windmills are the only mechanical power source we can use in the nether at this point. Flower has also said that he wants to increase the need/usefulness of going to the nether (examples can be seen in that several of the first blocks implemented in BTW require nether-material) and he also mentioned some time ago that nethercoal might play a more important role in coming technological tiers. This means that a netherbase might soon be a good idea :)

Other than that, windmills are very aesthetically pleasing :D I use waterwheels for all my mechanical power but I've still got a few windmills since they add to the atmosphere.

On pure functionality, water wheels are more efficient. However, I think a windmill looks better on a wooden tower/house than a water wheel with water magically appearing behind it :p Then again, im pretty ocd about things like that

I completely agree with the "magically appearing water" .. So I Had wanted to start an Aqueduct that went from a high-ish snow covered mountain and carried water down it to my soon-to-be production facility. But even still i find myself carry a bucket of water when working on any production oriented things just so i can crank out a quick waterwheel for on-the-spot power :P

I actually also find myself placing hoppers under the first gearbox in-line after the windmill just to catch the gearbox parts when it explodes :P I'm just OCD like that >.<[/quote]

Aqueducts you say? :p

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(from my sadly now corrupted world. Luckily I've got the buildings saved as schematics so I can implement them in my new world once I get around to clearing a large space (only using MCEdit to import aesthetic things to my "real" worlds).

[emmasteadman]

If you build a windmill on a desert terrain, that should stop it i think. I've noticed it doesn't rain there. Haven't tested it though, just a theory.

[diegokilla]

If you build a windmill on a desert terrain, that should stop it i think. I've noticed it doesn't rain there. Haven't tested it though, just a theory.

Dam good point! Never even thought of that :D

[walker_boh_65]

Ill put my two cents in, i like water wheels much more, because their smaller and much easier to place. And since im never going to build in the nether, windmills and just for looks for me

[FALL3N_ANG3LS]

Aqueducts you say? :p

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(from my sadly now corrupted world. Luckily I've got the buildings saved as schematics so I can implement them in my new world once I get around to clearing a large space (only using MCEdit to import aesthetic things to my "real" worlds).

Holy... Now props to you on that. That is one of the most aesthetically pleasing structures I've seen in all my time on Minecraft.

[a bear]

Aqueducts you say? :p

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(from my sadly now corrupted world. Luckily I've got the buildings saved as schematics so I can implement them in my new world once I get around to clearing a large space (only using MCEdit to import aesthetic things to my "real" worlds).

Holy... Now props to you on that. That is one of the most aesthetically pleasing structures I've seen in all my time on Minecraft.

I dont think so, actually. I like things that actually do something with the terrain, instead of requiring it to be flat, much better. They are much more unique.
That doesnt mean that aquaduct isnt amazing, though!

On topic, i also didnt think about the nether. another + for the windmills, atleast for me.

[empath]

Aqueducts you say? :p

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That makes me wish that minecraft had marble.

[walker_boh_65]

Aqueducts you say? :p

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That makes me wish that minecraft had marble.

thats not s bad idea...

[greenslurpee]

I like waterwheels because its fun to make ye old hydro-electric plants. Nothing like creating modern day things middle earth-esc. Although the fact that windmills do have to be maintained is realistic feature. Structures in real life don't function for eternity.

[JWA]

Well I'll have to wait to test either, but they both look great. Honestly its not a contest because I'd use them in different areas. The windmills would fit well atop a hill while the waterwheels are more aquaductish so generally down lower.

And ya marble is a sweet idea. I know it would just be for looks, but some primitive statues would really improve the look of colosseum and towns. Plus its another set of tools like maybe a hammer. Not really appropriate for this mod though.

[Ele]

I prefer windmills, because creepers always seem to specifically aim to destroy whatever would piss me off the most. Even if it's just knocking the river a little deeper, it's still just as annoying to me as fixing windmills. Usually because it ends up flooding everything; I prefer routing natural water sources as opposed to just using a bucket. Plus, seeing a patterned windmill spinning in the wind is just cool :O