Why don't other animals make dung?

[Splee999]

Before I start, this is NOT a suggestion, as I imagine this has come up before. (Though I couldn't find any really dedicated posts or threads with a few searches)

After searching these forums for a while, I couldn't really find anything solid about why wolves are the only animal in the mod that produce dung. After getting to the steel age a few times, I find it kind of frustrating to hunt down and lock up a bunch of wolves to produce leather. The current system strikes me as odd, because in real life, finding dung is never really a problem, getting rid of it is. So, why do none of my cows or pigs give me any usable dung? Is wolf dung special for some reason? I mean, seriously, where does STEVE put his dung? Shouldn't we be getting a free piece in our inventory every MC day or so?

Anyway, this is not a real suggestion. I'm just hoping for some forum vets or Flying Turtles to clarify for a noob like me.

Thanks,

Splee999

[Stormweaver]

It's balance. It'd require almost no effort to tan leather if every animal produced dung, since most animals eat wheat. As such, it'd result in much less complicated/fun farms...that and the dung producing wolves are kinda BTW's trademark >.<

If you need justification; Wolf dung is the only natural dung in minecraft that contains tannin. While steve *could* use the dung of other animals, he'd just end up with dung-smeared leather, as opposed to properly tanned leather. As such, the dung of the other animals is unimportant, and as such doesn't show up.

[FlowerChild]

The tanning process with dung is only viable if certain enzymes are present in the dung (usually found in the dung of carnivores). Historically, dog feces was typically used.

And from a game design perspective, collecting wolf-dung provides a unique gameplay mechanic that wouldn't be present with the other forms. Wolves themselves are a limited resource, and both their attributes, and their diet, makes for more interesting automation.

EDIT: Nice ninja Storm :)

[Splee999]

Okay, this sounds justified enough. Thanks for the clarification.

[FlowerChild]

BTW Storm, just one minor point: dung doesn't contain tannin. It was only used as part of the overall tanning process (to initially soften the leather and make it absorb the tannin better) which I've abstracted a great deal in BTW.

[Mr_Hosed]

Yes... I wondered why we weren't using brains in the tanning process ;)

[FlowerChild]

Yes... I wondered why we weren't using brains in the tanning process ;)

I'd probably opt for tree bark if I were to elaborate on the process.

[TheAnarchitect]

Awww, you don't like my Acorn method?

[Calcifire3691]

wasn't human urine also used as well?

*slowly dawns on him why the liquid in the stewing pot is yellow*

(as to why wolf dung is the only one present, I like to think of it as the rest of the animals being civilised enough to bury their dung, or go in an out of the way area, wolves are the only ones rude enough to just go anywhere)

[Stormweaver]

BTW Storm, just one minor point: dung doesn't contain tannin. It was only used as part of the overall tanning process (to initially soften the leather and make it absorb the tannin better) which I've abstracted a great deal in BTW.

Minecraft wolf dung does though. I blame jeb for this mysterious phenomenon.

I wouldn't mind seeing tree bark being added to the process in the future though (maybe sawdust, for the sake of abstraction) as...more reasons to automate tree farms are good.

EDIT: maybe not sawdust. *facepalm*

[Dr. Kylstein]

Because they don't eat meat! You can't make any pudding if you don't eat your meat! :P

[FlowerChild]

BTW Storm, just one minor point: dung doesn't contain tannin. It was only used as part of the overall tanning process (to initially soften the leather and make it absorb the tannin better) which I've abstracted a great deal in BTW.

Minecraft wolf dung does though. I blame jeb for this mysterious phenomenon.

I wouldn't mind seeing tree bark being added to the process in the future though (maybe sawdust, for the sake of abstraction) as...more reasons to automate tree farms are good.

EDIT: maybe not sawdust. *facepalm*

Hehe...no, Saw Dust wouldn't do too well.

I've considered making bark a bi-product of sawing logs for awhile now. If I go this route I'd likely do the same thing I did back with the temporary tanning recipes and have the efficiency based on how dark the wood is.

[Flesh_Engine]

Hey that sounds like fun, are you adding to your recently diminished list of features already FC? tisk tisk ;)

[Elevatator]

wasn't human urine also used as well?

*slowly dawns on him why the liquid in the stewing pot is yellow*

Yes. You´re right.

I won´t be much surprised if we could pee into an empty vanilla cauldron, and it would be filled with urine. Then, we could fill it into bottles... throw them at creeper...
It would be a funny hidden feature of the mod.
Gnargh!!! So much Ideas!!!

[Tropa]

Gives us a reason to go out and get wolves!

[TheAnarchitect]

That's actually my least favorite part about it: despite all the hate this mod has for wolves, it's also the one that makes me really NEED the little bastards.

[PhongGamer]

I've recently theorized that wolves were chosen as the source of dung for the same reason that the mod has it's name. Kind of a subtle slap at that particular MC update. :D But I do understand the reasoning behind using wolf dung, and enjoyed reading the various explanations in this thread.

[Punnikin]

Wouldn't cooking logs in a stewpot create tannin? Perhaps dung and logs together so you would get an all-in-one hide tanning goop? Or you could be kind of cruel about it and require pine needle blocks with dung so it would add a teensy bit more challenge to it. Plus it would make your leather smell like Pine-Sol and dog shit and who wouldn't enjoy that?

(edit) Oh man, sorry for the necro. Wasn't paying attention, I guess. I'll understand if you kill this post for the meat and exp.

[FlowerChild]

Yeah, please also restrict suggestions to the suggestion sub-forum as it makes it much easier for me to ignore them :)

And btw, this is normally a temp ban at the very least. Spotting it yourself was the only thing that caused me to let it go.