[DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL] THE SURVIVAL ECONOMY & ECOSYSTEM UPDATE

[Happivaje]

Focus: Sustainable Resource Loops, Advanced Animal Husbandry, and Realistic Item Lifecycles.

1. Advanced Item Lifecycle (Container Degradation)​

Currently, liquid containers are either single-use or infinite. This proposal introduces a mechanical middle ground to maintain resource relevance:

• Reusable Containers: Glass jars, plastic jugs, and metal buckets receive a MaxDurability stat.
• Usage Cycles: Every "Fill/Empty" action at a campfire or water source consumes durability.
• Material Recovery: When durability reaches zero, the item breaks into raw materials (e.g., Broken Glass or Scrap Polymers).
• Economic Impact: This maintains a constant late-game demand for sand, clay, and oil, preventing resource saturation.

2. Dynamic Food Preservation (Spoilage Loop)​

Introducing a realistic lifecycle for perishables to encourage technological progression:

• Freshness Timer: Raw ingredients (meat, vegetables) gain a SpoilTimer variable that eventually transforms them into Rotten Flesh.
• Storage Tiers:
  
  • Tier 1 (Preserving Salt): A mixture of Nitrate and Sand that slows the decay process.
  • Tier 2 (Ice Cooler): Uses ice harvested from the Snow Biome to significantly extend shelf life.
  • Tier 3 (Electrical Refrigeration): Powered refrigerators minimize spoilage to near-zero levels.

3. Comprehensive Animal Husbandry (The Farm Loop)​

Expanding existing hunting mechanics into active resource management:

• Animal Capture: A new Transport Crate item allows players to immobilize and relocate wild animals to a base.
• Productive Livestock:
  
  • Chickens: Passive production of eggs and feathers without killing the animal.
  • Boars: Increased yield of Animal Fat and meat through controlled breeding.
  • Cattle/Goats: New milk production as a liquid ingredient for advanced food recipes.
• Breeding Systems: If two animals of the same species are kept in a 4x4 secured area with access to a Feeding Trough, they can produce offspring.

4. Automation & Maintenance Tools​

• Feeding Trough: An automated container that feeds nearby animals (requires refills of corn/potatoes).
• Electric Shears: A powered tool used to harvest wool from sheep without harming them.
• Compost System: Converts organic waste and manure into Super Fertilizer to maximize crop yields.

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Technical Feasibility (Dev Perspective):​

This proposal utilizes existing game scripts (durability, buff durations, NPC spawning), making it a lightweight yet deep addition to the core gameplay. It specifically strengthens PvE gameplay and player trading, making servers more lived-in and sustainable for long-term play.