VasVadum
commented
4 months ago I suspect the least troublesome method of making this mod, would likely be to make a custom new build-able building with the watering system built in and a built in storage unit of some kind that you can add types of required things to, as everything inside the building would then just depend on only a few factors. "Does building have plant food" "Is there a heater"
Where as using a regular shed would require a ton more checks and stuff. Just an after thought.
Make use of the shed you can build, or even a new building like the shed but as a greenhouse if that one's possible, and have plastic pots with no soil in them, using various special materials to place plants inside and grow them in nutrient enriched water. Plants grown this way will grow 30% faster by default, plus additional speeds based on the chemicals you add to their water source.
-- Individual Buckets (Small system place-able in any interior) 20% faster growth, requires water every x days based on the crop type, and will take 5 waterings from your water can. Basic fertilizer will need to be added every time.
-- Three-Six Bucket System 30% faster growth, takes the same water from the can as the above per bucket and fertilizer too. These buckets will be one structure and all be connected to share nutrients and water increasing efficiency a little bit. Possibly squished closer together to save space as well letting you grow only one crop type at a time. 3 bucket system could be two tiles wide, while the 6 could be 5 tiles wide, and starting the seeds with them will take 3 or 6 seeds to begin.
-- Hydroponic Shed ---- Custom Shed (Regular) If this shed is a custom built different one, using the shed model, modify the interior to include a water storage zone and in-floor piping and tubing. The shed should also cost batteries and some resources in line with building LED style grow lights in it. Possibly add solar to the roof of it if you can modify it. The hydroponic buckets will all be placed on the pre-defined spots that have the pipes and tubes. Crops in this room will grow 50% faster, and use the water tank system to feed the crops as well as a storage chest next to it that lets you place fertilizers in it for automatic consumption. Heater will be required in Winter. Crops grow any season. When finished, you'll get mail stating that your new shed has been connected to the power grid (unless solar), and that the piping has been connected to the town river (first shed only). ---- Custom Shed (Greenhouse) Same as above just without the grow light features. Cost changes more to glass instead of wood. Some metal for the hatches to open and ventilate. Heater will be required in Winter. Crops only grow in their seasons (Due to lighting). (Same mail.) ---- Regular Shed Well, lots of various structures would need to be added to accommodate this, such as a storage tank for storing water, a nutrient dispenser that connects to the tank, and floor equipment (pipes and tubes for water and air). Along with a single structure that you add to the wall like a wallpaper, that adds the grow light functionality to the shed. Will require a heater for winter, and crops will grow any season.
Its actually possible I might need to re-think my idea though, and come up with a better water to water these things, like a water type item made with the right fertilizers. The mod would need to include a list of crops as well and their water requirement levels "light, moderate, lots" (Tomatoes for example, mine took 5 gallons in two weeks when they were up to the ceiling where as my broccoli only took a very tiny amount still). I think items from the monster caves, mixed with clay, such as Slime and Clay to make a plant sponge, would be a relevant item to use in the hydroponics systems.
I know what I'm suggesting is a very complicated thing, and I'm sure some people here can come up with ideas that might simplify it to some degree. I just want to see some type of what I'm doing now in real life, available in the game. I can provide a photo if it would help people visualize what I'm thinking of.
What I do right now, is I have 6 black five gallon buckets filled with water, mixed plant food A and B into them in the right proportions, and each bucket has an air stone in the bottom to feed the roots oxygen, and a wood support frame over them to allow me to tie string between the frames to support the plants and to hold up grow lights to supplement their missing light due to it being winter. These tomatoes grew far faster than planting them outdoors, and the quality of the fruit was far better according to the people who ate them. They could tell a difference between outdoor and indoor cherry tomatoes as the hydroponic ones were more juicy. In fact they grew so fast that they kept splitting from trying to grow too big too quick.
I'd like the hydroponics done in a realistic way though, something immersive and interesting that can add a small amount of teaching to it to help educate players who might use it in some of the real details of hydroponic growth.
I'll find some ideas from the game to include in future posts here and keep updating this till I feel satisfied with the ideas I've provided. I really don't expect this to come to fruition though. It might just be too complex to do or make. The most basic version might be feasible, that being single bucket plant pots (black plastic bucket) that you fill with watering can every x days and add a fertilizer but, anyway. Hope someone finds this unique and interesting enough to ponder on.