Agrarian Skys help, venting, and discussion thread

[Methusalem]

The radius for stabilizers is actually pretty huge, 12 blocks away from the matrix on the xz coordinates. (I found a good visual guide here)
Like Wagon said, you can place crystal clusters on the underside of the platform, and also you can place four skulls on the matrix itself.

In past version it was also checking Nitor and Nodes for symmetry. This is not the case anymore, so you can build the charging station now close to the altar.

And as you mentioned already, it also checks three layers beneath the altar. I just filled a 7x7 area under the altar with clusters (not sure if it is necessary, but I also kept the colors symmetrical) and haven't had a single instability yet.

 

[whd23]

Wohoo, finally got my 2nd emerald. The pain.... Automation can now start (slowly).

Now if I could just get some ancient spores.

It's been said before, but skip the spores and use the sludge boiler (that you have to make anyway for a quest) to produce mycelium.

 

[GreenZombie]

This is, imho, the canonical stabilization reference.

One major discrepancy I see is that some claims are 10 above and 5 below, or (as per the post ive linked) 5 above, and 10 below for stabilization items to be counted.

 

[Xtremekiwi]

While I'm still contemplating wheter or not I should take a chance with what I've got (added 10 water crystal clusters with ~8 pairs of candles under the platform, so it's less risky now, but...), here's a screenshot of my new dirt farm:

Spoiler

This needs a bit of explaining. The barrels are fed via a harvester that is set to shear leaves, which are then set to be sent into the barrels. The planter that feeds the second tree farm (set for dirt production) is fed by a barrel which is filled by my first tree farm that doesn't shear leaves. The cyclic assemblers are simply Dirt --> Compressed dirt --> Double Compressed Dirt --> Triple compressed dirt --> Quadruple compressed dirt --> Barrel.

 

[JunpakuKarasu]

While I'm still contemplating wheter or not I should take a chance with what I've got (added 10 water crystal clusters with ~8 pairs of candles under the platform, so it's less risky now, but...), here's a screenshot of my new dirt farm:

Spoiler

This needs a bit of explaining. The barrels are fed via a harvester that is set to shear leaves, which are then set to be sent into the barrels. The planter that feeds the second tree farm (set for dirt production) is fed by a barrel which is filled by my first tree farm that doesn't shear leaves. The cyclic assemblers are simply Dirt --> Compressed dirt --> Double Compressed Dirt --> Triple compressed dirt --> Quadruple compressed dirt --> Barrel.

You don't have to put ducts between TE machines, they can output directly into each other and directly into that barrel too

 

[Bibble]

As I couldn't find it when I needed it, it's worth saying that the cryotherm quest does NOT need you to spawn blizzes (if you have access to them, it will make life easier, though). Blizz powder can be obtained by infusing a snowball with redstone. If (as in my case) you was swimming in redstone, this might be the more palatable option than trying to make another darkroom and hanging out until it spawns.

Also, I discovered a very easy way to tear down large structures without the filler today. Using the focus of equal trade (assuming that you've gotten that far, of course), transmute all the cobble/stone/<insert building material here> into leaves (that are surplus from your dirt farm). Fun point, at this point, they will not decay, as they need a block update to realise that they've become leaves, so knock one and they'll all just decay, and all you need to do is clear out the few saplings that are left. Bonus point if you use the Axe of the Stream (although the radius of it's quick leaf decay seems to be limited). This is how I cleared out my now rather defunct mob trap earlier today.

 

[ratchet freak]

As I couldn't find it when I needed it, it's worth saying that the cryotherm quest does NOT need you to spawn blizzes (if you have access to them, it will make life easier, though). Blizz powder can be obtained by infusing a snowball with redstone. If (as in my case) you was swimming in redstone, this might be the more palatable option than trying to make another darkroom and hanging out until it spawns.

Also, I discovered a very easy way to tear down large structures without the filler today. Using the focus of equal trade (assuming that you've gotten that far, of course), transmute all the cobble/stone/<insert building material here> into leaves (that are surplus from your dirt farm). Fun point, at this point, they will not decay, as they need a block update to realise that they've become leaves, so knock one and they'll all just decay, and all you need to do is clear out the few saplings that are left. Bonus point if you use the Axe of the Stream (although the radius of it's quick leaf decay seems to be limited). This is how I cleared out my now rather defunct mob trap earlier today.

or create a cobble platform beneath and equal trade into sand. It also needs a block update but then you can go excavator happy on it (or bound shovel)

 

[jepstein30]

just use torches/ladders

 

[Bibble]

just use torches/ladders

Torches are an idea, ladders are a bit of a pain to craft, and don't do much afterwards other than clog up inventory. To be honest, I quite like the feel of transforming a structure to leaves and watching them crumble. Feels a little more magical to me. Plus, there are plenty of the things.

 

[keybounce]

I'd like clarifications on the dust quest please.

You start by sifting gravel to get 4 pieces for iron gravel. Ok.
Combine those into iron gravel, smash it with a hammer, get 4 pieces for iron sand. Ok.
Combine those into iron sand, smash it with a hammer, get 4 pieces for iron dust. Ok.
Combine those into iron dust, smash it with a hammer, get iron dust back. Alright, that's as far as you can go. Ok.

Re-read the quest book. It looks like iron dust is supposed to be equivalent to the iron ore you can mine normally. You can toss it into a smeltery for double ingots. Fine.

But I can toss the iron gravel into the smeltery for double ingots -- so why should I hammer the iron gravel down any farther? What is the benefit of going down to sand/dust?

 

[Namorax]

Any idea how to get slag out of a high oven? I dont really understand how it is produced in the first place, but everytime I come back to my high oven its stuffed with the stuff... Tried the AE Import Bus and the TE pipes on an ItemDuct set to the Ore sigh (where the raw ore goes in).

EDIT:

I'd like clarifications on the dust quest please.

You start by sifting gravel to get 4 pieces for iron gravel. Ok.
Combine those into iron gravel, smash it with a hammer, get 4 pieces for iron sand. Ok.
Combine those into iron sand, smash it with a hammer, get 4 pieces for iron dust. Ok.
Combine those into iron dust, smash it with a hammer, get iron dust back. Alright, that's as far as you can go. Ok.

Re-read the quest book. It looks like iron dust is supposed to be equivalent to the iron ore you can mine normally. You can toss it into a smeltery for double ingots. Fine.

But I can toss the iron gravel into the smeltery for double ingots -- so why should I hammer the iron gravel down any farther? What is the benefit of going down to sand/dust?

Hammering down the ores gives you a chance to end with more ore then you started with.
If you hammer Down 1 Iron Ore Gravel, you might end up with 2 Iron Ore Dust to smelt.
1 Iron Gravel= 1 Iron Ingot
2 Iron Dust = 2 Iron Ingot

And if you happen to have a Hammer with a Fortune 3 enchantment? You can multiply your ores! Its basically a question wheter or not you want to spend the time hammering everything down to end up with more ingots

 

[Bagman817]

I'd like clarifications on the dust quest please.

You start by sifting gravel to get 4 pieces for iron gravel. Ok.
Combine those into iron gravel, smash it with a hammer, get 4 pieces for iron sand. Ok.
Combine those into iron sand, smash it with a hammer, get 4 pieces for iron dust. Ok.
Combine those into iron dust, smash it with a hammer, get iron dust back. Alright, that's as far as you can go. Ok.

Re-read the quest book. It looks like iron dust is supposed to be equivalent to the iron ore you can mine normally. You can toss it into a smeltery for double ingots. Fine.

But I can toss the iron gravel into the smeltery for double ingots -- so why should I hammer the iron gravel down any farther? What is the benefit of going down to sand/dust?

You have the potential for extra dust at each stage. Minor increase in efficiency, although only very early game.

 

[Gladi099]

Any idea how to get slag out of a high oven? I dont really understand how it is produced in the first place, but everytime I come back to my high oven its stuffed with the stuff... Tried the AE Import Bus and the TE pipes on an ItemDuct set to the Ore sigh (where the raw ore goes in).

you have to set the seared duct to the last symbol, the one with the arrow pointing out, thats where the slag piles up and you can pipe it out.

 

[silentrob]

I'd like clarifications on the dust quest please.

You start by sifting gravel to get 4 pieces for iron gravel. Ok.
Combine those into iron gravel, smash it with a hammer, get 4 pieces for iron sand. Ok.
Combine those into iron sand, smash it with a hammer, get 4 pieces for iron dust. Ok.
Combine those into iron dust, smash it with a hammer, get iron dust back. Alright, that's as far as you can go. Ok.

Re-read the quest book. It looks like iron dust is supposed to be equivalent to the iron ore you can mine normally. You can toss it into a smeltery for double ingots. Fine.

But I can toss the iron gravel into the smeltery for double ingots -- so why should I hammer the iron gravel down any farther? What is the benefit of going down to sand/dust?

When you hammer it you get 4 pieces 50% of the time, 5 pieces 48% of the time, and 6 pieces 2% of the time. This means a 13% average increase, and a combined 27.7% increase going from gravel to dust.

Maybe not worth doing later, but it pays off in the beginning.

 

[pjfranke]

You don't just get ghast tears as a side effect of sifting soul sand?

Suppose I have, haven't been keeping count. I didn't think it was a high enough drop rate to be useful. I've got 1818 nether quartz, 2554 soul sand remaining, and still need to turn in the hoarding quest so I think I'll hang onto those. Especially as it's 1 quartz per sifted soul sand, and I've used <20 tears in recipes, I'm not counting on soul sand as a tear source. Currently 53 ghast tears, nearly 100% drops from every squid->ghast conversion if I need more, using free spawning squid, a reusable bucket of witch water

Even more so, since as noted above, even without invar spikes, my ghast killing room has been 100% safe to the player.

Wohoo, finally got my 2nd emerald. The pain.... Automation can now start (slowly).

Now if I could just get some ancient spores.

Woot! Now the question is, do you have the AA place gravel/sand, and use click-lock to keep your hammer swinging to smash to sand/dust? Or have it work the sifter for you while you do other tasks? This is assuming you're using a cobble gen (or igneous extruder) to mass produce cobble.

 

[MyJ3oss]

I use soul sand as mine and I still have a upgraded barrel full of it... and Iv been trying to keep things compact loke super

Sent from my GT-I8190 using Tapatalk

 

[pjfranke]

You start by sifting gravel to get 4 pieces for iron gravel. Ok.
Combine those into iron gravel, smash it with a hammer, get 4 pieces for iron sand. (with potential for 5/6 pieces, or smelt it for 2 ingots)
Combine those into iron sand, smash it with a hammer, get 4 pieces for iron dust. (with potential for 5/6 pieces, or smelt it for 2 ingots)
Combine those into iron dust then smelt it for 2 ingots

At first, I was taking everything down to dust blocks for ALL the extra pieces I could. Eventually, I got lazy with all the manual processing, and didn't want my AE system constantly trying to form ore gravel/sand/dust blocks, so just piped all broken/dust ore right into the smelteries. I sieve gravel for ore plus emerald/diamonds, and pulverize gravel down to dust for ore plus glowstone. The constant output from the completely hands-off automation more than makes up for not getting the bonus pieces.

 

[Golrith]

Woot! Now the question is, do you have the AA place gravel/sand, and use click-lock to keep your hammer swinging to smash to sand/dust? Or have it work the sifter for you while you do other tasks? This is assuming you're using a cobble gen (or igneous extruder) to mass produce cobble.

I already have 3 extruders (one for lava gen, one for Obsidian, one for the pulverizers), 3 pulverizers (making gravel/sand/dust) powered by a magmatic Dynamo, Reactant Dynamo powering a grinder in my mob farm.
This first AA will be sifting gravel for me (for more emeralds) while I build lots of other stuff needed.

 

[Rorte1123]

Speaking of those... Do those drop EXP? I need to produce mob essence somehow, and I'm too bored with AA's to make another...

I don't think that Invar Spikes drop XP because i have a drop trap using them and my vacuum hopper doesn't seem to have any XP in its buffer. But, if it's Mob Essence you want a good way to get it would be a Cursed Earth Mob Farm and some MFR Grinders, but it is dangerous to get cursed earth due to the fact that Cursed Earth spawns Buffed Mobs at a ridiculous rate.

 

[trunksbomb]

you can use the scroll wheel, or ctrl click

Confirming. I was fairly certain that I tried those, but tried them again for good measure.

Left Click picks up a stack, on your cursor.
Right Click picks up half a stack, on your cursor.
Shift Left Click puts a stack in your inventory.
Shift Right click picks up one!

Control doesn't seem to be a valid modifier.
Scrolling scrolls the interface.