Mob farm problems[1.7.10]

[DeathOfTime]

I built a basic drop trap to farm hostile mobs. The first floor is at y:200 the spawn platforms are on two levels. At Y:218 and Y:223. They are rather large 4 8*8 at Y:218 and multiple 3*3s at Y:223. The top spawn platforms are chiseled cobble. The bottom vanilla cobble with a 2 block drop onto MFR conveyor belts.

At the bottom (Y:200) is a 3*3 area feeding into a grinder.

Now everything works fine. Except that mobs will only occasionally spawn. I was wondering if I was getting the spacing wrong or what can I be doing wrong? I noticed that there are red "X"s on the conveyor belts. Could this be posing a problem.

I am not using a public modpack. I am using mods.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[TheMechEngineer]

Are you using a mob trap design where mobs spawn naturally in dark spawning spaces?
If so the first thing you need to do is to light up every cave in the loaded area so that they aren't spawning down there instead.
And make sure no sunlight is getting into your spawning room via microblocks or other blocks where sunlight passes through.

 

[DeathOfTime]

Are you using a mob trap design where mobs spawn naturally in dark spawning spaces?
If so the first thing you need to do is to light up every cave in the loaded area so that they aren't spawning down there instead.
And make sure no sunlight is getting into your spawning room via microblocks or other blocks where sunlight passes through.

No microblocks. The spawn area is all red "X"s, and I was careful to remove all the torches.

How far from the ground does it need to be to prevent underground spawns? I thought 128 blocks would be enough.

 

[darkeshrine]

I believe that this may answer to why it's not working: http://minecraft.gamepedia.com/File:Mob_spawning_ranges.png

If the highest spawning platform is at 223 like you said, and you hang out a lot at 200, then mobs shouldn't spawn hardly ever. However, If you hand out a lot at ground level, then nothing should be spawning at all.

 

[DeathOfTime]

Is the guide a sphere or a cylinder?

I believe that this may answer to why it's not working: http://minecraft.gamepedia.com/File:Mob_spawning_ranges.png

If the highest spawning platform is at 223 like you said, and you hang out a lot at 200, then mobs shouldn't spawn hardly ever. However, If you hand out a lot at ground level, then nothing should be spawning at all.

that is the chart I have been going by. I am horrible at math though.

I stand on Y:200 on a 21*21 platform. 6 blocks from the center. The other two platforms are also 21*21 at Y:218 and Y:223. Where would be the optimal place for me to stand (or place the bottom platform.

Do you have mob adding mods installed? Something that generates a metric ton of silverfish or something of that nature?

Instead of peaceful, you should use the /cofh kill command to see *what* it is that you're killing. It should give you a better idea of which mobs are taking up the spawn cap.

I tried this and am now getting spawns /cofh killall , I think I might not be far enough from the ground? It killed 88 hostile entities.

 

[darkeshrine]

Is the guide a sphere or a cylinder?


that is the chart I have been going by. I am horrible at math though.

I stand on Y:200 on a 21*21 platform. 6 blocks from the center. The other two platforms are also 21*21 at Y:218 and Y:223. Where would be the optimal place for me to stand (or place the bottom platform.

The guide, if you're referring to the link I gave, is a sphere. Which is why you are still getting some mobs to spawn.

If the lowest spawn platform is at Y:218 and you need to be at least 24 blocks away(including your top half cause the player is about two blocks tall), then the platform you stand on and hang around should be at Y:192. This puts you 128 blocks away from Sea level Y:64, which mean that things can still spawn on the ground or in caves above Y:64. If you have extra utilities, then Magnum torches can fix mobs spawning on the ground as their radius is 64(?) blocks.

 

[xyzzy75]

You've built your mob farm in the wrong location. I always build dark room mob traps over the ocean to make life easier, but if it must be over land, here's how to figure it out:

1. Stand on the ground and note the Y value. Let's say it's 64. Add 130. That is the *minimum* height of your collection platform. I always add 5-10 or good measure. So, let's say 200.

2. Add *at least* 25 to your collection platform Y value to get the minimum height of your first spawning platform. Add platforms as needed. (Remember to keep them at least 3 blocks tall to get endermen.) Because, at Y 200, you are within 128 blocks of the build limit, you should get spawns from Y=225 to Y=253. Obviously, the higher the terrain is beneath you, the fewer spawning platforms you can have. Which is why I put these dark room farms over the ocean in my vanilla games.

 

[DeathOfTime]

Thanks. Sounds like I might need to rebuild a little. At least I won't have to dig out a 64*64 square to bedrock again. Though I did clear out a river already. The mob traps is over a river and plains.

Thanks. To all three of you.

 

[RedBoss]

If you're using mods either get extra utilities or use it if you have it. You need cursed earth. It'll spawn mobs automatically and you won't have to worry about vanilla mechanics.

 

[DeathOfTime]

If you're using mods either get extra utilities or use it if you have it. You need cursed earth. It'll spawn mobs automatically and you won't have to worry about vanilla mechanics.

Yeah. I really want to do that. Just can't find a division sigil. Would help if I left base, ever.

 

[darkeshrine]

Yeah. I really want to do that. Just can't find a division sigil. Would help if I left base, ever.

Iirc, you get one off of every Wither kill.

 

[RedBoss]

Yeah. I really want to do that. Just can't find a division sigil. Would help if I left base, ever.

Yup. Adventuring yields great rewards. If you have Thaumcraft you can find sigils in the barrow hills or underneath greatwood trees that have spiderwebs in them.

EnderIO also has a sonic upgrade that makes finding pockets of mobs very easy. This can help find mob spawner dungeons with loot chests.