Overview#
Early Game Mod (often stylized as EARLYGAME) is a Fabric-based modification designed to bridge the gap between spawning in a new world and reaching the Iron Age. Inspired by classic mods like No Tree Punching and Natural Progression, it introduces a more immersive start where players must scavenge for materials on the forest floor, craft makeshift flint implements, and utilize copper as a legitimate early-game equipment tier.
The mod's primary goal is to remove the 'orthodox' gameplay of punching logs with bare hands, forcing players to interact with the environment in a way that feels more grounded and rewarding.
Core Mechanics#
The mod introduces several fundamental changes to how players interact with the world during the first few days of survival.
No Tree Punching
Players can no longer obtain wood logs by punching trees with their bare hands. Attempting to do so will result in the block breaking without dropping anything. A proper tool, such as a Flint Hatchet or a higher-tier Axe, is required to harvest wood.
Ground Scavenging
To compensate for the lack of immediate wood, the world now generates small resources directly on the surface of most biomes:
- Rocks: Small stone fragments found on the ground. Right-clicking or breaking them provides Rock items (Stone, Andesite, Diorite, or Granite variants).
- Sticks: Loose branches can be found lying on the ground, providing an immediate source of wood for crafting without needing to fell a tree.
Chopping System
Instead of the standard 1 Log = 4 Planks recipe, players must use a Knife or Saw to process wood. This mechanic adds a layer of tool dependency to basic construction.
- Logs to Planks: Placing a Log and a Knife/Saw in the crafting grid yields Planks.
- Planks to Sticks: Placing a Plank and a Knife/Saw in the crafting grid yields Sticks.
Items and Tools#
Early Game Mod adds several tiers of primitive and early-metal equipment to facilitate progression.
Flint Tools
Flint tools are the first 'real' tools a player will craft. They are more durable than wooden tools but less efficient than stone.
| Item | Function | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Flint Knife | Chopping & Harvesting | Used to craft planks and gather plant fibers. |
| Flint Saw | Advanced Chopping | A more durable alternative to the knife for wood processing. |
| Flint Hatchet | Wood Harvesting | The first tool capable of dropping logs from trees. |
| Flint Pickaxe | Stone Harvesting | Capable of mining stone and coal. |
Copper Equipment
This mod gives Copper a vital role by making it a full equipment tier between Stone and Iron.
- Stats: Copper tools have a durability of approximately 190 uses. They share the same mining level as Stone tools but feature higher efficiency (mining speed).
- Armor: Copper Armor provides protection superior to Leather but inferior to Iron.
| Armor Piece | Armor Points | Durability |
|---|---|---|
| Copper Helmet | 2 | 165 |
| Copper Chestplate | 4 | 240 |
| Copper Leggings | 3 | 225 |
| Copper Boots | 2 | 195 |
Primitive Gadgets
- Fire Starter: A low-durability alternative to Flint and Steel. It is crafted from sticks and tinder (like paper or dried grass) and is used to light campfires or portals early on.
- Slingshot: A primitive ranged weapon that uses Rocks or Flint Shards as ammunition. It is faster to fire than a bow but has shorter range and lower damage.
Blocks#
The mod adds several world-generation blocks and utility variants to support its mechanics.
Surface Rocks
Rocks appear as small, flat blocks on the surface of the terrain. They come in four variants based on the local geology:
- Stone Rock
- Andesite Rock
- Diorite Rock
- Granite Rock
Cobblestone Variants
By combining 4 Rocks of the same type in a 2x2 crafting square, players can create the corresponding Cobblestone block. This allows players to enter the 'Stone Age' without needing a pickaxe initially.
- Andesite Cobblestone
- Diorite Cobblestone
- Granite Cobblestone
Crafting Recipes#
Most recipes in the mod follow vanilla-like logic but incorporate the new primitive materials.
Basic Tools
- Flint Knife: 1 Flint + 1 Stick (Diagonal).
- Flint Hatchet: 2 Flint + 2 Sticks (Standard Axe shape, but smaller).
- Flint Pickaxe: 3 Flint + 2 Sticks (Standard Pickaxe shape).
- Slingshot: 3 Sticks + 2 String (Y-shape).
Wood Processing
| Input | Tool | Output |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Log | Flint Knife / Saw | 2-4 Planks |
| 1 Plank | Flint Knife / Saw | 2 Sticks |
Copper Tier
Copper tools and armor are crafted using Copper Ingots in the standard vanilla crafting patterns for swords, pickaxes, and armor sets.
Configuration#
Early Game Mod is highly customizable. If Cloth Config API and Mod Menu are installed, players can adjust various settings in-game:
- Enable/Disable No Tree Punching: Toggle the requirement for tools to harvest wood.
- Resource Spawn Rates: Adjust how frequently Rocks and Sticks appear on the ground.
- Tool Durability: Modify the base durability of Flint and Copper equipment.
- Chopping Yields: Change the number of planks or sticks produced during the chopping process.
