Crystals

Elemental crystals are one of the core aspects of the mod. They introduce a volatile miniature biome that can be planted anywhere.

Crystals come in many different flavors. As of today, June 2nd 2013, 7 crystals are available, more than 20 in total are planned.

Crystals will support crafting. Combining two crystals of a kind will result in an upgraded, more powerful version of the same kind. Some crystal types can be cross-combined to create other types of crystals. For example, mixing a Flame Crystal with a Metal Crystal will result in a Magma Crystal.

However, crafting is not yet implemented as it requires a special crafting table to properly function. This also adds to difficulty and balance.

About the logics
Crystals are generated randomly during world generation. World generation also takes place when new chunks need to be created - not loaded. They are randomly given a charge in a particular range. The charge alongside the level generally determines the power of a crystal. However, crystals are not strictly bound to these.

Generally, one charge increases the sphere of influence of a crystal by one block. The level usually behaves as a multiplier to the charges.

Crystal Types
There are many different types of crystals that can spawn in all, particular, or no biomes at all. Some are ultimate crystals which are considered extremely powerful. Most of these can only be obtained by combining different types of crystals.

Nature Crystal
The Nature Crystal has a large sphere of influence, 200% of the standard size.

Within its sphere it slowly creates a forest. The ground is populated with grass.

Mycelium Crystal
Its sphere of influence is 150% of the standard size. Though for this size it is fairly weak. However, it does have more effects than other crystals.

The crystal can... A smaller Mycelium crystal is ideal to continuously turn cows into Mooshrooms which turn back into normal cows when sheared.
 * 1) ... create Mycelium. The rare material found on special islands. Unfortunately that is also the only location you can find this crystal.
 * 2) ... create mushrooms everywhere, even on glass and fences.
 * 3) ... turn cows into Mooshrooms. There is a 50/50 chance for each cow, independently of power.

Metal Crystal
This crystal has a smaller sphere of influence about 80% of the original size. It slowly turns small chunks of blocks into iron blocks.

Air Crystal
Unimplemented.

The Air Crystal is designed to slowly levitate all blocks within its sphere of influence and create floating isles over time. Combine their effect with other crystals to create astonishing views particularly useful for adventure maps.

Flame Crystal
The Flame Crystal was the first crystal to be created. Within it's sphere of influence 125% of the standard size, it sets random blocks on fire. Its immediate surrounding within 1/8 + 1 of its outer sphere will permanently burn.

The Flame Crystal is very hazardous. As fire "lives", it can result in unpredictable infernos. This is particularly interesting when placing the Flame Crystal within the range of a Nature Crystal.

Magma Crystal
Temporarily unavailable.

The Magma Crystal can only be combined through the Flame and Metal crystals. However, it currently is unbalanced and will create a palace of lava over time. Thus it has been temporarily excluded.

It will create fountains of lava similar to the aqua crystal. However, since lava cannot die as easily as water, I am still working on how to balance it correctly. Plus these fountains could be used as lava sources which would allow easy access to obsidian. Game breaking indeed.

Hell Crystal
Unimplemented, ultimate.

An ultimate crystal, the Hell Crystal is a combination of the Magma Crystal, another Metal Crystal, and the Darkness Crystal, the last being experimental.

This crystal will slowly generate a Nether miniature biome and spawn associated enemies within its sphere of influence which are not restricted to this area. Beware of Ghasts in the Overworld...

Aqua Crystal
Its sphere of influence is not modified. It creates water fountains and changes the blocks immediately around but one block beneath it into water. There is a limited amount of generated fountains. If another fountain is placed that exceeds this limit, one randomly chosen fountain will close.

Ocean Crystal
It is the result of a misbehavior of the Aqua Crystal. It turns everything within its sphere of influence 80% of the standard size into water effectively creating a gigantic water dome. It is better used in adventure maps.

Taiga Crystal
Unimplemented, ultimate.

The Taiga Crystal is another ultimate crystal which turns its surroundings into ice and snow. It is a combination of the Aqua and Light crystals.

Storm Crystal
This is possibly the most powerful, hazardous, non-ultimate crystal. Within its sphere of influence 75% of the standard size, lightning will randomly and rapidly strike making it extremely dangerous to farm. It even works underground in which case it is even more dangerous for miners. Since the crystal itself is constantly struck by a lightning, it may even be lost when destroyed.

By default it will change the weather in the entire world to rain as long as any player is within a 150 block range. The weather will change to normal after at least half or at most up to a full game day. This behavior can be changed in the configuration file.

Redstone Crystal
Unimplemented, experimental.

It is an experimental crystal which is planned to act as wireless redstone. Energy will be transferred to any block. However, this should turn out more difficult to realize, so it'll probably be one of the last crystals.

Light + Darkness Crystals
Unimplemented, experimental.

Two experimental crystals which effect the lighting of blocks. This will probably be done with the aid of special air substitute blocks.

Wither Crystal
Unimplemented

The ultimate combination of the Hell and Darkness crystals, it resembles a more powerful version of the Nether biome and spawns Wither skeletons and the Wither boss. However, it captures them in a battle dome 300% the size the standard size.

Void Crystal
Unimplemented.

As the name proposes this crystal creates a void biome where plenty of slendermen can spawn. However, it is very rare in the overworld but rather common in the Void itself. It also randomly creates and destroys portals to the Void. Beware when passing through its sphere.

Apocalypse Crystal
Unimplemented, experimental, ultimate!

It is the most powerful of all crystals and is a combination of the Hell, Wither, and Void crystals. It doesn't only create massive thunder storms but also causes a meteor shower and wild infernos in a very large sphere of influence, 500% the standard size.

I just love overexagerating at some point, so this is the result of a truely unbalanced and disastrous idea. ;) Do not use unless you really want to destroy your world.

Time Crystals
Unimplemented, experimental.

There are three time crystals which all influence any entities movement speed: The Slow Crystal slows down players, enemies, and NPCs by 50% while the Fast Crystal speeds anyone up by 50%. The Stop Crystal completely stops NPCs including mobs while the players are reduced to 10% of their original speed. Beware, enemies will still attack at normal speed.
 * Slow
 * Fast
 * Stop

Pure Crystal
Unimplemented, ultimate.

The Pure Crystal is the only ultimate crystal that cannot be crafted. It also does not normally spawn in any of the dimensions. The only way to obtain one of these rare crystals is to enter the dimension of Utopia and find one there. Both are unimplemented.

The charges of this crystal can be used to create any matter. The advanced circuitry device needed for this still needs to be implemented.

Shift Crystal
Unimplemented.

Another pure crystal that randomly teleports blocks, NPCs both passive and aggressive, and players. The teleport does not necessarily end in the same sphere of influence as the one it started in. It too can only be found in Utopia.