A Minecraft mod that turns villagers into automated workers. Assign jobs (lumberjack, miner, farmer, guard, smelter), equip them with tools/armor, and they'll gather resources and defend your base. Manage with the staff, recall with the horn!
Description
# Villager Workforce Mod
A Minecraft Forge mod that transforms villagers into specialized workers who automate resource gathering, crafting, and defense tasks.
## Overview
Turn your villagers into a productive workforce! Assign them jobs, equip them with tools and armor, and watch them autonomously gather resources, smelt items, farm crops, or defend your base. Workers persist in the world, won't despawn, and can be managed through an intuitive GUI system.
## Features
- **5 Worker Jobs**: Lumberjack, Miner, Farmer, Guard, and Smelter
- **Equipment System**: Workers can wear armor, use tools/weapons, and carry items
- **Automation**: Workers gather resources and deposit them into assigned chests
- **Customization**: Name your workers and monitor their health/status
- **Scheduling**: Set work schedules for different times of day
- **Recall System**: Call all workers back to their home positions
- **Survival-Friendly**: All items are craftable in survival mode
## Getting Started
### Crafting the Essential Items
**Workforce Manager Staff**
```
EG
SE
S
S = Stick
E = Emerald
G = Gold Ingot
```
**Worker Horn**
```
C
CG
CC
C = Copper Ingot
G = Goat Horn (any variant)
```
### Converting a Villager to a Worker
1. Craft a Workforce Manager Staff
2. Right-click a villager with the staff
3. The Workforce GUI will open
4. Click "CONVERT TO WORKER" to transform the villager into a WorkerEntity
**Note**: Converting is permanent! Workers have better AI for tasks but lose trading abilities.
## Assigning Jobs
### Using the Workforce GUI
1. Right-click a worker with the Workforce Manager Staff
2. Select a job type (Lumberjack, Miner, Farmer, Guard, or Smelter)
3. Assign a workstation block (the block they'll work near)
4. (Optional) Assign an output chest where they'll deposit gathered resources
5. Click "START" to begin working
### Job Types and Requirements
#### Lumberjack
- **Workstation**: Any log block
- **Tool Required**: Axe (placed in main hand slot)
- **Tasks**:
- Chops down nearby trees (logs and leaves)
- Searches within 16 blocks of workstation
- Deposits logs/saplings/apples to output chest
- **Tips**: Give them a better axe for faster chopping
#### Miner
- **Workstation**: Any ore block or stone
- **Tool Required**: Pickaxe (placed in main hand slot)
- **Tasks**:
- Mines ores and stone within range
- Searches within 16 blocks of workstation
- Deposits ores/cobblestone to output chest
- **Tips**: Assign near exposed ore veins or caves
#### Farmer
- **Workstation**: Composter or farmland
- **Seeds Required**: Plant corresponding crops in inventory
- **Tasks**:
- Plants crops on nearby farmland
- Harvests fully grown crops
- Searches within 16 blocks of workstation
- Deposits harvested crops to output chest
- **Tips**: Build a fenced farm area and give them seeds
#### Guard
- **Workstation**: Any block marking patrol area
- **Weapon Required**: Sword or axe (placed in main hand slot)
- **Armor**: Can equip helmet, chestplate, leggings, boots
- **Tasks**:
- Patrols within 16 blocks of workstation
- Attacks hostile mobs automatically
- Defends area and nearby workers
- **Tips**: Better equipment = more effective guards
#### Smelter
- **Workstation**: Furnace or blast furnace
- **Fuel Required**: Coal, charcoal, or other fuel in inventory
- **Tasks**:
- Takes smeltable items from input chest
- Smelts items in the assigned furnace
- Deposits results to output chest
- **Tips**: Set up input chest with ores, output chest for ingots
## Managing Workers
### Worker Inventory GUI
Right-click a worker with the Workforce Manager Staff to open their inventory:
**Layout**:
- **8 Storage Slots**: General inventory for tools, materials, seeds
- **4 Armor Slots**: Head, chest, legs, feet (top to bottom)
- **Offhand Slot**: Shield or secondary item
- **Main Hand Slot**: Primary tool or weapon
**Buttons**:
- **STOP/START**: Toggle working state on/off
- **CHANGE JOB**: Return to job assignment GUI
- **Name Field**: Click to rename, press Enter or ✓ to submit
**Info Display**:
- **Health Bar**: Shows current HP (feed with food to heal)
- **Job**: Current assigned task
- **Status**: Active (working) or Idle (stopped)
- **Target**: Current work target position or "Searching"
### Feeding Workers
Workers can be injured by mobs or fall damage. To heal them:
1. Hold any food item (bread, cooked meat, etc.)
2. Right-click the worker (NOT with the staff)
3. Food is consumed and worker heals (nutrition × 0.5 HP)
4. Heart particles appear
**Note**: Workers don't get hungry, but can be healed when damaged.
### Recalling Workers
Use the Worker Horn to call all workers back:
1. Right-click with the Worker Horn
2. All workers within 1000 blocks will navigate to:
- Their output chest (if assigned)
- Their workstation (if no chest assigned)
- Your position (if no home set)
3. Workers automatically stop working when recalled
**Tips**:
- Use this to bring workers home at night
- Recall before moving your base
- Emergency retreat from danger
## Advanced Features
### Worker Schedules
Create custom work schedules based on time of day:
1. Open the Workforce GUI with the staff
2. Click "Edit Schedule"
3. Add time blocks (e.g., "Farm 0-6000", "Guard 6000-12000")
4. Workers automatically switch tasks at scheduled times
**Minecraft Day Times**:
- 0-6000: Morning/Day
- 6000-12000: Afternoon
- 12000-18000: Night
- 18000-24000: Late Night
### Equipment Management
**For Guards**:
- Place armor in the 4 armor slots (head, chest, legs, feet)
- Place weapon in main hand (rightmost bottom slot)
- Place shield in offhand (second from right)
- Guards automatically use equipment stats in combat
**For Workers**:
- Better tools = faster resource gathering
- Durability applies - tools will break
- Workers won't automatically replace broken tools (you must provide new ones)
### Output Chest System
Workers deposit items to their assigned output chest when:
- Their inventory is full
- They've gathered a full stack
- They complete a smelting operation
**Setup**:
1. Place a chest near the workstation
2. In Workforce GUI, click "Set Output Chest"
3. Right-click the chest you want to use
4. Workers will now deposit to this chest
## Tips & Best Practices
### Starting Your Workforce
1. **Start Small**: Convert 2-3 villagers first to learn the system
2. **Build Infrastructure**: Set up workstations and chests before assigning jobs
3. **Equip Properly**: Give workers appropriate tools before starting them
4. **Name Them**: Help track who does what job
### Efficient Setups
**Lumberjack Station**:
- Plant a tree farm near the workstation
- Use a chest with a hopper system for automatic collection
- Multiple lumberjacks can share the same area
**Mining Operation**:
- Assign near exposed stone or ore veins
- Consider strip mining layouts
- Guards nearby to protect from cave mobs
**Farm Setup**:
- Build 9x9 or larger farmland plots
- Water in the center for hydration
- Fence to prevent mobs from trampling
- One farmer per crop type recommended
**Guard Posts**:
- Place workstations at base perimeter
- Equip with iron+ armor and swords
- Multiple guards for better coverage
- Position near worker areas for protection
**Smelter Array**:
- Multiple furnaces with dedicated smelters
- Input chest filled by miners
- Output chest for ingots
- Keep fuel stocked in smelter inventory
### Common Issues
**Worker not doing anything?**
- Check they have the required tool in main hand
- Verify workstation is set correctly
- Ensure they're set to "Active" (not stopped)
- Check if they're in range of valid work blocks
**Items not going to chest?**
- Verify output chest is assigned (check Workforce GUI)
- Make sure chest isn't full
- Check worker inventory isn't full of different items
**Guard not attacking?**
- Ensure weapon is in main hand slot (rightmost bottom)
- Check if guard is set to "Active"
- Verify there are hostile mobs in range
**Can't convert villager?**
- Must use Workforce Manager Staff (not bare hand)
- Villager must be an adult (not baby)
- Check you're right-clicking, not left-clicking
## Technical Details
### Mod Information
- **Version**: 1.0
- **Minecraft Version**: 1.20.1
- **Forge Version**: 47.3.0+
- **Mod ID**: villagerworkforce
### Compatibility
- Works with vanilla villagers
- Compatible with village & pillage mechanics
- Should work with most village-related mods
### Performance
- Workers use optimized pathfinding
- Resource gathering limited to nearby chunks
- Recommended maximum: 20-30 active workers per area
## Credits
Created for Minecraft Forge 1.20.1
## License
All rights reserved.