Mastering Multiplayer Balance with the Scavenge Timing Addon for Minecraft
When you dive into the world of Minecraft modding, you quickly discover that the smallest tweaks can make the biggest difference, especially on multiplayer servers. The Scavenge mod by Speiger already gives server owners and modpack creators incredible control over item usage through conditions and scripting. But as any seasoned admin knows, shared cooldowns can lead to frustrating gameplay when multiple players are involved. That is exactly where the Scavenge Timing Addon steps in, a compact yet powerful extension that refines how click cooldowns work on a per-player basis.
What is the Scavenge Mod?
Before exploring the addon, it helps to understand the foundation. The Scavenge mod is a highly flexible tool that allows you to define custom conditions for using items, tools, and blocks. You can set rules like requiring a certain number of clicks within a time window, limiting tool durability consumption, or even gating progression behind specific player actions. It is a staple in many expert modpacks where precise balancing is essential. However, the original clicks_per_time condition applies a global limit — if one player uses up the allowed clicks, everyone else must wait. That works for singleplayer but quickly becomes a bottleneck on busy servers.
The Problem with Shared Cooldowns
Imagine a modpack where a powerful hammer can only be used 5 times every 10 seconds. In singleplayer, you can plan around that rhythm. In multiplayer, two players mining side by side would constantly block each other. One person’s clicks eat into the shared pool, leaving the other unable to work. This creates a frustrating race condition and discourages cooperative play. Server admins often resorted to complicated workarounds or simply avoided the condition altogether. The Scavenge Timing Addon solves this elegantly by introducing a brand-new condition: player_cooldown.
Introducing Scavenge Timing Addon
Developed primarily for the Compact Claustrophobia modpack by YOUR_HAMST3R, this tiny addon does one thing and does it well. It adds a per-player click cooldown, meaning each player gets their own independent timer. No more fighting over a global limit. If you set a 2-second cooldown on a high-tier pickaxe, every player must wait 2 seconds between their own clicks, but they never interfere with each other. This small change dramatically improves the multiplayer experience, making it feel fair and responsive.
How the Player Cooldown Condition Works
The new condition is called player_cooldown and it accepts a single required argument: time. The time is measured in ticks, where 20 ticks equal 1 second. For example, setting time: 40 forces a player to wait 2 seconds after each valid click before the item can be used again. Unlike the old clicks_per_time, this condition is completely incompatible with it — you use one or the other, not both. The addon also supports optional parameters to fine-tune behavior:
- disableJEI (Boolean, default false) – Hides the condition from Just Enough Items tooltips if you want a cleaner interface.
- id (String, default uses the ResourceID) – Allows you to assign a custom identifier for the per-player counter. Note: this feature is currently not functional but may be expanded in future updates.
Integrating this into your Scavenge scripts is straightforward. You simply replace any clicks_per_time entry with player_cooldown and specify the desired tick delay. The addon seamlessly hooks into Scavenge’s existing condition system, so no extra learning curve is required if you are already familiar with the mod’s scripting documentation.
Compatibility with Auto Clickers and Fake Players
One of the standout features of Scavenge Timing is its robust handling of automated systems. Many modpacks use auto clickers or mechanical users like the Click Machine to automate repetitive tasks. The original Scavenge mod often struggled with these because fake players could bypass or break shared cooldowns. This addon has been tested with the Click Machine and should work with any mod that uses Forge’s FakePlayer interface. By assigning a separate cooldown to each fake player entity, you can design automation setups that respect the same timing rules as real players, preserving balance without manual intervention.
Getting Started and Modpack Integration
Installing the Scavenge Timing Addon is as simple as dropping the JAR file into your mods folder, provided you already have the base Scavenge mod. For those who enjoy streamlined mod management, the foxygame.net launcher lets you install this addon and entire modpacks like Compact Claustrophobia directly from its interface, saving you the hassle of manual file placement. Once loaded, you can immediately start writing or modifying Scavenge scripts. The addon is extremely lightweight and has no dependencies beyond Scavenge itself, so it won’t bloat your instance. If you are building a custom modpack, consider adding it whenever you need precise, per-player timing control. The mod was crafted with multiplayer servers in mind, but it works just as well in singleplayer for consistency.
Configuration and Parameters in Detail
Let’s break down a typical player_cooldown condition block. In your Scavenge script, you might have something like this:
player_cooldown:
Description: Sets a per-player click cooldown.
Parameters: "time": 30 (1.5 seconds), "disableJEI": false, "id": "custom_hammer_delay"
The time parameter is the heart of the condition. A value of 20 means one second, 100 means five seconds, and so on. The disableJEI flag is handy for keeping tooltips clean when you have dozens of conditions. The id field, once fully implemented, will let you track separate cooldown counters for different items or actions under the same player, offering even deeper customization. Keep an eye on the mod’s development for that update.
Why This Matters for Server Owners
Managing a Minecraft server means constantly balancing fun and fairness. With the Scavenge Timing Addon, you can create mechanics like limited-use emergency weapons, cooldown-based building wands, or tools that prevent spam-clicking without punishing the entire server. Players feel the difference immediately — their actions are only limited by their own timing, not by a neighbor’s activity. This encourages teamwork and reduces complaints about broken mechanics. Moreover, because the addon respects fake players, you can design complex factory setups using mods like Create or Industrial Foregoing without worrying that automation will bypass intended restrictions.
Conclusion
The Scavenge Timing Addon may be small, but it fills a crucial gap in the Scavenge mod’s toolkit. By shifting from a global click limit to a per-player cooldown, it transforms how modpacks handle item usage in multiplayer. Its compatibility with auto clickers and fake players makes it future-proof for tech-heavy packs, and its simple configuration means you can start refining your server’s balance in minutes. Whether you are a modpack developer fine-tuning the Compact Claustrophobia experience or a server admin looking to give each player a fair shot, this addon is a must-have. Next time you sit down to script a new challenge, remember that sometimes the smallest mods unlock the biggest possibilities.