Falling Node

Language:	English • Bahasa Melayu

Falling Node
An object in Luanti
Health	∞
Object collision	Yes
Block collision	Yes
Entitystring	__builtin:falling_node

A falling node is an object which appears when a node capable of falling (like Sand or Gravel in Minetest Game) starts to fall. We also call nodes capable of falling physical nodes, while with “falling node”, we refer to the moving object which is actually falling.

Triggering a fall

Normally, physical nodes rest on top of solid nodes. As soon the “support” below a physical node is dug (or replaced with any passable node like air or water), the node starts to fall. It is rarely possible that a physical node is free-floating. A Map generator might sometimes generate floating sand. This is not an accident. In this calse, physical nodes don't fall automatically. But they start to fall when they have been punched or receive an update. If a node starts to fall, it also updates its direct neighbors. There are other ways in which physical nodes can receive an update. This means, punching a node of floating sand in a large patch of floating sand will cause a chain reaction and a complete collapse.

After the fall

The falling node stops when it hits a solid node. Now one of two things happens:

• If at the landing position there was a replacable node (examples in Minetest Game: water, air, flower, grass), it will be destroyed
• If at the landing position there was a non-replacable node (example in Minetest Game: torch), the node will drop as an item.