Solved [Quick Question] Random tick system for custom blocks

Hello! I've got another quick question. I've got a custom block API, and I need to implement a ticking system similar to Minecraft's onUpdate() method for blocks. I've got the base of the API done, and I'll show you what I have now:

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Code:java

import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.Arrays;
import java.util.List;
import me.dudemister.ci.CustomItemsPlugin;
import org.bukkit.Location;
import org.bukkit.Material;
import org.bukkit.block.Block;
import org.bukkit.entity.Player;
import org.bukkit.inventory.ItemStack;
import org.bukkit.inventory.meta.ItemMeta;
import org.bukkit.metadata.FixedMetadataValue;
 
public abstract class ModBlock
{
    private final String id;
    private Location location;
    private Material material;
    private byte data;
    private String name;
    private List<String> lore = new ArrayList<>();
 
    public ModBlock(String id, Material type)
    {
        this.id = id;
        this.material = type;
    }
 
    public final ModBlock setLocation(Location location)
    {
        this.location = location;
        return this;
    }
 
    public final ModBlock setType(Material type)
    {
        this.material = type;
        return this;
    }
 
    public final ModBlock setData(int data)
    {
        this.data = (byte)data;
        return this;
    }
 
    public final ModBlock setName(String name)
    {
        this.name = name;
        return this;
    }
 
    public final ModBlock setLore(String... l)
    {
        lore = Arrays.asList(l);
        return this;
    }
 
    public final ModBlock addLore(String... l)
    {
        lore.addAll(Arrays.asList(l));
        return this;
    }
 
    public Material getType()
    {
        return this.material;
    }
 
    public byte getData()
    {
        return this.data;
    }
 
    public String getName()
    {
        return this.name;
    }
 
    public List<String> getLore()
    {
        return this.lore;
    }
 
    public Location getLocation()
    {
        return this.location;
    }
 
    public boolean onInteract(Player player)
    {
        return true;
    }
 
    public boolean onHit(Player player)
    {
        return true;
    }
 
    public boolean onPlace(Player player)
    {
        return true;
    }
 
    public boolean onBreak(Player player)
    {
        return true;
    }
 
    public boolean onStep(Player player)
    {
        return true;
    }
 
    public void update() {}
 
    public final String getID()
    {
        return this.id;
    }
 
    public final Block place()
    {
        Block block = getLocation().getBlock();
        block.setType(material);
        block.setData(data);
        block.setMetadata("name", new FixedMetadataValue(CustomItemsPlugin.instance, name));
        for(String lore : this.lore)
        {
            block.setMetadata(lore, new FixedMetadataValue(CustomItemsPlugin.instance, lore));
        }
        block.getState().update();
        return block;
    }
 
    public final ItemStack getItem()
    {
        ItemStack item = new ItemStack(getType(), 1, getData());
        ItemMeta itemMeta = item.getItemMeta();
 
        itemMeta.setDisplayName(getName());
        itemMeta.setLore(getLore());
 
        item.setItemMeta(itemMeta);
 
        return item;
    }
}

Note it may be a little... thrown together. I've got that update() method, but I need to populate it with a random ticking system. Any ideas?

Thanks,
-Hydroxocobalamin (OCHbl)

 

Dudemister1999 a timer task that runs every tick, which invokes update() on all the blocks?

 

fireblast709 But that'd be synchronised, and regular. I mean (If you've ever made a Minecraft mod), how Minecraft chooses a few random blocks in a chunk and updates them. That's how fire spreads, plants grow, etc. I need something similar, but since this does not override blocks, just is a "wrapper", I need to implement it from scratch.

Alright, after looking at my code in wonder and boredom, I had a (sort of) solution. Let me know if there's a better way:

Step 1: In ModBlock Constructor (Because you HAVE to call super()), create a Random.
Step 2: On the function place(), which might not be in that version, create an Async Timer (2 seconds) with Bukkit.
Step 3: When that timer goes off, use the random to have a 1 in three chance to update.
Step 4: In that one in three, call the update() method.
Step 6: I don't know how to count.
Step 5: Profit.

Resolved this thread as well.

EDIT by Moderator: merged posts, please use the edit button instead of double posting.