Add configurable diminishing returns for mass-produced EMC sources

[Exohayvan]

Feature request

Provide optional diminishing returns for repeatedly dissolved or easily mass-produced items so automation-heavy modpacks cannot convert a single renewable resource into effectively unlimited EMC at its full static value.

Community report

Is there an option or possibility for deminishing returns?

I think turning 4200 dirt blocks into a diamond and viceverse does seem like an interesting idea in a mostly vanilla enviroment, however, when it comes to automation mods (take Create massive Cobblestone generators as an example), things get out of hand, as a bunch can be working non stop for a nearly unlimited amount of EMC that gets you Anything.

Has ease of automation/reproducibility been considered on value calculations?

And if not a feature already, would you consider having options to apply deminishing returns to items manage to mass produce?

Perhaps simultaneously rewarding diversity could be fun.

Requested by CurseForge user jasdan.

Motivation

Static EMC values are intuitive in mostly vanilla play, but high-throughput automation can make renewable items an unlimited source of purchasing power. Server owners may want stronger progression and economy controls without manually overriding every automatable item.

Design questions

• Should returns decay per item type, per player, per team, or globally?
• Should decay use a time window and recover over time?
• Should operators be able to exempt items, tags, or configured EMC sources?
• Should alternating among item types restore efficiency or grant a diversity bonus?
• How should state persist and remain deterministic across restarts and multiplayer servers?
• What limits keep tracking bounded for large modpacks and automated farms?

Proposed direction

Add an opt-in, server-authoritative configuration with conservative defaults. A possible model is a configurable rolling quantity threshold per item followed by tiered or curved EMC multipliers, optionally combined with recovery over time and a diversity incentive. Keep existing static EMC behavior as the default for backward compatibility.

Acceptance criteria

• Diminishing returns can be enabled or disabled by server configuration.
• Thresholds, minimum multiplier, decay behavior, and recovery behavior are configurable.
• Rules can target or exempt individual items and tags.
• Multiplayer scope and persistence semantics are documented and tested.
• Calculation and saved-state growth remain bounded under continuous automation.
• The UI communicates the effective EMC return before extraction.
• Existing worlds retain current behavior unless the feature is explicitly enabled.