It's still maintained but unfortunately the minecart elevator is the most frequently targeted part of the farm. Fortunately theirs a regular ladder on the opposite side from the elevator (their should have been signs indicating it) that was put in for just such instances.
I don't think it's "targeted" but unfortunately it keeps breaking. I think some players just don't know how to use it and that's why it keeps breaking. MissFable I suggest changing it to a water elevator with signs every other block. Should be fine unless someone does intentionally take the water.
Originally (while the farm was under construction) the elevator was supposed to be water based (I even had a artsy design involving glass and signs with funny phrases on them) but the muse of this build introduced me to the concept of the minecart elevator and it just seemed to good to pass up. Naivete thy name is "first time public build". Out of everything in the farm it has been the highest maintenance but I've been hesitant to replace it as those who do know how to use it seem to really like it. I think I will take your suggestion as a sign that this is a good time to switch it. I know some people will be less then happy with the slower elevator but it will make maintenance so much easier and I can always look into adding a hidden elevator for regular farm users. I might also add an express exit (slime block at the bottom of a freefall) now that we have block protection. To make this short for everyone else: The minecart elevator is going down in the next few days and it will be replaced with a water elevator as soon as I find my old build plans and freshen them up a bit.
Other updates: - _CTJ_ has been added to authorized to alter list. -I'm in the process of having the Gold farm block protected via emc staff but it will take a while for them to get around to my application (were too close to the spawn to be an official outpost and they get priority). In the meantime please report but do not patch any griefing. - FbuilderS has quit EMC and his friends in HM industries have taken over overseeing the SMP5 public utilities project. - As a result I'm now slightly more associated with HM industries then I was working directly with FbuilderS and I have been added to their official HMi forum page. - I still maintain complete and unshared ownership of all of my builds and I will work with HMi only in non-profit capacities (the public farms). - The gold farm and any future public builds of my design will continue to be completely non-profit. ========================== I thank all of you for your patience and support (direct and indirect). The community has helped me along greatly over the years even if it was sometimes unintentional: you assisted me through the nervous newbie stage, helped dream of building better/bigger things, supported my hobby of horse breeding, and through my shop gave me wherewithal (rupees) to take on public projects just for the fun of it.
As long as you can do it without breaking anyone's blocks you can go right ahead; the great wall surrounding spawn is a holey mess (pun intended) and the surface builds near the farms are mostly dirt huts/pillars peeps left up but it's better to be safe then banned for griefing.
