Believe that the quarry randomly chooses a spot to dig. It doesn't go sequentially. so pregenning wouldn't really be an option, if that's the case.
OK I miss read some info then as I read somewhere that it mines the same chunk cords as its in... then again the Internet isn't always right
For people wanting alternatives: Chunk loading ward for chunk loading For the quarry, their are a multiple of options. Immersive Engineering has an excavator. Ic2 has a miner. Forestry has bees. Blood Magic has the ritual of the falling meteor. And there are always manual mining options.
Also if you are magically able, there is a flower from Botania that turns living rock into ores. There is always that option
Chunk loading wards are in the pack, but think they are disabled atm, think they are on 3x3 chunks so ideal for base loading. On a side not I have had to leave the server until my base can be rolled back or my items recovered. When the protection system went down a player stole my whole refined storage system, (24 max disks, 16 of them full) and all my 25 mill cap banks, Charmander found the culprit, but none of my items can be found, he removed a refined storage at their base but had none of my stuff in it. Either the player hid it else where or logged out with it on him. I had been farming since the server opened and was in the process of starting each mod after collecting enough materials to complete them. Had stocked up enough for Drac for power storage teir 6 and plenty more for the rituals, simlar materials for Botania, AE2 once presses were available and most other big mods. I was running at 18k Iron blocks 15k Copper and 12k for most others. So frustrating players out there feel the need to steal from others.
Not it actually automatically moves to a different chunk to mine in, in the quantum quarry world, whenever it finishes a chunk. the overworld location of it does not matter.
Maybe it would be an option to reduce the Manacost of the Orechid so it is more viable to use as a Quarry alternative?
There is no config option for that so it would need another mod for that (A server plugin shouldnt be able to do that)
ok to be honest the excaver is a viable option (since steel is cheap due to smelting nuggets) is the mineing lense form actual additions is also a good subsitute for not mineing once you get past the need for all the stone
I fully automated the actually additions mining lense yesterday. It was actually pretty easy and the setup is very compact. If you want to see how I did it you can either visit me on the server or if needed I could make a short Tutorial.
Me: Why no players online most of the day? (avg. 3) Ans: TPS lag probably scared 'em off! Staff: Memory leaking out, can't find no plug! Me: SanndTheManndy overflowed their psionic energy (and died)