Team Member Positions

[Watchful11]

EDIT: Applications now closed

Over the last month you probably have noticed a couple new team members updating packs. I would like to take this opportunity to officially introduce them.

@GreatOrator joined us from my original help request a year ago. I didn't have much for him to do at the time, but he jumped in to help as soon as I had my new system ready. His modpack, TolkienCraft II, was coincidently promoted to listed about the same time.

@Jake_Evans was recommended to me for his work as a moderator in a number of people's twitch chats.

@Gideonseymour was asked by GreatOrator if he wanted to help out and jumped at the opportunity.

@tfox83 has been working with me for a fair bit longer and has mostly moved into a position with the modpack team, though he still helps out from time to time. Together they have gotten average upload times down to under a day and have enabled me to concentrate on lots of other things to make the system better. Now that we've ironed out the process, we are at the point where adding more team members will directly translate to faster uploads. I am therefore opening applications.


There's a few requirements.

Decent internet. You'll be downloading and uploading multiple hundred megabyte zip files. I'm not going to set a specific limit, but you have to not be worried about taking 10+ minutes to update each pack.

Familiar with the system. Anyone can do the work, so I want people that have been around in the community for a while. This isn't a way to just be able to update your pack whenever you want.

Have enough time. I'm hoping to get enough people to not worry about people going MIA for a week, but plan to spend an hour or two every few days.

Be nice. Yes, this is a requirement. This is basically a customer service position.


If you want to apply, pm me with a bit about yourself and why you should get the position.

Reply to this thread if you have any questions.

 

[Qazplm601]

"Decent internet"
i'm out :/

 

[Kashdeya]

Sounds like a great opportunity!

 

[buggirlexpres]

I would be glad to see more people on the team!

 

[tedyhere]

Crap internet here... I am audi5000

 

[HeilMewTwo]

Can you clarify what kind of responsibilities and duties would be expected of us?

 

[Watchful11]

Can you clarify what kind of responsibilities and duties would be expected of us?

Absolutely.

You will be able to see all the threads in the Your Modpacks section. You will download pack zips, run them through a permissions checking tool I wrote, then either respond to the thread with what's wrong or upload the resulting zip to a FTP server.

There's lots of little details pertaining to the tool, mod permissions and various policies that apply in certain situations, but those are easy to pick up as you go along.

 

[CaptPanda]

tempting... I'd like to be part of this, but I have other things that I really should be focusing on.

Oh well, give my best to those who get it.

 

[buggirlexpres]

Can you clarify what kind of responsibilities and duties would be expected of us?

To expand on what Watchful said, here's a couple screenshots showing the process of updating a pack.

Basically, whenever you get the chance, you'll go into the Your Modpacks section of the forums. As of right now, you'll see only your own packs, but if you're part of the team, you'll get to see everyone's packs.
You'll choose a pack, and head into the thread:

Spoiler

Download the pack, and place it into the wonderful Permissions Checker tool by Watchful. The tool is very nice, and the first thing you do is fill out the pack's information:

Spoiler

You'll see how everything I filled out was specified in the Forum Thread, such as the name, code, author, description, Forge Version, and so on and so forth. Once you've got everything set, you head on over to the "Update" tab. In this tab, you upload the pack's file. Take the file you downloaded earlier and hit the pick button. Navigate to the zip and select it:

Spoiler

Obviously, you'll need to do the same for the server zip file as well. This step takes a while, as it has to unzip the pack. If there's a file named splash.png or icon.png, or etcetera, it will get auto-selected into the icon or splash field. Otherwise, the tool will place them in the directory the zip file was in, and you can navigate to them as you did the pack.

Then, we'll head over to the permissions tab. The tool will parse the Permissions Spreadsheet and the mcmod.infos of the mods in the pack, and it will compare them:

Spoiler

Most mods will show up in the "Good" category. This means that the mod's license is fine with them appearing in the pack. If it's on the spreadsheet, but isn't open, it will appear in the "bad" category. In order to save it, you'll need to provide a "permission" image, such as, in this case, notifying Emoniph that I'm using his mod in my pack. Usually the screenshot will be hosted on imgur (like it should, as it says in the guidelines), and look something like this:

You simply take the URL of the image, and place it in the "Permission" category. Then, hit "Save Public" or "Save Private" depending on the type of permissions they obtained.

However, if a mod is not on the spreadsheet, well, it gets more complicated. It will show up in the "Unknown" category. You'll need to fill out the information of the mod based on the links, name, and etc. given to you by the pack creator. Then, verify everything is true, and same procedure. "Save Public" or "Save Private."

If the pack creator does not have some permissions for something, it's time to deny their pack. You reply to the thread, and say what they are missing and why you cannot upload the pack. Honestly, that's the hardest part of the job. Otherwise, you'll go back to the "Update" tab, and hit the Export button. The pack will then be packaged for the launcher and exported to a folder on your drive. As well, a .json file will be synced with the rest of the Third Party Pack Team via dropbox so everyone can update the pack without having to enter the information anew every time.

Next, you just upload it to the FTP service, where it will then be pushed to the launcher. Give it a couple minutes to sync, and anyone, anywhere can get the pack.

Now, this may seem simple, but we get a very large amount of packs every day. It's hard for us to keep up with what goes on there. And you'd be surprised at how quickly the amount of packs and unknown mods piles up.

 

[tfox83]

To expand on what Watchful said, here's a couple screenshots showing the process of updating a pack.

Basically, whenever you get the chance, you'll go into the Your Modpacks section of the forums. As of right now, you'll see only your own packs, but if you're part of the team, you'll get to see everyone's packs.
You'll choose a pack, and head into the thread:

Spoiler

Download the pack, and place it into the wonderful Permissions Checker tool by Watchful. The tool is very nice, and the first thing you do is fill out the pack's information:

Spoiler

You'll see how everything I filled out was specified in the Forum Thread, such as the name, code, author, description, Forge Version, and so on and so forth. Once you've got everything set, you head on over to the "Update" tab. In this tab, you upload the pack's file. Take the file you downloaded earlier and hit the pick button. Navigate to the zip and select it:

Spoiler

Obviously, you'll need to do the same for the server zip file as well. This step takes a while, as it has to unzip the pack. If there's a file named splash.png or icon.png, or etcetera, it will get auto-selected into the icon or splash field. Otherwise, the tool will place them in the directory the zip file was in, and you can navigate to them as you did the pack.

Then, we'll head over to the permissions tab. The tool will parse the Permissions Spreadsheet and the mcmod.infos of the mods in the pack, and it will compare them:

Spoiler

Most mods will show up in the "Good" category. This means that the mod's license is fine with them appearing in the pack. If it's on the spreadsheet, but isn't open, it will appear in the "bad" category. In order to save it, you'll need to provide a "permission" image, such as, in this case, notifying Emoniph that I'm using his mod in my pack. Usually the screenshot will be hosted on imgur (like it should, as it says in the guidelines), and look something like this:

You simply take the URL of the image, and place it in the "Permission" category. Then, hit "Save Public" or "Save Private" depending on the type of permissions they obtained.

However, if a mod is not on the spreadsheet, well, it gets more complicated. It will show up in the "Unknown" category. You'll need to fill out the information of the mod based on the links, name, and etc. given to you by the pack creator. Then, verify everything is true, and same procedure. "Save Public" or "Save Private."

If the pack creator does not have some permissions for something, it's time to deny their pack. You reply to the thread, and say what they are missing and why you cannot upload the pack. Honestly, that's the hardest part of the job. Otherwise, you'll go back to the "Update" tab, and hit the Export button. The pack will then be packaged for the launcher and exported to a folder on your drive. As well, a .json file will be synced with the rest of the Third Party Pack Team via dropbox so everyone can update the pack without having to enter the information anew every time.

Next, you just upload it to the FTP service, where it will then be pushed to the launcher. Give it a couple minutes to sync, and anyone, anywhere can get the pack.

Now, this may seem simple, but we get a very large amount of packs every day. It's hard for us to keep up with what goes on there. And you'd be surprised at how quickly the amount of packs and unknown mods piles up.

And that is exactly how you do it!

 

[Green Cow]

I would be really exited for an opportunity to work with the FTB team doing something useful, but I have a Mac and kind of doubt that anyone has taken the time to write a permission checking program for Mac.

 

[Watchful11]

I would be really exited for an opportunity to work with the FTB team doing something useful, but I have a Mac and kind of doubt that anyone has taken the time to write a permission checking program for Mac.

It's in java, should make no difference what OS you run.

 

[gerb82]

I would like to join, as i am working on a pack and i would be happy to help and to learn the requierment's better, and a question, if the pack is private is the admin allowed to use it even that it's private?

Edit: is he allowed if he just don't publish it?

 

[gerb82]

And another question, can i develop a modpack and be in the crew at the same time?

 

[buggirlexpres]

if the pack is private is the admin allowed to use it even that it's private?

As long as he does not distribute the code, he does have it, so I imagine he could use it.

And another question, can i develop a modpack and be in the crew at the same time?

Yeah, always. We've all got our own packs that we work on in our free time.

 

[Jake_Evans]

I would be really exited for an opportunity to work with the FTB team doing something useful, but I have a Mac and kind of doubt that anyone has taken the time to write a permission checking program for Mac.

I use the tool on both Windows & Mac, depending on where I am. There's really no limits other than internet speed

 

[SnowShock35]

Spoiler: Internet speed...

3.5mbs \/ and 1.0mbs /\

I would love todo this so much as I think it fits me great besides the internet thing :/ Although I can download a pack in 3/5mins uploads for packs take 25/35mins :'( Excuse me while I scream and smash my router in anger and frustration! If however there are still positions going in 6/12 months from now when I hope to have some better internet I might apply then however I don't think I will cut it.

 

[Jake_Evans]

Spoiler: Internet speed...

3.5mbs \/ and 1.0mbs /\

I would love todo this so much as I think it fits me great besides the internet thing :/ Although I can download a pack in 3/5mins uploads for packs take 25/35mins :'( Excuse me while I scream and smash my router in anger and frustration! If however there are still positions going in 6/12 months from now when I hope to have some better internet I might apply then however I don't think I will cut it.

Shame about your internet, you'd make a great asset on the team!

 

[SnowShock35]

Shame about your internet, you'd make a great asset on the team!

Thanks Jake

 

[Eruantien]

*fades in*
It'd be nice if this "permissions" tool was available for use by modpack creators, just as a way to double-check ourselves. But I guess that's what the spreadsheet is for, huh?
*fades out*