Ask a simple question, get a simple answer

[KirinDave]

Many FTB people play on Forgecraft, but they aren't using the FTB Launcher for that server. I think they host the instance on Dropbox, where it can be updated by the various mod devs. The people playing (or testing) on the server just download the instance and import it into MultiMC.

I think it's been said that the FTB launcher will eventually add in multiple config options for certain modpacks, such as the ability to switch between GregTech Hard/Easy Modes. Not exactly what you're looking for, but it offers a little more customization than what's currently available.

FTB is designed for those people who don't want to bother manually downloading mods, resolving ID conflicts, etc. But you trade off customization options for that simplicity. Plenty of people are okay with that. Those who want servers with non-standard loadouts will have to deal with getting their users to make the necessary changes to their clients.

Yeah, I think increasingly MultiMC is the only realistic option if you're running a server and you're not entirely happy with what FTB is doing. Don't get me wrong, I think the Direwolf20 pack is an incredibly good series of choices; I just have projects that are complex enough that I need better logistics management and I don't want to alienate my existing playerbase by making them work too much for it. It's too bad Redpower2 just nukes some people's framerates past a certain complexity threshold.[DOUBLEPOST=1360622244][/DOUBLEPOST]NEW SIMPLE QUESTION: It occurs to me that I've never even once seen anyone build anything besides Tanks and the ovens from Railcraft. I've never seen even one non-trivial build.

The furthest I've ever gone personally: exactly enough steel for a feeder.

What do people use it for, and does anyone have a demo of a really cool use? Because right now I almost want to disable it to let more people play with Steve's Carts.

 

[blueone]

I'm having a problem with the fermenter it used one sapling and then it stopped producing it has been on that like for an hour.

http://imgur.com/SgQJoH3

 

[Freakscar]

What do people use it for, and does anyone have a demo of a really cool use? Because right now I almost want to disable it to let more people play with Steve's Carts.

Not "cool" but.. remove RC from my base - and with that, my LP steam boiler and poof goes about 99% of my energy. But yeah, apart of the (pretty expensive, can't wait for XyCraft^^) iron tanks, steam engines and said boiler.. I nevery touched any of the RAIL parts of Railcraft. I think, you kind of answered that yourself already (at least, in my humble opinion): Steves' Carts offer a whole world of complex rail'y stuff - but at the same time it's quite easy to 'get', whereas Railcraft is (again, my opinion) more in the vein of "So you want to build a serverwide station for carts? Well, sucks to be you, first off, learn how a railstation works in real life, THEN come back and try Railcraft's rail systems!". At least, thats MY impression, when looking at all the confuzzling signaljunctionthingamajig. *sadface* And last but not least, with Portal Gun, Mystcraft, Enderchests, Command-Blocks (set up by an admin in SMP) and, last and probably least, the IC teleporters.. what reason is there left, to go all out on a over the top complicated, confusing and expensive rail/cart system, when so much simpler and more convenient options are easily available?

 

[KirinDave]

I am just full of simple questions today!

Is there any way I can get computercraft aware of the current charge on IC2 storage devices. I realized I'd love to visualize my EU storage as a swell computercraft bargraph. But almost none of the turtles have NEI entries, so I am not sure which mod might add that.[DOUBLEPOST=1360632316][/DOUBLEPOST]

I'm having a problem with the fermenter it used one sapling and then it stopped producing it has been on that like for an hour.

http://imgur.com/SgQJoH3

Is it getting enough power?

 

[baw179]

Q. What does a spot loader actually do? Does it only keep a 1x1 square loaded and if so what would you use it for?

 

[MilConDoin]

A spot loader keeps exactly one chunk loaded, so if you have several chunks you want to load, which aren't arranged in a neat square, just place the spot loaders accordingly without keeping those useless chunks active.

 

[baw179]

A spot loader keeps exactly one chunk loaded, so if you have several chunks you want to load, which aren't arranged in a neat square, just place the spot loaders accordingly without keeping those useless chunks active.

Isn't that what the chunk loader does? You can config a chunk loader for only 1 chunk so what is the point of the spot loader?

 

[MilConDoin]

If i'm not missing something (don't have the game started running currently), a chunk loader can be crafted to 9 spot loaders. So you could build 9 chunk loaders set to a radius of 1, or you could build one chunk loader, turn it into 9 spot loaders and use those.

Not everyone has unlimited resources

 

[Abdiel]

It occurs to me that I've never even once seen anyone build anything besides Tanks and the ovens from Railcraft. I've never seen even one non-trivial build.

I have a railroad bringing in lava from a nearby lake (I don't use any long-distance teleportation methods for added challenge). We're also building a nether railroad to connect people's bases (Mindcrack pack, no Mystcraft). RC offers a LOT more rail customization and control options than vanilla, if you're in that sort of thing.

Is there any way I can get computercraft aware of the current charge on IC2 storage devices. I realized I'd love to visualize my EU storage as a swell computercraft bargraph.

If you just want visualization, there is a sensor card for the Reactor Control mod that can do it. If you want to do anything more programatically, you'll need to add another mod such as OpenCCSensors.

Q. What does a spot loader actually do? Does it only keep a 1x1 square loaded and if so what would you use it for?

It keeps one chunk loaded. You get ten of them for the price of one chunk loader, and it is good enough to load a simple setup (e.g. pump + energy/liquid tesseracts). There is also one setup which uses them to toggle loading of a zone on/off with redstone, which wouldn't quite work (as simply) with larger loaders.

 

[<*///><]

I am just full of simple questions today!

Is there any way I can get computercraft aware of the current charge on IC2 storage devices. I realized I'd love to visualize my EU storage as a swell computercraft bargraph. But almost none of the turtles have NEI entries, so I am not sure which mod might add that.

Yes, use the Nuclear Information Reader from MiscPeripherals, with an energy sensor card in it. Do note that theres a bug in it in the latest version so it doesn't work (but if needed, you can upgrade MiscPeripherals manually to fix it).

 

[Golrith]

What's the maximum range of bees that affect tree cross-breeding?

 

[KirinDave]

Which is more efficient in term of long term lava consumption? Magmatic engines, or geothermal generators outputting to tuned electric engines?

 

[Ember Quill]

Which is more efficient in term of long term lava consumption? Magmatic engines, or geothermal generators outputting to tuned electric engines?

Assuming my math isn't wrong, magmatic engines are more efficient as they have a higher lava-to-MJ ratio than a geothermal/electrical setup, even if the electrical engines are tuned to their highest possible efficiency.

Since a bucket gives 18000 MJ in a magmatic engine (excluding the initial warming-up period), and 20000 EU in a geothermal generator, your electrical engine would have to produce 9 MJ for every 10 EU just to equal the efficiency of a magmatic engine.

 

[Abdiel]

The Thermal Generator produces 30,000 EU from a lava bucket. However since the best efficiency you can get from an electrical engine is 5:2, that is still less than what you'd get in a magmatic engine.

As a rule of thumb, power converters are always the worst possible way of generating power. Use them only if you have a massive surplus of one type of energy, or when the inefficiency is not worth setting up a second network just for a couple of machines (that one liquid transposer in your IC power station).

 

[Zivel]

Does looking through warded glass make nodes invisible? Or am I missing something?

 

[madaffacca]

Crumble horn, charm of keeping and charm of life. What are these guys?

 

[Hydra]

What's the maximum range of bees that affect tree cross-breeding?

If you load a bee in a beealyzer you see it's radius. THat's used for both flowers and trees.

 

[Poppycocks]

Does looking through warded glass make nodes invisible? Or am I missing something?

Yes, it's how minecraft works, many transparent thing are invisible trough other transparent things.

Crumble horn, charm of keeping and charm of life. What are these guys?

They're from twilight forest, crumble horn changes stone to cobble, to gravel, then drops it, works on mazestone as well. You get it from quest ram.
Charms are chest drops, keeping charms are for keeping stuff from your inventory after you die, charms of life heal you when you're about to die.

 

[madaffacca]

Thanks! One more, transformation powder?

 

[PhilHibbs]

I think Transformation Powder turns sheep into rams and pigs into boars and suchlike.