Is Feed The Beast Falling Behind?

[namiasdf]

They are pointless in that if you've been here long enough, you'd know precisely what every argument between those who choose not to update and those who choose to, are always the same.

Also, just because it is a forum, does not mean you post whatever you want. We are here to discuss things, not to argue about things that can never be won over to either side. Look at how we lock all threads relating to GT.

vOv[DOUBLEPOST=1378832071][/DOUBLEPOST]you'd know that*

 

[Fuzzzie]

I wouldn't do a 1.6.2 modpack for FTB. A lot of the mods are in beta/alpha/dev versions and aren't working at their best. I think the 1.5.2 packs are pretty great. A lot of mods like AE and such are still updating for 1.5.2 as well. Even CovertJaguar mentioned on the charity stream that it's a bummer doing updates when a lot of people aren't even playing 1.6.2

1.7 is supposedly going to be the most challenging update for mod authors. Luckily, MCP is updating for the snapshots soon(ish). That might give mod authors a jump on the update but I wouldn't hold my breath for anything real for 1.7 until November. Just my opinion though.

Sticking with 1.5.2 myself though. I'm kinda bummed that I can't mess with new Buildcraft Mechanics and The IC2 Experimental run. I guess I can test them on their own for kicks.

 

[ShneekeyTheLost]

They are pointless in that if you've been here long enough, you'd know precisely what every argument between those who choose not to update and those who choose to, are always the same.

Also, just because it is a forum, does not mean you post whatever you want. We are here to discuss things, not to argue about things that can never be won over to either side. Look at how we lock all threads relating to GT.

All of the GT threads get locked because of personal attacks and flaming, not because of the topic material. Likewise what happened in the Dartcraft thread. When it devolves into personal attacks, people start getting issued warnings, and the mods lock it to keep from having to drop the hammer down on anyone else.

If people could have a nice, rational discussion, even debate, on the topic of GregTech, I'm sure the mods would have no problem with it. However, they DO have a problem with people not following the Play Nice rule.

tl;dr version: It's not the topic, but the flaming, that gets threads locked.

I wouldn't do a 1.6.2 modpack for FTB. A lot of the mods are in beta/alpha/dev versions and aren't working at their best. I think the 1.5.2 packs are pretty great. A lot of mods like AE and such are still updating for 1.5.2 as well. Even CovertJaguar mentioned on the charity stream that it's a bummer doing updates when a lot of people aren't even playing 1.6.2

I'd just like to point out, for the record, that ShneekeyCraft has been live almost a month now on 1.6.2. Then again, being a minimalist mod pack, I had fewer problems updating than, say, Resonant Rise (which actually IS in the process of updating, by the way).

However, since both of these mod packs are on the ATLauncher rather than the FTB Launcher or T****t launcher, they don't have a large user-base.

 

[fergcraft]

I agree with shneekey about the attitudes but on to the topic on hand. I think it would be impossible for modders to keep up with all the things that change with an update. even with the pre-release's their is no way they can do it since the pre-releases don't guarantee that the actual release because as with any coding their is always bugs.

 

[netmc]

As a long time minecraft player, I think a lot of the player community got spoiled by 1.2.5. It was stable and was around for a really long time. It was basically two different games. A single player game and a different, but similar looking multi-player game. There were oodles of mods out there, and many that were pretty awesome. Many of the awesome mods were not MP compatible. Some like Thaumcraft 2, couldn't be made MP. Other less intensive mods were SSP and MP, but there were two different versions of the mod. One for loading into a single player environment, and a completely different mod compiled for multi-player. And then to make multi-player somewhat friendly to server admins, there came additional ports to environments like bukkit. (There were other environments besides bukkit.) This created at least 3 different versions of the mods. It took quite a while to get all the versions up to date and ported. It was sometimes three times the work. What code worked in one environment may not work in another. The only saving grace for the mod authors is that 1.2.5 was around for so long, they didn't *have* to constantly fix their mods for new environments, so they could work on multiple versions as time permitted and release updates on their schedule.

With Mojang's decision to add in an official modding api, this opened the floodgates to an ever changing slew of major alterations. The first being a unified single and mult-player environment. This was kinda the worse of both worlds for a time. The sync lag was so horrible at first, you could only reliably kill a creeper with a bow. Trying with a sword would get you blown up. Now though, the situation has much improved. Server sync mechanics have gotten better, and it is a lot harder to get out of sync with the server. This change was drastically needed though as MP was horribly laggy in older builds.

MC 1.4.7 I see as the ultimate refinement of the work that was started with 1.3. The major growing pains were gone, and the new features had stabilized and matured. This was a good product. Mojang wasn't done yet though. With 1.5, came new features and new fluid dynamics. (this might be a forge thing, but since I only play modded now, I'm not sure.) Mod liquids were now place-able in the world. Liquids were still not fully fleshed out yet, and 1.6 would bring even more changes to liquids. Now with 1.6 released, the liquid api and foundations are solid. Mods can interact with multiple liquid types in multiple fashions. With this release, mod authors finally have a stable target to hit with a unified way to work with liquids. This makes a cross-mod liquid environment attainable.

MC 1.7 I believe is to finally deliver the infamous lighting and rendering update that we have been promised since 1.0?? No more black render areas and lighting glitches. For some mods, this will be a minor mark, others will have a major change to implement. Even after 1.7 hits, and mods update, Mojang still won't be done. There are a few other areas that still need to be addressed to meet their goal of an official mod API.

To answer your original question, no FTB is not falling behind. They are doing what they need to do. Right now, that is working behind the scenes and working with mod authors on servers like forgecraft 2 and monitoring the forums here, and checking out the custom modpacks like RR and ShneekeyCraft. This lets them see what mods work well together, which ones need tweaking, if any cause unfair balance issues, etc. Every time we post on the forums, we help them define the possibilities that can be done with a mod pack. They don't have time to go through every combination of every mod, so when we need help, they notice, and when we show off our awesome builds, they notice. Frankly, I absolutely love the FTB forums. It was always so hard working on the minecraft forums as each mod had their own thread. You may get a reply to a question you asked, but it might show up 3 pages later... Several issues I've run into were nothing that were caused by one mod. Only in combination with other mods. FTB is an awesome place for assistance and help with this since they are about the mod *pack*, and not individual mods.

So, everything is being done in its own proper time. It will get done and updated when it is ready. I don't expect or even want them to do so before it is.

 

[Bubbleo]

Thanks to those that actually spent the time giving their input into the topic at hand. For those of you who decided to attack others you truly should know better especially if you have been in this forum for as long as you have, seriously if you got nothing constructive to say or answer the questions at hand don't hit the reply button pretty simple stuff hey the golden rule here is Don't Be Dumb.

I agree that Mojang seems to continually update at a pace that most modders realistically can't keep up, I am in no way shape or form trying to diss FTB and I believe they're doing a fantastic job and realise there simply a medium that packages all these mods together for us all to enjoy, which i do and will continue to do so. With the replys I have gotten has made me rethink a few things so thanks for the input much appreciated.

I would only hope that there would be one thing that could be added to alleviate having to redo worlds on major updates, or at least a mod that retrogenerates new ores and blocks into worlds as needed this would be a quite handy tool. Just spit balling but hey.

I am just looking forward to see what awesome stuff is set for the 1.6.2 version such as thaumcraft 4 and the likes, anyhow its all about how you enjoy the game not how everybody else expects you to

Happy FTB'ing and thanks for the input and to those that wish to personally attack others in this thread instead of actually offering a constructive opinion to what I originally asked have a long hard look at your own attitude before worrying about others.

Peace
Bubble0

 

[Dravarden]

Modpacks are normally 1 version behind most of the time, so when 1.7 is released, expect the 1.6.2 update of the packs to be released.

not like 1.6 added that much features besides Mo' creatures horses, colored blocks and some bug fixes.

 

[Grydian2]

Guys if slowpoke and Co released a beta pack of 1.6.2 (they tried this before) People would scream and flip out and foam at the mouth that its not stable and blame FTB for the fact it just a freakin beta. The reality is most people are whiney immature selfish people and dont realize how damaging their negativity is. Its just the reality of how it is. The thing is no one is stopping you from making your own modded minecraft for 1.6... So complaining to FTB about something you could do is kinda annoying.

 

[SatanicSanta]

Ftb isn't falling behind, Mojang is spamming updates.


Sent from a rich kids phone that I stole. (I'll regift it soon)

 

[Dravarden]

Ftb isn't falling behind, Mojang is spamming updates.


Sent from a rich kids phone that I stole. (I'll regift it soon)

meanwhile back in 1.2.5-1.3:

MOJANG, Y U NO UPDATE FASTER???

and 1.6 was released July 8th (without counting the pre-release snapshot), the first 1.7 snapshot was just out (exactly 2 months after) and 1.7 it's supposed to come out at, if not after, minecon (which is the first week of November)

That's 4+ months.

and mojang can release updates as they please, I have yet to see someone that says "I found minecraft by XYZ mod", so they don't owe a "thanks" to any mod whatsoever, which means they wont just wait for a random person on the internet that codes slow to release a mod

 

[Sphinx2k]

I dont care what version of MC the FTB pack ist running. But the problem is the mods are thinned out over several versions of Minecraft. I understand why a mod author doesn't want to maintain his mod for every version on the other side.

I would like to see a bit slow down controlled by maybe forge (just an example of a central part of modding). The recommend a version for modding for say 3 - 6 Month. Then hoping the modders stick to this version.

 

[RedBoss]

I dont care what version of MC the FTB pack ist running. But the problem is the mods are thinned out over several versions of Minecraft. I understand why a mod author doesn't want to maintain his mod for every version on the other side.

I would like to see a bit slow down controlled by maybe forge (just an example of a central part of modding). The recommend a version for modding for say 3 - 6 Month. Then hoping the modders stick to this version.

I keep seeing this statement. "Why can't modders stay on xxxx version?"

No one is forcing you to update. There's still lots of people fully enjoying tekkit 1.2.5. From the posts it seems a fair number of FTB users are still in 1.4.7. Just don't update. It's my understanding that the devs usually leave a mod in a fairly stable state before moving to an update. Just stay in your world where you found the most fun and only update if you really feel compelled.

Personally I'd rather stay closer to being in line with vanilla updates. I've really grown attached to certain mods that have either not updated past a point or have changed in ways that I find unplayable. So sticking with an MC version just for a mod or few just seems like a no win situation. Honestly, what these guys are doing with just vanilla Redstone and mob AI is pretty amazing lately.

 

[snooder]

Im playing 1.4.7... it seems to me that the main things im missing out on are mod changes, not anything due to vanilla. Horses? Ok i can go without that. Nether quartz, etc.

Lets say all the mod designers had decided: we are all going to stay with 1.4.7 and add new features to our existing releases, not to new releases. Are there things that the mod community would miss out on, by not updating with mojang? Not that they would want to do this indefinitely, but why couldnt the modding community just update every six months, and not by mojang releases? If mojang is at 1.4 in january, and updates 100 times, the modders just ignore it until June... that becomes the target for modders to update, even if mojang is at version 9999.9 by then, or whatever.

Part of the problem is that even if that's true, what happens when someone comes up with the idea for a new and interesting mod? Do they then have to write that mod for the old and obsolete version of minecraft that the major mod packs are under? Or do they write the mod for the new version? If so, would the community now switch to the new version and abandon all the modpacks that have stagnated?

 

[zorn]

Part of the problem is that even if that's true, what happens when someone comes up with the idea for a new and interesting mod? Do they then have to write that mod for the old and obsolete version of minecraft that the major mod packs are under? Or do they write the mod for the new version? If so, would the community now switch to the new version and abandon all the modpacks that have stagnated?

Well as i had said, i thought it was harder on mod developers to update, but apparently the new updates make life easier on them.

One argument is to just not update... well being on 1.4.7, I dont have access to things like... the MFR mining laser or whatever it is. Soul shards still has the anvil cheat in the pack I play, the newer version had this fixed. Other game play changes are made to newer releases only. So by not updating im also not getting new content. Which is fine right now, most of these mods are fairly new to me, but playing 1.4.7 in 6 months? I doubt id still be having fun, because anything new goes into new releases.

And i just realized that we can make our own packs. I was told by friends that slapping your own mods together can cause a lot of issues, i thought FTB was a place where people like direwolf would playtest things, find bugs, etc. and people would collaborate on what mods could work well together. Maybe i was wrong?

The key is... not everyone wants to open jar files and stuff mods in there and do all that stuff, 99% of the population wants to click a button, and play a game. Im no programmer but ive actually got an old computer tech certification, built my own pcs, etc.... and im tired of messing around with that stuff. I used to download games from IRC bots in 15 mb rar files and have to stitch them together from multiple bots to get a full download... and it gets old. After awhile you just want to 'click' then play and have fun.

So my point is just to say that even semi techy people like myself often dont want to mess around making custom mod packs, if FTB wants to be big and be a real business, Id say they would want to cater to the 99%, wouldnt they? I just thought it would suck to see mods die off because the mod developer got tired of frantic updates, but again it appears i was wrong anyway, the updates are good for business, not bad, apparently.

really isnt FTB itself really just a way for people to just Click and have fun, and not have to deal with all the tech side of installing mods and such?

 

[Pokefenn]

Mod developers bite the bullet, its hard for them at first but in the long run its usually better.

 

[Dravarden]

I think the reason people want the packs to be updated is not for the vanilla features they are missing out on, it is because when vanilla updates it means that mods will update with it and add new features to the updated version, which is what people want, new features, and they only get them if they stay with the latest version of the mod, which happens to be latest vanilla (I have yet to see a mod add a new feature to an old version of the mod)

 

[Bibble]

I think the reason people want the packs to be updated is not for the vanilla features they are missing out on, it is because when vanilla updates it means that mods will update with it and add new features to the updated version, which is what people want, new features, and they only get them if they stay with the latest version of the mod, which happens to be latest vanilla (I have yet to see a mod add a new feature to an old version of the mod)

But then, there's no point in maintaining across multiple vanilla versions, particularly when updates need major work to get them functional again. The devs would end up just duplicating work multiple times, which would eat into time that could be spent fixing bugs or adding content.

Mods updating to the newest version is a good thing, as it will aid progression. The reason that we're waiting on a 1.6.2 pack isn't because mods are not updating to 1.6.2, it's because they're not finished with the process yet. At present, they're working almost solidly on it. Working on previous versions would increase the update time, and would fragment the system more than it already is.

 

[RedBoss]

Mods are one part of updates but vanilla additions are valued by many as well. Speaking personally I'm more apt, in today's mod scene, to be more concerned about vanilla than the mods. In 1.5 the sweep crafting addition was amazing. For modded Minecraft it was sorely needed with all the excessive crafting. 1.6.2 is nice due to the mob AI buff, since I'm an adventurer. As well as clay blocks, a nice useful aesthetic block that not even mods have added.

But beyond that, some mods just don't update. Others change in ways that users of prior versions find deeply displeasing. In that perspective, if you want new content, then staying abreast of vanilla is very important.

What's more is looking beyond the FTB packs. 1.5.2 & using Resonant Rise has exposed me to the wider modded Minecraft scene. There are so many mods that are not and may never be included in FTB. Mods that add new things or offer extensions to abandoned mods.

Is FTB lagging behind? That's probably not a fair question currently as many 1.6.2 mods are just not ready for general consumption. They definitely lagged behind in 1.5.2 and took quite a while to release a pack that wasn't labeled as beta. It becomes a more appropriate question now that FTB is an openly profit seeking brand.

 

[SatanicSanta]

snip

MultiMC

I think the reason people want the packs to be updated is not for the vanilla features they are missing out on, it is because when vanilla updates it means that mods will update with it and add new features to the updated version, which is what people want, new features, and they only get them if they stay with the latest version of the mod, which happens to be latest vanilla (I have yet to see a mod add a new feature to an old version of the mod)

That is true, but many people wanted to update because of Nether Quartz being a way better alternative to marble, horses being a better alternative to Mo Creatures, etc. etc.

 

[Dorque]

I think the reason people want the packs to be updated is not for the vanilla features they are missing out on, it is because when vanilla updates it means that mods will update with it and add new features to the updated version, which is what people want, new features, and they only get them if they stay with the latest version of the mod, which happens to be latest vanilla (I have yet to see a mod add a new feature to an old version of the mod)

I think the thing there is, if you want the very latest updates, you have to stick to one mod. Or two or whatever. Part of playing a modpack means you're going to have to wait because at last count there are 88 different mods (of varying degrees of complexity) running in FTB Unleashed, for example. So when the new version comes out, which mods do you toss aside?

If you want to play the latest Dartcraft, play the latest Dartcraft. If you want to play the latest FTB pack, play the latest FTB pack.