Yeah because it's SOOOOO different from 1.2.5.
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I've come to agree with you on this point, Dave. I once said that I thought 1.2.5 enabled a lot more creativity, whereas your response was that later versions still allow it. I can understand the "magic block" objection that people have in some cases as well, but I'm realising that the place for creativity to be applied has simply shifted; but that doesn't mean it's not there.
In 1.2.5 and earlier, I felt that creativity was more focused on the single block level. You'd do something crazy like making a lumber mill with pistons and sand, for instance; or with EE2, I'd come up with some crazy multi-block contraption for generating infinite lava. Now, on the other hand, the focus is on being creative with multiple
systems.
What this means is that, yes, if you only use a single mod, you're generally going to end up doing things in repetitive and stereotyped ways. However, for ore processing myself, I have a row of ten heat generators from Mekanism, which are initially connected to a basic Energy Cube, which translates that energy into Minecraft Joules, and which is then connected to a Capacitor Bank from Ender IO. My current machines are a Pulverizer from Thermal Expansion, and an Alloy Furnace from Ender IO; and I swap the Pulverizer out with a SAG Mill as needed.
Hence, my point is that where creativity comes in now, for me at least, is creating interactions between different mods, and doing things in unconventional ways via that means; rather than with single blocks, as it was in the past.