June News

[Feed the Beast]

Modpack News

With the release of Minecraft 1.12, we are moving our main development effort over to the new version. We will be releasing both a new flagship pack and a seperate expert pack. As usual, we can't commit to a timeline, but it's going to be at least a few weeks before enough mods update for us to start development.

In the meantime, we'll be putting together the latest iteration of our Unstable pack for 1.12. Unstable is a pack we bring back with each new version of Minecraft to showcase up and coming mods as well as help mod authors find bugs in their new code.

Map News

We recently opened up recruitment for new people to work alongside Slowpoke in creating new maps built with new and existing FTB mod packs. As part of this, we set a challenge for applicants to recreate one of the very first FTB mod packs, updating it to be used with the mod pack that we used for the 1.2.5 pyramid map. The resulting build was so good that we decided to release it to the public.

In order to facilitate this, we have created a new 1.2.5 mod that will allow you to select which map you want to play. So in the next week or so, we will be releasing an update to the pyramid mod pack. This update leaves the gameplay unchanged, it will include the new map and add new options to the world creation menu to allow you to select which map you wish to play. The new map follows similar gameplay design as the pyramid map, however is designed to be played by anywhere up to 4 players (teams). Once on the map you can select the number of players taking part and the map will adjust automatically.

Work is almost complete on a new FTB map designed to work on more up to date packs. This map is also designed to work with up to 4 players/teams and is the second project that the new map team has worked on alongside some outside help from some of our friends. Whilst there is no current eta for this map, we hope to release it sometime during July. We have also started work on the next speed run map, although it is still too early to give any type of estimate as to when it will be released.

Wiki Editathon

The FTB wiki is hosting an editathon starting on June 18th and lasting a full week. The participant who contributes the most will be awarded a $20 steam gift card provided by Xbony2.

Creeperhost Mod

We have added a mod that lets users easily create a server hosted by our partners Creeperhost. Here's a statement from Slowpoke on the inclusion of the mod.

When I was approached by Paul from Creeperhost about the inclusion of this mod in the pack I personally had no objections to it as long as it didnt intrude on the gameplay and wasn't overly in peoples faces which I believe is the case here. There may be some issues and if they do crop up we will get them fixed as quickly as we can. As to the financial arrangements with regards to the inclusion of this mod, quite honestly there are none. We are not getting paid a monthly fee by Creeperhost to include this mod in our packs and although referral fees have been offered, as things stand I have no intentions of actually taking them.

Which I am sure leads people onto the question of why include this in the first place. The main answer is loyalty. A large part of the reason that FTB even exists is down to the support we have had along the way from the team at Creeperhost. From the very beginning before we had a launcher and a website and everything else. Creeperhost provided us with pretty much anything we ever asked for when it came to servers. They constantly went out of their way to help us in any way they could. In return we placed a link on our launcher that linked to Creeperhost. This was an arrangement that was beneficial to both of us. The deal with then Curse and now Twitch however didn't end my friendship with Paul or our relationship with Creeperhost, to this day they continue to support us as much as they can. Our new website FTB.world is hosted on a Creeperhost server and a lot of our build and test servers come from them. Having said all this, at some point in the future the FTB launcher is going to be de-branded and our packs removed off of the launcher. At this time the link we have on there will lose any value it had. I have always wanted to make sure that we had something that worked as an alternative to that link on the launcher and this mod seems like a decent solution to this.

I have always understood that there are plenty of excellent providers of servers out there and we would never force anyone to choose a specific provider, however I have no intentions of ever forgetting where we came from and the help that the Creeperhost team provided us along the way.

Content Creator

This month's featured content creator is Amaxter. He semi-regularly uploads interviews with mod authors to his Behind the Mod and Inside the Mod series on his youtube channel

 

[Magzie]

Hey Magzie Here. A few notes. one to the mod devs, Plz don't just update to the new version. Use the new recipe system to full effect plz! Two, if you don't want to take the money from Creeperhost referal I think it would be a great idea to set the money you would have received for referral fee to some kind of charity. You could keep us up to date on the month and year donation to said charity. You could even do a poll for the community to choose which charity would get the money. I don't know if Creeperhost would be up for this or if it would be possible but I thought I would threw it out there. Better then letting the money go to waste.

 

[Nezraddin]

Sounds good so far, especially if it really is so that 1.12 will be the "new 1.7.10" for mods. (so hard keeping up with playing modpacks, when you just started and half the mods already moved on and abandoned the older minecraft version ^^")

And here I am, the "Oh no, someone had to ask this stupid question?!" guy *ducks*
Seeing on the announcement of a new flagship - plus possible expert'mode - pack (and especially seen on abandonned mods for older versions):
- Does this change anything about the "beyond - expert mode" plans?

 

[Quetzi]

The plans for Beyond Expert have been deferred in favour of the 1.12 pack plans outlined in the news post

 

[Magzie]

1.12 modded is going to be so sick if the mod dev play their cards right.

 

[Sandstroem]

Why is 1.12 going to be sick @Magzie ? How can we be sure that MC hasnt moved on to 1.13 before we get some packs? Since 1.8 it seems that Mods and Modpacks can't keep up with the new versions of MC, so that we won't get the amount of stable packs we had back in 1.7.10.

 

[Magzie]

Why is 1.12 going to be sick @Magzie ? How can we be sure that MC hasnt moved on to 1.13 before we get some packs? Since 1.8 it seems that Mods and Modpacks can't keep up with the new versions of MC, so that we won't get the amount of stable packs we had back in 1.7.10.

Because 1.12 has a new crafting system in it. mod devs can lock crafting recipes behind certain events/ach in game like obtaining redstone, getting to the nether, or even getting near a nether fortress. They can also lock recipes into books and put them as buy items in villagers or treasure drops. Mod devs can get very creative and I do think we will see a load more mod dev updating to 1.12 then 1.11 and some devs were waiting for 1.12 anyway to update. My guess is that the expert mod pack was want to do something like this and 1.12 is going to make that easier by a long shot. Just wait and see.

 

[GamerwithnoGame]

Because 1.12 has a new crafting system in it. mod devs can lock crafting recipes behind certain events/ach in game like obtaining redstone, getting to the nether, or even getting near a nether fortress. They can also lock recipes into books and put them as buy items in villagers or treasure drops. Mod devs can get very creative and I do think we will see a load more mod dev updating to 1.12 then 1.11 and some devs were waiting for 1.12 anyway to update. My guess is that the expert mod pack was want to do something like this and 1.12 is going to make that easier by a long shot. Just wait and see.

I must admit, I'm VERY interested to see what this particular mechanic does in terms of game-changing for mod packs (particularly thematic ones) and challenge maps.

 

[Dentvar]

Because 1.12 has a new crafting system in it. mod devs can lock crafting recipes behind certain events/ach in game like obtaining redstone, getting to the nether, or even getting near a nether fortress. They can also lock recipes into books and put them as buy items in villagers or treasure drops. Mod devs can get very creative and I do think we will see a load more mod dev updating to 1.12 then 1.11 and some devs were waiting for 1.12 anyway to update. My guess is that the expert mod pack was want to do something like this and 1.12 is going to make that easier by a long shot. Just wait and see.

That sounds great and is an answer to why 1.12 will be interesting for Modding at least for Expert Mode. But for normal none Expert modes I do not see that this will do much in the first months. Mods are currently designed without this in mind and materials and recipts are adapted due to the fact that you have all recipts available from beginning if not blocked by the mod itself already with a Tier system.

For me that I was waiting for the Expert mode to be released in the next month or two this is bad news so far I guess.

Mod developers won´t redesign their mod completly to this new crafting system. And if they do, it will take time. If we are already strugeling to keep up from 1.8 to 1.10 to 1.11 then I can't imagine that such a redesign would do any good in terms of time

FTB-Modpack team might be better of by waiting for 1.12 and the Crafting system for an good Expert mode, but they can finish the modpack once the mods are updated so...
Guess before september we won´t see anything <-- not blaming anyone for this really. Just saying.

 

[Quetzi]

Why is 1.12 going to be sick @Magzie ? How can we be sure that MC hasnt moved on to 1.13 before we get some packs? Since 1.8 it seems that Mods and Modpacks can't keep up with the new versions of MC, so that we won't get the amount of stable packs we had back in 1.7.10.

This has never not been the case. Mods and packs will always lag behind vanilla releases just by virtue of the amount of work that needs to be done first. There have been a couple of instances in the last 5 years or so where we have had a flagship pack released on the same version as the latest vanilla, even then, vanilla updated soon after. Mods and packs do periodically settle on a version for a little while, mainly due to the amount of work involved in the next update. 1.7->1.8 was a great example of this, we're expecting 1.12->1.13 to be a very similar story. With 1.10->1.11->1.12 being relatively straightforward updates for mods 1.12 is a great target for the community to rest on.

 

[Magzie]

That sounds great and is an answer to why 1.12 will be interesting for Modding at least for Expert Mode. But for normal none Expert modes I do not see that this will do much in the first months. Mods are currently designed without this in mind and materials and recipts are adapted due to the fact that you have all recipts available from beginning if not blocked by the mod itself already with a Tier system.

For me that I was waiting for the Expert mode to be released in the next month or two this is bad news so far I guess.

Mod developers won´t redesign their mod completly to this new crafting system. And if they do, it will take time. If we are already strugeling to keep up from 1.8 to 1.10 to 1.11 then I can't imagine that such a redesign would do any good in terms of time

FTB-Modpack team might be better of by waiting for 1.12 and the Crafting system for an good Expert mode, but they can finish the modpack once the mods are updated so...
Guess before september we won´t see anything <-- not blaming anyone for this really. Just saying.

OK so first I have to say ether play 1.12 to see the new crafting ui or watch someone youtube video on it. For those that don't want to I'll try to explain. better. The recipes will be in minecraft and they are loaded there already. Here is how there system works. When you first start the game and you open your crafting ui there will be no recipes in general unless you spawn near water or lava or something weird like that. Once you cut down your first log and it pops in your inventory the recipe for logs to planks pops auto into the craft ui. There you can left click the recipe and if the recipe is a 2*2 grid recipe it will auto fill the recipe into the grid. You can Shift left click or click multiple times to increase the number of crafts in the grid. If the grid requires 3*3 grid you will need to be at the crafting bench. Recipes can also pop into the crafting ui when you get an ach or what ever they call it now, when you get to another plane, near water, and etc. So when the dev updates the mod they will auto fill the recipes into minecraft crafting ui and set how they are unlocked. At any time you can still craft the recipe and it will auto unlock even if your crafting ui doesn't have the recipe unlock. What mod dev will be able to do, mind you they will not have to, is lock recipes behind other recipe. Example: TE can have their recipes for can lock recipes for coils behind obtaining redstone and machine frame behind tin gears. Then when you craft both of those it unlocks some of the other machines. They can then set the recipe for say Induction Smelter to not unlock until you get to the nether or make nether brick. You could still craft the recipe to unlock it like normal. This will give the devs a better tools to tier mods other then use mats like they have been with clay or rare mats. Note: For more info. http://minecraft.gamepedia.com/Recipe_book also they will be able to add prizes to the advancements you get. ( advancements is the new ach fyi i looked it up) So what this means is under normal mode you will be able to unlock recipes as above but this new system will allow them to do so much more using bothy advancements and crafting ui to lock and tier their packs. When they get everything set modded wise it is going to be a whole new world in minecraft modded. And of course NEI or JEi will most likely make a unlock all recipes button or something for those that don't like it but what fun is that. I mean just think TE could put all the upgrade kit recipes in books and put them in like treasure chest in say the new Mansion, Nether forts, or the end. Ender io could put there Upgrades for machines in 3 different books and you have to find them in the villages, nether forts, and the end city.

 

[Sandstroem]

My concern above was that it might be "easy" to put together a kitchen sink pack like Beyond, but packs like Expert Mode, or total conversion packs like Regrowth etc take a longer time to be finished. Moving on to a new version all the time prevents us from getting the packs that are more than a bunch of mods just thrown together. (Of course I know that even a pack like Beyond is more than just throwing together mods)

 

[Magzie]

My concern above was that it might be "easy" to put together a kitchen sink pack like Beyond, but packs like Expert Mode, or total conversion packs like Regrowth etc take a longer time to be finished. Moving on to a new version all the time prevents us from getting the packs that are more than a bunch of mods just thrown together. (Of course I know that even a pack like Beyond is more than just throwing together mods)

Although this time is special most times forge mod is the one that pushes to the next version not FTB. always FTB not making packs has nothing to do with packs like regrowth as it is a 3 party pack and nothing is stopping them from continuing making what ever packs they want. I'm with you on the stop moving to the next version but this time it is going to huge step foreword. The link in my other post is wrong and will be replaced with the right link to the recipe book. I am also providing it here. Also note:
doLimitedCrafting

• Off by default
• Enabling will only allow players to craft recipes they have unlocked

So you can, if you switch cheat mode on, switch it to where you can only craft recipes you know. FYI!

Link to Recipe Book: http://minecraft.gamepedia.com/Recipe_book

 

[Madzai]

Any chances for Mekanism in 1.12 "sink" pack like Beyond?

 

[Henry Link]

Not sure if I care about the new built in recipe book. I prefer in game documentation when available. All this mechanic is going to do is force me to look up things online just so I can unlock the recipe. No... just no. And while the idea of using it to lock/hide recipes until a goal of some type of reached is a good one. In it current state that isn't how it works. It works on once you know something then it remembers. It doesn't lock step the recipes. Either you have learned it via making the item or you don't know what it is yet. So I'm not so enthused about this update.

All I really want is another long term stable modding environment. I'm hopping 1.12 will be this environment. But time will tell.

 

[Magzie]

Not sure if I care about the new built in recipe book. I prefer in game documentation when available. All this mechanic is going to do is force me to look up things online just so I can unlock the recipe. No... just no. And while the idea of using it to lock/hide recipes until a goal of some type of reached is a good one. In it current state that isn't how it works. It works on once you know something then it remembers. It doesn't lock step the recipes. Either you have learned it via making the item or you don't know what it is yet. So I'm not so enthused about this update.

All I really want is another long term stable modding environment. I'm hopping 1.12 will be this environment. But time will tell.

If you get stuck like that you can just give your self the recipe. "recipe <give|take> [player] <name|*>"

 

[compwiz91]

If you get stuck like that you can just give your self the recipe. "recipe <give|take> [player] <name|*>"

Is their anyway in-game for Mod Devs to provides hints/clues as how to uncover a given recipe? If it's just guess work of having the right items in your inventory at any given time it's kind of a major PITA to craft items and like Henry Link said i'd just end up looking online for how to unlock the recipes. If every mod Developer wants to make it so recipe A leads to B which leads to C ect. ect. then sure it works as long as it's a clear path to the next recipe. Otherwise a feature/configuration setting to just "show all recipes" would be great. Maybe make this a server side option to enable for a given server?

 

[Magzie]

Um I guess that would be up to the mod dev. They could put it in those in game guide books. As to unlocking the recipes NEI and JEI would most likely use the in game recipe book so I only assume they would add a option to the button in game to unlock all the recipes. I am going to play around with it more before I start my lp in July.

 

[lenscas]

Is their anyway in-game for Mod Devs to provides hints/clues as how to uncover a given recipe? If it's just guess work of having the right items in your inventory at any given time it's kind of a major PITA to craft items and like Henry Link said i'd just end up looking online for how to unlock the recipes. If every mod Developer wants to make it so recipe A leads to B which leads to C ect. ect. then sure it works as long as it's a clear path to the next recipe. Otherwise a feature/configuration setting to just "show all recipes" would be great. Maybe make this a server side option to enable for a given server?

I didn't play with 1.12 yet so I may be horrible wrong but I believe there is a place for just that.

The current achievement system is getting replaced by "advancements". Pretty much the same thing except that advancements are what unlocks the recipes and has a nicer tabbed interface that isn't restricted by 1 tab per mod (like we have seen up to this point). Advancements have a picture, a name and I believe a short description.

If you don't have the correct items with you you can still see the recipe but it is grayed out.

Now, even if I am wrong mod dev's should still be able to mimic the effect using achievements.

I would like a way to look at recipes (even ones that you already unlocked) and find out what advancements are needed would be nice.

 

[Drawdenion]

So my next question is. Are we still on the timeline of a July/August release for Beyond 2.0.0?