What category would Dartcraft be in? It seems magical but can be run off of energy like RF (I just thought of this when hearing @
Not_Steve)
Its both, it has both, it requires both.
How is TiC tech? Its neutral at best. Leaning more to magic then annything. Because the affixes you can add are magically improving the thing. The smeltery is just a big furnace, wich is neither tech nor magic. All the unusual things TiC adds, like slimes and heart cannisters. All lean more to magic then tech.
TiC can be considered as the "low tier" tech mod. If you make power system using mods require something whitch can only be aquired from it ( example tic steelworks to get steel to create te machine frame, iron based recipe removed.),then you can say that tic is a "tech" mod. One level of technology is included.
Another example what i think with "low tier tech" is the XU(i think this is the proper short for extra utils, not sounds like teh power system) survivalist generator.
I think, mods can be partially classified on whether they enhance "Minecraft", or simply stop all over the games general progression and balance.
For example: Enchanting Plus - is a bad mod, because it solves a problem in a way that lessens the game experience: With enchanting+ there is now no purpose to enchanting books, and hence no reward in searching stronghold libraries for them.
Bibliocraft on the other hand, solves the same problem - the grindyness of vanilla enchanting - by offering a machine that - at cost - can duplicate enchantments. This increases the value of discovered enchanting books as you can duplicate valuable ones, and combine less valuable ones into powerful ones you can duplicate. MFR is a bad mod (by this example) as it completely trivializes the whole process of enchanting, and disenchanting.
This classification of enhance vs dilute the base experience is so subjective though.
Is Rotarycraft a good or a bad mod? Its bloody brilliant with its power system and machines. But then it trivializes its own realism driven content with "bedrock" tools and gears. This side of mod development depresses me: Mod developers whacking their dick down on the table with a "My <item> is better than your <item>". RoC's bedrock tools, vs EU's "Unstable" tools, vs DC's "Force" tools and so on.
I don't know why Thaumcraft, and Blood Magic, and Witchery and Thermal Expansion feel "balanced", but Dartcraft, and Extra Utilities and MFR and many more don't. What is the difference between thaumium, and yellorium that makes me enjoy them, but intolerant of mob essence, force ingots, and 'pink' (as a fuel).
I wish I knew.
Ballance is all about the enviroment.If two mods have the same functionality, but one of them can do the stuff better, then you have to ballance it aganist the "weaker" one.Make sure he has to make it to get the next "tier" machine.
-MFR is kinda base mod now(since has a good compatibility).But you can live whitout it.
-The unstable tools are something different.They have different functionality,and at least you need to find a dungeon to get the sigil. And the ingots are dangerous.
XU can be called a tech mod, or call it something like open blocks?
-I think pink fuel ment to be a joke.
-Yerrolium is a less real radioactive matter, but do has a good feeling.
-Force, well thats the op stuff.Who needs backpacks when you can pick up a few chests with chests inside them.Not the mechanic is the op, the cost.One mining trip gives you whatever you need to start being op.Thats reason one why its bad mod.
Reason two: completly integrated into the ic-bc enviroment, and becomes really odd whitout them, and now you can live whitout them, they no longer "core" mods. Loading up crated force when the mod can see that theres clearly no way to obtain it is really silly for me.
-Rotarycraft lives in its own world, i would not put it in a pack.
Theres a TE-thaumacraft bridge mod Techromancy (i belive).
In thoose terms TE is some kind of "tech core mod". gives the basic stuff, but requies additional mods to be really usefull. I don't think you can get enough materials by hand to give a reason to automation.
if you want a magitech mod based on rf, its should be an add-on. I think the right ballance is the need to generate extreme amount of energy to cast powerfull "spells".If you add magic based power gen, then its should be end game stuff . And its a really good idea. Redstone is already mysterious material in the game.