Mods definitions and usefulness

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Frontrider

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Jul 29, 2019
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I don't think a SAG Mill is an upgrade in the strictest sense, of a pulverizer. When an item is used in an upgrade recipe, I expect it to be a strict superset of the base items functionality.
(As it is I am using Ender IO in a world without TE (1.7.2) or any copper/tin providing mod at all, and it keeps on producing copper and tin dust as side products that I can do *nothing* with).

Well, can be sped up,I will use a bit more silicon in computer like parts, so its fits as an upgrade in that pack.
Ballance is all about the enviroment.

I will even do things like electron tubes in OC tier one parts.
 

Eliav24

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Jul 29, 2019
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1. In a great sense, TC is a scientific mod- you research the properties of the world and make tools and machine using that knowledge. other magic mods are more focused on spells and power levels, so it's not just flavor.

2. I think there's another major definition in power systems: power generation versus energy accumulation.

Some mods, like IC2, TE, are designed about making energy, storing it, and using it when you need it: generators mainly test your patience, MFSU's and energy cells are the basis of any network, and machines only draw power when needed.

Other mods, like the Buildcraft-Railcraft-Forestry trio, are about power: There are very few and inefficient energy storage, the vast majority of machines consume energy at all time, and the focus is on making a constant energy generation: engines, boilers, and farms are about constant supplies of fuel and energy.

This is not an exclusive definition: almost all systems require some constant power to run the machines for any length of time, and almost all systems have energy buffers and on-spot energy demands. All generation is done with power, while almost all consumption is done with energy, with some low constant demand.

That's why tree farms are such a balance issue: they are almost necessary to create a constant power but can give infinite energy accumulation.

It's also good to note that while power is more realistic, it's also less computer optimized (since things are constantly happening), and quit a bit more tedious.
 

SatanicSanta

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Jul 29, 2019
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@Vazkii has mentioned that he thinks of botania as a tech mod. This is because of the design more than the actual blocks. Could you expand on this a bit?
He said it is a tech mod in theme, but not design.
Apparently I mix words when reading while very tired...
 
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belgabor

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Jul 29, 2019
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Well, the "GUI focused" should probably rather be more of an descriptive than an expected item (as in "tech mods usually are GUI focused" instead of "tech mods should be GUI focused").
 

Democretes

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There isn't any particular trait in a mod that defines whether or not it's a magic mod, or a tech mod. It's not a precise thing, it's more of a feel.

Does smelting redstone and putting it in a conduit, making a block that pulverizes ores into dusts, or making engines to produce energy feel magical? Not really. Does putting items in a cauldron to smelt them down into "basic aspects", using your own blood for power, or generating energy from flowers feel magic? More so than the others. A lot of it is about the names of objects and how they look. Take Botania for example. If you change the flowers to machines, change the spreaders into lasers, and change the mana pools into energy cells, boom, it's now a tech mod. Obviously, it works vise-versa as well.

The question is, what gives off that magical or technical feel? It's about the names of things. Most tech mods have an energy system. It's clear, concise, straightforward, and usually doesn't vary between mods. Magic mods are more fickle. There really isn't a set type of energy production or consumption mod to mod. They're all rather different. It's the nature of the power generation as well. Blood magic uses well, blood. That's not something you'd expect, particularly in the real world. Tech mods use things you would expect, steam, lava, coal, etc. Very normal, very much something you'd use in real life.
 

Eliav24

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Jul 29, 2019
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In a sense, it's like the difference between Science fiction and fantasy: the latter is the inclusive group. You can call any power or machine magical, but no spell or ritual industrial. You can't really remake Ars magica into a tech mod, while you can remake industrial craft into magical dwarf works, with little dwarfs running through the cables to replacing electricity, doing each process in the dedicated workshop blocks.
 
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Vazkii

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I guess I'm going to drop my own definition here while I'm at it.
I differentiate "tech mod" and "tech style mod". In which the first is the mod's focus, while the latter is it's style.

Simply put, the focus is how the mod plays. For example, a self-power focused mod is one in which the main objective is powering yourself, be it through passive abilities, equipment, minions or others, whereas a tech focused mod is more based around constructing devices to do work for you.
The style doesn't need much of a definition, it's now the mod is presented. It's clear that "Ars Magica" implies it's a magic style mod whereas "IndustrialCraft" implies it's a tech styled mod.

Mods like Thaumcraft walk the rope really, they're obviously magic style, but the focus is blurred between self-power and tech, as it really does both. I guess the term "magitech" works here, perhaps? I don't consider "magic" a focus due to how ambiguous and open to interpretation it can be taken.
In my case, Botania is a magic style tech mod, which seems to confuse a lot of people. I hope this explanation clears it. /2cents