Mods that fit a Steampunk or Gaslight theme

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Maldroth

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Kirin and I started to have this conversation in the RP status thread and I figured it might be a good topic to see what others think.

I'm building a personal pack for myself with a Fantasy Steampunk theme. So that means magic and low tech. Nothing against high tech mods but just seems like every pack has them.

I should note and state again this is a personal pack for myself so there would be no distribution here.

Here are some of the mods I am looking at and my thoughts on them for inclusion. I'd be interested in your feedback if you have experience with the mod or other mod suggestions.

For Magic:

  • Thaumcraft - This fits my magic theme perfectly. Amazing mod and an inspiration for others.
  • Thaumic Tinkerer - I've been following Vazkii's work since Elemental Tinkerer and I like the direction he has taken with this addon.
  • Mystcraft - I like the dimension hopping aspect of this mod plus the utility it can offer.
  • Twilight Forest - Some great flavor and magic items can be found. Not all mods have to be about automation and production so this is nice to include for world discovery.
  • Soul Shards - I liked the direction this one was going with using mob essence to build other items but it seems development has slowed with Shadow Dragon becoming busy. I hope he comes back to it.
  • Sorcery - I like the potential of this mod and might play around with it first to see if it is a good fit.
  • Ars Magica - Might overlap with Sorcery so I might opt for one or the other. I like the premise of this but it seems to have confliction with other mods and can make it a bit too easy to setup some infinite power sources early in the game. I'm really interested in others' experience with this mod.

For Tech

  • Buildcraft - Since it is needed for other power sources in the mod. Yes the lasers can seem a bit too high tech but their use can be minimal.
  • Forestry - I love bees. Nuff said.
  • Extra Bees - More bees.
  • Thaumic Bees - Yet more bees and some other great items.
  • Thermal Expansion - I love the work that KingLemming and Zeldo do for this tech mod to make it still feel in theme with Minecraft.
  • Tinkerer's Construct - I have been watching the Forgecraft folks play with this mod and I love the idea of the Smeltery.
  • Railcraft - I love the Steam in it and can hope that we will see more uses for it down the road as well.

For Ascetics

  • ExtraBiomesXL - I know a lot of folks will say Biomes o' Plenty which is also a good valid choice. I'm excited to see v4 of EBXL with the inclusion of Underground Biomes and Terrain Generator stuff.
  • Bibliocraft - I love this mod and it sounds like it has some more great potential down the road as well.
  • Chisel - I love the idea of having more decorative block options. Does anyone know if this has any server impact? Shouldn't be too bad I would think. I haven't worked with the mod so I don't know yet.

Mods I'm on the fence about

  • Industrialcraft - I like some of the stuff for this mod however some of the later stuff get's too high tech such as the quantum suit.
  • Red Power - The brass piping, volcanoes and bluetricity fits really well while things like the computer with Forth doesn't fit well at all. Also since we are unsure how regular this is going to get updates I have a hard time wanting to include this in a mod pack with fear that I can't keep up with Minecraft patches at a reasonable pace.
  • Cogs of the Machine - I saw Jaded play with this in testing the 1.4.7 version of her pack and it really seemed awesome and the gears fit well with the theme. Sadly this mod has not updated and I fear it too might not see regular updates.
  • RotaryCraft - Another mod that adds gears and engines and works off of real world physics. It seems very polished for a WIP mod. Some of it gets a little too high-tech as well with laser miners and I think there is still the ability to break bedrock. I want to play with this mod, but I don't think it might be a good fit for this project though.
  • Minefactory Reloaded - I love a lot of the machines I see out of here and like the sewage concept as well for pollution. Also Rednet looks like a great redstone/redwire replacement. Again I worry that the mod might be too out of theme with some of the machines.
There are a few other mods I'm looking at but they add little small things here or there.

So chime in and I'm curious to hear some of your experiences with the above mods or any others you might recommend.
 
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RetroGamer1224

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I would so go with Cogs but it is sad to hear it isn't updated yet. I have to disagree with things like Extra Bees, Thermal Expansion and later things of Buildcraft. Maybe using some of the stuff from Universial Electricity may be an options. Nothing like IMBS or MFFS but some of it does fit in. It is hard to say what really fits as the genre can fit in many things. Example can be no magic and just low level tech. Airships fit in too.
 
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Jess887cp

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I do agree that IC2 crosses over into cyberpunk/dieselpunk territory, but it's still damn cool sometimes.

There was an addon to BC that modified the pipes, can't remember what though.

Galacticraft has parachutes, but is still high tech. Same with MPS.

It's currently a good setup, but more would be cool.
 
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RetroGamer1224

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I have to disagree with Technician. MFR doesn't look nor feel Steampunk. Beyond the grittiness that is a strong part of the punk aspect it is steam that is hardest to define. I think Railcraft is the best of the mods that feel steam. Forestry is nice but hard, for me, to say it is fitting.
 
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Jess887cp

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Harken Scythe magical, maybe too much so. Electrodynamics is too advanced, but has tesla armor.

Gravestone mod? Eeeehhhh.

Darn it, now I wanna build a modpack :<
 
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Maldroth

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RetroGamer1224 said:
I would so go with Cogs but it is sad to hear it isn't updated yet. I have to disagree with things like Extra Bees, Thermal Expansion and later things of Buildcraft. Maybe using some of the stuff from Universial Electricity may be an options. Nothing like IMBS or MFFS but some of it does fit in. It is hard to say what really fits as the genre can fit in many things. Example can be no magic and just low level tech. Airships fit in too.
Click to expand...

Yeah the Genre can be quite expansive which is why I wanted to specifically mention that it will have magic in this while some doesn't have magic. Forestry isn't too high tech but it doesn't really add anything specific for the genre either. I personally love Forestry for the bees so that's probably the biggest reason for it and Thermal Expansion's inclusion. I'm a natural bee breeder so I haven't delved into the EB machines all that much but yeah they do feel out of theme. EB is there for the inclusion of its bees as far as I am concerned. TE skirts about as close to the tech side as I'm willing to go. The reason is they seem like they are in theme for Minecraft as advancements rather than the bolted on tech that some of the other mods have out there for feel.

I'm really torn on MFR. It is a good mod but I'm just not sure it feels right or might push the tech feel too high. I think I need to just play with it and see how it would fit in.

I would LOVE to see Cogs get updated. I looked at the Airship mods and it seems like the code is in the open to use but still not getting updated regularly enough. I have my eye on those too.
 
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RetroGamer1224

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I would so say the Runic Dust mod but dunno if it is up to date. Mine Chem is so close as it can fit in with a mad scientist vibe. Full thumbs up for Tinker's Construct as it flows well and fits all around. now I want to mod...
 
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Maldroth

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Jess887cp said:
Harken Scythe magical, maybe too much so. Electrodynamics is too advanced, but has tesla armor.

Gravestone mod? Eeeehhhh.

Darn it, now I wanna build a modpack :<
Click to expand...

Ah yes I forgot about Gravestone yes that is going to be in I like what it adds so far. Harken Scythe seems cool but I have no experience with it, it is another one that is on my watch list.[DOUBLEPOST=1369930406][/DOUBLEPOST]
RetroGamer1224 said:
I would so say the Runic Dust mod but dunno if it is up to date. Mine Chem is so close as it can fit in with a mad scientist vibe. Full thumbs up for Tinker's Construct as it flows well and fits all around. now I want to mod...
Click to expand...

Runic Dust hasn't updated yet so it is on my watch list but right now not included. I haven't followed MineChem that much lately to see how it is doing. I know at one point FTB was considering on using it.

Another mod that I have my eye on is The Herbology Mod. It adds plants that you use for medicinal treatments like potion effects. It seems clever but still early in development and is working some bugs out.

Another goal of the pack is to add value to exploring the world or other ways of doing things. I love my automation as much as the next guy but there is something cool about building a village that a smithery from Tinkerer's Construct and then down the road there is an Apothecary to give other items. All being stocked and run by Thaumcraft golems as resources are used.
 
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RetroGamer1224

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If they were updated I would say Fossils and Archeology as well as Apothecary. I would say include bibliocraft due to ease of use as well as it adds simple things. I think Extra Utilities may also be looked into.
 
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Mjw

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Jess887cp said:
Harken Scythe magical, maybe too much so. Electrodynamics is too advanced, but has tesla armor.

Gravestone mod? Eeeehhhh.

Darn it, now I wanna build a modpack :<
Click to expand...
I feel like making one too but i'd just end up adding everymod that i see :p
 
the_j485

the_j485

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I see what you say about some of those mods on the fence, but why nto include them just because they have some non-SP qualities? Just don't use them. That's what I do when I want a theme for a world :p
 
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WorldlyIdeas

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I too have been working on trying to find mods for this steampunk world i am working on. Leaving out the magic. mine is more based on just steampunk and look.

>Carpenter's Blocks
>Chisel Mod
>Fossils and Archeology Revival
>Statues Mod
>Tinkers Construct
>Thermal Expansion <Removed for problems
>TSteelWorks
>ExtraTiC
>Biomes'O'Plenty
>Steam Craft < Removed after some problems with other mods. Might try putting it back later
>Pressure Pipes Mod
>Autoutils
>Secret Rooms
>Ruins
>Minimap
>Railcraft
>Archimedes' Ships< Not sure about this one yet.

These are what ive had to work with. not sure on some of them but so far its worked out well. Ive been using 1.6.4 mods for this world and such; however there seems to be a new mod for the 1.7.s that i may try getting whatever updates i can with these so i can work with it. Its called Steampunk'd at http://www.gamespot.com/minecraft/forums/steampunkd-mod-1-7-10-1-7-2-31498519/. Haven't tried it out yet but it looks promising. Im not sure its out because the donload ebsite they've posted ont work at the moment. But im hopin it comes out soon. Hope you get what you want out of yours too
 
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RJS

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WorldlyIdeas said:
I too have been working on trying to find mods for this steampunk world i am working on. Leaving out the magic. mine is more based on just steampunk and look.

>Carpenter's Blocks
>Chisel Mod
>Fossils and Archeology Revival
>Statues Mod
>Tinkers Construct
>Thermal Expansion <Removed for problems
>TSteelWorks
>ExtraTiC
>Biomes'O'Plenty
>Steam Craft < Removed after some problems with other mods. Might try putting it back later
>Pressure Pipes Mod
>Autoutils
>Secret Rooms
>Ruins
>Minimap
>Railcraft
>Archimedes' Ships< Not sure about this one yet.

These are what ive had to work with. not sure on some of them but so far its worked out well. Ive been using 1.6.4 mods for this world and such; however there seems to be a new mod for the 1.7.s that i may try getting whatever updates i can with these so i can work with it. Its called Steampunk'd at http://www.gamespot.com/minecraft/forums/steampunkd-mod-1-7-10-1-7-2-31498519/. Haven't tried it out yet but it looks promising. Im not sure its out because the donload ebsite they've posted ont work at the moment. But im hopin it comes out soon. Hope you get what you want out of yours too
Click to expand...
Firstly, I hope he did because over a year is a long time trying to put a modpack together :p

If you're going for Steampunk, Thermal Expansion is a mod you really shouldn't be using - the closest it comes to steampunk is the steam dynamo. I recommend you go for Professor Flaxbeard's Wonderous Steam Power - it's pretty much perfect for a steam-themed pack and is capable of ore doubling, furnace powering and even adds an upgradable powersuit that runs off steam. If you're unsure about Archimede's Ships, it might be worth looking into the config to see if you can force the ships to require steam engines to move. If that's possible, then I'd say it's a good fit.
 
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