New to Mods/Overwhelmed

[Hoss9424]

Ok, so I am new to modding. I am 31 years old and play minecraft with my kids. I have played around with the Tech World 2 modpack, but quite frankly, it overwhelms me. Overall, the pack seems very interesting, but I am having trouble taking all that in. My thought was to maybe create a base modpack with all the essentials, and then mabe add in one or two mods at the time to learn them all. Can anyone tell me how to go about doing something like that?

Edit: After reading advice in this thread, I have decided to take off with the Direwolf20 pack and play a little along and learn what I can. Thanks for all the advice!

 

[Tepig4321]

1. Dont use a 1.6 modpack like Tech World 2.
2. I would suggest starting out with FTB Lite3 to get started.
3. After you get the hang of those mods, switch to Direwolf20 or FTB Infinity Pack.

 

[ParAdoX83]

I'd say all modpacks with HQM (Hardcore Questing Mod). They tend to give a clue what is a reasonable next step/goal

 

[ljfa]

You can watch Direwol20's Let's Play, he guides through stuff and explains it pretty well.

 

[Tepig4321]

I'd say all modpacks with HQM (Hardcore Questing Mod). They tend to give a clue what is a reasonable next step/goal

I would to tend to agree with you but generally a modpack with HQM is hard.

You can watch Direwol20's Let's Play, he guides through stuff and explains it pretty well.

Totally. He has a pack and he does an LP on it.

 

[Cosmology27]

Agree with everyone saying to watch Direwolf20.
But if you really want to make your own modpack, and slowly add to it, then what you do is get 1.7.10 going, install the latest stable Forge to your 1.7.10 game, (there are instructional videos on how to do this, there's even an installer for you, super easy).
Then just throw in a mod or two at a time to try them out.

One thing you'll run into by adding a mod or two at a time is world generation problems. Suppose you make a world with only Thaumcraft in it (my favorite mod), but then later you add IndustrialCraft. Your world was generated with only Thaumcraft, so you won't have all the IndustrialCraft ores spawning in your world (unless you go to places where new chunks generate).

Once you get this down, it's also completely possible to have your own private FTB modpack on the launcher, so that it's easy to install for your kids and their friends.

 

[ljfa]

Not sure if adding mods that you don't know one by one is a good idea.
In "kitchen sink packs" such as Direwolf20 or Infinity you can focus on one mod while essentially ignoring all others.

 

[Padfoote]

My advice is to not get a pack with a set theme (ex. Pathfinder, ME^4, etc). While great packs, the recipes are changed and often things are harder than in a pack like the Direwolf20 pack. As others have said, DW20 is a good place to get videos, as is BevoLJ and Ako_the_builder.

 

[epidemia78]

You could download FTB infinity or Direwolf and remove some mods. Personally I consider Thermal Expansion, Thaumcraft and Applied Energistics to be my core mods but theres items in extra utilites, open blocks and other mods that I would rather not do without. And theres mods like NEI and Fastcraft that dont actually add any content but are invaluable anyway. So its probably better to use a kitchen sink pack because so you can learn what mods you cant play without. Just because they are installed doesnt mean you have to use them right away or ever.

 

[Inaeo]

I have to echo the push for a 1.7.10 pack, like Infinity or DW20. They have a ton of mods yes, and it can be easy to lose your way, but many mods come with a handbook that will teach you the basics. Play as if it were vanilla, then find a handbook and follow it to understanding.

I would be lost without the OpenBlocks clipboard. I make a "To Do" list on one, and I check things off as needed. Its nice to be able to see a list of small goals, while still viewing your past small triumphs. It doesn't take long before your list goes from having, "Upgrade home to cobblestone" to, "Clear space for fusion reactor.". Take your time, and work at your own pace. Teach your kids the tricks and mods you have learned, but learn from the tips and mods they play with too.

If you can, put RotaryCraft in the pack. It will teach math and basic physics to your kids without them realizing they are learning.

 

[rhn]

Ok, so I am new to modding. I am 31 years old and play minecraft with my kids. I have played around with the Tech World 2 modpack, but quite frankly, it overwhelms me. Overall, the pack seems very interesting, but I am having trouble taking all that in. My thought was to maybe create a base modpack with all the essentials, and then mabe add in one or two mods at the time to learn them all. Can anyone tell me how to go about doing something like that?

Honestly the "essentials" is really something that is breaking up atm the moment. The basic mods that used to be at core of every pack are starting to be considered less and less required now.

And the way it all works with ore and world spawns kinda prevents you from just adding mods in slowly as you go. You really need to have most mods in from the beginning or you end up with problems.

My advice is to not get a pack with a set theme (ex. Pathfinder, ME^4, etc). While great packs, the recipes are changed and often things are harder than in a pack like the Direwolf20 pack. As others have said, DW20 is a good place to get videos, as is BevoLJ and Ako_the_builder.

I agree with this. Stay away from packs that modify mods(recipes, balanced configs etc) too much to begin with. Start out with a all round pack like Dw20, Infinity etc, Tech World 2 is also fine if you dont have a liking of magic mods, but you might want to try a modpack with a mix to try them out first.

And then in the beginning you just have to settle with the fact that you will be overwhelmed. You will only maybe understand 5% of the pack, then then use those 5%. But also browse NEI(the search thingy in the interface), google things, watch youtube guides. Try and focus on actual mod spotlights on youtube as you quickly get lost in Lets Plays, but you can with advantage watch some of DW20s seasonal lets plays(he doesn't always do things the smartest way, but he is good at explaining basic things).

Over time you will learn more and more. Pick up small hints and tricks. Experiment with new blocks and combinations and figure out what works and what doesn't. After some years you might understand 50%

 

[KingTriaxx]

I definitely suggest one mod at a time. Thaumcraft is a good mod if you're into magic. It's huge, and deep, but will have compatibilities and similarities to other mods. Or Botania, because it's very simple once you get started, even if it's a little slow, but just as deep as Thaumcraft.

On the technical side of things, I still suggest Buildcraft. While it's older, yes, it is still relevant and the things you can do with it are both awesome, and useful in other mods. Buildcraft now uses RF power like most other mods, so you can simply plug and play, once you add other mods. On the other hand, Thermal Expansion has turned into the default mod now a days, which is good because it's very capable, but bad because it invalidates parts of other mods.

Industrial Craft 2 used to be a fantastic standard, but now it's gone... overboard with trying to slow down progression.

 

[QuantumCookies]

Honestly the "essentials" is really something that is breaking up atm the moment. The basic mods that used to be at core of every pack are starting to be considered less and less required now.

I don't see what you mean. Mods like NEI, BoP, and Bibliocraft are still in practically every modpack, and have been so for a very long time.

 

[Padfoote]

I don't see what you mean. Mods like NEI, BoP, and Bibliocraft are still in practically every modpack, and have been so for a very long time.

BoP and Bibliocraft really are not mods I would call essential. BoP is outdone (IMO) by several others, and I never liked Bibliocraft to begin with.

 

[epidemia78]

BoP and bibliocraft are two mods Id remove first, along with IC2 and Forestry. Very large mods that just arent worth the ram imo.

 

[KingTriaxx]

I kind of agree. BoP requires some editing to make sure you don't get a huge number of biomes that you don't want. Though I just generate with normal terrain and use Mystcraft to get BoP biomes.

Bibliocraft is actually fairly tiny, unless you add on the compatibility mods for BoP and Forestry. And the Book Cases, Tool Racks and item shelves are valuable enough to me that I'd call it essential. Being able to hang up a tool I'm not using right now, and then just grab it when I need it, is invaluable to me. Such as a Tinker's Mattock and Scythe on a Tool Rack near my farm.

IC2... I really want to like the new version of IC2, but I have to agree.

Forestry on the other hand... I can see the pro and con arguments against it. Pro being infinite power for only a little effort, versus the con of having to breed trees for efficiency. Pro of a great number of tree species, with the con of having to go through the effort of breeding them. Pro, bees. Con, bees.

Ultimately, I leave Forestry in because it makes Railcraft a little bit cheaper. (3/4 of a bucket of creosote in a carpenter for one rail tie.)

 

[psp]

Honestly the "essentials" is really something that is breaking up atm the moment. The basic mods that used to be at core of every pack are starting to be considered less and less required now.

While true, there are some core mods that I would 100% recommend always having in packs, beginner or expert alike.
Waila - Shows what blocks you are looking at
http://www.minecraftforum.net/forum...289765-waila-1-5-7-for-1-7-10-1-6-0-for-1-8-1

NEI - Useful search bar, its in-game and shows all the crafting recipes
http://chickenbones.net/Pages/links.html


But, as others said, I highly recommend just downloading infinity or direwolf20's pack and not worry about making your own modpack right now.

 

[rhn]

I don't see what you mean. Mods like NEI, BoP, and Bibliocraft are still in practically every modpack, and have been so for a very long time.

Well ofc mods like NEI, Waila, Inventory Tweaks etc. are special cases. But what I mean is that noone believes that it is mandatory to base a modpack on BC, Forestry, TE, RC, IC2 etc. any more. That is a thing of the past.

 

[Sam Faria]

If I were you I would install forge into the vanilla launcher, only install the mod you want to focus on onto it and maybe NEI and Voxelmap then just go through everything you can do and apply the knowledge to whichever modpack you are using.

 

[jordsta95]

I don't see what you mean. Mods like NEI, BoP, and Bibliocraft are still in practically every modpack, and have been so for a very long time.

NEI, yes. BoP and Bibliocraft, no. If you play any of my packs you would find that I don't include Bibliocraft, unless I don't include MFR (as the only use for Bibliocraft IMO is the printing press... which is terrible IMO - need to get more silk touch yo!)
[rant]
As for BoP, I think it is the worst world gen mod out there. A lot of the biomes are copies of ExtraBiomesXL (the OG of biome mods) and most of the biomes it copied it did poorly (redwood forests?), as for the rest they are unimaginative. It's like it tries to add a biome for everyone, but not doing it very well Ominous Woods comes to mind. It could be so much more, with grave yards, and ghoul mobs, etc.
But then we have all the useless world stuff it adds... poison lakes, poison ivy (wither ivy? I can't remember the name, or if it's BoP or not).
BUT WORST OF ALL! The nether! FLESH! FLESH EVERYWHERE! And it makes the nether a habitable place, with wood, and grass, and everything a Steve could ever need.
[/rant]

If you want a decent pack, that is like Infinity, but without the mess which is BoP, and some other cool mods, use the pack code "PTfinite" you won't regret the change