Opinions on Magic and Chemistry in Minecraft/FTB

[Velotican]

While the details of why I want this feedback are still private because it may come to nothing - although I'm hoping not - nevertheless I'm throwing this out there and getting a feel for the mood of the community, if you will.

How do you feel about magical and/or chemistry mods in Minecraft? What about them do you enjoy? What do you not like? What would you like to see more and/or less of?

This will help me get a better idea of how to proceed on a private venture. Thanks, folks.

 

[Hoff]

Might seem like a cop-out answer but as long as they don't detract from the overall goal more options are better than choosing one of the other to me. I don't personally care why or how things happen so as long I have the ability to do them.

 

[vasouv]

Ars Magica feels more like a MAGIC mod to me than Thaumcraft. Mainly because of the spellcasting and the various affinities that impact your spellcasting. And of course the mana levels that show your mastery, along with the Essence that is provided through items or mobs.

TC seems more like an alchemy mod to me than magic. Sure you've got the wands but eeeeh. I agree with its magic handling, if you do to much magic bad things happen. What I really don't like is the amount of stuff one needs to gather in order to begin proper research. I don't like the research system. You must build a whole storage of random items prior to researching, and many times you randomly place items and hope that it suits the research.

Thing is, Azanor mentioned some pretty big changes in TC 3.1 and Mithion may change some stuff in AM but currently I prefer AM to TC. If I ever update my modpack to a newer 1.5.1 version and add TC, I'll cheat all of the research and just fabricate some items that are useful (golems, arcane bore, levitators etc).

 

[RedBoss]

Thaumcraft 3 is very grindy in the research aspect but I love what the mod offers. It has a good trade off with using the items and flux. Ars Magica give me the impression I had of Thaumcraft 2, which was very clunky and seemed unpolished. Its magic but block based. Yes I know there are spells and such but it seems very tedious. I suppose per my play style, I like an alchemical mod moreso than pure magic. I'm losing interest in AM the more I play it but between it and Natura I like the world gen structures and plants.

 

[legomike]

more options are better

i love having many different things to do

 

[Necrofobiax]

I liked the magical mechanics more like in Thaumcraft 2 and Equivalent Exchange 2, I was really dissapointed in Thaumcraft 3 (research and more research, and maybe some items later on) and Equivalent Exchange 3 (EE3 is so small you don't even notice it is there). I know EE2 was overpowered late game, when you got to that stage you had diamonds, red and dark matter flowing through pipes like you produced them as feces.
I miss the mechanics so much, but in a good and balanced way.

 

[Xipheon]

It doesn't matter as long as it still feels like Minecraft. For example I don't like Ars Magica but I love Thaumcraft. I like Thermal Expansion, Forestry, IC2, and Buildcraft, but I don't like Applied Energistics, Gregtech (not for the normal reasons), and Modular Power Suits. I like Mystcraft but not Twilight Forest.

With minecraft and mods constantly changing I'm sure I thought IC2 and Thaumcraft felt out of place when I first played them so my real answer is I don't know. As long as the mod fits well in balance and aesthetics with vanilla, and the more popular mods that it will inevitably be installed next to, then it doesn't matter if it's magic or tech based.

 

[Hydra]

I like both magic and chemistry but I do think these should not be mixed in a mod. It's either magic or science, not both. So for a chemistry mod I really like the "high tech" approach of minechem.

 

[southernfriedbb]

(EE3 is so small you don't even notice it is there).

In EE3's defense, it's still in ultra-early development, Most of the Elements in EE2 will eventually be added to EE3.

As far as my Opinion:

Minecraft + Chemistry = Good
Minecraft + Magic = Good
Minecraft + Magic + Chemistry = Awesome

 

[Lambert2191]

Well I've not explored minechem or gregtech or ars magica in great detail, but I can say I absolutely ADORE what thaumcraft is doing.

 

[Virgoddess]

It's funny people still want it to "feel" like Minecraft.

I play with mods because I want it to be an entirely new experience. I like that MC can be a million different games, depending on how I feel like playing it.

Anyhow, I love what TC adds, it's one of my favorite mods. I think it goes well with the industrial/tech side of things.

I also love having options. But for me, when I want to play with "magic", I want a pack heavy with magic, light with tech (for example, I always have TE installed, no matter what). I also like, in my magic packs, different mobs, or ruins, or whatever. That's what I play when I want to "adventure". Otherwise, I like lots and lots of options in a tech pack. I like to throw some magic in there (but not have it my main focus) and and chemistry. A nice mix.

 

[Necrofobiax]

In EE3's defense, it's still in ultra-early development, Most of the Elements in EE2 will eventually be added to EE3.

As far as my Opinion:

Minecraft + Chemistry = Good
Minecraft + Magic = Good
Minecraft + Magic + Chemistry = Awesome

I hope you are right, good sir
And as far as the "minecraft + ...." stuff goes, totally agreed.

 

[Katrinya]

Minecraft + Chemistry = Good
Minecraft + Magic = Good
Minecraft + Magic + Chemistry = Awesome

This is how I feel, too. I reject the false dichotomy of magic versus technology!

 

[southernfriedbb]

This is how I feel, too. I reject the false dichotomy of magic versus technology!

I want magic to power my technology.

 

[Roady]

I kinda don't quite agree with the the way minechem goes about putting chemistry in minecraft.
To me it kinda feels more like it is about nanoscience, atomic physics and such things as it feels like it is about chemistry.
I am trying to work my head around making a mod that approaches chemistry more from a process-engineering direction.
Like using large reactors and tubes to automate and industrialise your potion production.
Don't know fuck all about coding in java tho.

 

[BananaSplit2]

I liked the magical mechanics more like in Thaumcraft 2 and Equivalent Exchange 2, I was really dissapointed in Thaumcraft 3 (research and more research, and maybe some items later on) and Equivalent Exchange 3 (EE3 is so small you don't even notice it is there). I know EE2 was overpowered late game, when you got to that stage you had diamonds, red and dark matter flowing through pipes like you produced them as feces.
I miss the mechanics so much, but in a good and balanced way.

dude, you realize EE3 is EXTREMELY FAR from being finished ? There are blocks and a lot of stuff coming