Private Mod Pack Submissions open

[Watchful11]

EDIT:
Just in case anyone finds this thread, there are no longer restrictions on the number of private packs. Read the appropriate guidelines found here
http://forum.feed-the-beast.com/threads/outline-and-intentions-of-3rd-party-mod-packs.18250/

New:
The 10 private pack slots have filled up. Adding in 10 new packs in one week was a lot of work, but I have worked out most of the kinks. Including moving the upload day to Thursday. I really want to continue to offer this feature to new packs and not exclude communities simply because they didn't get in early enough. This week I am heading to PAX to meet up with a bunch of the rest of the FTB team, for me this will include lots of bus riding, so I won't have much time. Therefore I won't be adding new packs this week, and I would appreicate if pack updates could be submitted as early as possible so I have time to process them before I leave. I will accept some new packs each week after this one. The number will depend on how much time I am spending on updating the current ones.

Old posts:
-----3/4-----
I am opening 10 more slots for private mod packs. I already have 6 pending submissions for these slots, so get your submission in as soon as possible. If a submission does not meet the guidelines, it will be moved to the back of the queue.

-----2/13-----
Due to the large numbers of private pack submissions I am closing applications for new packs. If you have messaged me before the time of this message, your application will still be considered. Anyone with a pack already in the launcher is fine and can continue updating per the update policy.
We do intend to open applications back up sometime in the future once we have gotten a better hold on how to run them. You are free to submit an application and it will be added to the queue for when we open it back up. No timeline though.

Also due to the large number of private packs, I will tighten up on the guidelines. If you want to update your pack I may refuse the update if your pack deviates too much from the pack guidelines. I am also adding a few minor stipulations that most of you are already following. Check the guideline thread for details.

I will open up this thread to replies so I can answer any questions you might have where others can see the answers. If people start complaining about permissions or anything else I will lock it.

 

[retep998]

So having to manually build and upload all those packs was getting to be a bit too much work, eh?
I look forward to seeing what sort of new fancy automated system you get setup.

 

[ryanjh5521]

Maybe they will do something like Technic Launcher has except it won't have to overwrite a modpack

 

[Aetherr_]

What are the other private modpack launcher cods???

 

[Watchful11]

Due to them being private mod packs I will not disclose the codes. Nor will I advertise the servers that use them. If one of the server owners notices your question and wants to advertise their server and let you apply, they are free to do so.

 

[Aetherr_]

Ok, thank you for telling me. I now know what they are. And also apparently "cods" is a word. lol

 

[Trainguyrom]

wow. that's disappointing...

I guess I'll just get into the queue Funny how this happened just 20 hours before I went to send in my submission.

But I'm glad you guys aren't trying to BS through this and are openly saying you don't have the infrastructure. I'll have to find a temporary substitute (I really hope I won't have to ever resort to the you-know-which pack launcher.) I wish you luck on your voyage to greatness!

-Train

 

[Watchful11]

A few slots are opening up. Some packs that might have made it in were denied, one pack decided to disband their server and took their pack down. Additionally, I only have a few pending updates.

If you submit your pack, there is a chance it will make it in. First come first served.

 

[GreenWolf13]

Whelp, this is disapointing. Guess this means no one click installation for MageCraft via the FTB launcher any time soon. Hope you guys figure something out.

 

[frew]

I'm kind of curious as to how no one else has pointed out that this system for private packs is pretty ridiculous. There are a trillion hoops to jump through. Wouldn't it be a easier for everyone if anyone could build their own pack and distribute it themselves, instead of piling on requests to simply have someone else do it for them? If y'all could handle all of the submissions, that'd be one thing, but it doesn't seem like you can. Also, don't you think you could save on a lot of redundancy if you allowed the private packs to be listed?

Seems like everyone would be happier.

 

[Zecharian]

What I would love to see, which I believe is very doable, is to just have a website setup where all mods that are known to be ok and approved for use are listed in a check box form with fields for general information needed like server name, address, other mods not listed you want with their info etc. Then you just check off the mod(s) you wish to add from the pre-approved list and if you didn't specify any other mods aside from pre-approved mods, the pack gets created in the background and your code is provided to you right then and there. Also there would be a pack maintenance screen where you could manage your pack and update / remove / add any other pre-approved mods later. If one was added that wasn't on the list, then its sent for review instead of being created.

Just an idea!

 

[Watchful11]

I'm kind of curious as to how no one else has pointed out that this system for private packs is pretty ridiculous. There are a trillion hoops to jump through. Wouldn't it be a easier for everyone if anyone could build their own pack and distribute it themselves, instead of piling on requests to simply have someone else do it for them? If y'all could handle all of the submissions, that'd be one thing, but it doesn't seem like you can. Also, don't you think you could save on a lot of redundancy if you allowed the private packs to be listed?

Seems like everyone would be happier.

If people start complaining about permissions or anything else I will lock it.

There are a number of people who have pointed out that they think it is ridiculous. For numerous reasons this is the way we are doing it for now. I'm not going to allow a discussion here on the subject, it has never come to anything useful in the past. If you don't want to distribute your pack through the FTB launcher there are other ways to do it.

What I would love to see, which I believe is very doable, is to just have a website setup where all mods that are known to be ok and approved for use are listed in a check box form with fields for general information needed like server name, address, other mods not listed you want with their info etc. Then you just check off the mod(s) you wish to add from the pre-approved list and if you didn't specify any other mods aside from pre-approved mods, the pack gets created in the background and your code is provided to you right then and there. Also there would be a pack maintenance screen where you could manage your pack and update / remove / add any other pre-approved mods later. If one was added that wasn't on the list, then its sent for review instead of being created.

Just an idea!

That would indeed be an ideal solution. However, it is much harder than it seems. Maybe it will work out to something like that eventually.

 

[Flenix]

Damnit, just saw this after submitting my pack. Been working on it for two weeks, NEARLY had it done on Monday but then had to go away until today.

I'll have to just hold out hope that my pack grabs one of those free slots. Until then I guess I'll be teaching my users how to use MultiMC... I've not started promoting yet so theres only 7 or 8 of us so not a huge deal, but shame we can't start growing yet

Out of interest, is it simply a space or bandwidth issue? One idea could be that the end user (ie, us) is responsible for the hosting, and you'd simply do spot checks every random interval to make sure we're still keeping with the T+C. It'd sure lighten the server loads on your end at least.

 

[retep998]

Out of interest, is it simply a space or bandwidth issue? One idea could be that the end user (ie, us) is responsible for the hosting, and you'd simply do spot checks every random interval to make sure we're still keeping with the T+C. It'd sure lighten the server loads on your end at least.

Space and bandwidth are not the issue. It is the long process that every modpack submission and update has to go through. All the permissions have to be verified for your modpack, then all the files checked and assembled into the proper format required for the FTB system. Then it goes through a long winded process to finally get uploaded and the repo. The FTB team has enough work as is just managing the various standard modpacks and updating the launcher and keeping everything in working order.

 

[Watchful11]

Space and bandwidth are not the issue. It is the long process that every modpack submission and update has to go through. All the permissions have to be verified for your modpack, then all the files checked and assembled into the proper format required for the FTB system. Then it goes through a long winded process to finally get uploaded and the repo. The FTB team has enough work as is just managing the various standard modpacks and updating the launcher and keeping everything in working order.

That exactly, though the upload part is a bit better now.

The root of the issue is that FTB is providing this service for free, and it does take some amount of time to verify each pack. While it would be possible from a technological standpoint to let people host their own packs, we have decided this is the best way to make sure we are following the wishes of the mod authors.

We will see how much time it takes me to keep up with all the updates before opening more slots than the ones that are open.

 

[Ashzification]

Can you disclose how many private packs have been approved compared to how many have applied?

 

[Watchful11]

24 have applied. One has been denied, one has dropped out. 4 I haven't looked at. Including the one that will be taken down there are 19 in the launcher.
ATM that leaves 2 slots for the 4 remaining applications. After I do this round of updates(sometime wednesday ish) I'll look into possibly opening up some more slots.

 

[Ashzification]

24 have applied. One has been denied, one has dropped out. 4 I haven't looked at. Including the one that will be taken down there are 19 in the launcher.
ATM that leaves 2 slots for the 4 remaining applications. After I do this round of updates(sometime wednesday ish) I'll look into possibly opening up some more slots.

Thanks for the info!

 

[Flenix]

What about hiring a few more mod pack staff members? I'm sure many people would be willing to do it, maybe even part-time.

I would offer to myself, but as I only have like 6 posts I feel I should get to know the community more first

 

[Profjb]

Can i say thanks for submitting ours whitelite. Really appreciated.