Thoughts about open source Minecraft alternatives?

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McJty

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I personally think that the way to go would be to make an Open Source engine only. So make something which implements everything needed for mod developers to add content. That means the base 'game' would be extremely light and all content is added with mods. That way the team that concentrates on the engine doesn't have to worry about game things. They concentrate on making a performant engine that is very moddable and allows adding third-party content easily.
 
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Strikingwolf

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It doesnt matter if the game is writting in Java, C#, C++ or BASIC. All that matters is that it has a well documented API and its possible to do anything in the game. Minecraft as vanilla is not build for modding but by using Forge its made ready for modding.
No just no. The type of runtime code Forge does is practically only possible in Java
 

Niels Henriksen

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No just no. The type of runtime code Forge does is practically only possible in Java

Have you tried C#? I have been doing something like what Forge is doing just in C#. To create a dll thats in a folder and a program that just read the folder and use the methods in the new dll - no problem and you just need to think about what you are doing..
 

ratchet freak

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No just no. The type of runtime code Forge does is practically only possible in Java
eh no any environment that allows runtime reflection with annotations can do forge, hell you could rewrite forge to not need annotation and instead use proper interfaces and such (at the cost of class bloat)

also that approach isn't the most efficient where first-class functions would be
 

Strikingwolf

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Have you tried C#? I have been doing something like what Forge is doing just in C#. To create a dll thats in a folder and a program that just read the folder and use the methods in the new dll - no problem and you just need to think about what you are doing..
eh no any environment that allows runtime reflection with annotations can do forge, hell you could rewrite forge to not need annotation and instead use proper interfaces and such (at the cost of class bloat)

also that approach isn't the most efficient where first-class functions would be
Thank you for informing me of this
 

asb3pe

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Jul 29, 2019
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My thought is... we should be thinking about this a lot more now. If I was a software programmer this is definitely the direction I would have been heading the moment the rumor hit the streets. But I'm not a software programmer so I guess I'm in the same boat as everyone else - waiting to see what some of you programmers can come up with for us!

Who wants to take a shot at becoming the next Notch? Give it a go, you never know! :D
 

Zapl

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eh no any environment that allows runtime reflection with annotations can do forge, hell you could rewrite forge to not need annotation and instead use proper interfaces and such (at the cost of class bloat)

You're looking at the wrong kind of reflection when discussing about whether there is an alternative to Java. The part of forge that provides annotations for the modder is just modern Java's intended use of annotations and reflection.

The interesting bits are those where you use reflection to "hack", i.e. access and potentially modify things in ways that are not meant to be used like that.

Also IMO far more relevant is ASM (i.e. the bytecode manipulation framework) since that goes well beyond regular reflection and annotations. ASM is in a way not even a language feature like annotations, it's kind of a hack of the language that happens to use the language. ASM is also what enables forge to install itself into a program that was not meant to be interfaced with. The ASM hack enables the in-language reflection hacking which then allows forge to provide a nice API that uses annotations.
 

ratchet freak

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Nov 11, 2012
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You're looking at the wrong kind of reflection when discussing about whether there is an alternative to Java. The part of forge that provides annotations for the modder is just modern Java's intended use of annotations and reflection.

The interesting bits are those where you use reflection to "hack", i.e. access and potentially modify things in ways that are not meant to be used like that.

Also IMO far more relevant is ASM (i.e. the bytecode manipulation framework) since that goes well beyond regular reflection and annotations. ASM is in a way not even a language feature like annotations, it's kind of a hack of the language that happens to use the language. ASM is also what enables forge to install itself into a program that was not meant to be interfaced with. The ASM hack enables the in-language reflection hacking which then allows forge to provide a nice API that uses annotations.
that's deeper reflection than what java allows without a custom classloader

as in you can't do that unless hijack the loading of classes and replace methods defined in the class files before they get parsed
 

Tylor

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Nov 24, 2012
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Does anyone want to help develop an alternative to Minecraft? I have some ideas for one, but it will require a lot of work, as I would shy away from voxel-based building in favor of something better.
I think it would be better to join Terasology development.


 
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The classless

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why not just copy and past minecraft change the name and a bit of the code if everyone is so worried I honestly think Microsoft would be complete idiots to mess with a perfect money making game like minecraft just get the ip and let the cash flow in
 

pc_assassin

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why not just copy and past minecraft change the name and a bit of the code if everyone is so worried I honestly think Microsoft would be complete idiots to mess with a perfect money making game like minecraft just get the ip and let the cash flow in
Textures too ;)

Sent From Something That You Won't Care About Using Tapatalk 2
 

Wagon153

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why not just copy and past minecraft change the name and a bit of the code if everyone is so worried I honestly think Microsoft would be complete idiots to mess with a perfect money making game like minecraft just get the ip and let the cash flow in
"A bit"
You'd have to code it completely from scratch to have a modicum of safety from Microsoft's lawyers. Oh and you would have to redo every single texture. It isn't as easy as you say it is. But I agree, people should stop worrying.
 
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deathcap

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Jul 29, 2019
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Oh and you would have to redo every single texture.
Hello, I've been working on such a project: https://github.com/deathcap/ProgrammerArt - an "open source resource pack" including custom original textures for all blocks and items in MC 1.7, freely released under Creative Commons for any use (haven't yet added textures for all the new items/blocks in 1.8; help welcome!).

The downside is the textures are ugly hand-drawn sloppy amateur creations, but they can still serve as placeholders, making it possible for the user use their own (user-provided) MC "resource pack" of their choosing if they desire (this is what I've done with voxel-artpacks for voxel.js voxeljs).
 

Wagon153

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Hello, I've been working on such a project: https://github.com/deathcap/ProgrammerArt - an "open source resource pack" including custom original textures for all blocks and items in MC 1.7, freely released under Creative Commons for any use (haven't yet added textures for all the new items/blocks in 1.8; help welcome!).

The downside is the textures are ugly hand-drawn sloppy amateur creations, but they can still serve as placeholders, making it possible for the user use their own (user-provided) MC "resource pack" of their choosing if they desire (this is what I've done with voxel-artpacks for voxel.js voxeljs).
Here, have a like.
 
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