Update on the Future of FTB Modpacks in 1.7

[Jadedcat]

Anyways, according to the reactions, this is a wise dicision. Everyone is looking forward to what 1.7 brings us. @Jadedcat technic wasn't ment to be with a capital letter, I'm running that server on 1.7 costum pack. ( hopefully soon as a private pack on FTB

First letter of a sentence is capitalized

 

[SaintLucifer]

Ok, considering that this seem to be final decision, will FTB at least provide universal configs for the other mods, since ID conflict is just a minor issue against all the fine tuning mods actually need, like for example World Gen, spawn rates, recipe changes, "cross" mod conflicts and so on.

 

[Jadedcat]

Ok, considering that this seem to be final decision, will FTB at least provide universal configs for the other mods, since ID conflict is just a minor issue against all the fine tuning mods actually need, like for example World Gen, spawn rates, recipe changes, "cross" mod conflicts and so on.

Our current universal configs don't do that. And no. Pushing our view of mod balance into a universal config is not something we would be comfortable doing. Aside from ID's config changes should be left to modpack creators based on what they are doing with an individual pack.

 

[Omicron]

Hmmm. From all the hubbub on Twitter and Reddit and this thread, you guys could potentially have worded this announcement a little better...

I'm not too great a fan of this step. Focusing on flavor and consistency can be an argument, but it shouldn't be the end-all argument (certainly not when it is used to justify excluding mods). When building modpacks myself I am a huge stickler for consistency, yet I have never found myself unable to reconcile multiple different power systems in one set. And honestly? When I first got into modded Minecraft back in 1.2, the great variety in available in systems was touted as an enriching addition to the game and a testament of modder's creativity, even despite the fact that it was a nightmare to even get Minecraft to start up error-free. I don't know what happened over time to change this to "the lowest common denominator is the only thing worth having". But then again, I'm currently on a bit of a hiatus from Minecraft, based both on RL taking up a huge amount of time right now, and on the long and ardous update process that 1.7 brought with it and 1.8 probably will bring again. I've not been privy to the mood of the community for a good while.

All I know is, I would feel less bummed out by this step if RF wasn't such a thoroughly boring system. I've tried the 1.6 release of Thermal Expansion, and honestly, I've never seen less gameplay value in anything power-related, short of vanilla's "put coal into this slot in the furnace". It was so boring, I didn't even touch RF after building the basic six processing machines and a single dynamo (which was more than enough for all of them combined). I'm an engineer through and through, and this system is treating me like I'm an elementary school kid, and a particularly slow one at that. You can be fairly sure that any tech modpack based solely around RF will be the last one I ever download - not out of spite or principle or anything like that, but out of the simple fact that playing it would bore me to tears.

I do agree with the points being made on the exodus of legacy modders and the maintaining of their projects. Too many former cornerstones of the modding scene are essentially just kept alive on their status quo today, by too small a group of people with too much to do, and it's agonizing to watch for the fans of said mods. SpaceToad's return to Buildcraft is the one exception that bucks the trend, but sometimes exceptions only serve to confirm the norm. Again, I really don't know what happened - and I certainly don't fault people like for example Sengir for feeling nothing but contempt for the community after seeing the kind of abuse leveled at him for daring to make the mod he wanted to make - but I don't feel this trend is doing modded Minecraft any favors.

Right, going back to my hidey-hole in the ground now...

 

[Golrith]

Well, TBH I believe that KingLem did say that RF was really what he developed, with Thermal Expansion showing it in use, with the idea that RF would be available to modders to build upon and to demonstrate a server friendly power system, which we are seeing. What is basically available as power gen in TE3 is pretty basic/boring. But then so is BC by itself with it's 3 engines, but they've added a system to control the engines, which TE3 just does automatically for you.
Throw in other mods with TE3 such as Mekanism, and you get a nice match in heaven. Both support each other nicely, and while there is overlap, both offer methods the other doesn't.

1.7 onwards is going to be very different mod wise to 1.6 previously. Mainly because it's such hard work to maintain mods due to the changes by Mojang every version. You just can't build a mod and always have it work regardless of minecraft version. I'm always amazed so many mods actually survive version changes. A version change is a Extinction Level Event in the Minecraft Modding World.

 

[cindylo]

RF is a very nice power system, it converts to MJ and is less laggy than EU(for example). Making modpack themes is also a cool thing to do. However making the main packs have RF and no other power system, I cannot see as a good idea honestly. New players will either not know what the other power systems are at all, or know very little of them and will not want to use them because it requires them to learn an entirely different system and completely different mods to boot. I don't mean to be rude or anything at all, But I see this as making a few popular packs in 1.7 the rest being backwater packs no one uses and by 1.8.* and beyond killing the other system just simply due to fact that people don't want to bother and modify the FTB packs and new players have no idea what MJ(exmaple) is and don't want to try and learn it. So basically if you want to live through 1.7 and beyond as a dev you have to implement RF otherwise it may not kill you but it's defiantly going to cause issues for you.

 

[Wagon153]

RF is a very nice power system, it converts to MJ and is less laggy than EU(for example). Making modpack themes is also a cool thing to do. However making the main packs have RF and no other power system, I cannot see as a good idea honestly. New players will either not know what the other power systems are at all, or know very little of them and will not want to use them because it requires them to learn an entirely different system and completely different mods to boot. I don't mean to be rude or anything at all, But I see this as making a few popular packs in 1.7 the rest being backwater packs no one uses and by 1.8.* and beyond killing the other system just simply due to fact that people don't want to bother and modify the FTB packs and new players have no idea what MJ(exmaple) is and don't want to try and learn it. So basically if you want to live through 1.7 and beyond as a dev you have to implement RF otherwise it may not kill you but it's defiantly going to cause issues for you.

Jadedcat has said several times that EU and MJ and the such will still be in other main packs. The only thing that is changing is that there won't be a bunch of different energy systems in the same pack anymore. So if someone wants to play with a different energy system, they just scroll down and select a different pack.....

 

[Frontrider]

Ic-bc will go on together( thats something usual) , just thermal expansion gets its own pack.
Thats what i think.

 

[cindylo]

Jadedcat has said several times that EU and MJ and the such will still be in other main packs. The only thing that is changing is that there won't be a bunch of different energy systems in the same pack anymore. So if someone wants to play with a different energy system, they just scroll down and select a different pack.....

I know she said they will have their own packs I stated that, however I also stated why having their own with new players and server owners is a bad idea. She also said they will not be in RF packs and only in their own packs. So basically a IC2 only pack and an MJ only pack that 6-12 months from now new players have no idea how to use or may even know about.

 

[Wagon153]

I know she said they will have their own packs I stated that, however I also stated why having their own with new players and server owners is a bad idea. She also said they will not be in RF packs and only in their own packs. So basically a IC2 only pack and an MJ only pack that 6-12 months from now new players have no idea how to use or may even know about.

And it isn't like that now? I don't see how the seperation will effect it. IC2 is in monster now, but new people to modded minecraft won't know how it works.

 

[INCSlayer]

I know she said they will have their own packs I stated that, however I also stated why having their own with new players and server owners is a bad idea. She also said they will not be in RF packs and only in their own packs. So basically a IC2 only pack and an MJ only pack that 6-12 months from now new players have no idea how to use or may even know about.

Since i tend to stick with what i know namely TE im happy i will be able to install modpacks without TE since that means i can choose the IC2 pack and then i have to "re"learn how to use it again. And before anyone comes with but you can just choose not to use TE in the mod pack anyway im not wired that way if the option to use it is there i will use it call it lack of willpower.

OFFTOPIC:
Wagon153 i cant wait for skin game to come out i crave more of Harry Dresden.

 

[cindylo]

And it isn't like that now? I don't see how the seperation will effect it. IC2 is in monster now, but new people to modded minecraft won't know how it works.

No it's not, the only pack that has it's own energy system is the UE pack. Every other pack has nearly all the energy mods in them.

Since i tend to stick with what i know namely TE im happy i will be able to install modpacks without TE since that means i can choose the IC2 pack and then i have to "re"learn how to use it again. And before anyone comes with but you can just choose not to use TE in the mod pack anyway im not wired that way if the option to use it is there i will use it call it lack of willpower.

OFFTOPIC:
Wagon153 i cant wait for skin game to come out i crave more of Harry Dresden.

I understand that I have a friend that's the same way. In that case I would suggest downloading the modpack you like then modifying it yourself to only have say RF. Or maybe using the NEI subsets to hide all the mods like IC2, BC, etc.

 

[PurpleMentat]

I understand that I have a friend that's the same way. In that case I would suggest downloading the modpack you like then modifying it yourself to only have say RF. Or maybe using the NEI subsets to hide all the mods like IC2, BC, etc.

You are misunderstanding. The person you are quoting is saying that (for example) an IC2 only would encourage him to actually use IC2 instead of just using what they knew.

 

[cindylo]

You are misunderstanding. The person you are quoting is saying that (for example) an IC2 only would encourage him to actually use IC2 instead of just using what they knew.

My bad, That's personal preference really. I don't know anyone who would personally, nor would I.

 

[SaintLucifer]

Our current universal configs don't do that. And no. Pushing our view of mod balance into a universal config is not something we would be comfortable doing. Aside from ID's config changes should be left to modpack creators based on what they are doing with an individual pack.

Actually your universal configs already do that, since world gen, spawn rates for ores, and so on, are all under it. Like i can grab DW IC2 configs and paste it on Monster, and it would not have issues. What i mean by my question tho is whether or not your team will still provide such universal usage configs, or you're just going to dump on the Server Admins back, and let they sort trough the dozens of repeated ores and all the mess of configs, whenever they want to merge mods from other packs, from now on?

 

[Hambeau]

Frankly, with all the problems I've read about running the big packs like Monster and the like, I'm surprised people aren't looking towards having multiple slimmer and trimmer packs to play with.

As I understand the plan (and I may have misread something) you should be able to combine the RF pack with perhaps the IC2 pack to get both systems if you want and your system can handle it.

Or, as has been stated above, perhaps the DW20 pack will retain the plethora of power systems into 1.7.x. Only time will tell.

 

[PurpleMentat]

My bad, That's personal preference really. I don't know anyone who would personally, nor would I.

That's the problem with anecdotal evidence. You end up basing your viewpoint off of your own personal preferences, and those of your friends. JadedCat has said more than once that public perception of what modpacks on the launcher get a lot of play is not at all consistent with the numbers, yet everyone still thinks that people only play the latest flagship pack.

How about instead of suspicion, paranoia, and anger, we as a community choose to exercise some trust, commitment, and gratitude to the folks that have been busting their asses so we can have an easy time playing large well-balanced modpacks? I'm sure that if what you want is not available on FTB, you can find it on another launcher.

 

[Frontrider]

Ender generator from Ex Utilities.

checked it again, i was right, it can only use ender pearls.

 

[PurpleMentat]

checked it again, i was right, it can only use ender pearls.

I think I understand the issue. It looked like you were asking for an RF producer that could use Resonant Ender or Ender Pearls. Closest you can get to that is using Resonant Ender as a coolant in a Big Reactor, though it isn't the best.

 

[un worry]

Wow. First CovertJaguar making demands and now we have IC2 issuing a takedown on Simply Jetpacks.

Way to go, IC2 and Railcraft !

Once again, the drama plays out in reddit, while KingLemming calmly states on MCF ...

Just an update for everyone - a few of us "senior" devs in the community are looking into the alleged infringement.

For what it's worth, I'm not seeing any. Mod should be up for download again IMO.