What Do You Think the Future of Minecraft Is?

[Reddis]

With the end of the 1.7 era many of the long-loved mods disappeared and a few new ones came on board. We've seen a small handful of innovative packs, some new FTB mainstream packs, and even a couple challenge packs. I watch minecraftforum.net and see a new snapshot every week with new "major releases" (going from 1.12 to 1.13 for example) about once per month with no significant additions (at least in my opinion).

So my question is where do you think Minecraft and the modded community will go from here as we move into 1.13, 1.14, and beyond?

 

[Hambeau]

IMO, and this was once stated as the end-goal in the near term, Microsoft/Mojang is slowly consolidating the features of Java Minecraft (JMC) and C++ Minecraft (CMC in this post. Also known as Win10 MC, MCPE and Bedrock).

The goal I've seen is to get to the point where both JMC and CMC have identical functionality in Vanilla versions, including a new interface for modding. The plan is to have mods written in C#, because both Java and C++ already can easily import and convert C# code to 'native' code. At that point both versions will be able to use the same mods.

This will allow players to use whichever version MC they want, and also fulfill Microsoft's vision for Minecraft from the beginning: A popular codebase to use to teach future coders throughout their time in school, hopefully using Visual Studio

 

[Drbretto]

I don't think 1.7.10 will ever truly die. People may stop making mods for it, but I think people will be playing 1.7.10 modpacks forever. It will remain the era that all future modpacks are compared against.

But, even if some of that old feel is lost to time, I also think the modding community will continue to come up with new and interesting mods that will lead to a more varied and targeted selection of modpacks for us to enjoy.

I am looking forward to the day Hambeau's future becoems reality so I can do all this with a 96 view distance

 

[ShneekeyTheLost]

IMO, and this was once stated as the end-goal in the near term, Microsoft/Mojang is slowly consolidating the features of Java Minecraft (JMC) and C++ Minecraft (CMC in this post. Also known as Win10 MC, MCPE and Bedrock).

The goal I've seen is to get to the point where both JMC and CMC have identical functionality in Vanilla versions, including a new interface for modding. The plan is to have mods written in C#, because both Java and C++ already can easily import and convert C# code to 'native' code. At that point both versions will be able to use the same mods.

This will allow players to use whichever version MC they want, and also fulfill Microsoft's vision for Minecraft from the beginning: A popular codebase to use to teach future coders throughout their time in school, hopefully using Visual Studio

Slight correction... the goal is to switch over to Win10 version (they've already gone ahead and rebranded the Win10 version as 'Minecraft' and the original version as 'Minecraft Java Edition') to get rid of the modding community entirely, and do paid content through the Bedrock store, of which Microsoft gets a cut (i.e. the lion's share) of the action. There will be an API, but it will be for plugins, not for what we would consider mods. At best, you would see things like MouseTweaks, InventoryTweaker, and the like. You'd never be able to get anything like a tech mod off the ground, much less something like Thaumcraft.

So as far as the future of modded minecraft? Dead and buried.

 

[Reddis]

Slight correction... the goal is to switch over to Win10 version (they've already gone ahead and rebranded the Win10 version as 'Minecraft' and the original version as 'Minecraft Java Edition') to get rid of the modding community entirely, and do paid content through the Bedrock store, of which Microsoft gets a cut (i.e. the lion's share) of the action. There will be an API, but it will be for plugins, not for what we would consider mods. At best, you would see things like MouseTweaks, InventoryTweaker, and the like. You'd never be able to get anything like a tech mod off the ground, much less something like Thaumcraft.

So as far as the future of modded minecraft? Dead and buried.

This makes me very sad.

 

[ShneekeyTheLost]

This makes me very sad.

It was inevitable once M$ purchased the Minecraft brand. There will likely always be a few old grognards like myself playing on the depreciated versions with mods, but Microsoft has zero interest in modded minecraft other than simple addons that can be sold through Bedrock so they get to clear 70% of the price tag per transaction.

 

[Drbretto]

This comes up every time this topic comes up and I think it's nuts. Until I see something in writing that they're removing the java version, it's paranoia.

I've said this time and time again, the microtransactions do not even come close to justifying a $2 billion purchase. They're not going to get rid of the Java version so they can charge you for cosmetics. That would not make any financial sense at all.

 

[Reddis]

I thought I had heard/read (probably on this site) that Microsoft was going to stay out of the Java version. I admit all of my information is hearsay and likely inaccurate.

 

[Drbretto]

Don't get me wrong, I am also speculating. I understand the reaction. Microsoft certainly wants its money. I just don't see how phasing out the java version or the modding community accomplishes that at all. It just doesn't make any sense. They will always have some cosmetics and whatnot to sell you, but nothing they've ever said so far leads me to believe they have any interest in killing off the rest to support that part of the business.

Basically, optional cosmetic purchases aren't worth a damn. They're included as a little bit of extra revenue, basically enough to support the additional development, but that's it. They're going to make their money selling Minecraft licenses. I'd wager to say that the modded Minecraft community is a rounding error to them, and the java version of Minecraft won't affect the licenses they sell to schools and whatnot. Hell, its very existence is just a reason for someone to buy additional licenses (I have 3 of 'em myself). There's just no reason to kill it off at all. All it would be is a PR nightmare nobody wants.

 

[CrankySupertoon]

Slight correction... the goal is to switch over to Win10 version (they've already gone ahead and rebranded the Win10 version as 'Minecraft' and the original version as 'Minecraft Java Edition') to get rid of the modding community entirely, and do paid content through the Bedrock store, of which Microsoft gets a cut (i.e. the lion's share) of the action. There will be an API, but it will be for plugins, not for what we would consider mods. At best, you would see things like MouseTweaks, InventoryTweaker, and the like. You'd never be able to get anything like a tech mod off the ground, much less something like Thaumcraft.

So as far as the future of modded minecraft? Dead and buried.

Bigger correction, searge the original dev for forge was hired by Mojang to make the bedrock modding platform. U will probably hear this in minecon earth but Mojang respects mod authors so much they have 1/4 minecon panels being towards modding. Mods will probably be released in the marketplace but Microsoft and Mojang respect the community wants them for free.

They Are moving to win10 but the only difference is forge isn't forge and is a official API now.

Correct me if u want but this is true


Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk

 

[ShneekeyTheLost]

Don't get me wrong, I am also speculating. I understand the reaction. Microsoft certainly wants its money. I just don't see how phasing out the java version or the modding community accomplishes that at all. It just doesn't make any sense. They will always have some cosmetics and whatnot to sell you, but nothing they've ever said so far leads me to believe they have any interest in killing off the rest to support that part of the business.

You misunderstand. They didn't buy the Minecraft brand to micro-transaction people, they bought it for the merchandising, which has probably already paid itself off. They're going to do the micro-transaction BS because it costs them nothing and gains them money. It may not be much money, compared to what they get from the licensing and merchandising, but it's basically free money from their perspective.

Basically, optional cosmetic purchases aren't worth a damn. They're included as a little bit of extra revenue, basically enough to support the additional development, but that's it. They're going to make their money selling Minecraft licenses. I'd wager to say that the modded Minecraft community is a rounding error to them, and the java version of Minecraft won't affect the licenses they sell to schools and whatnot. Hell, its very existence is just a reason for someone to buy additional licenses (I have 3 of 'em myself). There's just no reason to kill it off at all. All it would be is a PR nightmare nobody wants.

You'v got it part right... modded minecraft community is a rounding error to them. They simply don't care enough about the modded minecraft community to support it, so they won't. They give no cares about any alleged 'PR Nightmare', bluntly no one would care enough about it. I mean, EA gets all kinds of guff, but it doesn't stop THEM from micro-transacting people to hell and back. It won't 'kill' anything at all. It just gives them some extra pocket change at the end of the day.

Bluntly, they have no financial reason to further the Java version, and cutting it out entirely provides them with fewer tech support problems because then they won't have to support the Java version anymore, which is lower overhead. Microsoft isn't getting rid of the Java version of Minecraft out of spite, they're doing it for financial reasons. The micro-transaction stuff is just the icing on the cake. There is no API and there will be no API, at least not anything as robust as Forge that is. Hell, it'll probably be less powerful than Bucket was. Because it is not in Microsoft's financial interests to do so.

Of course, this is pure speculation, however it is at least speculation based upon Microsoft's established business model rather than vain hope and fantasy. Perhaps I shall be proven wrong, I only hope so. But I cannot help but be heavily cynical on this topic.

 

[Reddis]

While I do appreciate all of the insight into what Microsoft and Mojang are doing, I was hoping to hear more about how these things would affect you and I directly. This is what I expected to hear the future of modded Minecraft would be:

"The future of modded MC will remain the same as it always has. We will have core mods that everyone uses such as TiC, IE2, AE2, etc etc. Once in a great while someone will come out with an evolutionary pack (such as SevTech) but this has never been the norm. The devs at FTB will continue to put out packs that appeal to the largest audience possible."

 

[Drbretto]

Bluntly, they have no financial reason to further the Java version, and cutting it out entirely provides them with fewer tech support problems because then they won't have to support the Java version anymore, which is lower overhead.

I think this is the area where our theories intersect. My stance here is that they don't NEED to support the old versions one bit. 1.12 is a perfectly fine platform to work off of. I don't need Microsoft's version of underwater life, for example. The only reason I'd feel compelled to move on to 1.13 would be because all of the relevant modders are working on that platform. So, the idea of them focusing their efforts on Bedrock, I say go for it. I'm really not all that interested in Microsoft's mods.

It's not just the modding community that has licenses for the Java version, either. While the modding community is a rounding error, the Java Minecraft purist community is a bigger chunk of the base, and that would be significant enough that I don't see them ever cutting off access to it. They may no longer support it, but there's no reason to believe they will cut off access, at least without cutting out the login requirement to get in. Which means even in the worst case realistic scenario that they drop all ties with Java minecraft altogether, that would be the best day ever for the modding community because everyone can focus on modding that final version forever.

Then, in the best case scenario where Hambeau's vision comes true, then we have a modding platform for the bedrock version which could well open up entire WORLDS of modded content.

So, ultimately, I think we see the same things, we're just coming to different conclusions. I just don't think it will be as dire a situation as you're projecting it out to be.

 

[Drbretto]

While I do appreciate all of the insight into what Microsoft and Mojang are doing, I was hoping to hear more about how these things would affect you and I directly. This is what I expected to hear the future of modded Minecraft would be:

"The future of modded MC will remain the same as it always has. We will have core mods that everyone uses such as TiC, IE2, AE2, etc etc. Once in a great while someone will come out with an evolutionary pack (such as SevTech) but this has never been the norm. The devs at FTB will continue to put out packs that appeal to the largest audience possible."

The future of modded MC will remain the same as it always has. We will have core mods that everyone uses such as TiC, IE2, AE2, etc etc. Once in a great while someone will come out with an evolutionary pack (such as SevTech) but this has never been the norm. The devs at FTB will continue to put out packs that appeal to the largest audience possible.