What would YOU change about BuildCraft?

[KingTriaxx]

The one change I would make is the ability to place a redstone engine, or some other kind of power up against an Auto-crafting table to speed it up. Because it's an absolutely awesome item even now, And I can use it for easy automation in the field, but it's just a bit too slow for my liking. Being able to 'plug it in' instead of having to build yet another flavor of speed upgrade, would be AWESOME.

Unless I can already do that and I've missed it.

Seriously though, leave the pipes alone. I understand the idea about using 'one pipe for everything', but some of the best things about BC are the great things you can do with it. I dump things into a pipe, and routing does not require that I mess around with priorities, I don't have to hope that the randomized filter decides it's going to send things the right way, and I don't need to add something else into a pipe and get annoyed when I realize that I've broken it and oh god I've got to put it back before everything is broken!

And if you've got a problem with items dropping, then it's not the pipes. It's the storage system that's at fault. And if you're not taking advantage of the options in modded Minecraft, then changing the pipes won't help either.

 

[GreenZombie]

Are the kinetic pipe visual cues not enough?

That's not the point. There is a ui consistency issue. I do software development for a living and one of the hallmarks of a good ui design is consistency. It means once a user has learnt one part of the application they can transfer that knowledge to other parts.

This means giving all machines a right click ui. And having common information on that ui. Such as internal energy capacity, energy use rate etc. MJ might still be around if people had been able to see how it was being used. Build craft pipes would also connect to things they were not interacting with.

If a bc pump stops working is it because it is not receiving energy? Its internal buffer has a block of water but you are trying to pump oil? Dw20 often made the mistake of hooking up a wooden pipe with redstone engines.

Especially with BCs propensity to change its mind wrt what redstone engines can drive a consistent ui can provide a lot of diagnostics over the kinetic pipes feedback.

 

[ChJees]

For me the main thing with Buildcraft would be the actual Builders (Should be called Buildcraft for a reason).

If the mod concentrated more on manipulating the world through blocks and liquids it would in my opinion go into the right direction. Personally i'm not that interested in the piping system and gate system and the robots was extremely buggy when i last tested them.

One thing i would love to see are actual cranes, could be as simple as letting you place blocks anywhere within a certain area depending on the height you place it on.

 

[asiekierka]

For me the main thing with Buildcraft would be the actual Builders (Should be called Buildcraft for a reason).

Done

That's not the point. There is a ui consistency issue. I do software development for a living and one of the hallmarks of a good ui design is consistency. It means once a user has learnt one part of the application they can transfer that knowledge to other parts.

This means giving all machines a right click ui. And having common information on that ui. Such as internal energy capacity, energy use rate etc. MJ might still be around if people had been able to see how it was being used. Build craft pipes would also connect to things they were not interacting with.

I'm already working on a way of giving users more feedback over machine state, but it does not involve GUIs. Also, the redstone engine changing mind was a temporary rollback, not a permament change.

If anything, barely any machines in BC have actual GUIs - and only the ones which actually need one.

 

[Wekmor]

Ok so here's something that could be added.

- Have a way to upgrade the quarry to do vertical collums instead of the layer-by-layer mining (similar to XU quarry).
Maybe in the assembly table together with a mining well and some other random things.

That's just all I could come up with. The pipes are really nice, I love them. The engines aren't as good as others, but that's just because the way new mods go is "oh my engine/generator has to be better, so people use my mod" ... maybe include a config file that nerfes all the power generation from other mods to the ground

 

[asiekierka]

- Have a way to upgrade the quarry to do vertical collums instead of the layer-by-layer mining (similar to XU quarry).

No. There's reasons the BC quarry does it this way - namely, it's more balanced.

About config options - you can already buff the combustion engine in the config since BC 6.3.

 

[GreenZombie]

If anything, barely any machines in BC have actual GUIs - and only the ones which actually need one.

And that. Right there. Is why BC continues to be regarded as a dinosaur.

It doesn't matter if the alternate way is 'better'. BC is going to be used in modpacks. And every other mods machines has a UI.

 

[asiekierka]

And that. Right there. Is why BC continues to be regarded as a dinosaur.

It doesn't matter if the alternate way is 'better'. BC is going to be used in modpacks. And every other mods machines has a UI.

Botania is widely regarded for not having any GUIs, despite other magic mods having tons of them. GUIs tend to break immersion if they're useless, and a status notification is better done with LEDs or, if you're into that kind of thing, WAILA.

Also, BC continuing to be regarded as a dinosaur because the quarry has no GUI? Really?

Besides, BuildCraft is not made for modpack developers, despite us providing config options and compatibility hooks for other mods. It's made for BuildCraft players first and foremost.

 

[Celestialphoenix]

It doesn't matter if the alternate way is 'better'. BC is going to be used in modpacks. And every other mods machines has a UI.

So every mod does it, therefore Buildcraft should do it. Thats your reason?

Care to remind us why an artist should compromise his/her unique designs? That they must conform all their creations to the work of others to maintain a unified appearance?​

Because thats what you're asking for here.

Also adding a UI to a machine which functions perfectly fine without is just pissing away dev time. Thats all fine and dandy if you live in some theoretical ideal of infinite time, however there rest of us don't share in that fantasy.
Dev time is limited- As with any project theres a finite amount of hours that'll be sunk into Buildcraft. Just because theres no strict deadlines it doesn't mean theres unlimited time, if anything that make prioritising more important as we don't know how little there is left.

 

[asiekierka]

So every mod does it, therefore Buildcraft should do it. Thats your reason?

Care to remind us why an artist should compromise his/her unique designs? That they must conform all their creations to the work of others to maintain a unified appearance?​

Because thats what you're asking for here.

Good point. Generally, my goal right now is to make BuildCraft addons which integrate perfectly with BC - that is, evolve BuildCraft into an ecosystem of mods and addons, kind of like what IC2 became over time, where you had so many additional things to add you could easily base a pack just on IC2 and its addons, despite most mods ignoring IC2 beyond EU compatibility, if that.

 

[KingTriaxx]

As long as it doesn't snowball down the rabbit hole of insanity the way IC2 did, you'll be fine.

 

[GreenZombie]

You didn't seriously introduce Botania as an example of a mod notable for its immersion?

First. It's machines do have a UI accessible by right clicking using its wrench. Sorry 'wand'. Second, it's mana spreaders and flower arrangements are decidedly tech in feel.

It's a fine mod. But immersive magic it is not.

But fine. Come to the FTB forums where we, by definition, play mod packs. Ask our advice. And then ignore it if it doesn't fit the advice you wanted.

You can't adopt RF and not expect to be compared against other RF mods. And in the melting pot that is RF based mods it seems that rich UIs is a common trait shared by the popular ones.

 

[asiekierka]

But fine. Come to the FTB forums where we, by definition, play mod packs. Ask our advice. And then ignore it if it doesn't fit the advice you wanted.

You can't adopt RF and not expect to be compared against other RF mods. And in the melting pot that is RF based mods it seems that rich UIs is a common trait shared by the popular ones.

Sure I can. I just did. Also, I don't care about BuildCraft ever being popular.

Here's the deal: your only argument for rich GUIs is that "it's what the cool kids do". Look at BuildCraft now, with its years of history. Why do you feel we need to do what the cool kids do? I firmly believe BuildCraft should balance around itself, not everyone else - because that's what makes me and many others love it. Despite the fans of BuildCraft being much smaller in number than other mods, we don't feel a need to adapt to everyone else; rather, we feel a need to make BuildCraft the best for us, the best within its own context.

In other words, suggestions which only serve a purpose to make us more similar to other mods will be rejected unless they have another reason for being added. What I am looking for is suggestions that add to the mod. Have you seen the kinds of suggestions I did accept? I actually already implemented one of them.

If you want a mod with rich UIs, play a mod with rich UIs. If you want BuildCraft, play BuildCraft. SIMPLE. AS. THAT. Modpack making is about choice, whether given to the player (kitchen sink packs) or to the modpack maker (tight, focused packs). If all mods are the same, what choice does that give?

 

[Vazkii]

You didn't seriously introduce Botania as an example of a mod notable for its immersion?

First. It's machines do have a UI accessible by right clicking using its wrench. Sorry 'wand'. Second, it's mana spreaders and flower arrangements are decidedly tech in feel.

It's a fine mod. But immersive magic it is not.

But fine. Come to the FTB forums where we, by definition, play mod packs. Ask our advice. And then ignore it if it doesn't fit the advice you wanted.

You can't adopt RF and not expect to be compared against other RF mods. And in the melting pot that is RF based mods it seems that rich UIs is a common trait shared by the popular ones.

Then what exactly do you want me to do? Seems like nothing will ever make you happy.

 

[Maelstraz]

Oh, i have some requests:

I. Lazors:
Can you, please, make Assembly Table's gui and recipes more intuitive?
I mean,
1) convert it from "put material - choose recipe - get stuff" to "put material - get stuff".
Or
2) make all recipes avaiable to choose anytime for easier automation.
I think, you will choose second.

II. Pipez:
Maybe remove redstone engine (they are simply useless because of it's weakness) and finally allow wooden and emerald pipes to auto-eject?
Isn't it overnerfed to request two blocks of space or placing proper gate just for this feature?
Every other pipes just require a redstone signal (in some cases, they don't requre anything) and/or costs a lot less (pipe itself and "proper gate", like servos, which is incredibly easier to make).

Yeah, this is maybe your way to balance mod, but... There is era of modpacks, you know.
95% of people (like me :3) lazy, stupid and will use stronger/cheaper tools.
And, sadly, but if you want a bit more of popularity (i know, you want), you need to make proper kick to your pride.

 

[asiekierka]

Oh, i have some requests:

I. Lazors:
Can you, please, make Assembly Table's gui and recipes more intuitive?
I mean,
1) convert it from "put material - choose recipe - get stuff" to "put material - get stuff".
Or
2) make all recipes avaiable to choose anytime for easier automation.
I think, you will choose second.

II. Pipez:
Maybe remove redstone engine (they are simply useless because of it's weakness) and finally allow wooden and emerald pipes to auto-eject?
Isn't it overnerfed to request two blocks of space or placing proper gate just for this feature?
Every other pipes just require a redstone signal (in some cases, they don't requre anything) and/or costs a lot less (pipe itself and "proper gate", like servos, which is incredibly easier to make).

Yeah, this is maybe your way to balance mod, but... There is era of modpacks, you know.
95% of people (like me :3) lazy, stupid and will use stronger/cheaper tools.
And, sadly, but if you want a bit more of popularity (i know, you want), you need to make proper kick to your pride.

1. The Assembly Table is getting a rework.

2. Use Autarchic Gates. Auto-eject would be bad because then you have no control over the pipe, and redstone signals collide with gates.

3. I don't want popularity. Stop assuming things. You act as if every modder is only in it for the fame.

 

[GreenZombie]

Then what exactly do you want me to do? Seems like nothing will ever make you happy.

Wot? I think Botania is a brilliant mod and I am not unhappy with it. It just doesn't feel that magical.

 

[Wekmor]

Wot? I think Botania is a brilliant mod and I am not unhappy with it. It just doesn't feel that magical.

Botania is as magic as you can get with that nature part aswell. What do you want to get it more magic? Magical boss fights? Oh nvm, already in.

 

[Celestialphoenix]

Wot? I think Botania is a brilliant mod and I am not unhappy with it. It just doesn't feel that magical.

Because mana generation involves engineering and design? (Gameplay mechanics which fit rather well into MC?)
Magic is a fairly broad term- certainly more to it than the sticking your wand in places and chanting wingardium leviosa.
(Sssh! no one mention Thaumcraft)

 

[KingTriaxx]

Haters gotta hate, and ignorance is bliss.

That said, it irks me when my post gets missed because of a hater posting right after me.