Yes, I'm making a simpler sky-block pack.

[MacAisling]

With the decision to pull EU2 and Extreme Reactors, I decided to go back through the mods available for 1.10.2 with an eye to adding more decorative and silly fun mods, picked up a couple more utility mods along the way, and made some minor substitutions. The new mod list is now mostly alphabetical with core, lib, and add-ons listed with the 1st mod that used them. In the process I managed to gain 11 mods since I 1st made the list. Now you have a choice between finding a way off this rock or building that castle in the sky.

mod list (still subject to change):

Spoiler

ThistleCraft! (Skyblock Edition)

MC 1.10.2. Forge-12.18.3.2221

Mod list (69 mods total)

AdvancedRocketry-1.10.2-1.0.8
LibVulpes-1.10.2-0.1.14-universal
ATLCraftCandlesMod(MC1.10.2-Ver1.5)
Attachable grinder-1.10.2-6.0.0
iChunUtil-1.10.2-6.1.1
baublesstuff-3.0.2
Baubles-1.10.2-1.3.8
BetterBuildersWands-1.10.2-0.11.0.215+2d66774
ChanceCubes-1.10.2-2.3.4.166
Chisel-MC1.10.2-0.0.7.7
Chiselsandbits-12.11
ExtraBitManipulation-1.10.2-2.3.2
clearview-1.0.1
CraftingTweaks_1.10.2-6.1.16
creeperconfetti-1.2.1
Decocraft-2.3.6.1_1.10.2
EnderCompass-1.9.x-1.2.3.2
endercrop-1.9.4-1.3.1
EnderIO-1.10.2-3.1.161
EnderCore-1.10.2-0.4.1.65-beta
EnderStorage-1.10.2-2.2.0.96-universal
CodeChickenCore-1.10.2-2.4.0.101
CodeChickenLib-1.10.2-2.5.2.198
Exnihiloadscensio-1.10.2-0.1.12
ExCompressum_1.10.2-2.0.68
FastLeafDecay-v11 (Olafskii)
[1.10.x]FenceOverhaul-1.2.1
Flesh2Leather[1.10.2]
Floricraft-1.10.2-beta1.3.0
FTBUtilities-1.10.2-3.2.4
FTBLib-1.10.2-3.2.3
Graves-1.10.2-b29-universal. (fireball1725)
HelperTools-1.10.2-v3.0c
hcmw-1.10.2-0.1.4-universal. (Homecraft Mineware)
imaginary-1.0.1-1.10.2
iv-1.0.0. (Improved Villagers)
InventoryTweaks-1.61-58
IronBackpacks-1.10.2-2.2.22
ironchest-1.10.2-7.0.11.797
journeymap-1.10.2-5.4.4
jei_1.10.2-3.14.3.403
BlockDrops-1.10.2-1.1.0
JustEnoughResources-1.10.2-0.5.8.98
NotEnoughItems-1.10.2-2.1.3.199-universal
KleeSlabs_1.10.2-3.3.5
LootBags-1.10.2-2.3.2
malisisdoors-1.10.2-5.1.8
malisiscore-1.10.2-4.2.10
malisisswitches-1.10.2-3.1.0
Material-Foundation-1.10.2-2.0
missing_pieces-1.10.2-4.1.3
ModLister-1.10.2-2.1.8
morematerials-1.10.2-1.9.20160723.0
OreExcavation-1.2.84
PackingTape-1.10.2-0.6.0
PortableCrafting-1.10.2-1.1
RecurrentComplex-1.2.7.1-1.10
IvToolkit-1.3.1-1.10
ShieldHider-1.0.1_1.9.4
SimplyConveyors-1.4.2
SimplyJetpacks2-1.10.2-2.0.3.26
NoMoreRecipeConflict-0.6(1.10.2)
SuperCircuitMaker-1.0.4
theoneprobe-1.1x-1.4.0
TS2K16-1.0.3. (Twerk Sim 2K16)
TwitchIntegration-1.10.2-2.1.6
ViesCraft-1.10.X-4.11.0
VisibleArmorSlots[1.10.2]-2.1-legacy
WaterStrainer-1.9.4-1.3.2
Waystones_1.10.2-2.0.10
YUNoMakeGoodMap-1.10.2-6.1.0.26

 

[Robijnvogel]

I'm really not that keen on Accually Addition's infusion mechanic. Now that I know Ender IO can cover the storage, I'm thinking of trading it in for something that just adds baubles for some cool toys.

While I am at it, should I really focus down and pull extra utilities 2? It would mean no mining age or world gen to explore until you get to space. A mining age isn't really necessary, but sometimes it is nice to get out and explore. If I pull EU2, I might as well pull Extreme Reactors as well. Maybe even Super Circuit Maker.

Thoughts? Opinions? Am I going for too small a pack?

If you're looking for a little bit of exploration, I might have a mod you could add in a few weeks/a month.

But looking at the pace at which you are going through this, you'll be finished with this pack within the next four days.

 

[MacAisling]

If you're looking for a little bit of exploration, I might have a mod you could add in a few weeks/a month.

But looking at the pace at which you are going through this, you'll be finished with this pack within the next four days.

I think there is a slim chance that I will have the initial round of configuring ex nihilo and loot tables done by the time you think you'll have your mod ready, so still a good time for consideration.

There actually is plenty of (interplanetary) exploration in the pack, but it is fairly late game. Advanced Rocketry has a more complex process with greater time sinks to get the player into space than Galacticraft has.

There are several mining and adventure dungeon dimension mods available (that I am not adding to the pack). Are you making something truly different and interesting and fun?

 

[MacAisling]

You know, if you want to get into villager trading, you may have to open chance cubes. I think I can set things up to generate nether fortresses, the end portal structures, and the new end structures, but not overworld villages. I am removing villagers from the EIO spawner blacklist, so you only have to catch 1. Now if you want to catch 2 and build a village for them to repopulate, that is what I added Improved Villagers to help with.

 

[GamerwithnoGame]

I really don't mind AA's reconstructing and empowering mechanics; there are interesting things you can do, and the platforms you use to put the outer items have other purposes too - but if you're really not keen, I understand. I don't know if there are ways to add custom Reconstructions or Empowerments, but if there was that could add interesting possibilities?

 

[Robijnvogel]

There are several mining and adventure dungeon dimension mods available. Are you making something truly different and interesting and fun?

I think DimDoors technically could be placed under the header "adventure dungeon dimensions", but I don't think you'll already have something quite like it in your pack.
Think of it like a progressively generated virtually endless puzzle-maze in which you can find more loot, the deeper you get. (I'll make sure the lottables are editable via CraftTweaker)
And since you need the mod's unique materials to craft a Dimensional Doors to even get into the mod, - I assume that your sky-block isn't set in the default Overworld, so DimDoors' structures shouldn't generate there. - you can completely control when and how the player gets access to the Pocket Dungeons. Although technically, I think you could edit the crafting recipes.

Oh, and we're also implementing a feature in which you can set which Pocket Dungeons the mod is allowed to load, with the extension that you can add your own custom pockets.
And before you ask: No, it will not spam your world-save with a different dimension for each new pocket. All dungeon pockets will be placed neatly side-by-side in one dimension. #Noclutter

Sounds too good to be true, no?

 

[GamerwithnoGame]

I think DimDoors technically could be placed under the header "adventure dungeon dimensions", but I don't think you'll already have something quite like it in your pack.
Think of it like a progressively generated virtually endless puzzle-maze in which you can find more loot, the deeper you get. (I'll make sure the lottables are editable via CraftTweaker)
And since you need the mod's unique materials to craft a Dimensional Doors to even get into the mod, - I assume that your sky-block isn't set in the default Overworld, so DimDoors' structures shouldn't generate there. - you can completely control when and how the player gets access to the Pocket Dungeons. Although technically, I think you could edit the crafting recipes.

Oh, and we're also implementing a feature in which you can set which Pocket Dungeons the mod is allowed to load, with the extension that you can add your own custom pockets.
And before you ask: No, it will not spam your world-save with a different dimension for each new pocket. All dungeon pockets will be placed neatly side-by-side in one dimension. #Noclutter

Sounds too good to be true, no?

Oh my goodness!!! This sounds like you're taking up the mantle of Dimensional Doors after it got left behind in 1.7.10! That is super exciting and very awesome - it was a good mod at the time, but had its issues (including an unfortunate habit of world eating a little bit). Certainly a spiritual successor would be amazing! *is excited*

 

[MacAisling]

@Robijnvogel A port or re-creation of Dimensional Doors may be just the right fit for players who may get bored with building and advancing up the tech trees. Let me know when it becomes available on Curse and I'll put it in. As for structures, I think it depends on if they spawn in the sky or not, because I was getting slime islands before I cut TiCo. YUNoMakeGoodMap is a terrain generator that makes all 3 vanilla dimensions generate as voids, with config options for the major vanilla structures.

I'm not getting deep enough into this rabbit hole to tweak recipes, but sifting compressed, crushed endstone in a heavy sieve with a diamond mesh might be a good place to get the materials. CraftTweaker is probably more involved than I really want to get. Editing this stuff in the json and config files is headache enough for me.

On to loot bags: I've set the configs to drop on real player kills only, or you can recycle materials and craft up. I plan on leaving the lower tiers drawing from the general loot tables, but will customize the upper tier bags. The Dark Soularium Jetplate is there, but doesn't seem to have a crafting recipe, so that would be an exciting find.

 

[Robijnvogel]

Maybe the dark Soularium chestplate is crafted using some method that doesn't support JEI yet?

Sent from my HUAWEI G750-U10 using Tapatalk

 

[MacAisling]

Maybe the dark Soularium chestplate is crafted using some method that doesn't support JEI yet?

Sent from my HUAWEI G750-U10 using Tapatalk

It looks like the capacitor packs aren't in yet, and the mod dev may be too busy irl to get it complete any time soon, especially if he still intends to add compatibility with other tech mods. So, my 1st piece of loot bag only loot!

 

[MacAisling]

I found out that it is fairly simple to save a structure that YUNoMakeGoodMap will recognize using the creative Minecraft structure block. So, out with Recurrent Complex. Unfortunately, YUNoMakeGoodMap puts you and the bottom corner of the structure in the same place, so I had to extend the platform to get a block into that corner for me to spawn on. The yellow wool marks where I spawn whether or not there is a block underneath me.
Spawn Platform

Spoiler

I can't figure out how to set FTB Utilites to provide starting items. It looks like the configs can only be altered in game by a server admin using the command line, and I can't figure out the complete and correct command string to use. Note: this mod is still a WIP, and fixes or better information may already be in the works for future updates. On the plus side, Minecraft's structure copying mechanic includes inventories and their contents, so I have these little iron golem dolls holding the startup items. They may need a block update to show their contents when logging in or starting a new world, but the contents are still there.

Spoiler

 

[MacAisling]

Slightly improved platform, still spawning in the corner.

Spoiler

Well, I guess those Ex Nihilo configs aren't going to change themselves.

 

[MacAisling]

1st pass at the Ex Nihilo Adsensio sieve json is complete and completely broken. There are 4 things I did to make the file easier to read, compare, and adjust, any of which might be upsetting ExNA. Or I might have misplaced a punctuation mark.

 

[MacAisling]

I have 3/7 materials config'd for the ExNA sieve: soul sand, crushed netherrack, & crushed endstone. I have tested the yields for each material in auto heavy sieves with all 4 mesh levels, running 1 stack of each compressed material (=9 stacks uncompressed) through each mesh. Results pictured below. If it looks like I missed something or you have suggestions about the balance (more of this here, less of that there, etc), please speak up. I should probably reduce the chance for wither skeleton skulls, but I don't see anything else that stands out to me.

Spoiler

 

[MacAisling]

1st pass at the Ex Nihilo Adscensio sieve finished and functioning. Need to do some testing and tweaking.

I put Super Circuit Maker back on the list. And I can't count, this makes 69.

Looking at the general loot tables, I think I'm going to have to fully customize Loot Bags. I'll start a topic in general chat to try and get more opinions about what should be in them.

 

[Robijnvogel]

Is that 69 in mod jar files or is 69 the number that Forge gives you in the main menu?

Sent from my torture dungeon in the hills of Mumbai.

 

[MacAisling]

Is that 69 in mod jar files or is 69 the number that Forge gives you in the main menu?

Jar files in the mod folder. I may have been lazy and pulled the # 77 from Forge on the main menu before.

 

[MacAisling]

If I'm really serious about getting this pack released, I should probably work on having a presence outside of this forum, so I created a Facebook page for the pack to start. I don't remember the rules for posting links offhand, so just search for ThistleCraft and you should find me. We'll continue the development discussion over there.

 

[Robijnvogel]

I don't think linking the FB page should be against the forum rules.
I linked the MC forum page of my modpack on my modpack's FTB forum thread...

Rules against linking other forums are (for afaik) meant to keep you from luring people away from these forums to other forums.

You are not trying to do that.

Sent from my torture dungeon in the hills of Mumbai.

 

[MacAisling]

I've submitted an initial test version to Curse, awaiting moderator approval (this process was much simpler than I expected). I'll update again once it is available for download.

If you would like to help me alpha test the pack, please contact me through https://www.facebook.com/StrangeThistle/
It looks like I need at least 1 person to invite to create a discussion space on the Curse voice app.

I'm still looking forward to adding DimDoors when it is ready for 1.10.2.