I'm going to have to say as well that my latest play through with the mod has been more about making bread to make more bread then exploring, finding resources, and building. But I still love it and support it.
Yup, it's certainly changed things dramatically, but that's almost all about the early game. Late game has remained largely unchanged, with the exception that you're now encouraged to build more varied automated farms (which is a good thing IMO).
Previously, there just wasn't much early game at all, because vanilla's "tech tree" is ridiculously easy to complete.
My general design approach to BTW has always been to tackle the point in the game I feel is currently weakest and which makes the most effective use of my time in terms of "bang for the buck" (amount of fun provided vs effort expended on my part).
When I first started working on the mod, I felt the lack of meaningful redstone devices was the weak point, so for a long time I focused on that. Then, I viewed the lack of coherent tech progression to be the weak point, so I worked on that. I've basically moved from one area to another over the course of development, always focusing on what I view to be the weakest point in the overall game design.
That has also resulted in a minority freaking out each time I move on to something new saying that "this isn't what BTW is about!", based on their own preconceived notions of what BTW is. Seriously, if you go back in the thread, you'll see people freaking when I first introduced the concepts of "ages" into the mod, because to them it represented BTW shifting in directions they hadn't anticipated and didn't want. Obviously though, today it is taken as a given that BTW contains a coherent tech-tree, and it's actually one of the things that most draws people to the mod.
The thing is, I don't view BTW to be "about" any one thing in particular. I view it as an extension and reworking of MC to try and turn it into the game I would have hoped it would become. That's it.
It's not dissimilar to Mojang's own approach, where they *try* to focus and improve a different aspect of the game with each update these days.
Sure I made the odd suggestion or two, but I did so without any expectation that they would be implemented. Your Mod, your rules. Fine by me. But why you gotta be so hostile over everything? Quit reading something negative into everything I write. I'm not here to judge you, so why you gotta judge me? Make peace, not war, man.
There is a difference between hostility and honesty, and it's one i think that is ignored much too frequently. He's spent a unimaginable amount of time on this mod, and so i think it's safe to assume that he's grown to be a little direct with his requests, which typically people respond to by being offended. He's yelled at me, and a number of other forum members, regardless of the amount of time that they have been around, but just like a friend, teacher, co-worker or a roomate, you just have to get over it.
As a general rule he does not approve of suggestions. In fact he hates them with a particular passion. See this for general guidelines as to the quality of suggestions he *might* find permissible.
Oh, I expect suggestions. I just don't like or want them. Big difference there.
99% of suggestions are utter rubbish (like yours above). After 2 years at this, and hearing countless iterations of the same stale ideas (like yours above), I could do without them.
I *really* appreciate good suggestions, and I always make an effort to acknowledge them as such. Unfortunately, they are just so few and far between that they're mostly lost in all the noise (like yours above).
FlowerChild could you give us an example of a "good" suggestion so than we all could picture it and not make "bad" suggestions
FlowerChild could you give us an example of a "good" suggestion so than we all could picture it and not make "bad" suggestions
If you don't instinctively know the difference, chances are your suggestions will be bad.
I evaluate suggestions based on consistency with the rest of the mod's design, potential fun provided vs work required (bang for the buck), and a personal wealth of game industry experience. Unless you've been playing the mod for a very long time and have gotten to know my personal design style extremely well, chances are good that your idea won't live up to my standards.
When in doubt, just don't make them. There's really no point, and in all probability I've likely already considered it myself or had it suggested before.
As someone mentioned above, if you personally believe that you have a great idea, your best course of action is to make your own mod rather than trying to propose it for this one.
If you really must see one, *this* is a good idea. It may seem exceedingly simple (most really good ideas are), but it has a number of subtle effects that indicate careful consideration of its overall impact on the game:
What's the next big thing you want to tackle, FlowerChild? I've always associated large, spinning windmills with BTW and haven't seen them done like this in any other mod. Are there any cool additions you are playing around with in your head that would be unique to BTW?
Thank you for your advice, I have been playing BTW since 1.1 i think and i will still keep playing with this mod, and i wish i could make my own mod but i suck at programming im more in to machines and things that are powered mechanically.
What's the next big thing you want to tackle, FlowerChild? I've always associated large, spinning windmills with BTW and haven't seen them done like this in any other mod. Are there any cool additions you are playing around with in your head that would be unique to BTW?
RTH (Return to Home) is definitely the next big thing I want to tackle
At present, I am currently wrapping up BTW, and there are only a few big items left on my todo list before that happens, in particular, finishing Hardcore Villagers, and BTW's "end game".
Before someone takes the above as an indication otherwise (they inevitably do), I will be continuing to maintain and update BTW for the indefinite future, but for the most part will be no longer adding new content to it once I consider it "done".
My Javascript skillz actually seem to progress. So, if I decide to make the Electrics mod (it must be the third time I revived this topic to let it die again :P) can I make it an add-on of BTW, or it will have to be a stand-alone mod?
There's no real restrictions on creating add-ons man, as long as you don't redistribute any BTW code in the process.
I'm also open to adding new code hooks that are required by add on authors (within reason) to avoid redistribution issues. Again, if you haven't checked it out, the add-on section of the BTW forums is a good place to look over to get the lay of the land:
If you're a first-time modder or coder though, I'd really recommend trying your hand at something far less ambitious than what you've described, and that's the same advice I give to pretty much everyone.
What you're proposing is rather huge, and doing that as a first time mod is most likely to only result in you becoming discouraged by the inevitable slow progress you'll be making, and giving up as a result.
Something on the scale of BTW literally represents thousands of hours of work I've put into it, and that's with me having 30 years of programming experience, so I think that will give you some idea that it is no small job to create a mod.
Even then, my initial plans only involved adding 6 blocks to MC, and it kinda mutated into this with time. If I had planned to do something on this scale initially, I probably would have decided to just go drinking instead
I know. However, this particular man being the center of the storm (even if he was not the target) seems either unfair or bad luck, depending on the point of view.
What is lost now is the context on the forums at the time. I had already asked in a couple of places that people tone it down on posting suggestions for a bit, and that was the straw that broke the camel's back.
He certainly didn't receive a temp ban for it (or even a warning) or anything like that, and I explicitly stated it wasn't his fault, but I did feel the need to make it very clear that I wasn't open to any further suggestions unless they were mind-blowing, as my previous attempts to do so were obviously not working.
In reply to one of your questions... A good suggestion was the diamond saw, built much the same as the current iron saw yet intended for wood. The anvil seems like a real quick/cheap work around.
I really hope that was a joke. Diamond saws are by far one of the most common (and worst) suggestions that has been repeatedly made for the mod
In reply to one of your questions... A good suggestion was the diamond saw, built much the same as the current iron saw yet intended for wood. The anvil seems like a real quick/cheap work around.
First, I think you meant "intended for stone" instead of wood.
Second, the problem is that the diamond saw is one of the things on the do not ever suggest list, so that means it is automatically NOT a good example.
-Edit-
First post after a long absence, and it gets ninja'd. Back to the occasional lurking, mostly absent.
Even then, my initial plans only involved adding 6 blocks to MC, and it kinda mutated into this with time. If I had planned to do something on this scale initially, I probably would have decided to just go drinking instead
I would really like to hear more about the very first version of BTW. I tried looking up version 1.0.0 in the change log on the wiki, but it just said, "initial release." What were the first 6 blocks added by BTW? Would you ever consider making a download of the very first version available?
I would really like to hear more about the very first version of BTW. I tried looking up version 1.0.0 in the change log on the wiki, but it just said, "initial release." What were the first 6 blocks added by BTW? Would you ever consider making a download of the very first version available?
Yeah i was intending to get around to redoing some chunky parts of the wiki for that stuff, when i had a massive chunk of free time.
I beleive one of them was cement, and another was the hibachi?
Errr...I think Light Blocks and Hibachi were the first two blocks I did, I know that, and the full initial 6 didn't actually appear until over a year later (the Lens got put off for a very long time due to its complexity).
I *planned* 6 initially. The plan however got changed several times along the way
For anyone that wants a trip in the way back machine, here's the first video I ever made for the mod while I was working on the first release:
Also, if you want to check the change log to get an idea of when things happened, the readme included with each version of the mod is the place to go.
Yup, it's certainly changed things dramatically, but that's almost all about the early game. Late game has remained largely unchanged, with the exception that you're now encouraged to build more varied automated farms (which is a good thing IMO).
Previously, there just wasn't much early game at all, because vanilla's "tech tree" is ridiculously easy to complete.
My general design approach to BTW has always been to tackle the point in the game I feel is currently weakest and which makes the most effective use of my time in terms of "bang for the buck" (amount of fun provided vs effort expended on my part).
When I first started working on the mod, I felt the lack of meaningful redstone devices was the weak point, so for a long time I focused on that. Then, I viewed the lack of coherent tech progression to be the weak point, so I worked on that. I've basically moved from one area to another over the course of development, always focusing on what I view to be the weakest point in the overall game design.
That has also resulted in a minority freaking out each time I move on to something new saying that "this isn't what BTW is about!", based on their own preconceived notions of what BTW is. Seriously, if you go back in the thread, you'll see people freaking when I first introduced the concepts of "ages" into the mod, because to them it represented BTW shifting in directions they hadn't anticipated and didn't want. Obviously though, today it is taken as a given that BTW contains a coherent tech-tree, and it's actually one of the things that most draws people to the mod.
The thing is, I don't view BTW to be "about" any one thing in particular. I view it as an extension and reworking of MC to try and turn it into the game I would have hoped it would become. That's it.
It's not dissimilar to Mojang's own approach, where they *try* to focus and improve a different aspect of the game with each update these days.
Well you're doing an impeccable job man, I'm still loving every second of it. I'd buy you a drink but this is the Internet.
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Retired StaffThere is a donate button =)
That works too. Lol
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Retired StaffThere is a difference between hostility and honesty, and it's one i think that is ignored much too frequently. He's spent a unimaginable amount of time on this mod, and so i think it's safe to assume that he's grown to be a little direct with his requests, which typically people respond to by being offended. He's yelled at me, and a number of other forum members, regardless of the amount of time that they have been around, but just like a friend, teacher, co-worker or a roomate, you just have to get over it.
Yeah, except they skipped right into providing overpowered ones in response, that I'll feel obliged to rip out of the game to preserve balance.
ok, thanks for the info
FlowerChild could you give us an example of a "good" suggestion so than we all could picture it and not make "bad" suggestions
If you don't instinctively know the difference, chances are your suggestions will be bad.
I evaluate suggestions based on consistency with the rest of the mod's design, potential fun provided vs work required (bang for the buck), and a personal wealth of game industry experience. Unless you've been playing the mod for a very long time and have gotten to know my personal design style extremely well, chances are good that your idea won't live up to my standards.
When in doubt, just don't make them. There's really no point, and in all probability I've likely already considered it myself or had it suggested before.
As someone mentioned above, if you personally believe that you have a great idea, your best course of action is to make your own mod rather than trying to propose it for this one.
If you really must see one, *this* is a good idea. It may seem exceedingly simple (most really good ideas are), but it has a number of subtle effects that indicate careful consideration of its overall impact on the game:
http://www.sargunster.com/btwforum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=7103
RTH (Return to Home) is definitely the next big thing I want to tackle
At present, I am currently wrapping up BTW, and there are only a few big items left on my todo list before that happens, in particular, finishing Hardcore Villagers, and BTW's "end game".
Before someone takes the above as an indication otherwise (they inevitably do), I will be continuing to maintain and update BTW for the indefinite future, but for the most part will be no longer adding new content to it once I consider it "done".
You can go to the Q&A thread.
There's no real restrictions on creating add-ons man, as long as you don't redistribute any BTW code in the process.
I'm also open to adding new code hooks that are required by add on authors (within reason) to avoid redistribution issues. Again, if you haven't checked it out, the add-on section of the BTW forums is a good place to look over to get the lay of the land:
http://www.sargunster.com/btwforum/viewforum.php?f=10
If you're a first-time modder or coder though, I'd really recommend trying your hand at something far less ambitious than what you've described, and that's the same advice I give to pretty much everyone.
What you're proposing is rather huge, and doing that as a first time mod is most likely to only result in you becoming discouraged by the inevitable slow progress you'll be making, and giving up as a result.
Something on the scale of BTW literally represents thousands of hours of work I've put into it, and that's with me having 30 years of programming experience, so I think that will give you some idea that it is no small job to create a mod.
Even then, my initial plans only involved adding 6 blocks to MC, and it kinda mutated into this with time. If I had planned to do something on this scale initially, I probably would have decided to just go drinking instead
What is lost now is the context on the forums at the time. I had already asked in a couple of places that people tone it down on posting suggestions for a bit, and that was the straw that broke the camel's back.
He certainly didn't receive a temp ban for it (or even a warning) or anything like that, and I explicitly stated it wasn't his fault, but I did feel the need to make it very clear that I wasn't open to any further suggestions unless they were mind-blowing, as my previous attempts to do so were obviously not working.
I really hope that was a joke. Diamond saws are by far one of the most common (and worst) suggestions that has been repeatedly made for the mod
First, I think you meant "intended for stone" instead of wood.
Second, the problem is that the diamond saw is one of the things on the do not ever suggest list, so that means it is automatically NOT a good example.
-Edit-
First post after a long absence, and it gets ninja'd. Back to the occasional lurking, mostly absent.
I would really like to hear more about the very first version of BTW. I tried looking up version 1.0.0 in the change log on the wiki, but it just said, "initial release." What were the first 6 blocks added by BTW? Would you ever consider making a download of the very first version available?
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Retired StaffYeah i was intending to get around to redoing some chunky parts of the wiki for that stuff, when i had a massive chunk of free time.
I beleive one of them was cement, and another was the hibachi?
I *planned* 6 initially. The plan however got changed several times along the way
For anyone that wants a trip in the way back machine, here's the first video I ever made for the mod while I was working on the first release:
Also, if you want to check the change log to get an idea of when things happened, the readme included with each version of the mod is the place to go.