so it's already been suggested a few times here and there, but I am posting this topic with a bit of my own thought about a mod for Skyblock.
as most of you already know (and if not) there is a survival map challenge called SkyBlock (http://www.minecraftforum.net/topic/600254-surv-skyblock/) you spawn on a small floating island, with just a bit of dirt, a tree, and a chest with some items. your goal is to complete all the challenges.
many people have made LP's about this, some did it legit, others did it modded.
with the mod I am suggesting about the Skyblock map is added in the World Type selection when you create a new world, but it's not just that.
you can only select Survival as Game Mode and before you make the new world you can also set the difficulty of the SkyBlock map, the difficulty cannot be changed ingame afterwards and as it says, it sets the difficulty of the SkyBlock map.
Difficulty:
Peaceful: The world starts in creative mode. you can use any block and mobs do spawn, but do not attack.
Easy: Your world starts in a normal biome, and your chest is filled with most of the items you can usually get from the chests in SkyBlock.
Normal: Your world still starts in a normal biome, but you still need to reach the other chests to get their items.
Hard: Your world starts in a snow biome, and you start with only a few items just enough to get to the next island. there you can again only get enough items to be able to go to the nether. you only get the most needed items.
now when you start a SkyBlock map, there is always 1 special block in your chest, that is called the Achievement Tracker (well, it doesn't really matter what it's called, but it tracks your achievements and some more things) this block cannot be crafted, and if you lose it you pretty much lost (except for Peaceful, since that is in creative mode)
when you place down the block, and right click it, a window opens that shows all the challenges you need to complete, and which you have already completed. there is a small inventory where you can put the required items in to complete the challenges. so for example to complete the first challenge of the SkyBlock challenge list, which is to build a cobblestone generator you need to put 16 cobblestone in the inventory. and as example for the farms you need to put a full stack of that specific item in the inventory. each time you complete a challenge that specific challenge changed in the challenge list to completed.
for the easy difficulty, all required items are 1x, for normal all the required items will be 4x and for hard all the required items will be 16x. so in easy, you would only need 16 cobblestone to complete the cobblestone generator achievement. for normal you would need 64 cobblestone, and for hard you'd need 4 stacks of cobblestone.
lastly you will also be able to trade items in the achievement tracker. each time you complete a challenge, you can trade that item needed in the challenge, for a different item. I haven't really thought out what items you need to get other items, but this is basically meant to make the SkyBlock challenge a bit more... advanced since you'll be able to get iron and redstone and such and create things like pistons so you can build a more advanced SkyBlock Island. ofcourse the amount of items you get for trading also depends on the difficulty set.
this pretty much is the idea I had about the SkyBlock mod from my personal playing experience. I often restart a map if I didn't like the world, but with SkyBlock I constantly had to get the save from SkyBlock again to be able to start over. I also thought it'd be nice if you could actually complete a challenge and see all the challenges ingame, and lastly I often played the SkyBlock map with mods so I could get needed items to make more advanced setups, but those usually tend to OP the SkyBlock map, making it too easy. so a way to merge the challenges with rewards would be a good way IMO.
I would like to look over your suggestions, as there might be something useful there. I should point out that Minecraft already has an "achievement tracker" system built into the game, which is something I'm trying to work into the mod as well at the moment. Actually implementing such a thing isn't easy, and I've run into a couple of minor roadblocks... but it isn't anything that is a major problem at the moment either. You ought to check it out.
I don't know how hooking into the level difficulty setting would necessarily happen, but it is something I could investigate. From direct experience at making such a mod... it isn't easy to accomplish though. Good ideas!
as most of you already know (and if not) there is a survival map challenge called SkyBlock (http://www.minecraftforum.net/topic/600254-surv-skyblock/) you spawn on a small floating island, with just a bit of dirt, a tree, and a chest with some items. your goal is to complete all the challenges.
many people have made LP's about this, some did it legit, others did it modded.
with the mod I am suggesting about the Skyblock map is added in the World Type selection when you create a new world, but it's not just that.
you can only select Survival as Game Mode and before you make the new world you can also set the difficulty of the SkyBlock map, the difficulty cannot be changed ingame afterwards and as it says, it sets the difficulty of the SkyBlock map.
Difficulty:
Peaceful: The world starts in creative mode. you can use any block and mobs do spawn, but do not attack.
Easy: Your world starts in a normal biome, and your chest is filled with most of the items you can usually get from the chests in SkyBlock.
Normal: Your world still starts in a normal biome, but you still need to reach the other chests to get their items.
Hard: Your world starts in a snow biome, and you start with only a few items just enough to get to the next island. there you can again only get enough items to be able to go to the nether. you only get the most needed items.
now when you start a SkyBlock map, there is always 1 special block in your chest, that is called the Achievement Tracker (well, it doesn't really matter what it's called, but it tracks your achievements and some more things) this block cannot be crafted, and if you lose it you pretty much lost (except for Peaceful, since that is in creative mode)
when you place down the block, and right click it, a window opens that shows all the challenges you need to complete, and which you have already completed. there is a small inventory where you can put the required items in to complete the challenges. so for example to complete the first challenge of the SkyBlock challenge list, which is to build a cobblestone generator you need to put 16 cobblestone in the inventory. and as example for the farms you need to put a full stack of that specific item in the inventory. each time you complete a challenge that specific challenge changed in the challenge list to completed.
for the easy difficulty, all required items are 1x, for normal all the required items will be 4x and for hard all the required items will be 16x. so in easy, you would only need 16 cobblestone to complete the cobblestone generator achievement. for normal you would need 64 cobblestone, and for hard you'd need 4 stacks of cobblestone.
lastly you will also be able to trade items in the achievement tracker. each time you complete a challenge, you can trade that item needed in the challenge, for a different item. I haven't really thought out what items you need to get other items, but this is basically meant to make the SkyBlock challenge a bit more... advanced since you'll be able to get iron and redstone and such and create things like pistons so you can build a more advanced SkyBlock Island. ofcourse the amount of items you get for trading also depends on the difficulty set.
this pretty much is the idea I had about the SkyBlock mod from my personal playing experience. I often restart a map if I didn't like the world, but with SkyBlock I constantly had to get the save from SkyBlock again to be able to start over. I also thought it'd be nice if you could actually complete a challenge and see all the challenges ingame, and lastly I often played the SkyBlock map with mods so I could get needed items to make more advanced setups, but those usually tend to OP the SkyBlock map, making it too easy. so a way to merge the challenges with rewards would be a good way IMO.
but enough blabbing from me...
http://www.minecraftforum.net/topic/1101641-124skyzone-world-generation-mod-v-07-custom-achievements-and-tiaga-biome-added/
I would like to look over your suggestions, as there might be something useful there. I should point out that Minecraft already has an "achievement tracker" system built into the game, which is something I'm trying to work into the mod as well at the moment. Actually implementing such a thing isn't easy, and I've run into a couple of minor roadblocks... but it isn't anything that is a major problem at the moment either. You ought to check it out.
I don't know how hooking into the level difficulty setting would necessarily happen, but it is something I could investigate. From direct experience at making such a mod... it isn't easy to accomplish though. Good ideas!
Version 2.1 now updated for MC 1.6.2