M!C's News Compilation

[MoRmEnGiL]

The one thing that I was thinking once I upgraded to the new terrain generator, is go in MCedit and delete all the chunks I didn't need around my base perimeter, then edit in huge walls around the leftover world to separate it from the new chunks.

I'm talking 3-4 blocks thick walls out of some material not usually found in the overworld naturally (like netherbricks or soulsand or smething suitably ominous) that would stretch from bedrock to sky top. The reasoning behind this witchery would be up to imagination, but just because this would tickle my imagination I liked this idea and it still is my official plan :P Pocket universe anyone?

[FurkeyRefills]

Hurray for the AI guy, may he come and fix wolves soon !

[M!C]

Looks like the wolves' AI will get some attention again ... looks like the title of our favorite mod didn't change anything. ;)

At least Jeb is working on the "modding thing" ... I just want to believe that improves things for modders ... somehow ... a little bit. :P

[Ferrus.Manus]

Looks like the wolves' AI will get some attention again ... looks like the title of our favorite mod didn't change anything. ;)

I think it's good that they are at least trying to fix it instead of leaving it in the horrible state they are now. Though I would prefer if they fixed minecarts first though.

[Stormweaver]

Looks like the wolves' AI will get some attention again ... looks like the title of our favorite mod didn't change anything. ;)

I think it's good that they are at least trying to fix it instead of leaving it in the horrible state they are now. Though I would prefer if they fixed minecarts first though.

Minecarts are the last thing I want them looking at right now tbh; since the change to mob behaviour in 1.0, I don't want notch 'slipping in' a small fix to prevent animal breeding in them. Right now, the breeding system is going to be the main tie-in between BTW as a whole and minecarts imo.

[M!C]

Sorry for not updating the last few days but exams kept me busy ...

Jeb did only 3 tweets in the meantime anyway so we didn't miss anything.

Because of the lack of any other news:

This thread just surpassed 10000 views! YAY!

[Zhil]

News from IRC:
Jeb is officially working on the official modding API. He contacted some people apparently to talk about the requirements. He went into the #RedPower channel to talk with Eloraam about it, but unfortunately I don't have logs, so I don't have an exact transcript of what was said. I wasn't there at the time, so I don't know more specifics.

[jorgebonafe]

He went into the #RedPower channel to talk with Eloraam about it, but unfortunately I don't have logs, so I don't have an exact transcript of what was said.

Hummm... Considering recent events I wonder if this is a good thing or a bad thing....

[Katalliaan]

I wonder what there is to work on, seeing as how the original plan for the "API" was just giving modders access to the unobfuscated code. Is he trying to write something to replace things like Modloader and Forge?

[Zhil]

I wonder what there is to work on, seeing as how the original plan for the "API" was just giving modders access to the unobfuscated code. Is he trying to write something to replace things like Modloader and Forge?

Yes. It was announced recently that there is going to be an official API after all that will replace Modloader/Forge/whatever

[Zhil]

I managed to get a hold of the official IRC logs. Maybe someone can make a digest of important stuff?

http://pastebin.com/Cv8YY3Ms

Some perspective:
Ecu is server admin of a prominent tech mod server
Searge is the MCP guy

[Stormweaver]

I have a sudden sense of impending doom.

It's not (entirely) that I'd be against a version of forge maintained by elo in the main game, more that it'd be a damned sight harder to keep things incompatible in that case, which again closes the gap between BTW and 'tech mods'. Hopefully jeb will put this off in favour of actually fixing some bugs and not destroying core vMC gameplay.

[Zhil]

I have a sudden sense of impending doom.

It's not (entirely) that I'd be against a version of forge maintained by elo in the main game, more that it'd be a damned sight harder to keep things incompatible in that case, which again closes the gap between BTW and 'tech mods'. Hopefully jeb will put this off in favour of actually fixing some bugs and not destroying core vMC gameplay.

If you read the posted conversation, you'll see that Eloraam or the Forge are not really the main candidate for official API man.

All signs point to Jeb officially supporting or rewriting some version of YourCraft, an upcoming API from the MCP folks, which trumps the Forge on about all accounts.

[FlowerChild]

I read through that transcript, and it sounds good to me man. An official API is probably just what the modding community needs.

Obviously, I wouldn't want Eloraam in charge of anything like that, but it looks like he's just asking around with the various APIs to try and get some perspective on the community and its needs.

[Zhil]

I read through that transcript, and it sounds good to me man. An official API is probably just what the modding community needs.

Obviously, I wouldn't want Eloraam in charge of anything like that, but it looks like he's just asking around with the various APIs to try and get some perspective on the community and its needs.

Yeah, his main interest seems to be the MCP team, who are releasing an API soon that allows you to make base class edits through byte code injection, meaning almost 100% compatibility between mods, like BTW, that only hook into behavior here and there.

[Ruinous]

Mmm, That seems very much more promising than the current forge debacle. Why wasnt this byte code injection method used in place of the numerous hook-catalogue api's we currently have? Is it just a much harder to implement than the current crop of hook-catalogue APIs?

[Zhil]

Mmm, That seems very much more promising than the current forge debacle. Why wasnt this byte code injection method used in place of the numerous hook-catalogue api's we currently have? Is it just a much harder to implement than the current crop of hook-catalogue APIs?

MCP API has always worked like that, people just don't like it, because base class edits are easier. Let's hope the future changes that, because APIs like this ARE your best bet for compatibility

[PatrickSJ]

Will it be easier to slip in malicious code such as password capture using this method or is that something that can be easily blocked? When I install a mod I run the class names against MCP to make sure nothing I don't want is modified.

[Zhil]

Will it be easier to slip in malicious code such as password capture using this method or is that something that can be easily blocked? When I install a mod I run the class names against MCP to make sure nothing I don't want is modified.

They are working on a sandboxed mode, so I assume passwords will be protected. The reason for sandbox is that this API will allow you to distribute one jar for client and server and the server will be able to just ask the user if he wants to switch to the mod profile the server uses.

All that needs a decent sandbox mode to avoid exploits

[Tsugumi Henduluin]

So, apparently jeb is now the lead developer on Minecraft. I wonder what that'll mean for the game. At the very least, he seems slightly more motivated to actually work on the game than Notch has been for the past, say, year or so.

[MoRmEnGiL]

I suspect notch will be pitching in here and there, not in actual code maybe but he'll probably offer advice or ideas.

I'm intrigued though, I want to see what direction will Jeb take minecraft to.

[Battosay]

New schtuff in the latest snapshot release :

New Features:

Taiga biomes return
Apples can randomly drop from trees

Apples will only drop from default trees (no pine or birch). You will get apple in 1/200 chance.

Farmland trampling mechanics have been altered

Farmland no longer tramples by walking on it, only jumping will affect it. Animals can no longer trample your crops.

"Void fog" gone at bedrock level in Creative mode



Bugs:

Breaking wheat can "trample" between 2 and 5 adjacent farmland blocks, this is being addressed
Placing a block next to double-doors (wooden) can cause them to force open
Sugar cane can be placed underwater

From the MCF homepage

[FlowerChild]

New schtuff in the latest snapshot release :

Farmland trampling mechanics have been altered

Farmland no longer tramples by walking on it, only jumping will affect it. Animals can no longer trample your crops.

Gah. HATE that animals can't trample crops. Damn man, that was the whole reason for fencing in your farms.

I'm not even sure about the walking on farmland thing. Why is this necessary?

[Battosay]

We he noticed the fence exploit (place fences under farmland to keep them safe) and fixed it, people complained about it, and he said that the problem was the trampling thing itself.
So that's his solution ;)

[Husbag3]

More news from the forums, the mod API isn't going to be around until March.