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New Release! (BTW V4.64)

Posted: Fri Mar 29, 2013 10:45 pm
by FlowerChild
Version 4.64 of Better Than Wolves is ready for download!

Download Link

This release contains the following changes:

Note: This release appears to contain changes to world generation, contrary to my normal policy, but it should be noted that anything I have done here has none of the negative impacts normally associated with such changes: it will not cause unsightly seams in your world, nor place a whack of mod blocks into your world that will leave gaping holes should you uninstall the mod. Everything I have done here has been done with extreme caution and moderation so as not to mess with your worlds, and that is a policy you can expect me to continue to maintain in the future.

-Added "abandoned villages" to the mod. Villages within a certain radius of the player's spawn location will be abandoned, which resolves a number of balance issues in the early game when the player happens to spawn near a village.

-Added the ability for cows and mooshrooms to eat mycelium (as well as grass), and changed cows so that this is what triggers their transformation into mooshrooms, instead of just standing on it.

-Added the ability for Mooshrooms to spread mycelium to nearby dirt blocks. In combination with the above, this subtly changes mycelium to be an infectious organism that uses cows and their eating habits in order to spread and reproduce, rather than just kinda sitting there :)

-Added a correlation between the drop rate of Mystery Meat and accumulated cellulite.

-Changed how which crops appear in which villages is determined. Most will only contain wheat, with a few containing wheat & potatoes OR carrots (never both). Along with abandoned villages this makes finding every crop in the game a much longer process, and helps smooth out the early game progression with Hardcore Hunger as you don't get every single crop upon finding a single village. Note that which crops appear in which villages is not dependent on the world seed, and thus *may* vary even when using the same seed from world to world.

-Changed desert temples to have obsidian detailing rather than wool, as wool being used as a construction material in these kind of structures is an immersion breaker. This was also done as a first pass test of my techniques to modifying world gen, to make sure it didn't have unanticipated consequences.

-Changed desert temples in one other subtle way that I'll leave to the player to discover ;)

-Changed the "tables" in villages to be Oak Wood Tables from the mod, to prevent another immersion breaker where either you or villagers jump on a table and cause an annoying clicking sound. Obviously, these will get deleted if the mod is uninstalled from a world, but I sincerely doubt a few missing tables would be of offense to anyone.

-Changed village lamp posts to use a dark (spruce) wood block or sandstone (for desert villages) instead of cloth, for the same reasons as above.

-Changed the torch recipe to only produce one torch instead of 4, to help increase the value of coal (it is a vastly overabundant resource) and wood overall (particularly in the early game), and because it corresponds better to the recipe for redstone torches as well. This also serves to increase the value of tree farms in the late game, and the use of the Saw to gain access to high efficiency recipes, as well as to encourage the player to consider torch placement a little more instead of just spamming them to light up an area. Additionally, this increases the value of Nethercoal in the middle game.

-Changed a little something something in a way that will be left for players to discover.

-Changed mob spawners so that they won't spawn creatures wearing armor or with other equipment (skeletons still spawn with non-magical bows), thus eliminating the iron output of them. This is to discourage their use in mob traps (since spawner traps are lame due to their AFK dependency), and further promotes the construction of full blown mob-traps.

-Changed (slowed) the growth rate of melons and pumpkins substantially to help further balance them as food sources.

-Changed ladders and other climbable blocks (like Ropes and vines) so that they may not be climbed if you are crippled, and so that other movement status penalties are also applied.

-Fixed problem with not being able to sprint at 5 hunger pips, instead of 4 (when 'Peckish' is first displayed).

-Fixed slight golden tinge in the Iron Nugget texture.

-Fixed vanilla problem where torches on village lamp-posts would be floating in mid air instead of attached to the lamp post itself. Obviously, this only affects newly generated villages.

-Fixed problem with particles not displaying when cows converted to mooshrooms.

-Fixed texture-offset problem with distended cow udders.

-Fixed problem with wolves being able to eat Cooked Carrots and Chowder.

-Removed the ability to "cook" logs into charcoal in the furnace. It must now be done in the Kiln. This was done to help increase the value of coal in the early game (for all the reasons stated in the torch recipe change above), while not adversely affecting late game automated systems. It also serves to increase the value of Kilns and particularly auto-Kilns in the late game.

-Removed the coal drop from wither skeletons to further promote the use of Kilns in the late game as a source of charcoal. It never fit particularly well with them anyways.

Enjoy! :)

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If you'd like to say thanks for this release and help contribute to the further development of Better Than Wolves, please consider making a donation:

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Re: New Release! (BTW V4.64)

Posted: Fri Mar 29, 2013 10:47 pm
by BlackCat
Fuck. Yes. Please. More.

*splooge*

Re: New Release! (BTW V4.64)

Posted: Fri Mar 29, 2013 10:49 pm
by Sarudak
FlowerChild wrote: -Changed the torch recipe to only produce one torch instead of 4, to help increase the value of coal (it is a vastly overabundant resource) and wood overall (particularly in the early game), and because it corresponds better to the recipe for redstone torches as well. This also serves to increase the value of tree farms in the late game, and the use of the Saw to gain access to high efficiency recipes, as well as to encourage the player to consider torch placement a little more instead of just spamming them to light up an area. Additionally, this increases the value of Nethercoal in the middle game.

Well played. I certainly won't be passing up any coal veins any more. At least in the early game.

Re: New Release! (BTW V4.64)

Posted: Fri Mar 29, 2013 10:50 pm
by FlowerChild
Sarudak wrote:Well played. I certainly won't be passing up any coal veins any more. At least in the early game.
Thanks man :)

I honestly felt it was more relevant than changing burn times or what have you, given that torches are probably the primary use of coal in the game, and it tends to permeate the entire game rather than just the early.

And once again: great idea on the charcoal/furnace change :)

In retrospect, I'm really not certain what the hell Notch was doing when he added charcoal as an alternative source of coal given its abundance. I'll chalk that up to one of his few real gaffs ;)

Re: New Release! (BTW V4.64)

Posted: Fri Mar 29, 2013 10:54 pm
by obl1terat1ion
Oh....oh my.... *runs off to play*

Re: New Release! (BTW V4.64)

Posted: Fri Mar 29, 2013 10:54 pm
by HappyDyas
Great update as always FC! keep up the amazing work! all of us here really appreciate the sweat, blood, and determination you put into each new release!
Was about to go do some reading for my lifeguarding class but.... i guess saving peoples lives can wait

Re: New Release! (BTW V4.64)

Posted: Fri Mar 29, 2013 10:55 pm
by FlowerChild
HappyDyas wrote: Was about to go do some reading for my lifeguarding class but....
Why did my mind auto-complete that sentence to end with "...but let the fuckers drown" :)

Re: New Release! (BTW V4.64)

Posted: Fri Mar 29, 2013 10:56 pm
by DNoved1
FlowerChild wrote:-Added a correlation between the drop rate of Mystery Meat and accumulated cellulite.
And so it was that prisoners were forced to eat cake before executing them. Reminds me of Hansel and Gretel.
FlowerChild wrote:-torch changes...Additionally, this increases the value of Nethercoal in the middle game.
Curious, does this mean nethercoal still gives 4 torches, or is it more valuable because it essentially costs half the coal?

Re: New Release! (BTW V4.64)

Posted: Fri Mar 29, 2013 10:57 pm
by HappyDyas
because you know that the mod is more addicting than cocaine! :)

Re: New Release! (BTW V4.64)

Posted: Fri Mar 29, 2013 11:00 pm
by FlowerChild
DNoved1 wrote: Curious, does this mean nethercoal still gives 4 torches, or is it more valuable because it essentially costs half the coal?
No, it's 1 to 1 as well, just more valuable by allowing you to spread out your coal.

Not sure if the effort will really finally justify the benefit, but we'll see :)

Nethercoal is kinda still one of those dangling boogers on the mod's design: one of those things I implemented way back in the day because it seemed like a good idea at the time, but which has lost relevance along the way.

I don't want to spend too much time "giving a useless item a use", but it did occur to me this change *might* help that aspect while I was doing it for other reasons.

Re: New Release! (BTW V4.64)

Posted: Fri Mar 29, 2013 11:02 pm
by darahalian
DNoved1 wrote:
FlowerChild wrote:-torch changes...Additionally, this increases the value of Nethercoal in the middle game.
Curious, does this mean nethercoal still gives 4 torches, or is it more valuable because it essentially costs half the coal?
I just checked, and nether coal gives only 1 torch as well, so it's the latter.

But anyway, thanks for another great release! The changes to iron and now to torches certainly seem pretty harsh at first, but I'm sure I'll get used to them pretty quickly.
-Changed a little something something in a way that will be left for players to discover.
Hmmm.. I'm not sure if I should be worried about this or not...

Re: New Release! (BTW V4.64)

Posted: Fri Mar 29, 2013 11:05 pm
by Sarudak
darahalian wrote: Hmmm.. I'm not sure if I should be worried about this or not...
You should

Re: New Release! (BTW V4.64)

Posted: Fri Mar 29, 2013 11:05 pm
by HappyDyas
But it's BTW baby! what isn't there to be worried about? :)

Edit: Darn it Sarudak, beat me to it

Re: New Release! (BTW V4.64)

Posted: Fri Mar 29, 2013 11:12 pm
by Gunnerman21
Woo! another release for me to be afraid of.. oh god Flowerchild, you play with my soul like a kid sitting on an ant-hill with a magnifying glass...

Re: New Release! (BTW V4.64)

Posted: Fri Mar 29, 2013 11:26 pm
by Mud
Yay, now I can finally start my new world.

Re: New Release! (BTW V4.64)

Posted: Fri Mar 29, 2013 11:34 pm
by Mr_Hosed
Torches... Me thinks my village doesn't need no stickin' lights. MINE!

Re: New Release! (BTW V4.64)

Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2013 12:31 am
by Mud
Mr_Hosed wrote:Torches... Me thinks my village doesn't need no stickin' lights. MINE!
The changes to crops now gives me a valid excuse to massacre the first few villages I come across. ;P

Re: New Release! (BTW V4.64)

Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2013 1:07 am
by Xeo
The coal changes make me really excited. Something about the idea of a charcoal factory makes me really excited. I can just imagine huge kilns with logs pushed into them in a big industrial building, automation is fun but automation that looks badass is amazing.

Re: New Release! (BTW V4.64)

Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2013 1:27 am
by JakeZKAM
FlowerChild wrote: -Changed the torch recipe to only produce one torch instead of 4,

-Changed a little something something in a way that will be left for players to discover.

-Changed ladders and other climbable blocks (like Ropes and vines) so that they may not be climbed if you are crippled, and so that other movement status penalties are also applied.

-Removed the ability to "cook" logs into charcoal in the furnace.
YAY I love the torch and charcoal changes, the change from 4 to one is something I actually didn't think of but damn that does have a kick when combined with the charcoal change XD.

Not being able to climb when crippled is awesome man ;) so many ideas for my map now... >:D

You're a big tease :P time for some experimentation XD

Re: New Release! (BTW V4.64)

Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2013 1:32 am
by FlowerChild
JakeZKAM wrote:You're a big tease :P time for some experimentation XD
Am I a bigger or smaller tease if I say the something something is the first step in my epic brainstorm from yesterday? :)

Re: New Release! (BTW V4.64)

Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2013 1:38 am
by MrPlatypus
I can't help but cringe at all the ways gameplay will be more difficult from now on. However, in the back of my mind I know that these changes will produce an overall better experience. But still, damn...
FlowerChild wrote:Am I a bigger or smaller tease if I say the something something is the first step in my epic brainstorm from yesterday? :)
SAY IT!!!

Re: New Release! (BTW V4.64)

Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2013 1:38 am
by JakeZKAM
FlowerChild wrote:
JakeZKAM wrote:You're a big tease :P time for some experimentation XD
Am I a bigger or smaller tease if I say the something something is the first step in my epic brainstorm from yesterday? :)
>.< Man I was kinda hoping to get some sleep tonight... XD

Re: New Release! (BTW V4.64)

Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2013 1:43 am
by GalaxyTreader
While exploring a jungle temple I spawned by, I found something very interesting. Anyway, love the changes in this release! Never did I think coal would be something I would go out of my way to get.

Re: New Release! (BTW V4.64)

Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2013 1:48 am
by SubparFiddle
Wow, I picked a great time to get back into Minecraft. This mod has effectively rekindled whatever it is that makes (rather, made) Minecraft so worthwhile!

From skulking around these forums for some days now I've definitely become a fan of your's, FC!



Edit for more on-topicness:
I did cringe a bit on reading about coal and torches, but I know it's for the best!

Re: New Release! (BTW V4.64)

Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2013 2:50 am
by Graphite
Not sure I particularly care about the torch-changes, particularly with regard to my branch-mining operations. My base'll be fine atleast as I designed it around low-light-level situations (think I can knock out every torch except the ones near my gate), but half-slabbing my entire branch-mine is not really an option. :P

Ah well, will see how it works out.

Totally agree on the melon and pumpkin growth-rates, though, as they were just silly. I had a plot with 8 pumpkin plants and it could sustain me indefinitely with melons to spare.