Mod: Meta-Structure

+ Transferred this over from MCForum, with some additions & updates. Post #470:


I've been thinking that there could be many benefits to structuring the final Mega-Mod as three Core-Mods / Layers, each with their own up-datable Modules, plus a unifying Theme wrapper mod; considering the massive scale of all the inter-related parts, features and individual contributing mods that will be required in order to bring about the whole of this Vision.

It could be structured differently from the example below, but it serves as a rough beginning idea of what the Meta-structure could look like for this project. It may take a little more time and poster-boarding of the common required elements and the ultimate goals of this Mega-Mod before the ideal/best working meta-structure for this particular project may become evident.

• Have a generic "Space Mod" (SM:X) - that is the Foundation layer for all the code relating to having a high atmosphere for each planet with the ability to enter & leave your custom Outerspace region and housing and dealing with multiple planets in that space etc. - It could itself be composed of Space Modules which could be individually updated, such as [ Planetary Orbit creation & physics etc (SM:Orbit); Moon & Moon-let & Ore creation & physics in Orbit (SM:Moons); the code, appearance and portal mechanics of transitioning from Orbit to Deep Space and back (SM:Boundary); The inter-server deep-space structure & physics (SM:Deepspace); Asteriod Belts, physics & Ores etc (SM:Asteroid); Space anomalies/dangers like Black-holes, Radiation Storms etc (SM:Anomaly) ];

• Then the "Future-Tech Mod" (FT:X) - that adds all of the core Tech logic. It could itself be composed of Tech Modules which could be individually updated, such as [ Robot-Tech (FT:Robot), Ship-Tech (FT:Ship), Construction-Tech (FT:Craft), Device-Tech (FT:Device), etc ];

• Then the "Content Style Packs" (Style:X) - like (Style:SG) "Star-Gate" which would consist of the specific content like the ships and robots you are currently designing, actually I believe that what you are currently planning would use more than one Content pack inside of a combined Theme (See next Layer below). I would think that all of the Tech logic would need to be rolled into the "Future-Tech" mod with this layer being the design layer that defines the way that the FT logic is combined into units and used as well as providing the custom imagery and effects unique to that specific Content pack.

• There could then be the Unifying Wrapper Mod "FutureCraft Theme" (FC:X) - such as (FC:SGA) for "FutureCraft: Star-Gate Atlantis". This part would be the unifying presentation layer which would both act as the Definition-Structure that lists what Modules/Techs/Styles etc are collectively combined into that specific theme, as well as housing and defining any Minecraft Loader Interface changes and final Texture combination decisions etc. This will allow multiple Content packs to co-exist inside of one Theme, such as (FC:SWvsST) "FutureCraft: Star Wars vs Star Trek" etc.

Each Core layer would have compatibility hooks and such and could each be updated separately. Your current Mod concept would be a Theme wrapped version of all these Core Mods & their modules with your specific Content packs plugged in.

Organizing the project like this would allow any number of different types of game experiences to be created and would result in an entire Ecosystem of different Content packs and other Mods to be built on or added to your Core Mods!

You would have the Style:SG-Atlantis Content pack covered solid as well as the other custom content pack/s that would comprise the non-SG content you are currently planning as well. People could also come up with Star Trek/Star Wars etc Content packs. Or someone could even build a "Space 1889" type pack & theme on top of the Base "Space Mod" layer or with FC as a whole with a custom selection of Tech Modules. I can't help but wonder if a "Total Annihilation" (TA) type pack & theme couldn't also be built on top of the "Future-Tech" layer or with FC as a whole with a custom selection of Tech Modules? With all of the Robot tech you are talking about I would suspect it could.

This series of Core-Mods & their Modules could be Foundational and provide people with a whole range of different experiences and Fun. I look forward to experiencing what this has to offer, I'd better finish building my new computer though so that I will have enough power to run it.

Something like this would be better if this was singleplayer so players could customize their experience with only the things they need. (Like Buildcraft) However as the focus of this mod appears to be multiplayer, it would be better to release one version at a time so that players would all have the same version for multiplayer.

However, you could still incorporate your system of sectioning by releasing the different sections in subsequent patches.

This is meant as a means for this team and other modders to be able to more easily use the systemically similar parts of this huge project in order to create any number of thematic experiences without having to reinvent this HUGE wheel over and over again. I suppose, if done right, or if an additional interface were built and added to it that a regular user could also use this in this way, but that wasn't my primary initial concern, even if it does make it potentially possible.

It should also make the entire development and testing process of this huge beast way easier by allowing well defined sub-sections to be developed and tested in parallel without everyone always having to wait for everyone else in order to do compiles, and never knowing if it's something in your section that's causing the new bug or something that someone else added to the whole compile that's doing it.

Unfortunately it seems very unlikely that a structuring of the project and code could ever be reversed and completely redone after the fact. It either starts out as a monolithic construct or as a structured, plug-able and expandable one. You can't easily go back and redo it without a complete rewrite.

Whatever you guys do is fine I'm sure. But it would be a waste of immense potential to limit the use of all this work, time and code to only one specific thematic experience when an almost infinite number of them could be enabled by this project by essentially building a Mega-Mod tool-kit as it's functional core. It would also make updating and improving it much easier for you.

This Mega-mod can achieve so much, whichever way is gone.

MineCrak wrote:

This is meant as a means for this team and other modders to be able to more easily use the systemically similar parts of this huge project in order to create any number of thematic experiences without having to reinvent this HUGE wheel over and over again. I suppose, if done right, or if an additional interface were built and added to it that a regular user could also use this in this way, but that wasn't my primary initial concern, even if it does make it potentially possible.

It should also make the entire development and testing process of this huge beast way easier by allowing well defined sub-sections to be developed and tested in parallel without everyone always having to wait for everyone else in order to do compiles, and never knowing if it's something in your section that's causing the new bug or something that someone else added to the whole compile that's doing it.

Unfortunately it seems very unlikely that a structuring of the project and code could ever be reversed and completely redone after the fact. It either starts out as a monolithic construct or as a structured, plug-able and expandable one. You can't easily go back and redo it without a complete rewrite.

Whatever you guys do is fine I'm sure. But it would be a waste of immense potential to limit the use of all this work, time and code to only one specific thematic experience when an almost infinite number of them could be enabled by this project by essentially building a Mega-Mod tool-kit as it's functional core. It would also make updating and improving it much easier for you.

This Mega-mod can achieve so much, whichever way is gone.

I see what you are saying now, I was assuming you meant that the mod should be developed so it could be released separately like buildcraft (it has several separate mods that handle different functions) but now I see that you are trying to make it easier to develop and mod by splitting the work into sections. I understand that.

Thanks for giving me an opportunity to further develop and explain the benefits and purposes of a development Meta-Structure.

Your question has likely helped to clarify things for others as well.

So what does that mean? for us mostly.

Ok is this forum now an official Necro-Party?

I started it. Tunnel is late to the party.

I outdid you all.

When/if the mods return, There Will Be Bans.
But they probably won't.