Mod: Meta-Structure

[MineCrak]

This is a [url=http://futurecraft.forumotion.com/t10-mod-meta-structure]post/thread[/url] I made in the original Forum, and in the original Minecraft forum [url=http://www.minecraftforum.net/topic/400606-futurecraft-command-your-fleet/page__st__460#entry7697282]thread[/url] before that. I want what I said back in the early days to remain available as a reference in this new Forum. I have not modified this post in any way from it's original content, this does not mean that I necessarily believe that every part of this (or any part) still applies to what will come with this project, but I believe that it may still be of some value. Thank you.

Subject: Mod: Meta-Structure Mon Sep 05, 2011 12:47 pm

+ Transferred this over from MCForum, with some additions & updates. [url=http://www.minecraftforum.net/topic/400606-futurecraft-command-your-fleet/page__st__460#entry7697282]Post #470[/url]:


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 "[url=http://www.gog.com/gamecard/total_anihilation_commander_pack]Total Annihilation[/url]" (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.

[fr0stbyte124]

Wow, I completely forgot about this.
I don't think the layer system meshes well with the "everyone in one instance" thing we were going to do online, but if we treated the project as something more akin to a framework than a mod, we could make a lot of spinoffs pretty easily. I was planning to do that already for the engine, but doing it for the content seems like a good idea, too.

[MineCrak]

Thanks fr0stbyte. This is just a piece of ancient arcana but I appreciate you reading it again.

[҉]

Oh, you again. I remember you. You're scary, in exactly the same way fr0st is.

[MineCrak]

Oh, you again. I remember you. You're scary, in exactly the same way fr0st is.

Well Thank You! Though I am not able to sustain the same scale of "scariness" as fr0stbyte for as long a time, that guy operates at a level I can only dream of.

btw: For some reason I cannot post in Area 52, even though that is listed as the only place to disagree with the posting rules, pretty convenient actually, heh heh.

[Dr. Mackeroth]

Right. While this is undoubtedly a good idea, we can't have players fighting each other with content packs that the other players don't have. It's like trying to use a mod item on a vanilla server, it crashes and burns everything. We could have content packs, put they would all have to come with the Futurecraft download, and then you would chose one for your tech-tree. It'd be like choosing a race in a RTS game. If someone develops a new content pack, and it's approved, then Futurecraft would update and the pack would become available! Perhaps some tech-trees would be private, or have special requirements to use them (e.g. completion of another tech tree). You could even subdivide tech trees so that you could have (for instance) a Stargate tech-tree, then you could specialize as Asgard, Ancient, Goa'uld, etc. There would also need to be a basic tech-tree which all specialization could access.

Obviously, tech-trees would need to be checked for quality and balance.

If we ever have content packs, I believe this is the best way to handle it.





However, this will only need to be implemented if people want more diverse content in Futruecraft. For the initial release we need space, Copernicus, a working version of Fr0st's graphic engine, and... that's it really.

[Chairman_Tiel]

to disagree with the posting rules, pretty convenient actually, heh heh.

Try Forum Suggestions.

[Prototype]

I think flans mod has the best system for content packs, have a core content pack, which would be pre installed with the mod, then if anyone wants to use any content packs online, they have to find servers which support those content packs (these would be single servers, separate from the main FC galaxy, but they could form a galaxy with other servers supporting those content packs)

[ACH0225]

But then the interworlds wouldn't be as big. What's the point of inter-server travel if some worlds can't be accessed because the owner is a Zothen and thinks some missile everyone loves is OP.

[Prototype]

But then the interworlds wouldn't be as big. What's the point of inter-server travel if some worlds can't be accessed because the owner is a Zothen and thinks some missile everyone loves is OP.

These worlds won't be able to access anyone else. Plus if the owner is a Zothen, nobody will want to specifically handicap their experience to play with an asshat admin.

Although I don't know if a content pack system would work, unless we just released texture packs which change the look.

[MineCrak]

The main idea I was proposing back then was that all of this work be modularized so that different people could use it as a base for completely different experiences (Different types of universes and worlds). I wasn't meaning that people in the same Universe-Grid (Server) would use different content packs.

This way all the hard work that went into creating the engine that all of Futurecraft runs on will serve the greatest possible purpose for the entire community. Some people will run Star-Gate type universes, some may run Starwars type universes or FireFly ones or whatever instead of all this incredible work forever being tied only to one very specific "Content-pack" type theme.

As great as the default Futurecraft theme-style may end up being, it is only one of many possible, and there is nothing about the core engine that requires only that specific theme pack ever be used on top of it. It just seems like it would be a waste to permanently lock down all of fr0stbytes work to only one possible surface theme.

[hyperlite]

I think we need official content packs.

[fr0stbyte124]

I've been planning to do a steampunk content pack for the engine since before I joined futurecraft. Lighter-than-air vessels and floating islands and nothing but sky below. Wouldn't be a planet, though.

[҉]

I've been planning to do a steampunk content pack for the engine since before I joined futurecraft. Lighter-than-air vessels and floating islands and nothing but sky below. Wouldn't be a planet, though.

That's what gas giants are for.

[hyperlite]

I've been planning to do a steampunk content pack for the engine since before I joined futurecraft. Lighter-than-air vessels and floating islands and nothing but sky below. Wouldn't be a planet, though.

Skylands? Tiel has skylands.