Minecraft Forums

Hello fellow minecraftians. A while ago I started developing a new mod installer. The idea was to have a java application hosted on a page set up by a modder. The application will download and install the mod for a user that visits the page as well as Minecraft Forge (or other APIs permision is given to). This was to hopefully stop some of the "help installing X mod" posts. Furthermore it would also allow modders to profit from adfly links as it is essentually a web page.

The application itself is all configured in an xml file so is easily configurable and easy to update.
Below is a picture of the installer in action

I do have a working prototype of the installer. Warning this will install Forge as well as my mine and blade commander mod (also a couple of dummy mods I was using as tests)
Link

I just want to warn you guys that this is quite an early prototype, there are still quite a few bugs in the application.

What I wanted to know from the community is something like this wanted? Would users use something like this? More importantly would modders want to use something like this?

Quote from ozzymud

This is a sweet idea, but would rather see it in a launcher that I already use. MultiMC can already install forge, change LWGL versions, and either nativly or with MCNostalgia integration downgrade Minecraft.

About the only thing that is missing is THIS... being able to download mods without having to open a browser.

I know MCNostalgia is standalone like this would be, but apparently it was able to be integrated into MultiMC.

Edit: oops, i didn't notice this was not downloadable and able to be ran locally. I know you are to be trusted, but I and people I know don't normally like to run web apps. Darn, was hoping this was a desktop app (I shoulda read the 1st post a little better, my bad)

That is actually the beauty of javafx, it can easily be changed to a desktop application. You also do have to digitally sign the jar file to have access to the users file system. This means it will not run if it has been tampered with.

You guys have to realise that although part of the motivation to make this was to address the "help i can't install forge/mods" people, the vast majority was because I have been trying to teach myself javafx. I am not even fully convinced it is something that really is needed, thus the poll.

Quote from mike3833

you shouldn't have an online installer bcuz sum1 could hack and put in a virus

As stated above, the jar file needs to be digitally signed to access the file system. Any tampering with the jar will cause it not to run. Furthermore I don't see how people are concerned about viruses from an online app but not from a minecraft mod.

Quote from ozzymud

Still, with the adf.ly or whatever, it wouldn't lend itself to being called from like MultiMC like MCNostalgia can I wish more modders would pop a $1 donate button on their thread, there are MANY I bet would be clicked on. I mean 10,000 clicks = $5.00 on adf.ly, how many people actually get 10,000 clicks on a download? 6 clicks on a $1 paypal donate button would be about the same

From what I have heard most do not get anything from dontaions. Don't get me wrong, I am very much against adfly, I don't mod for profit but for enjoyment. The only reason it would not lend itself to other desktop apps is that it requires and internet connection to actually download the mod/forge on the fly. This is part of the reason I went for a full "web app".

Quote from ozzymud

I only install mods that I trust (Forge, Rei's, CJB, Nerd-Boy , you know... people who have been around, or that I have ran thru MCP to look at for myself. People don't realize how easy it would be to steal account info or download crap to their machines thru a mod.

But who says I wouldn't one day crack it and decide to steal everyones account? Hell who says I haven't already (I havn't by the way)? I actually think the fact that people don't realise how easy this would be is actually quite scary. And the worst part is, minecraft accounts are the least of it.