I've played a ton of magic mods since I started using mods a few years ago. I've got some old favorites and some new ones I really like. But the problem is they all require elaborate magical structures and carry with them harsh, punishing risks if you don't set things up properly.
Thaumcraft has a neat system of research and some nifty magical items, but I don't even know how to use a wand, let alone half the stuff you build in a laboratory.
Ars Magica 2 has a beautiful method of crafting your own spells, and even how the spells themselves operate. But it took me about two hours to even use my first spell because of all the prepping I had to do, and that spoiled the mod for me.
Minegicka (if I spelled it right) had an awesome way of putting certain spell combinations together to have different effects, but the framerate took a serious blow whenever I had the HUD displayed. I couldn't play the game because the UI took up too much memory. It sucked that I didn't get to use any of the magic spells without putting my game at serious risk of crashing.
What happened to keeping things simple? "Well you just gotta learn and follow the instructions and you'll be okay." I shouldn't have to pull out my hair just to figure out how to set up everything I need in order to enjoy casting spells.
Ars Magica 1 had it right when you just make your spellbook and go find spells or runes to make spells with. Why all the extra steps just to cast one spell? I went to magic mods when science and machinery was too difficult for me to navigate. Even Botania and Witchery have followed the same trend. You need a sophisticated device just to do virtually anything.
I just want something I can find in a dungeon chest and use right then and there, like spell scrolls. I like collecting things. It's all right if I need to craft my own spells but at the very least, don't kill or penalize the player for not knowing the correct setup. A lot of this stuff is confusing and I have a hard time following instructions correctly. The manuals don't help that much.
I don't know how to code, either so I can't just make my own mods. God only knows how hard I've tried. The only thing I know how to make is resource packs. And I'm missing out on so much cool stuff because I don't even know how to set up a basic redstone trap. I've tried and I feel stupid over it, knowing that most Minecraft players can at least get something to work using redstone. If you're going to make a magic mod, at least make it simple and easy to understand and use. (Fun Fact: I was not taught critical thinking either in school or at home, so it's really hard for me to grasp technical instructions.)
Am I alone here?
EDIT: Looks like I'm not talking to myself. I've actually gotten an answer saying he wants to help make it. I was not expecting that. Well, I do know how to make magic sounds, and really good ones. I have a video here of another game I'm working on and every sound effect you hear in this video was made from scratch. I can at least do the audio:
Hey man! I may attempt to make a magic mod here in the future and I'm starting to collect some ideas on what to add. As someone who is not a magic fan i really plan to keep this simple and user friendly to where there is no way to "mess" anything up or receive negative consequences. If you have any ideas just send me a message and we can talk.
Have you tried reading any documentation on any of the mods you listed? More often than not, if a mod includes a complicated feature, the mod somehow explains it, whether it be from additional text attached to the item, an ingame "wiki" item (like the Thauminomicon), or an external source like a Wiki or a video. I know for a fact both Botania and Thaumcraft thoroughly explain how to operate the mechanics of each (and Thaumcraft does go into great depth into how wands work and what you need to do to charge and use them).
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Author of the Clarity, Serenity, Sapphire & Halcyon shader packs for Minecraft: Java Edition.
Yes, lots of times. It's not the developers' fault that I don't know how to use the stuff. It's that I liked the simplicity of crafting a spellbook, find/make some spells, and you're good to go, like in Ars Magica 1. Something to use while you're hunting for the other stuff.
Yes, lots of times. It's not the developers' fault that I don't know how to use the stuff. It's that I liked the simplicity of crafting a spellbook, find/make some spells, and you're good to go, like in Ars Magica 1. Something to use while you're hunting for the other stuff.
I don't think you'll find many mods like that, at least quality mods.
The problem is balance. Just a simple crafting recipe for a spell tome that shoots fire would be too overpowered, even if it required a nether star, it's still an infinite use weapon that can shoot fire. There needs to be both charge, which most mods implement (Thaumcraft uses Vis, Botania uses Mana in the form of a physical "fluid" (not a proper fluid, but a physical in-world one), Blood Magic uses Life Points or LP, Ars uses Mana bound to the player, and others use other forms of "fuel"), and a complex way to craft them.
I'd recommend maybe reading from the basic mechanics of each mod, and moving on to the next mechanic once you understand the previous (in Thaumcraft most large mechanics are linear, Vanilla Workbench -> Arcane Workbench -> Infusion Crafting, with Alchemy / Crucible recipes off to the side, Thaumcraft is one of those mods where it is very much lore-heavy, you must read and understand all elements of a mechanic to know how to use it effectively).
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Author of the Clarity, Serenity, Sapphire & Halcyon shader packs for Minecraft: Java Edition.
Thaumcraft has a neat system of research and some nifty magical items, but I don't even know how to use a wand, let alone half the stuff you build in a laboratory.
Ars Magica 2 has a beautiful method of crafting your own spells, and even how the spells themselves operate. But it took me about two hours to even use my first spell because of all the prepping I had to do, and that spoiled the mod for me.
Minegicka (if I spelled it right) had an awesome way of putting certain spell combinations together to have different effects, but the framerate took a serious blow whenever I had the HUD displayed. I couldn't play the game because the UI took up too much memory. It sucked that I didn't get to use any of the magic spells without putting my game at serious risk of crashing.
What happened to keeping things simple? "Well you just gotta learn and follow the instructions and you'll be okay." I shouldn't have to pull out my hair just to figure out how to set up everything I need in order to enjoy casting spells.
Ars Magica 1 had it right when you just make your spellbook and go find spells or runes to make spells with. Why all the extra steps just to cast one spell? I went to magic mods when science and machinery was too difficult for me to navigate. Even Botania and Witchery have followed the same trend. You need a sophisticated device just to do virtually anything.
I just want something I can find in a dungeon chest and use right then and there, like spell scrolls. I like collecting things. It's all right if I need to craft my own spells but at the very least, don't kill or penalize the player for not knowing the correct setup. A lot of this stuff is confusing and I have a hard time following instructions correctly. The manuals don't help that much.
I don't know how to code, either so I can't just make my own mods. God only knows how hard I've tried. The only thing I know how to make is resource packs. And I'm missing out on so much cool stuff because I don't even know how to set up a basic redstone trap. I've tried and I feel stupid over it, knowing that most Minecraft players can at least get something to work using redstone. If you're going to make a magic mod, at least make it simple and easy to understand and use. (Fun Fact: I was not taught critical thinking either in school or at home, so it's really hard for me to grasp technical instructions.)
Am I alone here?
EDIT: Looks like I'm not talking to myself. I've actually gotten an answer saying he wants to help make it. I was not expecting that. Well, I do know how to make magic sounds, and really good ones. I have a video here of another game I'm working on and every sound effect you hear in this video was made from scratch. I can at least do the audio:
Have you tried reading any documentation on any of the mods you listed? More often than not, if a mod includes a complicated feature, the mod somehow explains it, whether it be from additional text attached to the item, an ingame "wiki" item (like the Thauminomicon), or an external source like a Wiki or a video. I know for a fact both Botania and Thaumcraft thoroughly explain how to operate the mechanics of each (and Thaumcraft does go into great depth into how wands work and what you need to do to charge and use them).
Author of the Clarity, Serenity, Sapphire & Halcyon shader packs for Minecraft: Java Edition.
My Github page.
The entire Minecraft shader development community now has its own Discord server! Feel free to join and chat with all the developers!
I don't think you'll find many mods like that, at least quality mods.
The problem is balance. Just a simple crafting recipe for a spell tome that shoots fire would be too overpowered, even if it required a nether star, it's still an infinite use weapon that can shoot fire. There needs to be both charge, which most mods implement (Thaumcraft uses Vis, Botania uses Mana in the form of a physical "fluid" (not a proper fluid, but a physical in-world one), Blood Magic uses Life Points or LP, Ars uses Mana bound to the player, and others use other forms of "fuel"), and a complex way to craft them.
I'd recommend maybe reading from the basic mechanics of each mod, and moving on to the next mechanic once you understand the previous (in Thaumcraft most large mechanics are linear, Vanilla Workbench -> Arcane Workbench -> Infusion Crafting, with Alchemy / Crucible recipes off to the side, Thaumcraft is one of those mods where it is very much lore-heavy, you must read and understand all elements of a mechanic to know how to use it effectively).
Author of the Clarity, Serenity, Sapphire & Halcyon shader packs for Minecraft: Java Edition.
My Github page.
The entire Minecraft shader development community now has its own Discord server! Feel free to join and chat with all the developers!