Quote from FlowerChild
I'd be particularly hesitant about any API that started expanding block IDs and that kind of thing as that can be a real performance drain, and I really don't think it's required by anyone who doesn't use an EXTREME number of mods at the same time. Like, I think both BTW and the Aether are probably the most block-id hungry mods out there, with both of us using around 30 each, and even with both installed, a user would have enough block ids left for about 3 more mods of the same size before running out. Unless Mojang makes changes to the core architecture to permit more block ids, I think a line definitely needs to be drawn at some point with regards to just how much cross-compatibility should really be expected by a player.
To be honest, the conversation about MCE was just a spillover from my own thread. I'm not expecting to see that become a part of Forge itself. A Forge-compatible extender, perhaps, but not the core.
Quote from FlowerChild
Terrain and sprite indices are another story entirely though, and I am glad you decided to include that aspect in the API. I was actually investigating another solution to solve the terrain index problem before seeing this thread ( forum thread ), and it leads me to a question about the API:
Using your method of expanding terrain indices, would it be possible for me to retain my individual modloader-style texture-files, or would I be required to move all my textures into my own version of terrain.png? One of my hesitations with the other method I was considering is that it would basically break my mod's compatibility with all the texture packs that have already included support for it, and require them to rework their pack to adapt to my changes. If at all possible I'd very much like to avoid having that happen.
The normal way is to add your own sprite pages, which contain only your own sprites. I've been using this method for quite a while myself, because my own mods use so many terrain sprites (at last count, RedPower+Integrated Redstone was using 288).
The texture pack makers for my mods have had no trouble adapting to that format. It only takes a couple minutes to copy-paste the individual textures into a sprite sheet. If they've already taken the time to make sprites for your mod, I don't think too many of them would mind that extra step.
Adding ModLoader-style overrides is possible, but it's a fair bit of code, and I've never personally been happy with the ModLoader method anyway. It uses a dynamic texture updating hook to replace textures, which among other things causes textures on blocks to display as purple rectangles after load until the game starts running. Those visual anomalies don't happen if you use your own sprite page.
Quote from FlowerChild
Since you briefly mention it, I think I'd definitely consider becoming a contributing author on this mod IF I sign on. Frankly, I think having this kind of collaborative effort going on between mod authors to help with compatibility is a brilliant idea, and one that is long overdo.
Sounds good to me.
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