Jeb, Dinnerbone, Grum, and EvilSeph have been discussing the upcoming Mod API in detail! This is only a small look at the massive amount of information provided about the Mod API, so let's dive right in!
API Questions:
Will mods have the ability to modify text?
Mods can have config files that, when initialized, will be able to dynamically print text in a variety of ways.
Will mods like Optifine (which modify the engine directly) be supported?
The API will eliminate the need to write to the engine directly, allowing modifications that affect the game (as any mod will), without altering the game code itself. Among other things, this will greatly simplify mod installation.
Can vanilla block behavior be modified?
Yes.
Will there be official community resources (tutorials, forums, etc) for modders?
Yes.
How will mods be distributed by modders, and downloaded by players?
Players will be able to download mods from the game client itself.
Will the API be able to add new mobs to the game through mods?
Yes. Additionally, it will be possible to modify animated blocks (water, lava) as well as custom animated blocks.
Will the API be like Bukkit (an outside resource)?
No, the API will be integrated into the vanilla game, hopefully bypassing the need for exernal APIs.
Will client-only mods be supported by the API?
Not at this time, but as the biggest client-only modifications are already covered (texture packs, splash screen text etc), it didn't seem necessary.
Will the API remove the issue of mods being rendered inoperable when the game updates?
It is a target we want to hit for certain, but it won't really have that capability at launch, we don't believe.
Will mods need to be re-written from the ground up with the API's release?
While mods will need to be changed to accommodate the API, total overhauls shouldn't be necessary. Even if a mod requires an overhaul for the API, it would only be a one-time occurrance.
Will there be any sort of content filter?
By and large, the community will police its own mods as it does now, but we are working to put a system in place to prevent malicious mods from being distributed.
What can be modified in the game using the API?
Everything.
Can the physics be modded?
Yes.
Will the API be on the XBOX or Pocket Edition?
Not by us, but you can ask the developers of each game, respectively.
Minecraft Questions:
Will mods like Optifine be added to vanilla?
Something even better. Overall, the game engine is being simplified, taking most of the load off of the client, and having the server doing the heavy work, greatly improving SMP.
Smoothstone stairs are not planned.
No new mobs are planned.
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Check back for more updates soon, there is a LOT going on today!
Why do they keep ignoring the people who've already created a modding API for them, and will probably be better still in the end. And if you don't know what I'm talking about, it's a great little thing called Forge.
Ok some mods such as the Shurtugal mod and Rei's minimap and TMI, will that still be able to be used because I don't get what this API stuff is... my 1.2.5. has about 26-27 mods (don't judge me) and I wonder if most will be able to work if they get updated. At the moment my 1.4.2. has 9 mods so that went down by A LOT and I'm waiting for the others to update but the rest won't so idk. Basically, even if you have this, is it still possible for modders to add their mods such as reis minimap?
I don't understand why people are saying client mods won't be supported. It's says client-only mods will not be supported. Alright. You know what you do with the extremely few mods that are client-only (how many are there? Rei's and xray-cheating scum are the one ones I can think of)? You install them with an undoubtedly created external plugin mod, or just wait for Rei to find a way around.
And also, I'm happy this is finally closing in. I'm really sick of Forge and its domination of the modding community now. An official API will make everything so much better.
If memory serves they specifically said in the panel that mods like the minimap would be possible in the game. ...
Oddly there seems to be confusion even in the initial post that summarizes the panel ...
There's nothing odd about it - they were very unclear in the panel. They first said client side plugins aren't possible, then later said that mods such as Rei's minimap are possible.
My interpretation is that plugins can affect the client-side but must always be installed on the server. Therefore plugins such as Rei's minimap are possible, but can only be used if the server has them installed (or single-player). This is somewhat unfortunate, as it prevents you from using helpful client-side plugins if the server operator hasn't decided to install them, but perhaps it's for the best since it keeps all players on a level field.
Again, that's merely my interpretation of what was said during the panel.
*Seriously... who goes to the convention to a game, get's a chance to ask the developers a question, and then asks "How long has this game been around"? An idiot, that's who.
I'm pretty sure that question was asked by a young child. Many (but not all) of the stupid and off-topic questions were asked by children. But what are you going to do, put down a child in front of a thousand people?
But yes, it was pretty funny to see the devs' reactions.
I think 1 question was missed. I want to know if a mod needs to be updated with every game update like they do today?
This has been answered - no, a plugin will not need to be updated with every game update. This is one of the key benefits of an official API.
It is possible that some updates will break compatibility. The Mojang folks stated they may do this from time to time, but they are aware of the problems it will cause so it will be avoided as much as possible.
Why do they keep ignoring the people who've already created a modding API for them, and will probably be better still in the end. And if you don't know what I'm talking about, it's a great little thing called Forge.
They don't - they stated they are talking with the Forge team.
-snip- Lastly, we all know that January 2013 really means another 6 months or so.
-snip-
Sorry? It's November. November, December, January. Two months at most.
EDIT: Oh, sorry. Now I understand. You're saying Mojang will delay for six months, not that January is six months away.
He's being facetious. He's mocking Mojang by implying it'll actually take them longer than January to release the API.
He is technically right though since the "January release date" was falsely reported news, Dinnerbone has been trying to squash that rumor, it is why it has been removed from the OP. Unfortunately we got a few pages of people quoting that part of the OP before it was removed so people reading the thread are still going to get the wrong assumption. I'm actually glad that they haven't announced a release date outside of Dinnerbone's "A few months" quote from that recent interview, let them take the time they need to do it right the first time through.
They clarified in the API panel that they think they personally define "client side plugins" as things like texture packs or rendering mods like Optifine. That is why they said that Rei's minimap could be done. The only restriction I can see on mods is that it wouldn't allow you to load anything that added new items/blocks, etc onto a server that does not have those mods. Though that doesn't seem to be an issue since it looks like they are partitioning mods by world save.
The biggest issue I think is that the modding community has their own definition for "client side mods" because of the old SSP/SMP split and how client side mods were rather different in scope from SMP mods that were usually bukkit based. Just a matter of Mojang using their own terminology.
and they probably just mean offloading more of the lighting calculation from the client, so the nether lags will lag no more. But overall that shouldn't be too much more of an performance-killer
Nether lags will lag no more? Going to the nether right now with 1 player uses about the same load as 10. If they offload the main source of the nether lag, they basically crash any server whenever you go onto the nether.
Also, I have a sneaking suspicion that this will be a load of crap that will just be a pain in the neck for the forge team to work around.
With a mod like the Aether, which is still in 1.0.0, would the API be able to make that compatible with the newest version?
If someone took the time to move the Aether mod to function with the API, then it would work. And for the most part, if not entirely, it would continue working even after Minecraft received another patch.
Absolutely. This is the same junk-speak Microsoft uses after they buy out a company and kill it, or delete a key feature that people liked. "Trust us, what we're doing is better than that thing so many people found necessary and loved."
It's like Steve Ballmer is writing copy for Mojang now.
They have a LOT to do to make the game run the way it does with OptiFine, and I have no trust in their ability to do it. Jeesh, the last update hosed up minecarts, a feature that's been in the game since day one. They can't even get that right.
On a side note, the panel was actually HILARIOUS... when people ask a dumb question you can see Dinnerbone looking off into space with a neutral smile, going to his happy place and mentally stabbing the people who constantly asked questions like "are you adding new mobs" or "Are you adding smoothstone slabs"
So he's a typical smug programmer who loathes the people who pay for his Lambo. Got it.
Absolutely. This is the same junk-speak Microsoft uses after they buy out a company and kill it, or delete a key feature that people liked. "Trust us, what we're doing is better than that thing so many people found necessary and loved."
It's like Steve Ballmer is writing copy for Mojang now.
They have a LOT to do to make the game run the way it does with OptiFine, and I have no trust in their ability to do it. Jeesh, the last update hosed up minecarts, a feature that's been in the game since day one. They can't even get that right.
Because Mojang rewriting and optimizing their render sequence is totally egregious now, right? It's not as if the optifine developer can't just further optimize the new build or anything, or had Mojang forbid them from doing so. And besides, I always found Optifine to run worse or barely increase the framerate, depending on the pc. I'm starting to think it's usually more of a placebo effect.
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Posted Nov 26, 2012And also, I'm happy this is finally closing in. I'm really sick of Forge and its domination of the modding community now. An official API will make everything so much better.
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Posted Nov 26, 2012There's nothing odd about it - they were very unclear in the panel. They first said client side plugins aren't possible, then later said that mods such as Rei's minimap are possible.
My interpretation is that plugins can affect the client-side but must always be installed on the server. Therefore plugins such as Rei's minimap are possible, but can only be used if the server has them installed (or single-player). This is somewhat unfortunate, as it prevents you from using helpful client-side plugins if the server operator hasn't decided to install them, but perhaps it's for the best since it keeps all players on a level field.
Again, that's merely my interpretation of what was said during the panel.
I'm pretty sure that question was asked by a young child. Many (but not all) of the stupid and off-topic questions were asked by children. But what are you going to do, put down a child in front of a thousand people?
But yes, it was pretty funny to see the devs' reactions.
This has been answered - no, a plugin will not need to be updated with every game update. This is one of the key benefits of an official API.
It is possible that some updates will break compatibility. The Mojang folks stated they may do this from time to time, but they are aware of the problems it will cause so it will be avoided as much as possible.
They don't - they stated they are talking with the Forge team.
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Posted Nov 26, 2012Sorry? It's November. November, December, January. Two months at most.
EDIT: Oh, sorry. Now I understand. You're saying Mojang will delay for six months, not that January is six months away.
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Posted Nov 26, 2012He is technically right though since the "January release date" was falsely reported news, Dinnerbone has been trying to squash that rumor, it is why it has been removed from the OP. Unfortunately we got a few pages of people quoting that part of the OP before it was removed so people reading the thread are still going to get the wrong assumption. I'm actually glad that they haven't announced a release date outside of Dinnerbone's "A few months" quote from that recent interview, let them take the time they need to do it right the first time through.
They clarified in the API panel that they think they personally define "client side plugins" as things like texture packs or rendering mods like Optifine. That is why they said that Rei's minimap could be done. The only restriction I can see on mods is that it wouldn't allow you to load anything that added new items/blocks, etc onto a server that does not have those mods. Though that doesn't seem to be an issue since it looks like they are partitioning mods by world save.
The biggest issue I think is that the modding community has their own definition for "client side mods" because of the old SSP/SMP split and how client side mods were rather different in scope from SMP mods that were usually bukkit based. Just a matter of Mojang using their own terminology.
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Posted Nov 27, 2012Nether lags will lag no more? Going to the nether right now with 1 player uses about the same load as 10. If they offload the main source of the nether lag, they basically crash any server whenever you go onto the nether.
Also, I have a sneaking suspicion that this will be a load of crap that will just be a pain in the neck for the forge team to work around.
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Posted Nov 27, 2012With a mod like the Aether, which is still in 1.0.0, would the API be able to make that compatible with the newest version?
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Posted Nov 27, 2012If someone took the time to move the Aether mod to function with the API, then it would work. And for the most part, if not entirely, it would continue working even after Minecraft received another patch.
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Posted Nov 27, 2012hehe
Oh and a couple of questians:
What about the laggy rain from space?
Is it ever going to rain under the cloudes in the nere future?
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Posted Nov 27, 2012SSP now runs a local server, even without it being opened to LAN.
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Posted Nov 27, 2012Absolutely. This is the same junk-speak Microsoft uses after they buy out a company and kill it, or delete a key feature that people liked. "Trust us, what we're doing is better than that thing so many people found necessary and loved."
It's like Steve Ballmer is writing copy for Mojang now.
They have a LOT to do to make the game run the way it does with OptiFine, and I have no trust in their ability to do it. Jeesh, the last update hosed up minecarts, a feature that's been in the game since day one. They can't even get that right.
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Posted Nov 27, 2012So he's a typical smug programmer who loathes the people who pay for his Lambo. Got it.
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Posted Nov 27, 2012Because Mojang rewriting and optimizing their render sequence is totally egregious now, right? It's not as if the optifine developer can't just further optimize the new build or anything, or had Mojang forbid them from doing so. And besides, I always found Optifine to run worse or barely increase the framerate, depending on the pc. I'm starting to think it's usually more of a placebo effect.
Some of you guys try too hard. It's kinda silly.
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Posted Nov 27, 2012Yes, and calling one of the most popular mods in all of MC a "placebo" isn't trying too hard.
Smug defends smug.