The Dying Platforms Content Salvage Squad
- texmex
- Member
- Posts: 1753
- Joined: Mon Jul 11, 2016 21:08
- GitHub: tacotexmex
- In-game: tacotexmex
The Dying Platforms Content Salvage Squad
I saw that Minecraft Forum is shutting down. It will soon be read-only. Tbh, it seems like the whole Minecraft ecosystem is dying, and it’s bringing it’s community content with down with it. The forums host links to a vast trove of Minecraft content. Some of which is properly licensed with Creative Commons.
I’m looking to salvage interesting content from dying links on dying file hosting platforms and put them somewhere safer, probably on git. This is a chance to rescue good content from lock-in of a dying game. Is anyone else interested in this?
As for the massive amount of content with restrictive/non-free/homecooked licensing, the creators of such content can be persuaded to relicense to for example CC-BY-SA. I’ve successfully reached out to creators more than once with favorable outcome.
I’m looking to salvage interesting content from dying links on dying file hosting platforms and put them somewhere safer, probably on git. This is a chance to rescue good content from lock-in of a dying game. Is anyone else interested in this?
As for the massive amount of content with restrictive/non-free/homecooked licensing, the creators of such content can be persuaded to relicense to for example CC-BY-SA. I’ve successfully reached out to creators more than once with favorable outcome.
- sorcerykid
- Member
- Posts: 1847
- Joined: Fri Aug 26, 2016 15:36
- GitHub: sorcerykid
- In-game: Nemo
- Location: Illinois, USA
Re: The Dying Platforms Content Salvage Squad
This is certainly shocking news that I wasn't even aware of. Is there link to some news source where people can find more background on what is happening with Minecraft? Are people jumping ship or is this a full scale exodus? And might this be an opportunity to capitalize on this death knell of Minecraft by making Minetest into a viable alternative?
- texmex
- Member
- Posts: 1753
- Joined: Mon Jul 11, 2016 21:08
- GitHub: tacotexmex
- In-game: tacotexmex
Re: The Dying Platforms Content Salvage Squad
The reason for the shutdown is explained in a post on the site. Note that Minecraft Forums is not run by Mojang nor Microsoft but Curse, a 3rd party. Still, it’s telling of the state of the MC community. Personally I think the game and community has just run its course.
By reasons outlined in this post I believe that the MT community has the potential of becoming new custodians of content from a game that really transcended being a commodity and, for a while, almost became a common good.
By reasons outlined in this post I believe that the MT community has the potential of becoming new custodians of content from a game that really transcended being a commodity and, for a while, almost became a common good.
- Linuxdirk
- Member
- Posts: 3219
- Joined: Wed Sep 17, 2014 11:21
- In-game: Linuxdirk
- Location: Germany
- Contact:
Re: The Dying Platforms Content Salvage Squad
I feel so sorry for the community. Even if I switched to Minetest some years ago I still was an active member for a long time.
On the other hand ... "HA! I knew it."
On the other hand ... "HA! I knew it."
- texmex
- Member
- Posts: 1753
- Joined: Mon Jul 11, 2016 21:08
- GitHub: tacotexmex
- In-game: tacotexmex
Re: The Dying Platforms Content Salvage Squad
So Linuxdirk, as a former MC community member, what content would you want to survive? What are some of the more defining work worth rescuing?
- Linuxdirk
- Member
- Posts: 3219
- Joined: Wed Sep 17, 2014 11:21
- In-game: Linuxdirk
- Location: Germany
- Contact:
Re: The Dying Platforms Content Salvage Squad
I'm out of it since a few years, but I absolutely loved the concept of resource packs allowing to modify a lot of visual game aspects without having to use mods that basically reinvent the wheel over and over again.texmex wrote:So Linuxdirk, as a former MC community member, what content would you want to survive? What are some of the more defining work worth rescuing?
You could also mix the packs as you want and configure loading order so for example you're able to define what textures are loaded first for example and then get overwritten by the next contents. This would really maintain updatability but allowing flexibility at the same time (I like texture pack X but I don't like their stone texture? Load X and add a new texture pack with my favorite stone texture and load it second so the stone texture from X gets overwritten but X can still beupdated without having to take care of my own changes.)
The concept was officially rejected.
We should also try to get server networks. So players can join on server X and can be transferred via portal or command or whatever to server Y without losing inventory and stuff and without having to log off and on or re-enter password, etc. with server networks multiple independent worlds with different/independent settings were possible allowing servers to have different worlds for their players without complicated mods and allowing to reset individual worlds if wanted (for example a mining world that gets reset every X days, a PvP world, etc.). This would also greatly improve the amount of players that can use a server (or server network) at the same time by combining the resources of said server.
This concept was also officially rejected (and people were redirected to a completely unrelated other issue).
Oh, and of course the textures. Those are just awesome (I am aware of 3rd party converting scripts). I hope texture pack artists will come to Minetest so we get hundreds of artsy textures from actual artists. Don't get me wrong, "our" textures are mostly great, but having an actual artist creating textures is just different.
- texmex
- Member
- Posts: 1753
- Joined: Mon Jul 11, 2016 21:08
- GitHub: tacotexmex
- In-game: tacotexmex
Re: The Dying Platforms Content Salvage Squad
You barely address my actual question. Instead you chose to hijack my topic with various past failures. I asked, what CONTENT would you want to salvage from the MC community. If you’re not interested in talking about this, just start your own topic.
- Linuxdirk
- Member
- Posts: 3219
- Joined: Wed Sep 17, 2014 11:21
- In-game: Linuxdirk
- Location: Germany
- Contact:
Re: The Dying Platforms Content Salvage Squad
Then it's just professionally made texture packs, Sir.
- texmex
- Member
- Posts: 1753
- Joined: Mon Jul 11, 2016 21:08
- GitHub: tacotexmex
- In-game: tacotexmex
Re: The Dying Platforms Content Salvage Squad
Heh, that’s better! I’ve started that very process with a few texture packs over at Minetest Texture Packs, maybe you’ve seen it.Linuxdirk wrote:Then it's just professionally made texture packs, Sir.
What TPs do you want rescued then? I have my own taste in texture packs of course but one factor to look into is if the pack has large mod support, textures which in turn may become the base of MT mod support.
I’m thinking various textures form MC mods may be of value as well, even if not part of a TP. One can think of them as resources for future MT creations.
- Linuxdirk
- Member
- Posts: 3219
- Joined: Wed Sep 17, 2014 11:21
- In-game: Linuxdirk
- Location: Germany
- Contact:
Re: The Dying Platforms Content Salvage Squad
I could name a few (Misas Realistic, Default 3D, Alvoria’s Sanity, Sphax PureBDCraft, etc.) but that’s not the point.texmex wrote:What TPs do you want rescued then?
I just hope there will be some artists finding Minetest and getting all the support they need to provide a good looking overall default style and some extraordinary high-res works.
- texmex
- Member
- Posts: 1753
- Joined: Mon Jul 11, 2016 21:08
- GitHub: tacotexmex
- In-game: tacotexmex
Re: The Dying Platforms Content Salvage Squad
I do too, but this is about saving existing work from oblivion.Linuxdirk wrote:I just hope there will be some artists finding Minetest and getting all the support they need to provide a good looking overall default style and some extraordinary high-res works.
- GreenXenith
- Member
- Posts: 1356
- Joined: Wed Oct 28, 2015 01:26
- GitHub: GreenXenith
- Location: UTC-8:00
- Contact:
Re: The Dying Platforms Content Salvage Squad
texmex wrote:it’s bringing it’s community content with down with it
So the content isn't going away, per se.citricsquid@minecraftforum.net wrote:all content will remain accessible
Saving content from dying hosts, on the other hand, makes sense.
Minecraft is not dead at all; In fact, it may as well be experiencing a resurgence at the moment.a dying game
YouTube | Mods | Patreon | Minetest Discord @greenxenith
You should not be able to read this message.
You should not be able to read this message.
- TumeniNodes
- Member
- Posts: 2943
- Joined: Fri Feb 26, 2016 19:49
- GitHub: TumeniNodes
- IRC: tumeninodes
- In-game: TumeniNodes
- Location: in the dark recesses of the mind
- Contact:
Re: The Dying Platforms Content Salvage Squad
I was not even aware of this...
Perhaps I will speak with my acquaintance Glim about his steampunk work.
Not sure how it will go, I've spoken with him before about it, and I'm not sure about the actual impact this will even have...
Most content is already available through various means other than the forum.
Quite a few of the more popular works/content have their own web pages where their material can be accessed.
*edit: actually, just read his thoughts on the closure, and now I know that I will not bother him about this matter.
He's a stubborn old gruff like me :P
Perhaps I will speak with my acquaintance Glim about his steampunk work.
Not sure how it will go, I've spoken with him before about it, and I'm not sure about the actual impact this will even have...
Most content is already available through various means other than the forum.
Quite a few of the more popular works/content have their own web pages where their material can be accessed.
*edit: actually, just read his thoughts on the closure, and now I know that I will not bother him about this matter.
He's a stubborn old gruff like me :P
A Wonderful World
- texmex
- Member
- Posts: 1753
- Joined: Mon Jul 11, 2016 21:08
- GitHub: tacotexmex
- In-game: tacotexmex
Re: The Dying Platforms Content Salvage Squad
I’m not trying to say that MC itself is dying, just various parts of its community ecosystem.
I’m also recognizing that content is sometimes mirrored at other sites, but that doesn’t take away the trend indecreasing community engagement I’m seeing (mods cease being developed, texture packs falling behind, a large dip in YouTube videos and so on). This trend will probably not turn upwards for any larger stretch of time, which is why I think it’d be good to talk to content creators about releasing under CC licensing while you can still reach them (people move on, leaving pseudonyms behind).
I’m also recognizing that content is sometimes mirrored at other sites, but that doesn’t take away the trend indecreasing community engagement I’m seeing (mods cease being developed, texture packs falling behind, a large dip in YouTube videos and so on). This trend will probably not turn upwards for any larger stretch of time, which is why I think it’d be good to talk to content creators about releasing under CC licensing while you can still reach them (people move on, leaving pseudonyms behind).
- Hugues Ross
- Developer
- Posts: 72
- Joined: Mon May 06, 2019 22:52
- GitHub: Df458
- Location: Kitchens, Pantries, etc.
- Contact:
Re: The Dying Platforms Content Salvage Squad
The only worry I see about this (on the textures front) is that this is going to introduce a lot of incomplete content. default alone has a number of textures that Minecraft doesn't, and without support from the original creators (or volunteers who can match their style) it may become harder for players to figure out which packs are actively developed/maintained and which are stagnant.Heh, that’s better! I’ve started that very process with a few texture packs over at Minetest Texture Packs, maybe you’ve seen it.
What TPs do you want rescued then? I have my own taste in texture packs of course but one factor to look into is if the pack has large mod support, textures which in turn may become the base of MT mod support.
I’m thinking various textures form MC mods may be of value as well, even if not part of a TP. One can think of them as resources for future MT creations.
If we can get the creators on board though, this could be a really big win for Minetest.
- texmex
- Member
- Posts: 1753
- Joined: Mon Jul 11, 2016 21:08
- GitHub: tacotexmex
- In-game: tacotexmex
Re: The Dying Platforms Content Salvage Squad
Incomplete content is better than nothing when some day someone suddenly decides to complete it.
Btw and to add one more argument why this type of project is needed:
Btw and to add one more argument why this type of project is needed:
This means any pack maker must be a registered company and sign a deal with Mojang to enter. Much will disappear/be abandoned because of this. The above quote is from Dokucraft, a community-driven MC resource pack that can’t and won’t become a business only in order to enter the MC marketplace.Putting a resource pack on the in-game marketplace requires the developer of the pack to be a Minecraft Partner.
-
- Member
- Posts: 4290
- Joined: Sun Sep 09, 2012 17:31
- GitHub: Sokomine
- IRC: Sokomine
- In-game: Sokomine
Re: The Dying Platforms Content Salvage Squad
Sadly, locating good content that is worth preserving will not be easy whenever there's a lot of content around.
MT will certainly welcome any MC players that want to play it. Existing buildings can be converted to some degree. Texture packs...they're often a waste of good textures in my eyes: At least some of those nice textures *could* be put on new blocks and enrich MT mods :-) As far as mods go...those in MC do not seem to be as easily accessible (download from suspicious source, installation complicated) as MT mods. I'm sure there're a lot of good ideas around that would be worth rewriting in MT.
MT will certainly welcome any MC players that want to play it. Existing buildings can be converted to some degree. Texture packs...they're often a waste of good textures in my eyes: At least some of those nice textures *could* be put on new blocks and enrich MT mods :-) As far as mods go...those in MC do not seem to be as easily accessible (download from suspicious source, installation complicated) as MT mods. I'm sure there're a lot of good ideas around that would be worth rewriting in MT.
A list of my mods can be found here.
-
- Member
- Posts: 1482
- Joined: Fri Apr 19, 2013 16:19
- GitHub: twoelk
- IRC: twoelk
- In-game: twoelk
- Location: northern Germany
Re: The Dying Platforms Content Salvage Squad
There are certainly some plants and farming themed minecraft mods I would think worth comverting if the license allows. Sadly while most of the code seems to allow forking most textures seem somewhat more restricted
-
- Member
- Posts: 4290
- Joined: Sun Sep 09, 2012 17:31
- GitHub: Sokomine
- IRC: Sokomine
- In-game: Sokomine
Re: The Dying Platforms Content Salvage Squad
That's a pity. Perhaps some of these mod creators can still be reached and asked if they can provide a more permissive license (or contact with the artist who created the textures).twoelk wrote: There are certainly some plants and farming themed minecraft mods I would think worth comverting if the license allows. Sadly while most of the code seems to allow forking most textures seem somewhat more restricted
A list of my mods can be found here.
- texmex
- Member
- Posts: 1753
- Joined: Mon Jul 11, 2016 21:08
- GitHub: tacotexmex
- In-game: tacotexmex
Re: The Dying Platforms Content Salvage Squad
Yeah, I've managed to convince a few myself. One new strong incentive for permissive licensing is the risk of deprecation of the Java version of Minecraft with a lot of content missing a home. In that context their little "Use in Minecraft only" clause probably won't be that important if the argument is made that Minetest is the spiritual successor of an open Minecraft-like ecosystem.Sokomine wrote:That's a pity. Perhaps some of these mod creators can still be reached and asked if they can provide a more permissive license (or contact with the artist who created the textures).twoelk wrote: There are certainly some plants and farming themed minecraft mods I would think worth comverting if the license allows. Sadly while most of the code seems to allow forking most textures seem somewhat more restricted
- texmex
- Member
- Posts: 1753
- Joined: Mon Jul 11, 2016 21:08
- GitHub: tacotexmex
- In-game: tacotexmex
Re: The Dying Platforms Content Salvage Squad
Another one! This is exactly what I’m talking about. viewtopic.php?p=349333#p349333
-
- Member
- Posts: 1118
- Joined: Mon Dec 29, 2014 08:07
- Location: USA
Re: The Dying Platforms Content Salvage Squad
I'll gladly include worthwhile textures in lib_ecology / lib_materials. Plants, trees, and such are more than welcome, as are worthy stone / dirt types, but we may have reached equilibrium on that one in lib_materials.
This all reminds me of the demise of Opensim, and the loss of content as the "community" got over it's fad. There is still some great content out there, but as with alot of the mod sites for other older games, the content ends up on something like fileplanet or locked behind ad walls, click bait, or worse.
For those content providers that are willing, I would encourage they upload their content to github, or some other worth opensource type file site.
Look up Linda Kellie, an old Opensim content provider. Some of her stuff might also be preserved and used here in MT.
This all reminds me of the demise of Opensim, and the loss of content as the "community" got over it's fad. There is still some great content out there, but as with alot of the mod sites for other older games, the content ends up on something like fileplanet or locked behind ad walls, click bait, or worse.
For those content providers that are willing, I would encourage they upload their content to github, or some other worth opensource type file site.
Look up Linda Kellie, an old Opensim content provider. Some of her stuff might also be preserved and used here in MT.
- texmex
- Member
- Posts: 1753
- Joined: Mon Jul 11, 2016 21:08
- GitHub: tacotexmex
- In-game: tacotexmex
Re: The Dying Platforms Content Salvage Squad
Exactly, you understand the problem at hand. Are there any specific mods you have your eye on, ShadMOrdre?
-
- Member
- Posts: 1118
- Joined: Mon Dec 29, 2014 08:07
- Location: USA
Re: The Dying Platforms Content Salvage Squad
I've only recently purchased MC for the xb0x for my son. I don't really play it.
I'm more a PC guy, with a hefty disdain for Java.
Sorry I can't provide mod names... :(
Honestly, other than reaching out to mod/content authors on those other forums, asking there to come here, or relicense might get you better results. Sure, the regulars here, who play there can provide better info.
If I were to vote for any mod, (name unknown of course...;) ), I'd have to vote for mods that increase immersion over anything. I'm really tired of formspecs popping up, when I should be inworld handling interactive objects.
I'm more a PC guy, with a hefty disdain for Java.
Sorry I can't provide mod names... :(
Honestly, other than reaching out to mod/content authors on those other forums, asking there to come here, or relicense might get you better results. Sure, the regulars here, who play there can provide better info.
If I were to vote for any mod, (name unknown of course...;) ), I'd have to vote for mods that increase immersion over anything. I'm really tired of formspecs popping up, when I should be inworld handling interactive objects.
- texmex
- Member
- Posts: 1753
- Joined: Mon Jul 11, 2016 21:08
- GitHub: tacotexmex
- In-game: tacotexmex
Re: The Dying Platforms Content Salvage Squad
I think that in your case a mod like Biomes o’ Plenty would provide many excellent textures. Some of them perhaps conforming too much with MC esthetics but most of them would probably be very useful. The mod is already CC BY-NC-ND 4.0, so it isn’t far off. Its creator(s) and you should have quite some interests in common, if you would want to establish contact.
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 5 guests