The GreenWolf Report: First Report: Equivalent Exchange 2

[GreenWolf13]

The GreenWolf Report: Main Thread can be found here.

Hello everyone, and welcome to the first report of The GreenWolf Report. Before I get started for the first time, I want to let you all know what the Report is all about. The Report is designed to give people easy access to all information available on a subject. Each week I will post another Report, with a different subject each week. I will do my best to compile all information available on the subject that each week's Report is about, and I will try to present that information in a clear, concise manner. At the end of each report, I will summarize the facts, and give my opinion on the subject at hand. Please note that the opinions expressed in the Report are my own, and in no way, shape or form do they represent the opinions of the Technic Pack Developers, the Technic Forums Moderators, or anyone else, unless he/she/it says otherwise. Now that we have that out of the way, we can start the first report.

This week's topic is Equivalent Exchange 2. I'm going to present the facts about Equivalent Exchange 2, and then I will give my opinion of it. The main question(s) at hand are:

•Is Equivalent Exchange 2 overpowered?

•Should Equivalent Exchange 2 be included in tekkit/technic, or any other modpack?

Here are the facts:

•Pahimar, the current developer of Equivalent Exchange 2, has stated that he believes his mod is overpowered and unbalanced. He has also stated that Equivalent Exchange 3 will be mostly focused on balance.

•Many tekkit servers disable parts of Equivalent Exchange 2, or remove the mod entirely. 9 of the 10 "Deluxe" servers have removed or modified Equivalent Exchange on their servers.

•Equivalent Exchange 2 Power Items (rings, destruction catalyst, etc...) grant almost creative mode like abilities and more. They add the power to call down lightning, change the weather, destroy, place, and transmute dozens of blocks at once, and many other abilities.

•Equivalent Exchange 2 Energy Collectors and "Power Flowers" create EMC out of nothing, and create EMC faster depending on light level

•The EMC from so-called "Power Flowers" can be used to exponentially replicate the "Power Flower"

•Equivalent Exchange 2 Power Items can be used for griefing, as they bypass protection plugins (and require a patch or another plugin to fix)

•Equivalent Exchange 2 tools never break and require no recharging or fuel (some special features of tools do require fuel, but the default behavior [a pickaxe breaking one block of stone for example] does not)

•Equivalent Exchange 2 renders economy plugins useless, as it is possible to create items out of nothing (using Energy Collectors, "Power Flowers", or any number of other EMC generation techniques [darkrooms, cow milking machines, etc...])

•Equivalent Exchange 2 can be exploited when used in conjunction with other mods (for example, Industrial Craft 2 macerators produce 5 blaze powder from 1 blaze rod, which can be condensed into 2.5 blaze rods in an Energy Condenser)

•When it is the only mod installed, many EMC generation exploits disappear. Also, there is no issue with balance, as there are no other mods to balance it with.

•There is a large amount of documentation for Equivalent Exchange 2, and an up-to-date wiki (something that many mods cannot say)

Now here is my opinion:

The core idea of Equivalent Exchange 2 (transmuting items into other items of equal value) is great, but it is poorly implemented, and the power items make finding and obtaining high value items too easy, while collectors make it possible to generate items out of nothing. On its own, Equivalent Exchange 2 is a great mod, but when implemented into a modpack "as is" (without changing EMC values, no items disabled) Equivalent Exchange 2 becomes game breaking, rendering aspects of many mods obsolete or pointless. Why build a computer controlled flying quarry using Red Power 2 if you can make items out of nothing? In short, Equivalent Exchange 2 does not belong in a modpack unless it undergoes massive changes (which may be coming in Equivalent Exchange 3) by either the developer or by modpack makers.

This concludes the first GreenWolf Report.

(Note: I am currently looking for people to help me research and gather information. If you wish to help, leave a response, or send me a PM.)

Edit: Added a few more facts in an attempt to remove any bias. The fact is, it is very hard to find facts that support the inclusion of Equivalent Exchange 2.

[Xylord]

You could probably have took a less mainstream subject for your first report. And also less shitstorm likely...

Also, your facts sound... How I'd say... A bit biased on one side of the argument that's incoming? Anyway, the main idea of report isn't bad. If you want help in the future, and I'm interested, PM me.

[GreenWolf13]

You could probably have took a less mainstream subject for your first report. And also less shitstorm likely...

Also, your facts sound... How I'd say... A bit biased on one side of the argument that's incoming? Anyway, the main idea of report isn't bad. If you want help in the future, and I'm interested, PM me.

I know, I choose a mainstream subject for my first report so as not to send people running in fear. although, I probably cold have picked something a bit less "shitstorm likely" as you say. But don't worry, I already have a plan for the fifth report (if it lives that long) that will be anything but mainstream. Sorry if the facts sound biased, I tried to find some good facts for each side, and I'll probably add more facts to make the report less biased. But like any form or journalism, it's gonna have some bias.

[bwillb]

Meh, doesn't matter either way. If it's in, I can disable it. If it's not in, people who want it can add it.

[LazDude2012]

Here's the thing. EE2, as it stands, is actually quite balanced. For vanilla. The problem is, it uses a different scale of balance than the other mods do. EE's scale of balance has diamonds relatively cheap, whereas most mods treat diamonds as a rare and expensive item. EE2 is fun, and should, in my opinion, be used. However, I treat EE as if it's separate from all the other mods. I use EE for EE things only.

[GreenWolf13]

Here's the thing. EE2, as it stands, is actually quite balanced. For vanilla. The problem is, it uses a different scale of balance than the other mods do. EE's scale of balance has diamonds relatively cheap, whereas most mods treat diamonds as a rare and expensive item. EE2 is fun, and should, in my opinion, be used. However, I treat EE as if it's separate from all the other mods. I use EE for EE things only.

Which is what I tried to say. On it's own, as the only mod installed, it's quite balanced. But when used with other mods, it becomes vastly overpowered.

[LazDude2012]

especially RP2 or IC2. The blazerator and cow farms are super-OP.

And, that's not really what came across. What came across is "EE is too overpowered, it shouldn't be used at all". I prefer to use EE, but with some self control.

[GreenWolf13]

Even in vanilla, EE is somewhat over powered, but it is useful. Whenever I do a large build on my test world, I always give myself a SWRG, a Mercurial Eye, and a Destruction Catalyst, simply because it makes it much easier to build, and SWRG flight still allows survival inventory access, while giving creative mode flying.