Modding, Or: How I learned to stop sucking by reading the fucking sticky.

[deathrat]

First things first, in order to make a mod you'll need to know Java. Java is a programming language(not to be confused with JavaScript), and a good starting point to learning Java is here.

After you've read through that and get the idea of programming, you will probably want an IDE(Integrated Development Environment), although it isn't required. A couple of popular IDEs for Java are NetBeans, Eclipse, and IntelliJ. I personally use and recommend Eclipse because it works right out of the box with MCP.

Alternatively, you can code without an IDE using your favorite text editor like Notepad++, Vim, or even the default text editor that comes with your OS like Notepad, you just won't have all the extra features an IDE brings(a lot of which you probably won't even need if you're a beginner programmer).

Next, you will need MCP(Minecraft Coder's Pack), which can be found here, extract the contents of the zip into a folder and read the README-MCP.txt file inside of the docs folder for further instructions.

Now, listed below are a few recommended Tutorials, I highly recommend you use Forge in your mods, as it insures maximum compatibility with other mods.

Creating Mods with Minecraft Forge by Methuselah96

Modding from Scratch by mDiyo

Advanced Modding Tutorials by TheInstitution

And for when you're ready to make the dive into developing a mod for SMP: Forge Networkmod and FML(Forge ModLoader) and how to port from MLMP by AtomicStryker

Now, when you're done reading all that, if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in this subforum, but PLEASE make sure it wasn't already answered in one of the tutorials, or forever regret the day you earned the dreaded pink name.

[jakj]

Re: Modding, Or: How I learned to stop sucking and read the fucking sticky.

You don't need an IDE, though. If you are a knowledgeable programmer but just have no clue about Java or Minecraft specifically, it's probably a whole hell of a lot easier to work with source files directly in MCP and not use an IDE, or at the least, graduate to an IDE after you've figured things out.

If I had tried to use Eclipse instead of diving right in, it might have been another few weeks before I even got a hello-world mod working, and I might even have given up.

[The Merchant of Menace]

Re: Modding, Or: How I learned to stop sucking and read the fucking sticky.

Yeah, I just use Notepad++ for my foolings around with the source.

[jakj]

Re: Modding, Or: How I learned to stop sucking and read the fucking sticky.

Yeah, I just use Notepad++ for my foolings around with the source.

VIm for life, baby.

[deathrat]

Re: Modding, Or: How I learned to stop sucking and read the fucking sticky.

You don't need an IDE, though. If you are a knowledgeable programmer but just have no clue about Java or Minecraft specifically, it's probably a whole hell of a lot easier to work with source files directly in MCP and not use an IDE, or at the least, graduate to an IDE after you've figured things out.

If I had tried to use Eclipse instead of diving right in, it might have been another few weeks before I even got a hello-world mod working, and I might even have given up.

Right, I just thought it's probably better for someone to start using one as it gives people more feedback while they're coding rather than them have to wait for it to recompile only to get a syntax error.

[jakj]

Re: Modding, Or: How I learned to stop sucking and read the fucking sticky.

Right, I just thought it's probably better for someone to start using one as it gives people more feedback while they're coding rather than them have to wait for it to recompile only to get a syntax error.

This is true, but it's a tradeoff that needs to be considered: Some people would feel more overwhelmed by having no feedback besides compiler errors, while some people would feel overwhelmed by having an entire GUI thrown at them when they just want to code.

I think you should just insert a line (maybe in little text?) that makes it clear that MCP includes recompilation/reobfuscation features sufficient to develop and publish mods without an IDE. Anybody capable of doing it that way would understand what that means, and anyone not capable of that would just skip over that line.

[deathrat]

Re: Modding, Or: How I learned to stop sucking and read the fucking sticky.

This is true, but it's a tradeoff that needs to be considered: Some people would feel more overwhelmed by having no feedback besides compiler errors, while some people would feel overwhelmed by having an entire GUI thrown at them when they just want to code.

I think you should just insert a line (maybe in little text?) that makes it clear that MCP includes recompilation/reobfuscation features sufficient to develop and publish mods without an IDE. Anybody capable of doing it that way would understand what that means, and anyone not capable of that would just skip over that line.

done, thanks for the criticism.

[The Merchant of Menace]

Re: Modding, Or: How I learned to stop sucking and read the fucking sticky.

VIm for life, baby.

I use Nano :P

[jakj]

Re: Modding, Or: How I learned to stop sucking and read the fucking sticky.

I use Nano

Pico/Nano are like the unholy lovechildren of VI and EMACS; It's like they tried to end the editor holy war by pulling a Romeo and Juliet.

[The Merchant of Menace]

Eh, it's simple to use and it suits my purposes, so I see no real reason to learn a new editor. Even though it has resulted in me atteming to use ctrl-w to search for things, many times.

[sct]

There is nothing wrong with using an IDE, especially for a beginner. They promote good coding practices and help find compile errors before they happen.

edit: Eclipse es #1 huehue

[perpetualgamer]

This thread is without a doubt the most helpful thread ever created on this forum, for people looking to get into modding, Thank you OP for your time and effort.

IDE's are good.

[Pilchard123]

Aha! I shall be using this. Now, exams or modding...

[jakj]

I hope people start asking questions soon: People who want to answer questions are waiting impatiently. :-(

[The Merchant of Menace]

Jakj. Just how are you so sexy?

[jakj]

Jakj. Just how are you so sexy?

Recognition and acceptance of my flaws without letting them affect my outlook on life. ;-)

[Pilchard123]

A word of warning: TheInstitutions' custom block tutorials have a small problem. Where he says to type "GenerateSurface", you should type "generateSurface" - with the lower-case g. I thought it was a little weird when he did it, but I thought "hey, this is Notch we're talking about here". Nope, it was wrong. Half an hour of not seeing a custom block anywhere later...

"generateSurface", NOT "GenerateSurface" . Lower-case g. Use one.

[jakj]

This is why you always use @Override.

[Neowulf]

I hope people start asking questions soon: People who want to answer questions are waiting impatiently. :-(

I would but every time I start typing a new thread to ask about some completely random error I'm having I get about halfway through the post before getting an idea that fixes my problem.

I'm a bad newbie modder, figuring out my own problems...

[The Merchant of Menace]

Post it anyway, then post the solution.

[Neowulf]

Will do after work.

So far I've gotten a set of IC2 crop cards to compile, but getting my mod to actually load seems to be a problem. Still got a couple things to try.

[SirStompsalot]

Just throwing it out there, I prefer Sublime Text for editing. It doesn't have many of those pesky "features" that an IDE does, and if it does I can turn it off. Might be nagware, but the pestering me to purchase isn't that frequent either.

[robertcarr22]

I've been using codeacademy.com to learn basic java stuff should I continue this or go straight into modding?

[hoho]

I've been using codeacademy.com to learn basic java stuff should I continue this or go straight into modding?

Why not do both at the same time?

Start modding and if you encounter something you don't understand find some materials that would explain things.

[robertcarr22]

Why not do both at the same time?

Start modding and if you encounter something you don't understand find some materials that would explain things.

That's a good idea! Thanks! :)