iChun's blog

-iChun

As a few of you guys know, Portal Gun has been undergoing a complete rewrite, but due to the release of 1.4.6, its release had to be pushed ahead, slightly incomplete. These updates to return content will come in the future, after which I will move on to new content.

Anyways, that’s not the objective of this post. This post if to inform you guys of what’s new/changed in the rewrite.

Rewritten Code Base

Most of the base code that makes the mod what it is has been rewritten from the ground up. This, in the end resulted in cleaner code and a better (lots) working environment, as well fixing a couple of potential issues in the future.

New Config format/file

As a couple of you who may have noticed (*cough* non-modpack users *cough*), the config file has been redone, also from scratch, and also using forge’s Configuration utility. As you can see from the picture, the old config was kinda messy, while the new config is much neater with appropriate comments.

Also while you’re looking at the picture I would want to highlight that there is an unused block ID in the config, which will be removed in future versions, and that the default block ID range has been moved to 1100 onwards.

Also would want to add, there used to be 3 config files, client (with LAN map settings), server, and map settings. That has now been changed so that client and servers share the same config, while the map config itself is a standalone which gets loaded every time the map is loaded.

Mod part individualization

With the new code base, it has become easier for me add new mod parts. Therefore the mod parts have been reorganised, giving each specific category a more precise individuality. Want portal guns, but no long fall boots? You can easily disable them, like I’ve shown in the picture above, Grids, Lasers and Checkpoints as well as Long fall boots have been disabled (for example purposes only).

New API added

As with the rewrite comes some a new API that is packaged with the release, for use of modders. Say, you don’t want the turrets to shoot at your Entity, or you don’t want certain blocks to be picked up, use the API. The mod also accepts IMCMessages sent before @PostInit, with the same names as in the API, send the list in a string as you would list them out in the config file to “PortalGun”. There is also an additional IMCMessage accepted referenced as “BaconMod” for the key. Simply put your Class (containing a static reference to the item) and Item field name in as the value, eg “gravigun.common.GraviGun, itemGraviGun”, and the mod will use that item in place of the raw porkchop used for the bacon gun.

Gameplay Changes

If you are just an average user, this will be what you’d be looking for.

The rewrite is INCOMPLETE!

Right now, mainly because of the release of 1.4.6, the release of the rewrite had to be pushed forward at an incomplete stage. For now the mod is lacking a couple of items, most notable are See through portals, Fizzlers, Lasers, and checkpoint blocks. ALSO, it is incompatible with previous versions of Portal Gun. Most items will survive, but many blocks will not.

Update Checker

PortalGun now comes with an update checker. While it checks that your sounds are all downloaded, it also checks for a new version of PortalGun. If there is an update you’ll be notified once you join a world.

New/Changed Recipes

There’s a couple of new/changed recipes, these changes are permanent and will not be changed any time soon.

“What? A nether star?? Are you joking?!”

No, I’m not. There have been many complains of the mod being over powered so this is my solution.

“No way, I am not going to be able to fight a wither!”

Then I would suggest you begin dungeon hunting:

Portal Guns (All 5 of them), Spawners and Fizzlers have been added to dungeon loot. It is at a low, but still possible chance.

See Through Portals have been disabled for now

As this being a rewrite, I am looking for a new way to render the portals as see through, so for now see through portals does not exist. The portals which have a link to them will render as “open” state, if the link is loaded within the area.

Portals act as chunkloaders

Placement of portals have a preset range (previously being “as far as the world is loaded”) and can go up to 10000 blocks by default config now. Portals themselves should have no issues and will keep the chunks the bottom half is in loaded, like your average chunkloader.

Resetting portals have improved

You can hold and release R to remove both portals of the particular gun you are holding, or you can hold R and hit the Left mouse button or the Right mouse button to close just one of the corresponding portals.

New PortalGun model

Many thanks to the collaborative efforts of both L5_ and mr_hazard|d95, there is now a new PortalGun model to be used! It is used on the pedestal as well, replacing the old model.

Grabbed entities (including blocks) can transverse through nether portals now.

Yep, go ahead and bring that blaze spawner to the overworld, I dare yeh.

Introducing the Potato Gun

Yep, it’s finally here. There’s finally potatoes in Minecraft. With a bit of nifty redstone workmanship you can craft a PotatOS (recipe above), and attach it to a Portal Gun!

And yes! It really talks!

Compatibility with the Gravity Gun mod

Both mods communicate with one another to avoid conflicts with grabbed entities.

GUI for Aerial Faith Plates uses sliders to adjust the power

No longer will you be confined by Integral power!

Portal Spawner Items drop with their configurations saved

Yep. From now onwards Portal spawners will drop with whatever configuration you set them saved. It is stored in the item, so any mods you have that places Items can be used to place them down! Props to Tahg for requesting this.

New Creative Tab for mod items

PortalGun has its own Creative Tab for listing down the mod items now.

Well, that’s pretty much all the new stuff I can list down for now (that I can remember).

Have fun, and season’s greetings!

– iChun

Many thanks to all the peeps who’s donated 🙂 I’ve went and gotten the ASUS GeForce® GTX 650 Ti DirectCU II dual-fan performance graphics. Took a few pics (Excuse the bad phone cam quality):

I won’t be listing down the donators here, You guys know who you are! Once again many thank yous to those who donated, as well as those who continue to support my mods (and me) all these while.

Cheers, and Happy holidays!

-iChun

Hey guys,

A couple of you know about this by now, but recently (2 days ago) my graphics card died while I was modding. This happened immediately after i got 1.4.5v2 of Gravity Gun ready. Until I get a replacement I won’t be able to work on my mods efficiently as the card was on my primary system (on which I code, mod, game, etc on).

This was pretty much of a bummer cause I was supposed to be playing a coop game with a friend within the next few weeks, I don’t have a backup card nor onboard graphics so I’m unable to even use the PC right now.

After speaking to a couple people on #Direwolf20 , I’ve decided to get a GeForce GTX 650 Ti, particularly of ASUS brand. After a bit of digging around I found out it costs approximately USD 200 in my local currency (MYR).

If you’d like to help me out somehow, you could do me a favour and drop a donation via chipin on the sidebar on the right (It’s just below the advertisement) –>

When the chip in reaches its goal/ends, I’ll send the highest donator a free copy of the Humble THQ Bundle (above average) via the email they used to donate with. Somewhat as a small thank you I can manage 🙂

Until then, cheers.

-iChun

Hey guys, meet my dog Jack:

This is my most recent photo of him. Taken while he was looking at some passing neighbours. Dated 29th Sept 2012.

He’s a German Shephard Dog (GSD). I’ve had him for close to 9 years now, ever since he was a puppy. Just yesterday was his 9th birthday.

He normally spends his days just lazing around, understandable since he’s considered a senior at his age.

He died today, due to a blood infection [sepsis].

It’s been a pretty rough two weeks for him (and me). He got a nasty wound on his elbow (I have no idea how) which required him to be sent to the vet to have it looked at. By the next day the wound had been cleaned and was taken care of for the next week. However for that next week his appetite began to worsen and he started refusing to eat, only drinking water out of his bowl constantly.

Mid 2009, Age 5 1/2

So back to the vet he went, the vet initially thought it was a gastric issue and prescribed medication to treat gastric, taking his weak kidneys into account (he was hospitalised due to tick fever around the same time last year). The treatment itself was also tough, he would still refuse to eat and would vomit out any food, if eaten, which includes his medication. He was scheduled to go back to the vet again today when suddenly early this morning he began vomiting blood. It was pretty much an emergency by then, had him there right away when the vet opened.

Jack, Circa End 2006 (Yes I know he looks high), Age 3.

The vet put him on an IV drip and started her very best to help him. I had other matters to do on the other hand, so I couldn’t stay. Around 1 pm or so, the vet called to say that Jack had died. 🙁 Vet informed that it was a bad case of sepsis, coupled with his old age and kidneys, when he finally succumbed. She said she wanted to do a blood test to determine what antibiotics to give him (even the blood stank), which couldn’t even be completed on time. Jack was cremated earlier today at the cost of MYR 200.

I in no way blame the vet for what happened. She’s excellent at what she does and she’s terribly friendly. I guess it was just his time.

I am of course still upset about losing a best bud, its been a great long time he’s been there for me. I’ll miss him terribly.

Just thought I’d share this, something different from news of my mods and such for once.

– iChun

Thought I’d just share a comic by The Oatmeal.
Making Things

^^^ Click it ^^^

He says it the best way anyone could, so you guys might want to think about that comic before you complain of lack of updates.

– iChun