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Re: More interestingly by VanessaE · 2018-10-07 19:00 · Score: 1 · on Microsoft Open Sources Parts of Minecraft's Java Code (kotaku.com.au)

oh, and it's http://forum.minetest.net./ Slashdot ate my link

Re: More interestingly by VanessaE · 2018-10-07 17:50 · Score: 1 · on Microsoft Open Sources Parts of Minecraft's Java Code (kotaku.com.au)

*clears throat*

There is a good selection of content - in the form of mods (at least a few hundred, but I can't give you an exact count), mod packs, texture packs, and what we call "sub-games", which can be anything from minor changes to a complete overhaul of the game play.

All mods/modpacks are open source, written in Lua. The engine supports acceleration via LuaJIT, and the modding API can be enhanced/expanded with libraries such as luasocket (for example, IRC for command and control, or to link several servers' chats together via a common #channel). Most mods are true FOSS, but the exact licenses naturally vary by author.

Mods run on the server (or server-process); a basic client modding API is present as well, which individual players may take advantage of if they want. Such mods are installed by the player, and only alter their client's behavior - what one player has installed has no appreciable effect on anyone else or on the server (or that's the intent of client-supplied mods anyway). Server-supplied client mods are on the engine road map. Unlike MC, players do not have to mod their clients to match a server's mods, and they are free to install any mods they want for their own, single-player use, regardless of what their favorite servers have.

If you can think of it, there's a good chance a mod exists to supply it, except that our mods can't change the engine or shaders (there's generally no need to do so in the former case, and the latter is currently a controversial topic).

There's a good selection of public game servers as well. Couple hundred at the moment on the public list (the number varies), plus however many private/unlisted ones there are.

Servers (or single-player mode) can operate in creative or survival mode, and the latter can be anywhere from easy to hardcore. Hybrid operation is possible too (i.e. some level of survival, with creative rights given to selected individuals, as the admin sees fit).

The standard Minetest package comes with a command-line server application, plus the client can be used to host a server from one of the user's local worlds (using whatever mods that world is configured to use).

The client features an in-game mini-map, and external utilities exist to generate large overviews, even interactive pan/zoom maps, such as this one on my website.

Both the engine core and the default game content (which is itself a sub-game) are under active development, though the developers would surely appreciate more contributions.

Get it from the official website or get the engine source from the official Github repository. The default sub-game comes with the package on the Minetest website, or get it from its official Github repository. Note: on both repos, the "master" branch is "unstable" development leading up to 5.0.0. Visitors will probably want the "stable-0.4" branch. Oh, and no, that's not a typo - the version scheme changed after the 0.4 series, to drop that leading zero.

Android and iOS clients exist, too, but I make no recommendations one way or another on those.

We also have an active discussion forum, which also serves as a prominent place to release new content. There's also the official Minetest content database, another place new content can be released.

Full disclosure: I'm a prominent member of the Minetest community: modder, texture pack author, and server operator (two easy survival, two creative, one nostalgic, plus a couple that I host for friends). So I'm a little biased. :-)

Note: if someone tells you to use some links other than what I gave above, disregard that person's links and claims.