10
PMC Needs Datapack Competitions
AmericanBagel
Hashs
Hello,
If you know me, I make datapacks. And I make posts on PMC. There are many official skin competitions and build competitions, but I haven't noticed any datapack competitions. On this post, I will explain why PMC needs datapack competitions.
PMC is a great place for Minecrafters of all sorts to post their creations, ask questions, discuss things, or just chill. However, there is a competitive side to PMC. Every once in a while, builders battle for the #1 spot in building competitions. Skinners battle to make the most beautiful, detailed, and original skin. However, there is a hidden race unbeknownst to the competition--the datapackers. We show creativity through a different lens. We don't place blocks, we code functions to place the blocks for us. We don't just enjoy Minecraft, we allow people to enjoy it more. We don't just play Minecraft, we customize it to our hearts content all through datapacks.
What is a datapack? A datapack is a folder or compressed folder (.zip) with advancements, loot tables, functions, predicates, recipes, structure files, and tags. With datapacks, we can put commands into text files, or functions. We can create loot tables to modify the drops of a mob, or what items are in a chest. We can create custom advancements. We can create custom recipes to customize survival mode or adventure mode to further depths. We can add structure files saved by structure blocks to add our own structures. We can add tags and predicates to speed up the process and organize it.
There is a growing community of datapack creators. Just check the Datapack section in Projects! I don't think the datapack community is getting the attention it deserves.
I love the work that builders do. With just blocks they can create beautiful landscapes or structures or sculptures. With builders' work and datapackers' work, maps can be made.
I love the work that skinners do. They allow us to customize our characters with their work.
Builders and skinners have had competitions, so why not us? Why not datapackers?
Datapack competitions would strengthen the datapack community. Builders create beautiful works, but we create advanced works behind the scenes. We could create works as good as builders, just through a different medium.
Planet Minecraft developers, please add datapack competitions.
People reading this who don't develop Planet Minecraft, spread the word. Give this post an emerald so more can see it. Spread the word!
If you have an opinion against this, supporting this, or have something else to say, please let me hear your voice. Additionally, please vote on the poll so I can see what the community wants.
If you know me, I make datapacks. And I make posts on PMC. There are many official skin competitions and build competitions, but I haven't noticed any datapack competitions. On this post, I will explain why PMC needs datapack competitions.
PMC is a great place for Minecrafters of all sorts to post their creations, ask questions, discuss things, or just chill. However, there is a competitive side to PMC. Every once in a while, builders battle for the #1 spot in building competitions. Skinners battle to make the most beautiful, detailed, and original skin. However, there is a hidden race unbeknownst to the competition--the datapackers. We show creativity through a different lens. We don't place blocks, we code functions to place the blocks for us. We don't just enjoy Minecraft, we allow people to enjoy it more. We don't just play Minecraft, we customize it to our hearts content all through datapacks.
What is a datapack? A datapack is a folder or compressed folder (.zip) with advancements, loot tables, functions, predicates, recipes, structure files, and tags. With datapacks, we can put commands into text files, or functions. We can create loot tables to modify the drops of a mob, or what items are in a chest. We can create custom advancements. We can create custom recipes to customize survival mode or adventure mode to further depths. We can add structure files saved by structure blocks to add our own structures. We can add tags and predicates to speed up the process and organize it.
There is a growing community of datapack creators. Just check the Datapack section in Projects! I don't think the datapack community is getting the attention it deserves.
I love the work that builders do. With just blocks they can create beautiful landscapes or structures or sculptures. With builders' work and datapackers' work, maps can be made.
I love the work that skinners do. They allow us to customize our characters with their work.
Builders and skinners have had competitions, so why not us? Why not datapackers?
Datapack competitions would strengthen the datapack community. Builders create beautiful works, but we create advanced works behind the scenes. We could create works as good as builders, just through a different medium.
Planet Minecraft developers, please add datapack competitions.
People reading this who don't develop Planet Minecraft, spread the word. Give this post an emerald so more can see it. Spread the word!
If you have an opinion against this, supporting this, or have something else to say, please let me hear your voice. Additionally, please vote on the poll so I can see what the community wants.
Poll ended 01/01/2020 2:50 pm.
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14
1
A little late to the party but as a datapacker I wholly agree. I believe this is much needed, as a bit of motivation would go a long way for me personally (and I'm sure many others) to make something quite cool.
1
We very much need Datapack competitions and a dedicated section. I agree that they would be much more popular if promoted adequately.
1
Datapack Comps Would Be Awsome, but i have know idea how to make them
2
I love datapacks and wish datapack creators were higher commended for their work, it's just slightly niche because most people dont know what they are or dont know how to use them.
2
That's why we want a unique datapack section and datapack competitions. More people will learn about datapacks. More people will get involved with them. More people will use them and more people will create them. Datapacks are better than mods in my opinion. Mods are more powerful, but datapacks can be loaded and unloaded whenever you want. You can easily install them. If you want to join a friend's server with datapacks, you don't need to download the datapacks. It'll work server-side. Datapacks don't require any mod loaders or any incompatibility crashes.
2
its also highly useful and compatible for map-makers as it opens their abailities to guide the player on a more customised adventure without extra downloads
1
although I don’t make datapacks myself, I have noticed in the past that builders and skinners tend to get the most love in competitions on pmc. I think it’d be a cool thing to do! I’d suggest making a post about this on tickets as I believe this falls under feature requests.
5
I concur with FrenchBagel.
First! We need a true Data Pack section instead of it being under /mods/.
For that, we need a proper set of Data Pack categories. What should they be? Let's get a solid list.
First! We need a true Data Pack section instead of it being under /mods/.
For that, we need a proper set of Data Pack categories. What should they be? Let's get a solid list.
4
I agree. I was going to mention a new datapacks section, but decided to keep it to one idea.
As for categories, here are a few I have thought of, although these are tricky.
Any criticisms? Any ideas?
I'm going to be releasing a feature request ticket soon. I just need to get all the ideas necessary for datapack contests and a datapack section.
As for categories, here are a few I have thought of, although these are tricky.
- Mobs
- Items
- Weapons
- Blocks
- Mechanics
- Quality of Life
- Recipes
- Structures
- Other
Any criticisms? Any ideas?
I'm going to be releasing a feature request ticket soon. I just need to get all the ideas necessary for datapack contests and a datapack section.
4
So there are 2,174 unique tags on Data Packs. I ordered by # use and ignored those that you've already suggested. The following caught my eye.
Several of the tags listed above had slight variations to them, so the #'s are larger than they appear there.
Should Survival vs Hardcore be a separate required filter? aka. When you upload a Data Pack, you specify which game mode and in the listings, visitors could filter by it in addition to the category?
Should Multi-player / Single Player be a separate required filter?
Would you consider "Functional" interchangeable with "Mechanics", if so, which is the better term to use?
Is Farming big enough to be it's own category or should that simply go under "Other" with tag "Farming". Don't want to get too specific with main categories but then again, Farming seems like a popular subject for improving with Data packs.
Mini-game only had 7 tagged packs but I feel like if a Data Pack created a "Mini Game" that it probably covers multiple other categories and would be hard to categorize. I also think visitors would be drawn to that category.
Ultimately, when we have a final list of main categories, I plan on auto-assigning all existing Data Packs to the best match based on their tags. If they don't match a main category, then they'll go into Other. Creators will of course be able to change the auto-categorization but at least we won't start with everyone in "Other".
I'll try to funnel variations into the final category. For example, Data Packs tagged "functional", "function" or "function" will all go into "Functional".
- Survival (113)
- Functional (110)
- Multiplayer (85)
- Singleplayer (67)
- Aesthetic (45)
- Hardcore (18)
- Advancements (18)
- Armor (17)
- Farming (14)
- Mini-game (7)
Several of the tags listed above had slight variations to them, so the #'s are larger than they appear there.
Should Survival vs Hardcore be a separate required filter? aka. When you upload a Data Pack, you specify which game mode and in the listings, visitors could filter by it in addition to the category?
Should Multi-player / Single Player be a separate required filter?
Would you consider "Functional" interchangeable with "Mechanics", if so, which is the better term to use?
Is Farming big enough to be it's own category or should that simply go under "Other" with tag "Farming". Don't want to get too specific with main categories but then again, Farming seems like a popular subject for improving with Data packs.
Mini-game only had 7 tagged packs but I feel like if a Data Pack created a "Mini Game" that it probably covers multiple other categories and would be hard to categorize. I also think visitors would be drawn to that category.
Ultimately, when we have a final list of main categories, I plan on auto-assigning all existing Data Packs to the best match based on their tags. If they don't match a main category, then they'll go into Other. Creators will of course be able to change the auto-categorization but at least we won't start with everyone in "Other".
I'll try to funnel variations into the final category. For example, Data Packs tagged "functional", "function" or "function" will all go into "Functional".
2
Good job on the list. It categorizes most Data Packs pretty well.
I think "Hardcore" should fit under the "Survival" category because it is survival, just a different way to play it.
I haven't seen much "Farming" Data Packs, but I do think many players want them and would use them. Although there aren't many of them, I do envision them becoming more popular, so I would suggest keeping it.
"Minigame" does fit as a good category. For a lot of players, this would be the first thing they would look through and I only expect Minigame datapacks to keep coming. I would suggest keeping it. It would also cover many Data Packs which would otherwise fit in "Other".
"Recipes" seems to be an essential Data Pack category missing from your list. I have seen many, many recipe-based Data Packs, although this category may fit very well under Functional.
I do suggest adding a "Magic" category. I've seen many magic datapacks, and they seem to peak the interests of plenty of creators and users. I think this is an essential category because of the quantity and demand for them.
I will be contacting Data Pack creators to see what they would suggest.
I think "Hardcore" should fit under the "Survival" category because it is survival, just a different way to play it.
I haven't seen much "Farming" Data Packs, but I do think many players want them and would use them. Although there aren't many of them, I do envision them becoming more popular, so I would suggest keeping it.
"Minigame" does fit as a good category. For a lot of players, this would be the first thing they would look through and I only expect Minigame datapacks to keep coming. I would suggest keeping it. It would also cover many Data Packs which would otherwise fit in "Other".
"Recipes" seems to be an essential Data Pack category missing from your list. I have seen many, many recipe-based Data Packs, although this category may fit very well under Functional.
I do suggest adding a "Magic" category. I've seen many magic datapacks, and they seem to peak the interests of plenty of creators and users. I think this is an essential category because of the quantity and demand for them.
I will be contacting Data Pack creators to see what they would suggest.
2
This is a really nice set. Do you speak with other Data Pack creators? Mind seeing what they think of the list and ask if any are missing.
I'm going to pull all tags from every current Data Pack on the site and sort by most tagged terms, ignore the generic ones like "datapack" and see if that reveals additional categories or simply mirrors what you've already presented.
I'm going to pull all tags from every current Data Pack on the site and sort by most tagged terms, ignore the generic ones like "datapack" and see if that reveals additional categories or simply mirrors what you've already presented.
1
what would be an example of Quality of Life?
2
Small changes or details that improve the gameplay. Like Silk Touch working with spawners or mobs having a slight chance to drop mob heads. Small details that make the game easier and more enjoyable.
