Overhaul textures and make current textures into a built-in classic pack

[BenCheung0422]

Introduction

Concerns about the original resources

There might be some problems or concerns about using the original textures because of the doubtful license and consent, so some usages might be limited, such as on the Wiki. Therefore, at this point I suggest moving the textures from vanilla to classic to cover the resource usages optionally. Whatever how it should be, moving to another built-in pack could greatly reduce legislative concerns on assets.

Plans to have different built-in packs for favours

By default, the vanilla resources are always enabled, and it would be the fixed resources, but somehow can be overwritten by other packs. Then, as there are some modifications and improvements to the textures, the classic texture pack appears to conserve the old original textures of Minicraft+ before the texture updates.

Built-in pack plan details

Resource packs:

• Vanilla (default)
  • Entirely reworked, in either way of modern or a tone of classic feel of the game
  • Brushwork and such would keep a distance to keep way from classic resources
  • Resolutions of tiles and entities basically are 32 px instead of 16 px; items are basically 16 px instead of 8 px.
• Classic (separate external packs)
  • All original resources, i.e. audio and textures only
• Blocky (experimental; built-in pack; can be ignored and accepted when under consensus; included in main repo)
  • No Connected Tile Transition, others are similar to vanilla
• High Contrast (built-in pack; accepted when under consensus)
  • High contrast textures based on vanilla

Mostly, the textures are related for different pack selections. The default resource always go to the bottom in term of priority.

Among the built-in packs, only the classic would include resources other than textures, and they are the audio clips, which may be removed from the vanilla resources depending on the way to handle the improved textures. New audio clips would be made into the vanilla resource groups.

For the classic packs, there are actually 2:

• Originator Art/Original Art: The original resources of Minicraft. (Without our modifications; non-built-in)
• Classic Art/Programmer Art(?): The classic look of Minicraft+. (All textures pre-2.3; non-built-in)

Due to licensing practice, the classic packs would not be included in the game by distribution, but could be downloaded separately to use. They would be held in a separate public repository with special non-open-source license, may be special terms or something, and pack formats are maintained up-to-date with the latest game. The GUI textures are quite troublesome, so likely not included.

Vanilla Resources

At the moment, all the original assets would be completely replaced by 2.3, but detailed shall be further discussed for confirmation and planning. Most likely one or more visual artists would be invited for the work, including future additions.

Conclusion

This should be handled seriously as there can be several benefits as well as drawbacks from working on this. Of course, it is possible that not all the people would agree with the way to handle the original textures. But, maintenance on the works should still be conducted to keep its quality and improve its grades and essences. The potential should not be limited and the project should be ongoing, so as with its resources.

See also

• Flexible UX customization and controllability support #633
• Adjust and improve interface structures and GUI experience #581
• About copyright #689
• The original Discord message chunk about the plans for textures

[BenCheung0422]

After thinking, the remake will already have less classic feels (including the visual relevance to the original Minicraft), so not really need for "Modern" or something, so plan of this pack is dropped. Also, the description is updated.

[JamesTDG]

I would suggest Super Minicraft (since the pack itself is designed to be more faithful to Minecraft), but I never could finish it due to conflicts I had with the tiling system being 8x8 versus 16x16 (yes I know it means more unique tiles, but it does allow for more detailed packs, which we kinda need)

[BenCheung0422]

I am not so sure about the point of being "more faithful to Minecraft", or you mean the tone by their Texture Update. Anyway, it is in discussion who (one or more) to take part in the textures, but still likely in collaboration or something. Like in the examples in #689, there are several styles and brushworks of the textures by different creators, but eventually should be in similar ways for all the textures.

[JamesTDG]

I am not so sure about the point of being "more faithful to Minecraft"

It's meant to stylistically match Minecraft's blocky aesthetic, while also meant to look like it's running on the SNES (hence the 'super' in the name)

[BenCheung0422]

Hmm, blocky aesthetic, probably not what the vanilla textures tend to be, since it was originally based on the transitional tiling texture system, so as the updated ones. In fact, I personally tend to the styles demonstrated in #689 and the ones in Aircraft.

[BenCheung0422]

And actually I mentioned in #394, this is one example of the improved textures:

[Makkkkus]

This issue does not solve the problem that it aims to solve. The problem is copyright, and if we are not allowed to use the assets of the original game, we can hadly include them as a built in texture pack. Even if it is "voluntary", these assets are distributed as assets in the game.

This also ignores the fact that we might probably need to continue updating the "classic" pack to keep that pack up to style.

[zandgall]

One solution to the copyright issue (to make it easy for players to experience the original textures) would be to have a tool that extracts assets from a player-provided copy of the original minicraft ludum dare game jar.

However, looking at the original assets vs the current assets, it could be a big big pain in the butt with how much color swapping it would have to do, and having to maintain it for newer releases.
On the flip side, could be a bit of fun for people who enjoy that sort of thing (like me). I'd take a stab at it myself if it seems worthwhile.

[zandgall]

No one stopped me so I did make that tool I mentioned.. was fun, would be easy to maintain whenever resource pack structure gets changed. Anyways, if it's of interest https://github.com/zandgall/minicraft-assetripper, has differences from current minicraft-plus-revived textures, like how iron, gold, and gem tools have more colors for shading, but my tool produces pretty much what they looked like on minicraft's original ludum dare release