The new modpack is ready!

Check out the forum post here: <forum>

Fun Paradise IV in the making !!!

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Fun GregTech Modpack

    Got a nice small modpack together to test with till all mods are ready for 1.7.2 to start a new server with. After a few minor changes all seems to work pretty well, although I am curious what will happen with IC2 with yet again Enet problems breaking things. Also not sure about future compatability between GregTech and Buildcraft. The way it seems to be going now, GregTech might as well become a standalone mod without relying on IC2. Would also love to get rid of MFR, because I want to keep this modpack really hard, but as OP as this mod is, it does have a RedNet system that is by far as buggy as Project Red or Red Logic. So we are not using any of the MFR stuff apart from RedNet. Will see what happens and what changes need to be made once 1.7.2 is ready for all mods in this pack. Will see what happens ...
    I am truly enjoying this pack for a while already and yes, its very damn hard! No Ender chests or any ways to teleport items or liquids. No portals either apart from the Vanilla Nether portals, which do kinda work with Railcraft though. GregTech changed a lot and still is adding more and more resources as well as functionality. I have a feeling he is preparing for IC2 and Buildcraft to disappear? For those who last played GregTech in 1.4.7-1.5.2, you will be in for a treat ;-) Love the pipes and covers and they are truly advanced and allow for very compact setups. Logi-pipes are of course great as well, but are of course based on Buildcraft. I do however prefer them over the in my opinion way too OP Applied Energistics networks that I hate using and seem like magic and unreal to me. I bet in a month or two I will be able to do some first tests for 1.7.2 with this pack. Might add/remove a few mods and make some modifications, but I like this small pack as it is.
    Will run this modpack on the server as soon as 1.7.2 is stable and ready. This pack will however not run 7 days a week, because the server is meant for projects to work/build on. So sometimes I might have to backup the world and install a project instead causing some downtime for the multiplayer server. If you would like to join the server in the near future, let me know.

Modpack 1.6.4:

• Blood Magic
• Buildcraft
• CodeChickenCore
• Forestry
• Forge
• GregTech
• IC2FixesGT
• IC2
• Jabba
• LogisticsPipes
• MineFactoryReloaded
• NEI
• NEI Plugins
• OpenComputers
• OpenComponents
• PowerCrystalsCore
• Railcraft
• Universal Electricity Core (needed for OpenComputers)

Mehh ... ?

It's been a while since I lasted posted, but here's an update. Been pretty busy for others and struggling with myself at the same time. I am always struggling, yay for being me. Circumstances led to time for myself again and here I am feeling eager to start on several things, although I am still feeling kinda down and without energy. I am itching to start Minecraft projects, some coding stuff and maybe even streaming, but at the same time scared to end up doing too much and forcing myself to quit again. I am full of ideas though and I feel there are opportunities I should really grab. Remaining indecisive, doing half of anything, is not the solution. Hopefully once I truly allow myself to dive in, I will be able to get some things done and finish some long awaited projects.

Some things that are planned and/or being worked on:

• Moving away from Blogger and re-building my website from scratch on a true host.
• Complete new website will most likely contain a lot of WebGL and 3D effects, but no spoilers yet.
• Project Pixy, starting a new Minecraft project which includes GregTech ;-P
• Fun Paradise II & III - The Movie (uploads to YouTube)
• Might be doing a Minecraft building project which I have been asked to help out with, but needs further discussion first.
• Considering to start streaming again, either on Hitbox or Twitch.
• Twitch/Hitbox extension/plugin and Pixy_Bot re-vamped implementation/makeover.
• Another old idea for chat interaction.
• Making music again, it's been ages and always loved working on tracks. Could do some cool video with it for YouTube uploads.
• several other ideas to work on over time.
• Working on myself instead of fleeing into helping others, love it and hate it, I don't allow myself time to get anywhere myself.

All-in-all a lot of work and not sure what has priority. Considering I usually do all by myself some of these things will definitely take some time getting finished. I will just work on whatever I feel like at the moment, so I don't really have a schedule at all. I noticed I cant really deal with pressuring myself too much. Love being 'Miss Perfect', but hate having such high goals/standards. So yeah, what the heck, we shall see. I should focus on my own life which DOES have priority, but at the same time DONT feel like it at all. So tired and burned out, yet so ambitious and anxious to accomplish anything. I might as well not care all too much at the moment, because I am more than happy to at least do something and hopefully that will lead to 'loving' myself a bit more. Stop thinking and worrying, just do something, anything!

Mehh, just mehhh ... and dang ... once again, ... I start posting and writing and I feel guilty towards myself for not doing this more often. It does me well and makes me feel 'real' again. And another thing ... why do I feel so effing scared? Prolly afraid to fail the things I promise myself to accomplish ... *sigh*.

Twitch Promotions ???

    Twitch changed part of their ToS concerning 'promotions' or usually referred to as 'give-aways'. They changed ToS after a big streamer, who I won't mention got banned for violating Twitch's ToS. There were most likely other channels shut down as well, because I cant imagine he was the only one holding similar 'give-aways' for subscribers only, which came down to holding a raffle. When subscribing and thus having to pay a certain amount of money which gets divided between Twitch and the streamer and only then having a chance to win in a give-away is considered illegal by US law. So Twitch changed their ToS to rule out any infringements for themselves. Here is the part of the ToS involved (http://www.twitch.tv/user/legal):
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10. Broadcasters

f. Promotions

Broadcasters may promote, administer or conduct a promotion on, through or utilizing Twitch (a “Promotion”). If you are a Broadcaster and you choose to promote, administer or conduct a Promotion, you must follow the following rules:

• You may not conduct a Promotion if the aggregate value of all prizes awarded in the Promotion exceeds $5,000;
• Your Promotion may not require the entrant to submit any User Content(as defined below);
• Your Promotion may only be open to residents of the fifty (50) United States (including Washington D.C.);
• Entrants must be 18 or older, or the age of majority under applicable law.
• Your Promotion must be free to enter.
• Generally, your Promotion should not require entrants to endorse a product or otherwise comment or provide an opinion on a product in such a way that a reasonable person may believe the endorsement, comment or opinion is from the entrant. If it is possible that you may be asking an entrant to make such an endorsement, comment or opinion, you must require the entrant to disclose that he or she receives a promotion entry in exchange for such endorsement, comment or opinion;
• You may not indicate that Twitch is a sponsor or co-sponsor of the Promotion.
• Your Promotion must have a set of Official Rules that contain all details, disclosures and other information required by applicable law and that otherwise comply with law.
• Your Promotion must be conducted, and prizes awarded, as described in your Official Rules.
• You must comply with all applicable laws, rules, and regulations in your execution of the Promotion.
• There are a number of laws and requirements associated with promotions, so ask an expert if you have questions or concerns.

You, at your expense, will be solely responsible for all aspects of your Promotion, including, without limitation, the execution, administration, and operation of the Promotion; drafting and posting the Official Rules; selecting winners; issuing prizes; and obtaining all necessary third-party permissions and approvals, including, without limitation, filing any and all necessary registrations and bonds. Twitch has the right to remove your Promotion from the Twitch Service for any reason.

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    So this means that even if I were to do a give-away, only US (50 states) 18+ citizens can actually win? I am located in Europe, The Netherlands to be precise, but anything I would wish to give away can only go to the US viewers? This seems really unfair for a streaming site with streamers from all over the world.
    Apart from these rules in the ToS, it is still a lot of work to set up a proper 'promotion' or give-away, a lot of rules apply according to US law. For example, you will need to show all participants in the give-away as well as show the winner properly. Drawing the winner needs to be done publicly as well. It needs a full set of rules and disclosures to show the viewer how exactly the raffle will work and who is actually eligible to join. Now you will have to somehow be able to be sure someone is US based and 18+ of age. Basically this cant be done without having viewers sign a legal document before they enter any give-away. This seems to be almost impossible considering ...
    I can see how a raffle should most likely not be allowed or a lottery for that matter, but damn, even plain old free for all give-aways are no longer allowed. So giving an advantage as a reward for subscribing to a channel is NOT done, nor is it fair to exclude non-subscribers in a give-away, this would be called a raffle and considered illegal! I can see that, although many streamers used to do so or similar.
    Now what about Twitch Coins or whatever they call this virtual currency on many a Twitch channel where they reward you in all kinds of ways? Become a subscriber and get rewarded with an entry in a give-away! Watch us more often to get more of this virtual credit for even better rewards! Multiple entries for subbing to a channel or adding increased chances in give-aways through virtual currency! This to me basically comes down to the same as holding a raffle and should be banned according to Twitch's ToS. Too bad I still see this happen on quite a few channels though.

    Why not just call it a donation and deal with it that way? Chances for winning a gift should be equal for every viewer, being subbed or not, watching often or not, being a whatever or not. All that is needed is being there when the give-away is being held so you can actually receive your gift/donation through whatever means the internet has to offer. The internet is World Wide and not limited to the US (50 states) only. Or just ban give-aways all together and not allow them at all! Make up your mind Twitch, before Twitch becomes one big commercial money making race, or ... wait, it is already?! Nothing wrong with a well earned buck though ;-)