Overview
Recently, the users Azule and Morzzic found a way to create custom categories for mods. They used this for their mod, Minecraft Building System. Your mod very likely doesn’t need it’s own category.
Listen to this as you read through this Public Service Announcement.
🙂
Introduction
Recently, a guide has surfaced (which you can find here) that shows how to create a custom category using mods. This was intentionally left out of the modding API, as the GUI system can’t look pretty while trying to hold so many categories. However, some mods can make very good use out of these custom categories. Users Azule and Morrzic (authors of the guide) initially implemented this for their Minecraft Building System mod, which previously relied on the user typing in the block they want, now just let’s them choose blocks from the menu. This is a good use!
However, since that guide was created, a lot of smaller mods decided to take hold of that and create their own categories. Which can get very hectic very quickly. In the current state of the UI, the sidebar can only fit about one or two before it gets ugly, and with random weapon packs and NPC packs taking up those slots; Things get very ugly.
Luckily, mod creators can remind themselves of 5 key ingredients (as seen below) before adding something like this into their own mods, since this feature is being used far more than intended.
(T)hink of the end user!
(A)pply your mod’s content!
(L)ook at other mods!
(O)rganize!
(N)ever make a custom category for something like a weapon or NPC pack I’ll come to your house and destroy you.
Let’s go into detail about T.A.L.O.N.
Think of the End User!
When making any modification, your priority should always lay somewhere between functionality and polish, as these two pillars are incredibly important for the end-user’s experience. A mod with a lot of functionality but looks incredibly bad or crashes often is just as bad as a completely sound mod with no functionality. If you’re using a custom category for something that doesn’t need it, you’re destroying more polish than a drag-queen with a habit of biting their fingers, and the end user will certainly notice since you’re putting that wall between them and your mod’s content.
Apply Your Mod’s Content!
Come to terms with the mod’s content and try to picture it in any other category. It’s uncommon that you’ve made a mod that every item needs to fit into the same category, so split your mod up into the different categories readily available. If your mod is based off of another mod, use the same category that the parent mod uses. Things like humans with powers can still fit into the Entities tab. Things like Lightsabers can be put into the Melee tab. Et cetera.
Look at Other Mods!
While this is not currently the case, Weirdo’s Functioning Armor mod is one of few mods that could benefit off of it’s own category. While it currently doesn’t, if it ever does introduce one, any armor introduced by a mod should use that category, and list the mod as a “Required Subscription” on the mod’s page.
It’s also good practice to get a scope of uniqueness, and an upper bar of what requires its own category. Here is a list of mods that rightfully have their own categories, or could benefit off of implementing their own.
Organize!
Make absolute sure you’ve read the description of all of the base game’s categories and decided that your mod absolutely needs it’s own category before implementing one.
Before anyone comments, no. Shoving your mod’s content into one crevice isn’t “organizing”. That’s like shoving all your toys under your bed.
Never Make a Custom Category for a Weapon or NPC Pack I’ll Come to your House and Destroy You!
This is a threat.
Outroduction(?)
You probably don’t need your own category.