Adding a New Mob

[robust brook]

Hello! This is my first time actually putting something “big” into Minecraft via MCreator. This might be a question fit for someone who does coding as well as models.

I’m trying to add this creature into Minecraft via MCreator, but I wanna add different colored antlers for different variants. My first question is, does Blockbench allow for the same texture to be used to make more textures for the same model? Like if I saved this green-horned model, and turned it red and saved that, would it overwrite the green antlers in my file or could I just name the red texture a different name?

Secondly, a more MCreator question; does MCreator allow Blockbench animations to be used for mobs? I want to make this mob hop like a rabbit, so I wanna see if I can do that in Blockbench and then export the animations to MCreator. I’m relatively new to using both MCreator and Blockbench.

[lost sinew]

The first one should be possible, yeah. You can tint the texture in code or make different variants and swap them out depending on different conditions I think.

The second is possible, but I don't know how to do it using MCreator, only with actual coding. It requires tweaking of the entity, model, and renderer files of your mob.

[robust brook]

Follow up question
What are renderer files?

[lost sinew]

Each entity basically needs a model, entity, and renderer file

[robust brook]

Yeah, I’ve never heard of renderer files tho, is that where you put the texture and behavior for your entity?

[lost sinew]

Defines how the game shows them, in simple terms

[robust brook]

So it organizes the texture onto the model, and the model onto the entity?

[lost sinew]

Yeah I guess. You can look at Vanilla mob files for reference.
Have you considered making mods using actual Java instead of MCreator? MCreator isn't the proper way to make mods and is discouraged. What you want to do probably isn't possible with MCreator alone.

[robust brook]

Well yeah but I figured this would be more convenient, since this mod isn’t intended to be super big and is more of an addon for my own modpack. Also coding is confusing for me, I’ll admit, but I do try to learn key terminology of it from time to time

If I do one day make it into a fully fledged mod I’ll probably have to pick up Java then

[lost sinew]

Well yeah but I figured this would be more convenient, since this mod isn’t intended to be super big and is more of an addon for my own modpack.
MCreator is limiting because it limits you to what the creator of MCreator wants you to do, not what you want to do

[robust brook]

Isn’t that true for most code-free software

[lost sinew]

As somebody who first tried MCreator and then later switched to actual Java and released 3 mods that way, it is harder for sure but much more worth it

[robust brook]

Also the fact that Java updates every few months or so is a bit discouraging to me at least

[lost sinew]

Any sort of software that replaces coding with preset "blocks" representing logic is bound to be limited yeah

[lost sinew]

Java is a stable language. It updates, but that doesn't mean the code you wrote before will break in a couple months. Also, Java can update all it wants, but ultimately Minecraft will have to use that new version too.

[robust brook]

Then why is porting a hurdle for many mod developers?

Wouldn’t that mean at least some of the code becomes obsolete as the language updates?

[lost sinew]

Porting isn't really a hurdle most of the time. When it is a hurdle, it is because Mojang has changed something with their code that breaks some mod functionality. But MCreator is no exception to that.
And once again, that itself doesn't happen much.

[robust brook]

I’m sorry if this comes across as bad faith or Devil’s advocate, but what about the bigger mods like I/F and Mowzie’s, mods that are widely popular but are held back by their lack of porting? Surely some code-breaking is present there, I’d assume

In that case tho, I’d certainly bounce back to the idea of visiting coding in Java, but I’m not sure if I’ll use this mod to enter it.

If it does come down to it, like maybe a core planned feature isn’t accessible on MCreator, I’ll weigh my options and likely switch to Java, but as it stands rn, this is meant to be a project that gets me into figuring out modding while doubling as a project I’ll be interested in doing.

I do plan to eventually get into Java for bigger, fully-fledged mods, though I am aware earlier is probably better

[lost sinew]

I’m sorry if this comes across as bad faith or Devil’s advocate, but what about the bigger mods like I/F and Mowzie’s, mods that are widely popular but are held back by their lack of porting? Surely some code-breaking is present there, I’d assume
Yes, you are right, especially because Mojang has changed some of their code over time. You do need to be a bit active in updating your mods. However, once again, MCreator isn't an exception to this either.

[robust brook]

I should probably specify this isn’t exactly a reason I’m going for MCreator currently, rather than it’s just quick to put some mobs together while also easily getting into modding before going to Java.

I’ll probably keep this mod to 1.19/1.20, maybe 1.21 at the VERY latest, until I get better at Java mods

[lost sinew]

The problem is, you asked for something very specific that probably isn't even possible through MCreator

[robust brook]

I have seen some fun and relatively complex (for a first timer’s perspective) mods on MCreator, mainly stuff from Furti-Two and others

And I’ve fit this mod’s major features relatively within what I believe are realistic expectations for MCreator’s capabilities

Based on what I’ve seen from Stalwart Dungeons, Seeds, Sons of Sin, etc

[lost sinew]

And I’ve fit this mod’s major features relatively within what I believe are realistic expectations for MCreator’s capabilities
If you think so then I guess you can find the feature that you're asking for

[robust brook]

That is where my problem lies with MCreator, and coding in general; I know basically limitless things are possible with coding, and to a lesser degree, with MCreator, but I don’t know how to make those things happen, the switches to turn on so to speak

[lost sinew]

This server's bot has Java and modding tutorials in case you want them btw

[robust brook]

That sounds good, I’ll check those out sometime

Anyways, tysm in general for this convo and the help, this talk actually helped me understand modding a tad bit more, in addition to helping further progress on this small project. Thanks again, I’ll probably post progress on my mod here as it continues

[lost sinew]

Looking forward to it! Yeah if you want to get motivated let me know and I can show some of my mods

[robust brook]

What have you worked on actually? Your name looks familiar

[lost sinew]

You might have seen me a lot around here, which is why my name sounds familiar. But I've released 6 plugins for Blockbench and 3 mods

[robust brook]

Can’t say I recognize any of your own mods, but I still can’t help feeling like I’ve seen you on a mod

[lost sinew]

On a mod?

[robust brook]

Yea like maybe you did some collab as a programmer or modeler

[lost sinew]

I've never collaborated on my released mods, no. Here is my profile:
https://www.curseforge.com/members/sirjain/projects

[robust brook]

This looks cool, I am a big sucker for exotic Minecraft creatures and this fits the vibe I look for when finding new mods to use

[lost sinew]

That's one of my mods yeah

[robust brook]

Maybe I’ve seen one of them before and I can’t remember which, odd

[lost sinew]

It'd either be Extensive Diamonds or Throwable Fluids (the above). My other one isn't as popular.

[robust brook]

Anyways, thank you once again, I’ll certainly keep any eye out for more content from you

[lost sinew]

Honestly you've probably heard of me from the plugin store

[robust brook]

Ykw, I think I actually might’ve seen you on Twitter

Some of your posts look familiar

[lost sinew]

That too

[robust brook]

These low-poly creatures you did a while back are interesting; were they planned for a mod or anything?

[lost sinew]

LOL I remember making that so long ago. Yeah, they were for a planned mod

[robust brook]

What happened to it, if you don’t mind the question?

[lost sinew]

Well I just ditched it. But I revisited it, completely changed the idea, collaborated with a friend, and I am now working on it again. It is one of my most active projects

[robust brook]

Wouldn’t happen to be Throwable Fluids?

Or is it still indev

[lost sinew]

In dev