This is the Minecraft 1.16 port of my previous mod Redstone Control, but everything is microblocks now.
RedstoneControl2 uses my new microblock system in CD4017BE_lib to add miniature logic gates, arithmetic operators and control interface elements (switches, lamps, 7-segment display) for Redstone Signals to Minecraft. To give you something to control with all the fancy circuitry, it also comes with its own microblock based Item, Fluid and Energy transport systems and machines. And a remote Block Interaction system allows devices like Block
Breakers to operate not just on the block in front of them, but on blocks selected by Interaction Pipe Drivers (extends a controllable pipe) or Random Block Access Controllers (select blocks inside a marked cubiod region). This very modular system offers countless automation possibilities and alongside circuit engineering challenges.
This mod also utilizes Minecraft's "doLimitedCrafting" gamerule to provide a unique progression system, where new circuit components are unlocked by building a circuit that implements its functionality out of more primitive components (see the corresponing section below for more details).
To not put unnecessary burden on your CPU, the microblocks are hosted by non-ticking TileEntities and have zero idle¹ performance impact (they only cost RAM). Microblock devices also communicate directly without block updates, so even complicated active microblock circuits often have a much lower server performance impact than just a single piece of redstone dust being pulsed.
¹: idle includes decorative structures, logic gates in a stable state and inactive machines.
Features
Redstone circuits:
This mod provides individual components for all the standard logic operations like AND, OR, NOT, XOR but also numeric comparison of signals, addition / subtraction, multiplication, division, bit manipulation and special things like Schmitt-Trigger, SR-Latch, Multiplexer, Counter and memory. These come in the form of microblocks being 4 times smaller in all directions than regular blocks, making it possible to build highly sophisticated circuits in a very small space.
Microblocks use their own internal Redstone system and cables to transmit signals between components that is also much more performance efficient than regular transmission through block updates. Special converter components can be placed in the outer faces of microblock structures to translate between normal and microblock Redstone. There is also a microblock version of the comparator for block readout.
Almost all circuit components will react on changing inputs with one tick (50 ms) delay, making them twice as fast as Redstone Torches and they also use a synchronized two-step ticking system that lets them operate with reliable timing even when signals switch every tick.
Most of the famous Redstone mods had some sort of bundled cable, this one doesn't provide that directly but you can achieve the same thing with bit-packing since the cables and all components operate on 32-bit integers giving you up to 32 logical channels (logic gates actually operate bit-wise).
There are also microblock versions of switches and lamps, a 7-Segment Display and text labels to build fancy control panels with (more components will be added in the future).
Item & fluid transport:
This mod also comes with a full item & fluid transport system, all based in microblocks of course. The system is modular with core components being the Item Translocator and Fluid Pump. These take resources from whatever is connected on one side to whatever is connected on the other side and are very precisely controllable with signals. Endpoints of a resource transfer can be adapters to external Inventories like chests and modded Fluid Tanks, microblock Item Buffers, Items picked up / dropped on the ground or fluid blocks placed / removed in the world and even special machines like the Interaction Pipe Driver that extends or retracts its pipe via item transfer. There are also filters that can be placed in between to select what type of Item to transfer or to control where things go.
Automation:
An Automatic Crafter can automatically craft items based on a signal controllable slot index pattern. Given a sophisticated enough control circuit, entire crafting chains can be automated with a single machine.
The controlled Block Breaker and controlled Item User can be used to automate block placement and harvesting. However, with this mod's remote block interaction system, they are not limited to a single block in front of them.
Energy:
Several devices (for example Item Translocator and Block Breaker) require energy to operate. Currently, the mod only offers energy generation through Solar Panels (more generators might be added in the future) but you can also use Forge Energy from other mods through an adapter.
Both generators and consumers have no builtin buffer and will consume or supply energy directly from / to a connected storage device (batteries or FE adapter) as they need it. You therefore can't connect consumers to generators directly. You can't connect storage devices to each other directly either, instead there is a controllable Transformer to move energy from one storage device to another.
Microblock Power Cable can be used to connect energy over distance. There is no loss or current limit, but you can only split access to a storage device at most two times using Power Splitters recursively (default config settings).
Remote block interaction:
Block Breaker, Item User, but also Item, Fluid and Power Ports normally operate on the block in front of them. But they can also operate on blocks somewhere else that can be provided with a Block Interaction Port, a Interaction Pipe Driver or a Random Block Access Controller that is connected via Block Interaction Cable.
- Block Interaction Port provides access to just the block in front of it.
- Interaction Pipe Driver extends a controllable pipe and provides access to the block at the end of that pipe.
- Random Block Access Controller provides access to a block specified by signal supplied coordinates within a marked cubiod region.
The last two are very useful to build all kinds of automated farms, quarries or automate building of large structures. Both have their advantages and disadvantages:
Although the access controller is more expensive (costing Netherite) and placing the 8 frame markers might be a bit tedious in some situations, I would highly recommended it for beginners because it is much easier control with circuits. The pipe driver on the other hand is obtainable much earlier in the game but might cost a bit of obsidian for the extending pipe and designing the necessary control circuits to navigate the pipe around can be very challenging.
There is also a Wireless Block Interaction Transmitter so you only need a small part of some farming setup on site and can keep most of it somewhere inside your base.
Progression through circuit building:
Minecraft has a gamerule that makes it so you can only craft recipes that you have unlocked in the recipe book via advancements. This gamerule is disabled by default and can be enabled either during world creation under the "Gamerules" button or at any time later on via the command /gamerule doLimitedCrafting true.
Recipes for machines, pipes and other "non-circuit items" are unlocked automatically once you have acquired certain key resources necessary to craft them or have reached a certain point in progression where they become relevant. Circuit components (like logic gates and other operations) however are unlocked with the "Redstone Research Lab" by building circuits that pass a certain test. So in short, to be able to craft a compact AND-Gate as single component you have to first build a Redstone circuit that behaves as an AND-Gate. You essentially start with vanilla Redstone dust, Redstone Torch, Redstone Repeater, etc. and build your way up to more and more advanced computational operations.
To verify that you build the circuit correctly, the Redstone Research Lab will send a sequence of signals into you circuit and checks if its outputs match up with the expected behavior. This means there is not just one correct solution to a test, instead you are free to use all your creativity and all available game features including other mods to solve them.
This progression system is meant as a step by step introduction into the mod's mechanics as well as an opportunity to gain the necessary skills in digital circuits to be able to tackle more complex personal projects later on. If the tests are too trivial for you because you're an expert in digital electronics or have already solved them in previous playthroughs you can decide to play without them by not enabling the gamerule or you can set yourself personal challenges like trying to optimize for timing or building the circuits more compact.
Note to pack creators: you can alter the progression system and even add your own custom tests though data packs.
Server / Client installation:
Simply put the downloaded .jar files of the mod and the required version (stated in the file's changelog / description) of CD4017BE_lib in your mods folder. Requires Forge Modloader to be installed in your Minecraft instance.
It's also highly recommended to install Patchouli (client & server), otherwise you won't have an in-game manual.
And if you want to play with the circuit building progression system, enable the "doLimitedCrafting" game rule during world creation or use the command /gamerule doLimitedCrafting true on servers and already created worlds. But keep in mind that this is a global vanilla option that will affect crafting for other mods as well!