Presenting: Ruby + Sapphire, now in fabulous 1.16 version!! (Forge)
Update 1.1 has arrived!
Check the Images tab for a quick summary of the mod!
With the addition of two new ores, you now have the option to save your diamonds for the things most important to you. Now you can craft a jukebox, mine a bit faster, obtain some obsidian, and even power a beacon without needing to spend a single diamond!
Ruby and Sapphire are gems that can be used to craft two statistically identical sets of tools.
Put basically, you have an option of using red or blue colored tools. It's always nice to have options, afterall.
But, upon closer inspection, you'll find each tool set actually has some perks of its own!
Ruby tools get a slight boost in mining speed when you are engulfed in flame. They might even make you keep the flame going as you mine.
Sapphire tools get a slight boost in mining speed when you are submerged completely in water. They get a little faster depending how little air you have.
In the damage and durability department they fall roughly between Iron and Diamond. They can mine any block a Diamond level tool could, but with the caveat that they have less durability and are not able to be smithed into a Netherite tool.
Rubies can be found in most any biome that packs the heat, such as Deserts or Savannas, while Sapphires can be located deep within the Ocean's depths.
(There's also a range of configuration options to have them spawn in every biome)
When you get lit on fire, you'll get the "Burning" effect. Check your inventory screen to see exactly how long you'll remain on fire! Likewise, when you begin to take damage from having no more air underwater, you'll receive the "Drowning" effect. There's no timer on this one since it will last until you get some air! Neither of these effects have any additional mechanics; they're just a nice heads up. There's a config if you don't like them.
Be sure to check the RubySapphire-common.toml file for various configuration options so that you can play the mod how you like.
For example, there's a setting to disable Ruby and Sapphire Tools's special abilities if you'd rather not have them.
Despite potentially seeming random; there's an option to have it so Silverfish Infested Stone will spawn rarely throughout the depths of your world, not just in Extreme Hills biomes, if you want a little more risk and surprise in your mining adventures (This is turned off by default. Don't worry!!)
Special thanks:
Thank-you to turtywurty, cy4shot, and mcjty for your 1.16 modding tutorials.
In regards to the old 1.12 version:
This mod is a spiritual successor to a mod I made for 1.12 version a couple of years ago.
It ports over a few of the features, such as being able to use Rubies and Sapphire as materials to craft sets of tools, as a replace Diamonds in the Jukebox's crafting recipe, and as a material to power up a Beacon,
but it also removes a few notable features from the 1.12 version, like the ability to craft armor sets out of Rubies and Sapphires. Experience Ore and its generation in the world has been completely removed as well.
On top of that, the 1.16.5 version adds a few NEW features, like Ruby and Sapphire tools getting boosted abilities when in contact with Fire or Water.
Rather than having them share a page and me having to explain the big differences between versions and change out all the screenshots; it was easier to just brand this as a new mod.
The 1.12 version can be found here: https://www.curseforge.com/minecraft/mc-mods/ruby-sapphire-experience-ore
Inspirations:
For me, the inspiration to make a mod with Ruby and Sapphire tools probably has roots in Red Power, a mod by Eloraam. I was introduced to it while watching the Yogscast play the Tekkit modpack. I really liked how each member of their main trio had his own uniquely colored gear thanks to being able to craft tools out of Rubies, Sapphires, and Emeralds.
As for inspiration behind making my rendition of Ruby and Sapphire tools have special abilities when you are on fire / underwater, I'd attribute that to Team Abnormals's upcoming mod Caverns and Chasms. Their team has a nice way of introducing new ores without making them redundant. The way they implemented Silver gear sounded really cool, so I tried to mimic them just a little bit.
The elemental based abilities relating to fire and water are also inspired by Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time a little bit with its Goron Ruby and Zora Sapphire.
And put simply, I just like the color red, so having tools in that color really appeals to me. Sapphire is around because I figure someone out there probably really likes the color blue.
Sorry if you're a fan of green... Emerald tools aren't planned.
Future Plans:
-Compatability for other mods. Let me know if you can think of any mods with recipes using diamonds that you think it would make sense to allow a ruby/sapphire to act as a substitute crafting item for.
-A Geologist Villager profession maybe?? A type of Villager that accepts Rubies and Sapphires as currency as well as Emeralds and Diamonds. Not really sure what their workstation would be or what they could trade, so, this idea isn't very likely.
-Looking for opinions about the removal Experience Ore and Ruby/Sapphire Armor. I don't thiiiink I want to add them (because, being honest, a lot of mods I personally plan to use already have a lot of really cool armor options; so I don't think I'd ever use Ruby or Sapphire armor myself)
-Something.. Anything else that uses Ruby or Sapphire. At the moment, they don't entirely feel warranted. Them being used to craft so useful or fun item/block/equippable could be nice.