Map Package Maker by MrJVS
15 August 2016
Last month I asked the question “how might a map installer work?” and the answer turned into an idea for something I dubbed a “map package maker”.
This was a theoretical tool that would be used to create single-file map installers.
I went into quite a bit of detail about what it should do; and amazingly someone decided to build a map package maker based on my ideas.
So, please let me tell you about Map Package Maker by MrJVS:
How it works
Built in Java, you will need to have Java installed to use this tool. So will your users, since the installer created by the tool will also be a Java executable.
Run the MapPackageMaker.jar file, and you will get a GUI with various options:
World folder: here you add your world folder ZIP file.
Resource pack: yes for single-player worlds, you can embed the resources in the above folder. But by providing a separate RP, the installer can enable it from the moment the player starts Minecraft. Allowing map makers to change the Minecraft splash screen via the pack.
Options.txt file: this is optional, but it allows map makers to specify special settings to run Minecraft under. No more having to tell players to change their clouds off, do it for them!
Profile name: the installer will create a new launcher profile for your map. Maybe name it after your Map?
Version: is your map built for 1.9? No more will have you to tell players to downgrade; the profile will be set up to use the version you want!
When you click Create Installer the Map Package Maker will create a single-file .jar for you. Save it where you want.
You can now distribute the .jar installer, and players will have a nice clean map installation experience!
Things I would like to see
MrJVS’s Map Package Maker is a very new product; and while he’s implemented a lot of my ideas, there’s still a lot of improvements that can be made. Here are some of the things I would like to see:
- A nicer GUI for the map installer. It would be nice if it said the name of the map being installed, maybe even extracting
the
icon.pngfrom the world folder to display that.- I have been reliably informed that MrJVS is working on the installer GUI.
- I would prefer it if the installer extracted the ‘game directory’ locally by default, maybe with an option to
choose another location. I don’t think players want to see their
.minecraftfolders cluttered with maps. This would give players more control. - I have a feeling that using Java might be a barrier for some players. Minecraft itself doesn’t require a Java installation any more to run (it packages it’s own). This isn’t going to change in MrJVS’s tool, but for anyone else who thinks of implementing something similar in the future; keep this in mind!