Better Runtime Resource Pack (BRRP)

BRRP (Better Runtime Resource Pack), is a library mod used for generate resources at runtime, which is a branch of ARRP (Advanced Runtime Resource Pack) mod.

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Notice: Since version 1.0.0, the ID of the mod was changed from better_runtime_resource_pack to brrp_v1, and modified the code without compatibility for older versions, but can co-exist with older versions. Unless needed, please do not used old version.

What is a runtime resource pack?

Runtime resource pack (RRP) refers to asset and data files generated when Minecraft is running, in avoidance of some repetitive works. For mods with masses of similar blocks and items, runtime resource pack helps to significantly reduce the size of mod file.

For instance, the loot table of most blocks can be described as "drop the block itself". Some blocks drop only when with Silk Touch. For slab blocks, when double slab block is broken, two blocks are dropped instead of one. In loot tables, each block requires a loot table JSON file; creating them is quite time-consuming. Moreover, almost each block requires a "block states", block model and item model (block models may be more than one). If loot tables and recipes (if it exists) are counted, each block requires at least 5 JSONs to achieve full features. In contrast, runtime resource packs make them generated inside the game instance, instead of stored in the mod JAR file.

Runtime resource packs have no difference than regular resource packs with regard to features. Normal resource packs (including the mod’s builtin resource and manually-installed resource-packs or data-packs) can override contents of runtime resource packs, or have relations to runtime resource packs. A typical example is, block models are defined in runtime resource packs, and their texture files are stored in mod files as usual (as it’s not appropriate to generate texture files in runtime).

Compared to traditional resource packs, runtime resource packs reduce I/Os, but adds the process of object serialization, which is a drawback of runtime resource pack. When resource packs are generated, objects are converted to byte forms (usually JSON). This process is called serialization. When game instance reads these resource packs, these byte-form contents are analysed to generate objects in game. This process is called deserialization. In traditional resource packs, all resources are serialized, and the game instance needs only to deserialize them when loading resources. However, runtime resource packs require the process of both serialization and deserialization.

To summarize again the process traditional resource packs and runtime resource packs are read in game:

• Traditional File → (read as) byte form → (deserialized as) in-game objects
• Runtime Code → ARRP objects → (serialized as) byte form → (deserialized as) in-game objects

It’s been in my plan to make it possible to directly use objects generated in game in future versions, without the process of deserialization and serialization. This is already possible in theory, but to be in the form of resource pack and allow overriding by traditional resource packs and data packs, some further research is required.

About this mod

This mod (BRRP) can be seen as a branch of ARRP, supporting all features of ARRP. If you installed BRRP mod, and installed mods that depend on ARRP (not BRRP), the game can launch. Therefore, please do not install BRRP and ARRP simultaneously. But if some mods nest ARRP in their mod JARs, some issues may happen, so it’s not recommended to nest this mod into your mod JAR.

This mod tries to reduce incompatible changes to ARRP, so no classes, fields or methods are deleted; they are just deprecated. If some mods apply mixins on ARRP, the mod may have some issues when run on BRRP, but the probability of this has been as reduced as possible.

This mod is open-source and published under the MPLv2 license.