News
Work has begun on the first version of OurMods. Database design, server configuration, and basic API access have all been fully implemented and tested. Work is now underway refining the platform and giving it a face (front-end web).
At this state, it shouldn't be long before an Alpha version is available freely on the web!
Scope
The OurMods project seeks to preserve the rich history of videogame modding. Be it mods, plugins, server administration tools, mod loaders, world modification tools, game maps and beyond. We do not seek to serve strictly as a "mod host", but as an archive of the mod content that makes gaming so unique and versatile.
Why?
Many modern games rely on a connection to their company's servers in order to dowload crucial portions of the game files. When these companies eventually decide to shut down these servers, the game is then rendered unplayable and unable to be enjoyed by future generations. By archiving these crucial game files, along with additional community generated content. These games will be available to play long after the developers have abandoned them.
Features
- Archive all libraries and resources (often downloaded at runtime) needed to launch each vesion of a given game.
- Archive every single version of Forge, Modloader, ModloaderMP, MinecraftPortCentral(Beta 1.8.1 — 1.2.5), Cauldron Craftbukkit, Spigot. Even jenkins builds, development builds, and experimental builds.
- Collect guides for each version of mods and plugins, including installation and use.
- Offer all file downloads as torrents, or as direct downloads from our file server (with checksum verification).
- Git mirrors: The latest available git respositories for all opened source mods, plugins, and tools. Hosted on our servers in a read-only state, and included in the OurMods Insurance torrents.
- Monthly full-site dumps in torrent format, akin to WikiLeaks' Insurance File. If the site ever shuts down, a recent version of the entirety of the site's content (files, guides, even some site code) should be avaiable on the web forever, or at least as long as someone is seeding.
- Full featured API - Allowing the community to create Launchers, IRC Bots, or anything else you might come up with.
How?
- Old/Discontinued mods will be obtained by contacting the original developer, searching through old modpack archives, and by community-sourcing via IRC/Reddit.
- Recent mods will be added manually as well, and by scraping existing mod hosting services.
- Contributors will create curated pages and community forums for each mod.
Get Involved
If you'd like to assist in the archival process, please join us on our IRC Channel #OurMods on irc.esper.net
We'd really appreciate help finding legitimate files for mods and plugins that are no longer available due to dead links, thread closings, etc. If you find any such files, we'd love to hear about it on the IRC channel.
The following positions are available (and would be greatly appreciated):
- Front-end Web Developers - Create a simple, informative web interface.
- Community Managers - Curate the pages for mods, plugins, and server tools, moderate on the IRC channel.
- Documentation Specialists - Assemble/create helpful guides on installation and use of the mods, plugins, and server administration tools. This position demands an in-depth knowledge of modding early in the history of the game.
If you think you can help in some other meaningful way, talk to us on our IRC channel, we're happy to take all the help we can get!