In this episode, Swag trades with villagers to gather the 81 emeralds needed to craft 9 emerald blocks for a Creative Controller from Refined Storage. Watch as he navigates trades, shares his quick emerald-gathering techniques, and kickstarts the Refined Storage mod. Join the adventure and learn efficient trading strategies in this exciting video!
Swag Plays Factorio S2 E29: Streamlined Research & Green Circuits Galore!
In this episode, Swag streamlines his research to fast-track the logistics network, setting the stage for full factory automation. He expands the factory setup by adding more basic circuit production lines, essential for crafting the third type of circuits. As he progresses, he realizes the need for production research and a fifth type of science pack to unlock the rocket silo and secure the season’s victory. Tune in to witness the factory’s productivity soar in this exciting episode!
Swag Plays Banished S2 E22 | Dock Demolition & Iron Shortage Drama!
In this episode, the builders of Otterview face the challenge of clearing the final stored items from the old trading dock before demolishing it to pave the way for the new one. Iron shortages continue to hinder construction efforts, and a tragic walk in the woods leads to another citizen succumbing to starvation. Don’t miss this gripping episode to see all the drama unfold!
Episode 34: St. Katharine Drexel
In this episode, I examine the inspiring life of St. Katharine Drexel, the second American to be made a saint. Discover how her legacy of charity, sacrifice, and faith reflects our Lenten journey and get inspired.
My Modpacks: Updates, Insights, and Future Steps
In this week’s blog post, I’m diving into my modpacks: what they are, their current status, and when you can expect to download and play them yourself. Just to clarify, all of my modpacks are currently designed for Minecraft 1.20.1.
Before I explain my modpacks, let me explain the three statuses of modpacks and what each one is:
- Alpha: Active development of the modpack – no private or public releases
- Beta: Released for private testing on my Discord server (must be a Ko-fi Full Member or Twitch Subscriber to access the files and reports area), with bug fixes after they are reported. Lasts for six months.
- Public: Released to CurseForge for anyone to download and play. Updates if game-breaking bugs are found.
My first modpack is called Peaceful Mekanism, and it is designed to help the player learn the Mekanism mod in Peaceful mode. There are no mods which do things that the Mekanism mod can do itself, even if they are late-game. It is currently in Alpha. It will be released for Beta-testing after I do a full YouTube series on it, probably after my Factorio series ends, as it will likely be completed before my Banished series is done. If you’re interested in joining the beta testing or following the development journey, make sure to check out my Discord and YouTube channels for updates!
The next modpack is called The Land of Peace and it is focused around the Minecolonies mod with ProjectE assisting (maining to provide resources that have no limit). The task of the player is to build a settlement into a thriving town in Peaceful mode. With its emphasis on creating a peaceful, thriving town, this modpack offers a unique and relaxing gameplay experience for those who enjoy building and strategizing without the pressure of hostile mobs. It is currently in Beta, although the files on the Discord don’t match what I’m currently testing as I reverted to the Beta 1.0 release with some small changes. It will be released to the public in about three months time.
My final modpack is called Creative Engineering and it’s in Alpha. This modpack is for the first season of the YouTube series of the same name, and will be changing between seasons. It will be entered into Beta after the end of the current season. Season one’s modpack is focused around surviving on a classic flat world with the assistance of mods in Peaceful mode. As the world is just four blocks deep, mining is out of the question in this modpack, and thus you will have to follow a similar process to a skyblock world, except without the fear of falling into the void to your death. Stay tuned for updates as the season unfolds and this modpack evolves in preparation for Beta!
As you can tell, I have three very different modpacks currently under development. I have not listed here the two modpacks that are already available to the public on CurseForge as they were for an earlier version of the game. I enjoy coming with new concepts for modpacks and if you have an idea, I’d love to read your idea in the comments! There are a few limitations to what I add to my modpacks like an emphasis on avoiding magic and preferring technology, and that they must be playable in Peaceful mode, so please keep that in mind when suggesting an idea. I’m looking forward to reading your ideas and exploring new possibilities together!
Creative Engineering E15: Farming Trees with Create & Farmer’s Delight
In this episode, Swag demonstrates how to use Create and Farmer’s Delight to farm oak and birch trees. Discover his techniques, learn from his mistakes, and find out why he now needs birch logs in addition to the oak he’s been content with so far. Don’t miss this exciting episode!
Swag Plays Factorio S2 E28: Robotic Roadblocks! Power Critical!
In this episode, Swag completes the setup of roboports but soon realizes he needs additional research to unlock requester chests for automating the engines in the flying robot frames area. Undeterred, he focuses on setting up personal logistics and reorganizes his research, all while recognizing how close he is to winning the game and finishing this season. To prepare for future needs, he also expands steam power to ensure ample energy for his roboports and upcoming plans, especially during the nights when solar power isn’t available to save on coal usage.
Swag Plays Banished: S2 E21 | A Place to Worship & Iron Needed!
In this episode, Otterview finally builds the chapel after completing the second new stone house. Swag apologizes for his voice being a bit off today as he’s still recovering from an illness. Due to a shortage of iron, most other construction projects come to a halt, while a few roadworks near the new fishing docks are laid out, leaving room for a row of homes for future merchants and/or fishers. Come and see how Otterview continues to thrive in the wilderness!
Hello World
Welcome to my new blog! I’m thrilled to create a dedicated space to share my thoughts, passions, and projects with all of you. From gaming adventures and tech insights to personal stories and reflections on faith, this blog will be home to it all. Stick around for fresh updates every Saturday—I can’t wait to embark on this journey together! (By the way, I’m gonna be sharing my old Ko-fi blog posts here as well, so keep an eye out for them as well!)
If there’s a topic you’d like me to cover in a future post, feel free to leave a comment below. Your ideas and suggestions are always welcome! If you’d like to support me on this adventure in blogging and creating family-friendly content, you can do so via Ko-fi.
Episode 33: St. Dominic Savio
In this episode, I explore the life of St. Dominic Savio, one of the youngest non-martyr saints in Church history. Discover his unwavering devotion to the faith and the remarkable journey that led to his sainthood.