R17 work-in-progress Update: Spiral Stairs, Crossbow Tests

Hey!                                                                    (downloads are at the bottom)

Here are a few updates on what I'm currently working on. I'd like to give updates a bit more frequently in the future. (more smaller work-in-progress updates because obviously releases are getting more and more complex) Since Releases are individual small Packs, I think they deserve to contain more content - therefore the final R17 release will take a while.

Important change coming to Patreon:  Sales Tax in certain countries. You should receive an email by Patreon soon, informing you about the changes. Or you can also look here.
Please check in time how it affects your pledges and maybe consider canceling.

I finally worked a bit on the website. In the beginning it was mostly intended for the community to find instructions/resources there, but now it is also getting quite a lot of external traffic, so that's why I cleaned it up a bit.

I started to write a guide on how to achieve "good graphics" (how I build and take screenshots). It will help you understand my content's intended purpose if you have no experience in any 2D/3D art stuff.    You can find it here. 

I also added a block-list, which should help you decide which packs you want to combine:

Also, here is a collection of messages/comments we collected on the discord server.
It might help you understand how I feel sometimes....     Check it out here. 

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R16 was mainly about block-textures (no custom models) so I guess it's time for a few highly detailed models. You know I really like to create round/unusual shapes in Minecraft which obviously aren't really possible without a few tricks. (at least without mods)

Here is what I came up with:

Spiral Stairs. Finally. I attempted it multiple times but I couldn't come up with something that actually worked properly without mods. If built correctly, you can walk on these stairs perfectly. You can create both right and left rotating variants.
I'm quite proud of the solution. Only Resource-Pack features have been used.

How to use the spiral stairs:  Place a Birch_Trapdoor on the floor and a 3D Guide will appear. Follow the instructions and place the blocks as described.
I recorded a video that shows you how to build it:  https://youtu.be/gYWec6A9jaY
Or download the Test-Map below to see how I built it!

Crossbow:    Something I wanted to do for a long time. A fully working, super detailed compound-crossbow model.  It is far from finished and has no Shader-Support (PBR) yet.
If you test it, use it without Shaders.  Both the stairs and the crossbow look quite boring in screenshots - You really need to see them in-game!

As I said, the crossbow is far from finished but here are the features that I plan to add:

• Loading/Cocking Animation with bending limbs and rotating pulleys. (+strings)
• An empty, unloaded state with no arrow in the shaft + a loaded state (already exists now)
• A extra model if you load it with a firework rocket
• I can't really make a working scope, but I can add additional lines to the player's crosshair when the crossbow is loaded (aiming help). Could look really cool.
• I'll also might add practice targets (used for haybale blocks?)

Here is how I created the scope, which is the most detailed part of the model so far.  As you can see It is made only from textured planes/cubes.   ( Minecraft's .json models are extremely limited, but I somehow really like to try to do complex things despite these limitations). Performance is surprisingly good. Also you actually never use a lot of crossbows in a world.

Both the stairs and crossbow model use a 4k Texture (Atlas).

Well, when finished this could be by far the most complex model so far.  I spent almost a week testing if it's actually possible, also I researching how these types of crossbows work in real-life.

What else for R17?  Of course a lot more than just stairs and crossbows.
I have a few cool ideas for chairs/furniture, highly detailed Leaves/Bushes, Minecart-Rails.
But yea, first I need to finish the crossbow. Hope it turns out as planned.
As always, even if it is hard to come up with ideas, I'd like to only create new unique stuff that I haven't seen anyone else do before.

Thank's a lot!
Hope you like it.

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DOWNLOADS:

Test-Map:     Click here
Textures:       512x        1024x        2048x

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