Cleanroom Strategic Proposal

[tttsaurus]

Summary

Basically suggestions on the strategic directions

Goals

NA

Non Goals

NA

Motivation

Current positioning of Cleanroom is a modernized Forge 1.12 replacement, and the main issues of it AND of 1.12 community as a whole are:

• Lack of platform level features and identity beyond Java25 and performance
• Lack of visible differentiation from Forge
• Slow development of exclusive APIs
• Limited original content mods
• Community fragmentation

The central question that I'm trying to answer is:
How can Cleanroom establish a platform identify before its long-term architecture-first projects are implemented?

Description

1. Recognizable Platform

This part is basically resolving "Lack of platform level features and identity beyond Java25 and performance" and "Lack of visible differentiation from Forge"

The dilemma is that average players and users don't understand what Cleanroom is and what Java25 offers. It'd be better if Cleanroom introduces less-technical but tangible and visible changes.

1.1 Pre-Splash Screen API

Reference: #433

This as a visible QoL improvement could help building the unique platform identity, especially if the UI is done in a modern way.

1.2 Splash Screen API

Similar to 1.1.

Note: Modpack oriented features like 1.1, 1.2 might be the most tangible and impactful improvements Cleanroom could provide, and they're valid points of why Cleanroom should be considered as a must have (for modpack devs)

1.3 Unified UI Design Language

This is about overhauling vanilla menu UI/UX and making them look unique and modern (plausible reference: Balatro)

This UI/UX overhaul can help average users to remember and recognize Cleanroom. For now, Cleanroom has nearly no visible differentiation from Forge.

Bad example: rounded rectangles everywhere. This overhaul should at least preserve the vanilla pixel art feeling AND look different from modern modded Minecraft UI as well (like: ModernUI)

2. Modpacks

Modpack adoption could be crucial for Cleanroom as Cleanroom-exclusive mod ecosystem isn't mature.

More modpack related support should be done and we should encourage the trend of Cleanroom-exclusive packs. Good examples are Relauncher, Pack Companion, Groovyscript, etc.

3. Home of 1.12 Modding

Despite the fact that exclusive API developments are slow and the community is fragmentized, one general solution is to build the perception that Cleanroom is the only actually alive and authoritative 1.12 community.

3.1 Comprehensive FAQs

It'd be helpful to have a extensive website page answering all the FAQs and clarifying all the misconceptions, so the general perception of Cleanroom won't be heavily distorted. And, time won't be wasted explaining why misinfo aren't true over and over again.

3.2 General-Purpose Modding Wiki

This is the step of building authority. Although building a general-purpose wiki won't promote Cleanroom-exclusive mod ecosystem, it's still a crucial step that establishes the platform identity of Cleanroom. At that point, people might simply ask "Why not Cleanroom?" instead of "Why Cleanroom?"

3.3 Roadmap

It's better to have a clear long-term support and roadmap so players have "something" to follow. For example, it's just like how the word Vulkan makes people love Mojang once again. We can manipulate the narratives with clear goals and such.

4. Ecosystem & AI Policy

This part is about limited original content mods/cleanroom mods AND rampant AI ports.

4.1 Incentives For Cleanroom Mods

One way to encourage the development of Cleanroom mods is to let developers to engage with the API design decisions and such. It'll be a good opportunity to introduce the concept of developer-driven API proposals.

4.2 Incentives For Original/Non-AI Mods

We don't have to criticize backports or heavily AI-assisted mods. More Discord showcase opportunities for original/non-AI mods might directly encourage the trend of originality and creativity.

4.3 Attitude on AI

I'm not against AI but one should at least know what they are doing and have the ability to make architecture decisions for themselves. I'd suggest Cleanroom community to have a neutral attitude on AI to prevent further community fragmentation, as well as because of the inevitability of the AI era.

Dependencies

No response

References

No response

Guidelines

• I have and will continue to adhere to the guidelines