[TaCZ] Weapon Research & Blueprints

Turn the Timeless and Classics Zero arsenal into a lasting progression system built around exploration, blueprints, and research.

Blueprints can appear in configurable world loot. Using one permanently unlocks the matching TaCZ gun-smithing recipe for that player, and the unlock remains through death, dimension changes, logout, and server restarts. The system is server-authoritative, so locked recipes cannot be bypassed through a client recipe screen.

Features

• Lootable Blueprints — Find blueprints while exploring and permanently learn the matching TaCZ recipes.
  
  
• Research Bench Tech Tree — Browse the available weapon collection in one edge-to-edge Tech Tree with search, pan, zoom, keyboard navigation, and an interactive minimap for navigating large weapon collections.
  
  
• Research Planning Tools — Pin a weapon as your current goal, highlight its complete research route, and track the RP and materials you still need. The Affordable Now filter can narrow the tree to research you can purchase with your current resources.
  
  
• Automatic Weapon Placement — The built-in tree organizes TaCZ weapons by strength, handling, range, and play style. Its width, layers, and branches adapt as compatible add-on guns enter or leave the server's weapon catalog.
  
  
• Shortest-Path Research — Select a higher locked weapon to preview and unlock the shortest valid route to it. Shared prerequisites are paid for only once, and an out-of-order blueprint can't bypass the missing route back to the start of the tree.
  
  
• Safe Research Purchases — Research is handled as an atomic transaction. The server commits only the route shown in the current preview. If the rules change or the complete purchase can't finish, no partial RP or material cost is consumed.
  
  
• Flexible Research Costs — Servers can require Research Points (RP), inventory materials, or both without rewriting every research definition.
  
  
• Blueprint Analyzer — Reverse engineer supported TaCZ equipment, recycle learned duplicate blueprints, and redeem configured Research Data for RP. Servers can protect crafted guns while allowing guns found in loot to become a blueprint, convert directly into RP, or offer the player both choices.
  
  
• Blueprint Journal — Track discoveries, learned recipes, recent unlocks, completion, and the active server rules. A reusable Getting Started page explains the main progression loop and available ways to earn RP.
  
  
• JEI and EMI Information — Optional integrations explain the Research Bench, Blueprint Analyzer, blueprints, and Research Data without revealing hidden research targets or bypassing unlocks.

Weapons are the only Tech Tree category enabled by default. Built-in research data for TaCZ ammo and attachments remains available for pack authors who want to enable and customize those categories.

Getting Started

1. Install the mod and its required dependencies on both the client and server.
2. Explore configured loot locations to find your first blueprint or Research Data.
3. Use a blueprint to learn its recipe, then open the Blueprint Journal to review your progress and ways to earn RP.
4. Craft a Research Bench to browse the Tech Tree. Use the Blueprint Analyzer when you want to reverse engineer equipment or recycle supported items.
   
   

Servers and Modpacks

Server configuration controls blueprint loot, pacing, blacklists, Research Point limits, research costs, found-weapon recovery, recycling, discovery visibility, starting blueprints, and progression exemptions. Settings are organized into clear sections, while advanced pack controls remain available without crowding the common options. Players can separately choose a Compact, Balanced, Spacious, or Custom Tech Tree layout and adjust confirmation, notifications, the background grid, and reduced motion.

Datapacks can customize loot pools, research costs, ingredients, entry points, visibility, prerequisites, grouped routes, Research Point awards, and Tech Tree presentation. Pack authors can use the automatic weapon tree or provide an authored-only tree containing only their selected weapons. If a reload contains invalid data, the server keeps the last working settings.

The mod supports TaCZ content packs without requiring a separate blueprint definition for every added gun. The available blueprint catalog is rebuilt from the recipes currently available on the server.

Requirements

• Minecraft 1.20.1
• Forge 47.x, validated with 47.3.0
• Timeless and Classics Zero 1.1.8-hotfix (1.1.8 up to, but not including, 1.2)
• Fzzy Config 0.7.6
• Kotlin for Forge 4.11.x, required by Fzzy Config

JEI 15.x and EMI 1.1.x are optional client-side integrations.

Installation and Compatibility

Install [TaCZ] Weapon Research & Blueprints and every required dependency on both the client and server. Clients and servers must use matching [TaCZ] Weapon Research & Blueprints versions.

Existing learned blueprints, discoveries, Research Points, worlds, loot configuration, and supported datapacks remain compatible with the current release. No world migration is required.

Support

When reporting a problem, include the Minecraft, Forge, TaCZ, Fzzy Config, Kotlin for Forge, and [TaCZ] Weapon Research & Blueprints versions, along with the relevant latest.log and the names of installed TaCZ content packs.