[Disclaimer: As of now, the modpack is in a playable, but very much unfinished state. Do not complain about obviously NYI or unfinished concepts, but bug reports and constructive criticism are appreciated.] With that out of the way, here are my plans for the pack release:

For anyone revisiting this page, yes, i did completely change the Description bc i had to compromise on some key aspects

This is a modpack about automation puzzles, base defense, and exploration.

At least gameplay-wise. It will also feature a good bit of lore and worldbuilding once i actually set up the custom map proper.

You awake from cryosleep to dim emergency lights and the sound of a blaring siren: The aftermath of a space battle you were deemed unfit to participate in. Through a briefing from your superiors, you learn that the ship has gotten stranded in orbit of a planet in an uncharted region of space as your reactor mysteriously exploded while chasing down the enemy fleet.

The task is clear: Go down to the planet's surface, extract and process its resources, and use them to repair and refuel the ship for interstellar travel.

However, there are numerous obstacles to be overcome:

Tech is nigh-useless on its own here. Magic and magitech will be your daily bread and butter even into the lategame. thing is:

MAGIC POLLUTES

Many processes need a substance that creates thaumcraft flux when created (e.g. liquid essentia) somewhere down the production chain to be made. This in turn causes taint to expand from the initially small hives dotted around the map. If left unchecked it could devour your base whole, so establish some turrets around your perimeter. This Mechanic was heavily inspired by the pollution and biters from factorio.

IT EVOLVES

The more you fight back against the taint, or when you reach certain milestones, the taint will get stronger, forcing you to improve your defenses. However, even the best emplacements can only do so much. It is advisable to invest in a pollution-reducing strategy alongside base defense.

COMPLEX AUTOMATION AND ALTERNATE RECIPES

For much-used intermediates, there's usually 2 types of recipe. A simple, plug and play magic gray box one, and one that requires at least some redstone control, auto-clicker, or other complex automation. As you may guess, the former is horribly inefficient when it comes to how much you pollute per item made. You are expected to mix and match and it's ok to go for the easy route if you just want something automated at all. Just don't let the issues compound.

SOPHISTICATED LOGISTICS

Tesseracts OP. Use conveyors, itemducts, or clotheslines. Some resources can be gotten renewably, but only in specific locations that can be far apart (think satisfactory's resource nodes). In that case, utilize railcraft trains with chunk loader carts to bring it all back to base without having to load the entire track

INTERDIMENSIONAL LOGISTICS

You know how most modpacks treat dimensions like a glorified megadungeon at most times? You only go there to plunder the ores and loot, perhaps kill some wildlife, and that's about it. Noone ever makes you build there.

Introducing: Surface Conditions! Some special blocks require strict parameters to function and so can only be placed in specific dimensions, making you build bases that span across realities to achieve maximum efficiency. The Various dungeons are not wasted either, providing access to unique resources (forged ruins for ember power, sludgeons for bottled fog) or some direct prerequisite for the next major milestone

yes this part was basically ripped straight from the SpaceAge DLC for factorio.

Tainted Forces