I Found This Mod Today... Do You Think It's Cheating?

So I think the Flashlight is definitely cheating... but what about the auto-tool function or auto-mining?? I want to install this mod, but am slightly afraid it will alter the experience of the game too much.

What do you think?

EDIT: To clarify, I would never install this in my normal client, I have a homeworld with a dedicated client that I have used since I started playing Minecraft. What I'm asking is if it's cheating in the spirit of the game. I'm aware that on a server like Empire, that certain parts of this sort of thing are as much unacceptable as would be using WorldEdit. You can still cheat yourself even when no one else is playing, that's what I'd like to discuss.

All of the added options just seem like little time savers. In fact, I kind of wish I knew about this mod back when I had to play with my old laptop's touchpad. The only questionable option (in my mind) is the auto-mining, which isn't all that exploitable as it doesn't actually automatically mine. It just left-clicks whatever your cursor is hovering over while activated.

Of course, my opinion doesn't really matter very much as it's the mods and admins that have the final say on the matter, but I think you'd be alright.

Yeah but there is Auto-Tool, which means you can just burrow into anything, it switches to shovel for dirt/gravel, then right back to the Pick when there is stone/etc. I don't think that part is really cheating, but I'm worried that it might take me out of the game a bit since it will free me up from focusing so much, which I think might be the part of mining I enjoy.

Flashlight is definitely cheating though, you need to work/pay for torches... that's part of how the economy of the game works. It works on the same principles of X-Ray...besides if you focus, you can see a lot in the dark, which again, I think is part of the magic of Minecraft. If you told me a year ago my favorite thing to do would be to go on a game based on hitting blocks with a pick thousands of times.. I'd have laughed. But in reality, I find it really relaxing, because the small amount of focus it takes is just enough to keep me from thinking about my problems.

The nice thing about this mod is that there's an on/off button for every additional option added. If you think that some of them might subtract from your enjoyment of the game, you can simply choose to leave them disabled. It's entirely up to you.

My only argument about the flashlight option is that you're already able to manipulate the brightness of your game to the point that visibility would never be a problem. While we're on the subject of torches though, I want to point out that added visibility is only one of their many uses (and one of the least useful ones at that).

I guess it comes down to self control then.

Send a message to either justin or jeremy if you doubt this mod/mods are legal. If they say "ok" you are atleast sure. It would be stupid to be banned over this :s

I haven't installed it because of my concerns, I don't think I need it, as I said, I enjoy mining.

I meant before you install them anyway, in the future if you plan on installing mods you can always check this forum page or send a message to the admins or moderators

Ahh, useful, thanks.

Looks like its ok... I would install it! No doubt just for the tool swapping thing... nothing else is really anything I would need... I say Get It!

I saw one thing that concerned me in the video:

When he was turning the camera, it clipped through the terrain and you could see all the surrounding caves. This is disconcerting to me.

I say no to this mod. Use convenient inventory and/or inventory tweaks instead. This allows you to set up preset layouts, autoreplaces tools (if in your code), and allows chests to be sorted very neatly and quickly as well.
Also, use dynamic lighting if you wish. This will be added to the Acceptable Mod list soon. I will also be adding a list of UNAPPROVED MODS soon, as it has become necesarry now.
"Auto-mining" and "Auto-tool" are not acceptable as they deviate from your need to interact with the game. All you would need to do is hold down the 'W' key and stare mindlessly at the screen.
I can't watch the video now, but when I get home I will review it further for additional reasons why it is not permitted.
Self-control issues are why x-ray is not allowed in the client you use for offline in conjunction with EMC because we have people who will not refrain from using it in SMP to gain advantage over other players.

As you may have read already, I already agree with you on this subject, but would like to interject that it doesn't really give anyone an advantage on anything but speed... it doesn't walk carefully, patch lava or fight monsters for you.

Like I said, the thing that really made me weary was that it would make mining less mentally taxing... and boring at times.

This happens on unpatched clients as well, though this mod may make it happen more often since it's messing with the camera.

I understand, for you it would become boring to mine.
I wish all members of gaming communities were interested in enjoying themselves within the intended confines of the game, but this is simply not the case.. Every community has a group who discovers exploits and then share this information. Afterward, we have those who are lazy and will utilize the exploits to their advantage...
For those individuals, it would be an exploitable feature.
This would allow them to create mining bots, or even in combination with x-ray, they could endlessly rob and grief other players without much effort at all.

I didn't think it was appropriate for Empire Minecraft, I could just feel that in my gut.. that's why I posted under General Minecraft to see how users felt in general about their Minecraft morality.

I think this one is borderline, Flashlight is right out what I would consider a "hack", but auto-tool is less automation and more assistance along the lines of sorting with Inventory Tweaks (auto switching tool-sets and auto refill are a HUGE advantage, I think). If they're programming a bot with it, it's the bot programming that is at fault, not auto-tool.

What about look behind? What do you think as a moderator? What if that was a standalone mod, would that be considered okay in the Empire?

I do appreciate you asking ahead of time. I will review the video when I get home. I will be able to make an exact decision then. Based on descriptions though, this sounds like an incompatible mod...

Well, improved movement was denied as well, but based on flying, sliding and climbing... I would need Justin and Jeremy to weigh in on that one particular feature. (Look behind) Sounds harmless to me, but it would have to be the only feature of the mod or at least within the limits of our rules.

At the risk of offending a mod (hopefully not really):

I did not post this for permission. I was not seeking permission or considering using the mod on the server.

If I was, I would have posted this under 'Community Discussion'.

I'm hoping to debate/share the morality of using this in Minecraft in general rather than what is appropriate or fair on Empire.

Auto-sorting and auto-replacing are not functions of this mod, so I'm a tad confused as to why you're suggesting to use such mods in place of this one.

Maybe it's just me, but I don't really see how holding one less button makes that much of a difference. Vanilla Minecraft or not, you're still going to be staring mindlessly at your screen.

I was just thinking about this... F5 sort of does this in a way, so if the mod just utilized that view, then I imagine it would be okay?