What features need to be added in the main mod to trickle down to this addon? [OPEN FOR COMMENT]

[LtxProgrammer]

This issue serves as the discussion for what API the Changed mod should provide to addon mods.

Defining mob Assimilation

To start off, addon mods could define assimilation behavior of non-latex mobs and the variants they transfur humanoids into.

Data-driven example: (data/changedvanilla/transfur_recipe/latex_fox.json)

{
  "mob": "minecraft:fox",
  "transfur_variants": [
    "changedvanilla:latex_fox",
    "changedvanilla:latex_fox_partial",
    "changedvanilla:latex_fox_kit"
  ]
}

Pros: datapack configurable.
Cons: limited variant customization

Java example:

ChangedTransfurVariants.registerLatexMob(Entities.FOX, transfurContext -> {
    // Do decision making with transfurContext, or even modify the resulting variant to follow entity flags from the transfurring mob (i.e.: coat color).
    return ChangedVanillaTransfurVariants.LATEX_FOX.get();
});

The expected chain of events is as follows:

1. A latex entity (player or npc) assimilates a mob.
2. That mob will attempt to assimilate other mobs around it (wont change the target entity into itself, rather turn the target entity into latex).
3. That mob will transfur any humanoids around it, with a higher priority than assimilation goal.
4. The humanoid will be transfurred into the variant for the transfur context.
5. The mob is discarded.

The assimilated mob will still be of the original EntityType, but the assim/transfur goals will be injected into their AI. They will also have the latex drip particle effect.

[ZirconEye]

EDIT: I realized this doesn't have much to do with the actual issue I commented it on. Sorry about that! I can remove it and move it to a separate issue if you need me to.

IMO the white latex milk pudding would work the best for assimilating mobs. It's already formless itself so it makes sense it would transfur other mobs and not just humanoids. White latex hives are also known to target animals, so that makes it even more canon friendly.

I've already mentioned this, but I'm highly in favor of illagers having latex variants if vexes and ravagers do. Because vexes are only spawned by evokers, and (if I remember correctly!) ravagers only appear in raids, the chances of encountering a latex version of either in the wild is very slim unless the player makes one themselves.

Latex vexes could be summoned by latex evokers, but since ravagers are raid-only they'd be even harder to find, and finding one might come with huge downsides.

Because a ravager getting assimilated during a raid could get very chaotic (and potentially very unbalanced) very quickly! Since it'll be surrounded by humanoids to transfur right away, and then those transfurred latex will go after even more humanoids, spiraling out of control. So if a ravager gets assimilated by an npc during a raid, that could very quickly take out an entire village without the player being able to stop it (especially if latex ravagers are tanky!)

Having regular humanoid illagers turn into the illager transfur variant when assimilated instead of becoming latex-ified humanoid illagers might also make their inclusion feel less awkward, and prevent raids from turning into one million latex ravagers and nothing else LOL

It could also (maybe!) introduce latex with the ability to use weapons, which could make fighting them more challenging and interesting than most basic latex. Illagers rely pretty heavily on crossbows, after all. Imagine getting pelted with illager-transfur tipped arrows by a patrol!

Their being a random chance that a raid is all latex illagers/ravagers would also be kind of interesting, but that should probably be a config option instead of the default. It probably fits in better with my idea of "An option to replace vanilla mob spawns (or the hostile ones at least) with the Changed versions" than the base mod LOL

[LtxProgrammer]

I've already mentioned this, but I'm highly in favor of illagers having latex variants if vexes and ravagers do. Because vexes are only spawned by evokers, and (if I remember correctly!) ravagers only appear in raids, the chances of encountering a latex version of either in the wild is very slim unless the player makes one themselves.
[...]
Having regular humanoid illagers turn into the illager transfur variant when assimilated instead of becoming latex-ified humanoid illagers might also make their inclusion feel less awkward, and prevent raids from turning into one million latex ravagers and nothing else LOL

This brings up a good question for humanoid mob assimilation. What should the transfur behavior be for any given entity? In the case of the Illager, you propose:

• Latex Assimilation + Regular Illager -> Unique Illager TransfurVariant
• Unique Illager TransfurVariant + Ravager -> Unique Illager TransfurVariant + Unique Ravager TransfurVariant
• Latex Transfur (like DL wolf) + Regular Illager -> ??

Effectively, this question for the Illager then boils down to: Can the Illager be transfurred into something other than an latex illager? If so, when does an entity transfur the illager like a player, and when does it assimilate it into the Unique Illager TransfurVariant?

[ZirconEye]

"Effectively, this question for the Illager then boils down to: Can the Illager be transfurred into something other than an latex illager? If so, when does an entity transfur the illager like a player, and when does it assimilate it into the Unique Illager TransfurVariant?"

Honestly, for illagers at least I'd have it be dependent on what entity is doing the transfurring.
For example:

• With formless latex (like the milk pudding, latex human wall blotches or puddles) or other latex illagers and illager-adjacent mobs (ex; latex/assimilated ravagers and vexes) I'd say have those produce a latex illager when they transfur/assimilate an illager.
• For any other latex, if they transfur an illager I'd have it just result in a normal absorption/transfur into the same latex type as the attacker.

If it simplifies things assimilation itself could become a new transfur type alongside absorption and replication, and some latex prefer to use it instead of the other two types when targeting specific mobs. That DOES require coding that lets mobs switch/chose their transfur type, though...

But that might also be a net positive, since it arguably could be useful even in the main mod. For example, to make it so a latex that just absorbed a host (and has a buff still!) will swap to focusing on replication transfur instead of absorbing an entire village LOL

The other two examples I completely agree with.

• "Latex Assimilation + Regular Illager -> Unique Illager TransfurVariant
• "Unique Illager TransfurVariant + Ravager -> Unique Illager TransfurVariant + Unique Ravager TransfurVariant"

I love the idea of a normal illager patrol becoming a latex patrol with all the unique variants working together! Would be a fun challenge to try and take down.

[LtxProgrammer]

..., since it arguably could be useful even in the main mod.

That is what I'm determining. I was thinking of an overhaul on the transfur "decision making," and what functions changed entities can implement to describe their transfur behavior.

I was thinking a sort-of "choice strength" system. The variant an entity is transfurred into will be chosen from the highest strength non-null transfur variant in a list.

Ex:
Milk Pudding [Absorption] + Regular Player:

[Weakest Choice]
4. Latex assimilated human
3. Milk pudding's default transfur variant: white latex wolf [low-strength] <-- This ends up getting picked, since it is the highest non-null
2. _Unique player assimilation_ (Is actually null for the player)
1. _Datapack defined fusion_ (Null; No unique fusion between player + milk pudding)
[Strongest Choice]

White Latex Wolf [Replication] + Regular Player:

[Weakest Choice]
4. Latex assimilated human
3. _Unique player assimilation_ (Is actually null for the player)
2. White latex wolf's default transfur variant: white latex wolf [high-strength] <-- This gets picked
1. _Datapack defined fusion_ (Null; No unique fusion between player + White Latex Wolf)
[Strongest Choice]

Milk Pudding [Absorption] + Illager:

[Weakest Choice]
4. Latex assimilated illager
3. Milk pudding's default transfur variant: white latex wolf [low-strength]
2. Unique illager assimilation (Will be defined) <-- This gets picked
1. _Datapack defined fusion_ (Null; No unique fusion between illager + milk pudding)
[Strongest Choice]

White Latex Wolf [Replication] + Illager:

[Weakest Choice]
4. Latex assimilated illager
3. Unique illager assimilation  (Will be defined)
2. White latex wolf's default transfur variant: white latex wolf [high-strength] <-- This gets picked
1. _Datapack defined fusion_ (Null; No unique fusion between illager + White Latex Wolf)
[Strongest Choice]

[ZirconEye]

I like this idea a lot! It definitely simplifies things, and using fusion as a basis for this makes a lot of sense IMO (since it was already a system that let there be different outcomes depending on what kind of entity a latex was transfurring/fusing with)

It seems like it streamlines how fusion works a bit too, which is also nice.

I could see it being useful for datapacks/addons in the future too- Especially if there's a way to randomize which of the choices are picked every time that entity transfurs something, or if the different priorities can have their order changed on the fly.

[ZirconEye]

In terms of other features, off the top of my head I can think of:

• Support for latex using weapons, especially latex-tipped arrows that match their latex type. For Changed Vanilla this would be great for latex skeletons, latex illagers and latex wither skeletons. Could have it be customizable via datapack too, so modpack/addon creators can easily add/remove/change what entities can use which weapons?
• Datapack customization for "choice strength" so modpack/addon creators can add assimilation support to modded mobs (ex; have ecologic's squirrels be assimilatable and turn players in latex squirrels when they try to transfur them.)
• New latex abilities/passives for things like wither immunity (wither skeletons), fire immunity (blazes, striders and magma cubes), and shooting fireballs (blazes) so vanilla mob latex have the abilities you'd expect from vanilla mobs. Again would also be nice for addon creators since they could add these to their own custom latex. Immunities to different status effects and damage types might be a good place to start?