This Friday I received word that Discord.py (the framework which MODUS is built on) will no longer be maintained. This came as a shock to us. Without the framework backing our project. We will no longer be able to maintain the current code base of MODUS. This doesn't just affect us but a lot of other discord bot developers who develops their bots using Python.
Don't freak out yet please. We have a solution but bear with us and please read on.
API libraries like Discord.py is run by the community and not discord. A lot of the API library maintainers has gone out lately saying discord has over the years stopped listening and communicating with the API library maintainers. This has caused some frustration among the community. This all started with bot developers having to get "verified" by providing government issued ID. This was said by discord to be a security measure and while most developers didn't like this change. Most still went through with it. Later down the line, Discord has made radical changes to the way bots talk to Discord. This has caused bot developers having to update their code to keep up to date with the platform. This isn't too much of an issue until recently.
Discord is now planning to enforce Slash commands and restrict bots from reading messages. This means the current way of interacting with bots using the prefix system will no longer work from April of 2022. Bots moving forward is forced to move to Slash commands. Bots will also no longer be able to read user messages as a "safety" measure. While I can understand this nature. Those of us that got verified with government issued ID must now request privileged access for bots to "read user messages".
What does this mean exactly? For bots to read messages. After getting a bot verified. We now also must request privileged access just to use commands like the ">moveto" command to move messages to other channels. Any moderation bots to read spam as an example now must get this "privileged access" to read messages. I can understand where discord is coming from but most of the community has already pointed out that "spam bots" and fake account bots are using the "USER ACCOUNT" system and not the "API BOT SYSTEM". This means bots who spam your fake nitro messages are using user accounts not bot accounts. So, these "user accounts bots" can read all the messages they want with no wall in between them. This change isn't helping anything but adding a brick wall to bot developers while hackers keep doing their old tricks. If Discord is afraid of letting bot read and log messages. Maybe teaching the people who use discord about safety around bots would be better? It feels like Discord is dragging everyone down because of the few.
Slash commands change is the biggest slap in the face to both API library maintainers and bot developers. This enforced change with privileged messages forces some if not most API libraries maintainers to rework all their code. Some maintainers have been lucky enough to have flexibility in their code for this but not everyone has. Discord.py was sadly one of those that did not predict this change. What does this mean for bot developers though? All bot developers now has to rewrite all of their bots to support the new slash commands system. This announcement about slash commands is less than a year old. Slash command system isn't all finished yet and discord has now set a deadline less than a year from now for all API library maintainers and bot developers to just "ADAPT" to this change. So far only 1/3rd of API libraries has been able to adapt to this change...
Now imagine telling someone you need to change the foundation on your house since it isn't up to standards of a new law, and you have less than a year to do it. So, you must now tear down the house (bot) and remove the foundation (API library) and rebuild everything before the LAW takes effect otherwise you get fined for your actions. In this case the actions would mean bots no longer functioning. This is the biggest slap in the face for us bot developers. Discord is expecting all bot developers to just be able to do in less than a years’ time. Us bot developers have lives. We work and sweat. Making a bot for most of us bot developers is a hobby. Working on our free time to provide awesome features for the community. Not all of us have 8 hours a day to work with.
I seriously recommend having a read of Discord.py's own reason and take for deciding to stop development of their library. You can read it here: https://gist.github.com/Rapptz/4a2f62751b9600a31a0d3c78100287f1
For those interested. You can read about the Slash commands and messages privilege here: https://support-dev.discord.com/hc/en-us/articles/4404772028055
We are forced to rewrite everything......
- Reaction roles will stop functioning.
- Commands like codes, FED76, Plan collectors & etc will no longer work.
- moveto command as a example will no longer work for admins
- You will no longer be able to subscribe to News or when the F76 servers go offline or online...
Well... Everything will stop working except for those who have already subscribed to news or F76 status...
We are having to rewrite the bot from the ground up. Things will change. Commands will be different. Slash commands will be the future. The old way you use MODUS will most likely be gone.
I have already notified a few of the biggest F76 servers about the news and we have gotten a lot of support encouraging us to rewrite MODUS and keep the flame alive. I personally never thought the bot was this important to people but 300 000 people and over 3000 discord servers should speak for itself, I guess. Wow. Thanks. It does mean a lot. We know a lot of discord servers are counting on us. Not just Fallout 76 funny enough but others as well who use reaction roles or even the roll command. I am very lucky to have a team with me who is willing to help me out. Right now, we are moving to JavaScript for MODUS. While I personally don't know this programming language. The other developers do. Pure from Nuka Crypt and Yoni is helping out doing the groundwork as you read this. I will try to get my grasp on the language as we move close to the deadline of April.
Some things will change as I said.
- Reaction roles will most likely be gone by April. We will do our best to support the existing reaction roles after April, but you will not be able to make new ones after the Slash commands enforcement. We think. We aren't 100% sure yet due to messages privileges and all.
- Reaction roles will be replaced with Discord’s newer system. Be it using buttons or menus. We are still working on the best action forward.
- We are working to make sure Fallout 76 news and status will function as normal.
- We are also planning to transition a lot of the existing commands over to the new rewrite of MODUS.
Spread the word! Tell everyone. We need to let as many people as possible in the community to know. Things are changing. We need feedback more than ever.
Talk to use over at: https://discord.gg/hMfgSaN
I've been told by a few to point out the MODUS Patreon. I've never been much for asking for money or advertising, and I don't really like pointing this out either but if you do want to help us. Consider helping pay for maintenance costs. So far only I Tex have been paying for maintenance costs for MODUS since forever with a bit of help from the existing Patreons! (Thank you guys!). I've always tried to keep the bot running 24/7. So, if you do wish to help more than spreading the word. Here you go: https://patreon.com/MODUSbot. It is not a requirement. If you are short on money. Please don't waste your dollar 😓. We will manage regardless!
Thank you for your continued support and love for MODUS!
Best regards.
// Tex Nevada
Creator & Head developer of MODUS