Not Another Guide Book:

Shared in-game guide library: Patchouli + tagged guidebooks, first-join picker, pause/inventory + G key + /nag open, server sync; optional Dead Air field-guide gate. Needs ExtraSpecialCore + Patchouli.

Not Another Guide Book is a client-facing pack helper, not a replacement for Patchouli. It gives players one place to see which guidebooks exist, choose what to start with, and reopen that “library” later without digging through every mod’s items.

What it does:

NAG discovers guides from the not_another_guide_book:guidebooks item tag, a small built-in allowlist for mods that forget tags, and Patchouli book.json entries inside loaded mod JARs (so Patchouli guide variants show up as separate stacks). It can show a first-join intro until the player confirms, then a carousel to pick guides. Pause and inventory screens get a Guide Library entry (vanilla-style button), and there is a keybind to open the library. Dead Air integration (when present and enabled in config) can defer the automatic field-guide grant until NAG has walked the player through the choice flow.

How it works:

Discovery runs against the item registry (and best-effort Patchouli detection on the client). Server-side login and custom packets keep “what this player already resolved / skipped” in line between client and dedicated server. Forge config (not_another_guide_book-common.toml) toggles debug logging, first-join screen, and Dead Air interception.

How to use it:

Players: Install NAG with ExtraSpecialCore and Patchouli on the same Minecraft + Forge version the build targets. After first join, use the pause or inventory Guide Library button, the keybind (default category under NAG), or run /nag open as a player. Ops can run /nag reset (permission 2) to clear Dead Air field-guide debug flags for a player.
Pack authors: Tag guidebook items with not_another_guide_book:guidebooks (or rely on known IDs / Patchouli books); keep NAG + ESC + Patchouli versions aligned on server and client.

Important:

NAG requires Patchouli and ExtraSpecialCore; it is not a standalone book engine. Match Forge (and game) version to the release you install. If the library looks empty, check tags, Patchouli book data, and that the same NAG build is on server and client when using multiplayer.