New to the forum, but not to computer science

[DecapitationMaster]

Hello,

 

I'm new to the forum and wanted to say hi before I start asking for help.

 

I'm new to modding, but not new to the IT industry. I worked in the IT industry for over 25 years in DB design, web design, LAN admin, PC support, basically if it had a button on it, I was in charge of it. I started early, back writing Basic, and using punch cards. I have my degree in computer science from Purdue and since I've recently retired, I thought that modding games might be a fun way to pass the time while there's snow on the ground. It's hard to play golf when there's snow on the ground.

 

So far in my quest to mod, I'm finding that most tutorials and most postings are good for about 15 minutes before some piece of software changes to where it's no longer applicable to the next person with the same issue. Or, the person posting the tutorial is using a piece of $750 software that most people don't have. I find it odd that since the future of this site and other sites depend on getting more and more people to mod, that there wouldn't be a sticky topic that's maintained to cover the changes that occur so often. This sticky would use all the open source resources that appear to be available. I understand that it's primarily volunteer, but imagine if one topic could answer 25% of all the postings on this site. It's just an observation. I'm certain I'm not the first to observe it, or the first to suggest it.

 

I'm hoping to get to know some of you, virtually at least, and hopefully eventually I can gain enough knowledge to help someone else along.

 

Thanks,

 

DM

[bben46]

Good to see another old timer here. :dance: I started with 80 column punch cards & FORTRAN.

 

The people wanting to create mods are far less than the 25% you postulate, and likely less than 5%. And many of those are wannabe modders that will give up because, "It's too hard." when they find out what making a mod actually entails. That does not mean it is not a bad idea - It has been done a dozen times at least. But like you also said, it is rendered obsolete within minutes by people posting other seemingly contradictory information (there is more than one way to skin a cat). :blush:

 

For every high dollar piece of software recommended there is a FREE alternative - possibly not quite a good, but perfectly adequate (and sometimes even better). Then, there is no one software that does it all. But not every mod has all of the different kinds of skills or requires all of the various software that are used to create mods either - often no more is needed than the off the shelf SDK supplied by the game maker. And that usually has a fairly decent tutorial. But, every game has a different SDK - even though it may be very similar for other games using the same engine - there will be differences to trip you up. And that SDK is where you must start because you cannot make a mod without it.

 

Many tutorials are in the Wiki section that was created here specifically for things like tutorials. It usually takes neophytes a while before they get around to looking at the Wiki because the site is so large and they expect everything to be in the forms like many smaller sites. Others will show up in the forums by people who just don't know they should be posting in the Wiki - or some that think it needs to be in the forums where more people will see it - but where it will be pushed down fairly quickly by people posting about their problem getting a mod to work or complaining that they don't like a particular kind of mods and we should ban all My Little Ponies mods. ( or something else they disapprove of. ) :rolleyes:

 

As for putting every tutorial in a sticky - how many stickies do you think we should have for a topic? :tongue: It could easily become several pages of nothing but stickies before getting to the forums. And, from my own experience :pinch: not many users bother to read stickies before posting the exact same questions that are already answered in the stickies. But the Wiki is the best place for tutorials. :thumbsup:

 

I would give a link, but you didn't specify what game - on the game front page look at the top line for the WIKI tab.

Here is another site that has a lot of resources specifically for teaching how to make mods for TES & Fallout games: http://www.tesalliance.org/index.php/ :cool:

[DecapitationMaster]

Bben,

 

I guess I was living in my own little world because I did forget to mention which game, which is Skyrim. I could see it being impossible to cover every game.

 

You're correct about the difficulty part. I've been doing a little more research and I've just ran upon bone weights, I'd never heard of bone weight before. It seems like this process is an onion, each time I think I've got somewhat figured out, there's something completely new that I didn't realize I was going to encounter.

 

I'm still looking for a tutorial that takes a small mod and goes from start to finish with current software (Blender 2.7x, NifSkope 1.13, etc)

 

Hopefully I can take bits and pieces from all the numerous resources and get it to work.