I am troubled about a question.

[Soolie]

I have decided to start a total conversion mod called The Resurrection

 

The problem is this mod is going to be ABSOLUTELY HUGE and will most likely not be completed by 11/11/11 (when skyrim is released).

I have a feeling that once Skyrim comes out 50% of the modding community will move on to skyrim rather than stay on Oblivion, and that means after Skyrim is released i will probably have trouble keeping the team together.

So my question is should I go ahead and make the mod now. or should I start doing all the modeling, texturing, sound recording and all the stuff that can be done outside the construction set, then put the mod together once skyrim is released?

 

 

Advantages of using Oblivion

There is a lot of knowlege about every aspect of modding Oblivion.

All the models and stuff can be tested ingame now.

There is already a wide range of modders resources.

 

Disadvantages of using Oblivion

The mod will probably be completed atleast a year after Skyrim Is released, so it may not get much attention

The graphics, combat, magic sound and everything else will be out dated.

once skyrim is released the team may start to fall apart and the mod may endup being abandoned.

 

Advantages of using Skyrim

The mod will be much better overall on skyrim

some of what i want to achieve eg. duel wielding, volumetric clouds, better AI, better graphics Is already in Skyrim

The modding comunity will increase dramaticly once Skyrim is released so the mod will probably get a lot more attention.

 

Disadvantages of using Skyrim

Skyrim Could be a gigamtic flop (but I doubt it)

We dont know how flexible the construction set for skyrim will be and we dont know what format the meshes and textures will be (it could be a format we are unable to work with)

Skyrim is based in a cold snowy region so we will have to add a lot more climates, landscape textures, rocks, trees etc.

Bethesda have said the objects in skyrim have all been placed by hand which may mean the construction set will have no region generator, forcing us to place everything by hand which will slow development down a lot

 

Also can you please comments about why you voted for oblivion or skyrim

Edited March 13, 2011 by Soolie

[Telyn]

I voted for Oblivion because upon reading your other thread it looks to me like modding Skyrim to look like ancient Greece, Rome, etc would be a much bigger deal. but really what you should do is get a team first and decide with your team. Any decisions you make before you have a team are liable to change.

[colourwheel]

If you mod as a hobby no need to wait for something because by the time you are done waiting you might not even feel like working on a project. who care if other poeple or a majority of the community will more to another game. It's not like you are trying to do this to make moeny. You should ultimately mod for your own game and for yourself with a good mind to share your work with the community if that is your intent.

 

Waiting for skyrim to come out to mod for a huge project might be in the shortrun a big mistake because you have no idea how it will effect game play, how it will effect the quests, etc... for the game that isnt even released yet.

 

To be blunt, you don't even know if skyrim is going to actually be released on 11/11/11 (since when was a TES game released on time) Skyrim could be pushed back a year to 3 years from its announced date. (and people will buy it reguardless if Bethesda decides to do this.)

[Genzel]

My initial thought would be to wait for Skyrim, but you really can't know what you can do with the new engine, you don't even know if your computer could run it. Once Skyrim is out people will play Oblivion a lot less, but mods are your the maker's own enjoyment.

 

I think you should start with the resources that will be transferable to Skyrim, just incase. That means any models, animations, etc. If you decide to wait, you will at least have all the external resources ready.

[David Brasher]

I would say that you should go ahead and start on your mod while you have the time and are enthusiastic about it. Modding is done for fun, and if you don't make your mod, you will have to find some other way to keep yourself entertained for the next eight months.

 

People still make and play Morrowind mods, so I imagine that people will keep on playing Oblivion for another decade after Skyrim's Release.

 

I am eager to get Skyrim, but am not optimistic about it living up to expectations. I would say it has like a 30% chance of being a big flop.

 

Major issues:

(1) Nobody will be able to actually run Skyrim on their computers. The framerate, lag, and performance will be such that it might be intolerable to play. Bethesda has never been able to live within its means. It designs all of its software for cutting edge hot-rod computers that consumers can't even buy in stores. It would seem more rational to build software that will run excellent on the average computer in use on the release date.

 

(2) Gore, sex, profanity, drugs. Judging from increase in these things between Morrowind and Oblivion, and then between Oblivion and Fallout 3, I would say that the games are moving from rated PG to rated R / X / NC-17 or whatever you wish to call it. Skyrim might be unacceptable for minors to play and might be repulsive such that many adults would not care to play that sort of game.

 

(3) Product availability. As another comment stated, Bethesda might not be able to stick to the schedule and it might be more than eight months until the game is available. There could possibly be supply problems when the game is released. People might have the money to pay for the game, but the stores and warehouses could be completely out of stock due to the high rate of sales. Some unfortunate people might have to wait a few extra months before getting the game.

 

So if you are in the mood for modding you may as well make your mod.

[Soolie]

I think I may have come to a decision, we will start by making all of the models and textures and all the things that can be done outside the construction set, then once Skyrim comes out, the team and I will make a decision about wether we will continue in the construction set or the Creation kit.

 

I would still like to hear your opinions though.

[Lanceor]

We can't accurately predict is how Skyrim will cause players to react or how it will affect the modding team's motivation. We also can't predict what technical difficulties modding Skyrim will present. But there's nothing to stop you being prepared for as many different outcomes as possible.

 

I like your idea of starting with meshes and re-assessing the situation later. This arranges the work in such a way that you can maximise the chances of releasing something regardless of what happens. Remember that from the public's point of view, a mod that isn't released is a mod that nobody has ever worked on.

 

Meshes and textures made for Oblivion can be converted to Skyrim or another game fairly easily. If you and the team decide that you can achieve your original vision whether with Skyrim or Oblivion, you've already got a lot of the groundwork done. If Skyrim's launch causes the whole project to implode for whatever reason, your work won't completely go to waste as the resources can be salvaged as a part of a smaller mod or (absolute worst case) a modder's resource.

[MarcinosER]

I marked stick to Oblivion because it might be even better in Oblivion and propably Skyrim will be too hard to mod