New to modding?

[Cigy1529]

Hi I'm new to modding and I have a great idea for a mod in Fallout 4, I don't want the idea to be stolen because I

do want the credit for it and the experience of making a mod. However I will shed some light on the idea.

 

I've posted this thread to ask some questions and to hopefully gain some sources for myself and anybody else

who is on the same path as I. That is, learning to mod!

 

I want to ask the community here for general knowledge on modding, give me a list of sources for modding that includes;

 

Tools/Programs that modders are currently using

and

Tutorials that are great for those tools/programs

 

The idea I had for a mod is what I believe is brilliant and it currently does not exist anywhere however I without

a doubt can guarentee that someone has had a similar idea or at least is currently making one now. Sorry I will not

say exactly what but let me shed some light here.

 

The mod is basically taking an existing vanilla wasteland found decoration piece (sort of) and giving it a function at settlements.

I want it to require power and other uses (that shall remain hidden for now).

 

The question is what kind of tools do current modders make that could fit the criteria of this? I'm already aware of GECK that isn't

out at the time being, I am currently messing around with F04edit, are there any other mod tools I could use? If so any basic tutorials for them?

Anything else I should (or other people new to modding) know? Please let me know your help is gratefully appreciated.

 

I want this to be a place with an abundance of sources for anybody knew to modding at the time being.

 

Peace

- Cigy

[DexesTTP]

Hello,

First of all, there is a LOT of tools missing right now. The game has been out for a little more than a month and no official documentation, software or anything have been released by Bethesda yet. Therefore, mod creation for FO4 is just barely beginning.

 

There is near to no tutorials. The best I found is here. There is also this post about modeling here.

For tools, as of now, we mostly have :

File handling : ba2extract (extract the .ba2 archives and study / change what's inside them)
ESP creation : FO4Edit (xEdit version of FO4, change weapon/npc/armor/etc... values and properties). This is early alpha and not everything is labeled properly.

Model creation : NifSkope (Adapt Maya/Blender models for FO4)

Texture creation : Photoshop w/ custom plugin., or Gimp w/ custom plugin

 

Finally, the best advice I can give you is try to do things with what you are given. Try using Skyrim tools when you can't find the Fallout one.

 

Good luck !

~DT

Edited December 24, 2015 by DexesTTP

[Aikospacerogue]

I'd suggest picking up Skyrim its like 4 euro's today on Steam.

 

Play around in the in the CK (TES version of the GECK ) and google tutorials for the Skyrim Creation Kit, it will help out in the future since it won't be that much of a difference. Anything you learn in the CK will most likely be useful in the F4 GECK when Beth releases it to the public.

[TeamBacon]

I wonder why no one has made a 'stickied' thread explaining to people that we are really just in 'pre-modding' phase and that most of the real modding won't start till the tools are available...

 

Anyways, part of being a mod artist or any other kind of artist in the real world is accepting that ideas are a dime a dozen and that there is always someone out there with the same idea. It is implementation of an idea that gives it any sort of value at all. Pretty much everyone out there has enough ideas that they do not have any interest in stealing yours.

 

You act like we are a bunch of criminals looking to steal your wallet when you aren't looking...

[bben46]

@TeamBacon, First it has been my experience that very few people read the stickies. :confused: And those that do are the ones that don't need the advice given. If we sticky every post that people demand be stickied then the first several pages of most topics would be nothing but stickies. :pinch:

 

It has been said over and over that things will change when the GECK is released. The users just don't want to hear it. And they will be the ones to scream the loudest when the GECK does come out, and an upgrade to FO4 to use the GECK properly makes many of their current mods useless. FO4SE will need an update that may take a few days while the impatient users scream its taking too long. And many mods will need updating to work with the new version. But then many of the early modders will just allow their early mods to die instead of doing whatever is needed to allow their non conforming mod to work. We saw that with Skyrim and I expect it it with FO4. Expect and plan to have to scrap everything and start over. Then you won't be so disappointed with what you do have to do to revive your game after the changes. Maybe we will get lucky and there won't be as much of a problem getting things back working this time. But I wouldn't hold my breath.

 

As for stealing mods, there is a big difference between the same idea and the same mod. I have lost count of the number of Lydia makeovers I have seen in Skyrim, but does that mean no one else should be allowed to make their own concept of Lydia? Of course not. But id someone makes a mod that includes some original work, and someone else takes that work without permission instead of redoing it themselves that is another thing. My own preference is that mod authors should not be so possessive and allow their work to be used freely. And knock off the attitude that "It's mine and you can't use it!"

[Berathe]

I'm interested in learning to mod, but it seems more sensible, as a beginner, to wait until the GECK is out for FO4.

 

I just hope they bring it out quickly!

 

(I like the idea of getting some learning in using Skyrim)

[Cigy1529]

Thankyou very much for the support and help! I am glad this has been given a good response. I hope more people wanting to mod can use this source thanks!