How do you learn to mod ?

[tiamoc]

I am wondering where all of you learned to make these great mods ?!? I am going to be attending Full Sail University this month (August 29th), and am not sure what classes are need to be able to mod. Any suggestions/ info. would be helpful. Thanks.

[ub3rman123]

I started with the CS Wiki, and once I had the basics down I made small alterations to existing mods, then eventually started making my own.

 

It might help to say which game you'd be interested in modding, because almost all use different tools and methods.

[tiamoc]

I was interested in modding a game like Oblivion to start. I don't know if anyone has ever played the game Mercenaries 2: World in Flames, but the bike called a Panzercycle( and bike frame on a tank tread, w/ 2 gatling guns) would be cool as a mount. It's just an idea I had, and would like to learn how to make some great mods too.

[Jeux]

Honestly, all I'll say is that those who wish to mod, or code, or design, or anything.....they must immediately begin to understand how to RESEARCH. Learn how to provide info for yourself. There are usually plenty of resources and tutorials at your disposal. You just gotta find them.

 

And once you find them, you must have the patience to follow through in the learning process. Most people quit when they get stuck once.

[ub3rman123]

I'm not entirely sure there's such a thing as a college class specifically for modding.. I've looked before. All I find for actual universities is computer sciences classes, where you can learn coding and such (Which would probably be more useful in the long run).

[Vagrant0]

Honestly, all I'll say is that those who wish to mod, or code, or design, or anything.....they must immediately begin to understand how to RESEARCH. Learn how to provide info for yourself. There are usually plenty of resources and tutorials at your disposal. You just gotta find them.

 

And once you find them, you must have the patience to follow through in the learning process. Most people quit when they get stuck once.

This... With both modding and coding, you often have to spend MANY hours just poking the files and scripts associated to make them work or to see how they're being used. Even established code bases don't always have a particularly useful API (which is why classes exist). There is no definitive guide to modding/coding short of the occasional tutorial or snippet because modding is a creative and personal process which only works right when you have some idea of both what you want to do, and how it might be done. The tutorials are really only there to get you familiar with basic tools and concepts.

 

For classes... Modding isn't a profession. It's a hobby, nothing more. If however you're interested in game design, there are really two paths; coder and artist. A coder is usually a high mathematics (if you aren't beyond college algebra, you have your work cut out for you) base, and should learn atleast C++ and Java. An artist is a graphic design (high creativity and visualization skills) base, and you should still take some of the computer languages (since this always helps) but focus on mastery (not just being able to use) of Photoshop and Maya or 3dStudio.

[Povuholo]

All my modding skill came from reading the CS Wiki to see how to do things, and at first also by looking how Bethesda did things that were similar to what I wanted to do, and then I'd try to copy that. Especially when it comes to scripts that's really useful early on.

 

I'm not even good at mathematics.

[bben46]

Mostly you learn by doing. Do the wiki tutorial. When you have that finished, pick some simple idea for a mod and start modding. You will run into roadblock after roadblock. You get around them by experimenting and asking. The Nexus has many people who are willing to help, and there are other sites with even more help.

 

I tend to write out my idea first in outline form, then pick some small part to work on. When that is working, I expand it with another small part - fixing bugs as they crop up (and they will) Usually my original concept gets changed multiple times before it s done.

[rinoaff33]

Most modders don't have any fancy degrees in computing - either that, or they're currently earning said fancy degree (more than a few modders are in college). That said, modding is just something you pick up over time. I started out with the CS Wiki and, with it, learned how to create my first custom dungeon (which was surprisingly easy). As I started using more and more mods, I had to learn more tricks, like how to use the utilities of OBMM and Wrye Bash. Eventually, when I started using more cosmetic mods, I started learning to use GIMP to customize them. For example, I didn't like the giant orange crosshair options Ultimate 3rd Person Camera offered, so I made some quick and easy edits in GIMP to make the crosshair smaller and monochrome. I filtered and edited the textures on the armor and weapons I used. I recently have started using Blender and NifSkope to edit armor to my own tastes. I'm not a full-on modder (haven't done anything large enough to release on the Nexus), but I think my experience is similar to those of many others. Hopefully, by the time Skyrim rolls around, I will be competent enough with Blender (I reallllyyy need a tablet for GIMP...) to join the ranks of modders. :)

 

I'm not entirely sure there's such a thing as a college class specifically for modding.. I've looked before. All I find for actual universities is computer sciences classes, where you can learn coding and such (Which would probably be more useful in the long run).

 

There are other similar classes, but Computer Science is indeed a general computer course that teaches advanced aspects of computing (like programming) as well as mathematics. It's also the major I hope to take :) . Often, those who take a major in a computer course will be required to take multiple media courses. That way, you get the full deal of coding, texturing, modeling, etc. Plus, some of those media skills are useful in non-gaming fields - like television or Hollywood (although I don't recommend becoming a CGI artist for movies - VERY underpaid job).

 

There wouldn't be a college class for "modding," seeing as modding is just an extension of creating a game/program...

Edited August 4, 2011 by rinoaff33

[tiamoc]

Hmmm....sounds good. Thanks everyone. I plan to attend Full Sail University to learn game design, but was just trying to figure out what path would get me closest to a modding type of area. I love all the great mods everyone puts here, and I want to add some of my own some day, and now thanks to all your advice I believe I now know where and what I have to do. Coder is looking good :thumbsup: