What Kind of Mod-Builder are You?

[David Brasher]

I got to thinking about the different styles various mod-builders have. I got to thinking about the various projects I have participated in or done alone. It is good to have help from other modders who know different things than you. But in group work, it is hard to depend on people who go really slow, never turn in their work, have sharp disagreements with you, or vanish completely. Some of my mods never could have been done without the resources provided by others. But it seems like with most of my group projects, I have just spent lots and lots of time communicating and it takes away time from actually doing any work on the mod.

 

From your modding experiences, do you work best and feel happiest as a team-player or as a lone wolf?

Edited September 16, 2011 by David Brasher

[Pronam]

I've worked in teams, but I work best alone. It's not something I prefer so I'm not the happiest when working alone, but it rather became a truth. As you said, a lot of time is spend on communication if you don't set a bunch of smart rules you keep on from the start. What's worse than not delivering work is the ones that continuously promise to deliver it or people saying literally a dozen times they'll learn a skill and don't even do it if you offer them personal help. The key element of teams is to discover someone's skills and their willingness to adapt to new skills if required. If you don't have that set out right and strictly work with those, even the best idea with the most possible elements can fail. The only positive edge in teams that I've seen and working is the creativity that triggers both sides that leads to interesting ideas or results. However, that usually ends up just 1 person creating the mod. A short word if you don't trust teams, work on a collaboration basis...just work on the edge of 1 contribution at a time and it's less bound to get wrong.

[DrakeTheDragon]

I guess I go as a Lone Wolf. I enjoy working on my own, no pressure, noone to let down and waiting on me, noone to disappoint, just me.

I "can" work in a team, I did so multiple times at university and with great success, to both me and the team, and I even enjoyed it along the way (just imagine!).

But I prefer working alone now, for the reasons stated above.

 

I've had to deny some invitations to join a modding team already, even though I'd very likely have enjoyed it again, but lately I just don't get any free time at all, and joining a team at this point would only mean guaranteed let down for everyone counting on me.

Not knowing when I will ever find some time again to actually do something I very much prefer it the other way. I'm always open for "requests", but I can hardly fulfill any lately either. But as long as requestees have enough time to wait for an indefinite period this is the form of cooperation I can take part in at the moment, and believe it or not, it actually works.

 

So I'm definitely the Lone Wolf, but I'm led to believe, a positive type of. But this is not up to me to judge. :sweat:

[lgpmichael]

I got to thinking about the different styles various mod-builders have. I got to thinking about the various projects I have participated in or done alone. It is good to have help from other modders who know different things than you. But in group work, it is hard to depend on people who go really slow, never turn in their work, have sharp disagreements with you, or vanish completely. Some of my mods never could have been done without the resources provided by others. But it seems like with most of my group projects, I have just spent lots and lots of time communicating and it takes away time from actually doing any work on the mod.

 

From your modding experiences, do you work best and feel happiest as a team-player or as a lone wolf?

 

I like doing the scripting and story building by myself, but I am hopeless at voice and graphics, so any mod I make may be technically very good, but without the help of others, it will never be what I want it to be {:-(

[lonewolfkai]

Eh, my user name should be self-explanatory. Although, I actually did work with one person on one of my projects.

[Flintlockecole]

Depends, I prefer to work alone but it's nice to collaborate on things with others.

[NellSpeed]

I think I do best on my own, simply because my schedule often prevents me from modding for a week or two at a time. I work with another modder on occasion, but her schedule is as odd as mine, so we both run behind a lot.

 

I, uh, still owe you a corrected beta of my esp for the mages' quest mod, David. And an email or two.

 

Sorry!

[jamochawoke]

I'm a lone wolf but not by choice.

 

There's so few people out there who are capable of modding Oblivion that do it any more that I'm more or less forced to learn and do everything myself.

 

It's not a really bad thing... it just makes development time ungodly long. I probably won't be finished with my mod before Skyrim comes out... but I'm really pushing myself.

 

For instance I am decent at scripting but I often come here for help because I really need it for more advanced scripts.

 

I'm pretty good at altering existing meshes in 3D programs but if it's more complicated I have to have help.

 

My really strong suit is messing around in the Construction Set. I'm able to manipulate things in there rather quickly and build up a "core" of a mod with everything in place ready to go. Moving things around in the render window? Check. Setting up NPC behaviors? Check. Creating dozens of new NPCs that are all different? Check. Creating new items? Check. Messing with the heightmaps of the world space? Well... getting there :P.

 

My specialty though is texuring. Being trained in Fine Arts and Photoshop makes it pretty easy :).

 

Everything else just takes me a long time to do.

 

 

But I have to say I am so incredibly thankful for all of the help I have received from fellow modders. I wouldn't even be close to where I am now if it weren't for them.

 

Standing on the shoulders of giants and all that :).

Edited September 17, 2011 by jamochawoke

[Lanceor]

I'd think most of us are lone wolves.

 

A good team could theoretically get a lot more done than a bunch of individuals, but keeping them together is hard. Keeping them accountable is even harder.

 

In a paid environment, team members know it's their job and that they had better do it well or they may find themselves unemployed. But when people are volunteering their time to help out for free, we can't really complain if they submit poor quality work, or are late, or worst of all, never fulfilling promises. Much of the time, they have valid reasons, given that work, school or family commitments clearly take priority over modding.

 

As a result, it's much more reliable to work solo where you're accountable only to yourself.

[JDFan]

Problem with trying to work as a team is there has to be a very strong and knowledeable Team Leader in order for the mod to actually get anywhere - one that knows the strengths\weaknesses of each team member, knows many other members of the community that he can call on for specialized tasks and is very quick to make changes as needed in assigning the work load as things change (other commitments arise and members fall behind or drop out) and that can also pretty much fill in as needed on any portion of the work. So for a team effort to get to release it needs to have a team lead that would be willing and able to do the mod on his own or recruit a new team if\when the need came up.