Learning Modding

[sgman1]

So I am thinking of getting into modding once the creation kit gets out.

 

I should however note that, even though, I am posting in a skyrim related section with regards to skyrim modding I would like to make it clear that I would like to get knowledge of which tools are freely available and can be used to mod nearly all games. Ones that are fairly easy to edit features of anyway such as TES series, UT series, M&B and most everything suggested on Moddb. I would like to know which tools I need to get familiar with to be able to do exactly what I said in the previous sentence i.e., mod a large variety of games.

 

With that I'll suggest some of the things I want to be able to do eventually with Skyrim in the process of learning modding:

 

1. First I want to fix up the problems in Skyrim. Namely, not being able to block unless your left hand is free or unless you are playing sword-and-board style. For this I am probably thinking that there might need to be a few new animations for magic being used while having something in both hands or a blocking animation for dual wielding and I might need to add in conditions for these that overwrite the original conditions for activating the shielding animation under said conditions and having the shield action register so that calculations are made for proper reduction of HP or other actions to take place.

 

For this I will probably need something create animations for such actions (will I need to create new models or textures for these animations given that I will only be using vanilla assets and spell anims?), then I will need to convert them to a proper file format that can be decoded by Skyrim to and then open up the animations.bsa and add them and then recompress the bsa and replace the original bsa. What all tools would I need for these actions? Furthermore, I have no idea for how I would integrate the conditions for the activation of these animations and the registering of these actions just so seamlessly that it wouldn't seem like a third party program being active during the game and that all this stuff was actually present from the get go. Again, tools? And a bit of advice on this?

 

2. I want to create a few models and rig them/animate them so I can have something like a fully functioning giant phoenixes or some crap like that in Skyrim so everybody can lulz around on phoenixes or something. I believe I would have to make a model in addition to following the somewhat loose outline I covered in Number 1. Probably need to do some AI modification here also so that AI can also ride them...

 

3. I want to make the game look photo-realistic (high res textures, realistic lighting effects, color grading, saturation, shaders, etc.). However, since I operate on a multimedia laptop rather than a high/super high end gaming PC I'll probably have to fool around on this rig so I can optimize it for my rig so I can at least get 25+ FPS. This shouldn't be too hard once I can learn to create and optimize textures. Same with shaders. I just have to make them convert them to Skyrim format. Then it's all just a matter of putting them in the right folders for which Beth has already made provisions.

 

4. Make an FPS limiter for the tough times. There's something for that already here on Skyrim Nexus but it isn't exactly working out for me since I want to use a few other d3d9.dll files along with it... no idea how to make something for this and integrate it into the main program. Not as straight forward as making shaders and textures and putting them in folders that are just sitting right there.

 

5. AI modification because the AI isn't actively aggressive and it's almost too easy to sometimes win against them with guerilla hit and run tactics even when there is a massive level difference and they can clearly surround you. Again, no idea how to go about this for the same reason as previous.

 

6. Make some badass super hard hardcore DMC style combat mod. Again, new animations easily placed, making them a different issue, though... using them, again, dunno as in 1st. Probably would need something to fix out kinks in collision detection and the like because a similar mod I played for Oblivion had quite a few problems with this.

 

7. Possible Alternative to 6; Make it so that you actually have to hit what is in the cross hair to hit your target and the target is fixed in a similar manner that they can't f***ing stab in certain direction and still hit you from 10 m to the side. Probably make it somewhat animation based too so that slash from side to side actually works like it would in real life and hitting a bunch of dudes in the arc rather than hitting whatever is given within a fixed arc of certain steradians. Make the AI smarter too according to this because mods in oblivion that fixed this didn't make them smart enough to realize this had actually happened. Collision detection rearrangement required with this. Again, no idea how to go about this.

 

8. How about a 1st person camera based on a third person camera with it's origin set at the bridge of the nose between the eyes so it's like an extremely life like and dynamic camera and stuff doesn't happen like having spin animation for an attack in third person but no spinning occurring in first person or the fact that your shadow and legs and arms and body don't magically disappear in first person. Sort of like Mount and Blade's dynamic camera where if you ragdoll and spin out of control while dying in first person, you actually see what the Player Character would see and if you look down all the way you can see your body, arms and legs.

 

If y'all can, please do offer some advice as to where to start of for the ideas where I clearly have no idea what I am talking about.

 

But otherwise, I'm just asking for the tools I would be required to accomplish these tasks with as many of them being such that they could be used universally for all games or at least a large selection of games.

 

Please note again that I would like freeware suggestions. You can suggest software that has to be bought but I currently don't have the money to spare for full version software that needs to be bought.

[CampanaAliquanta]

This might help get you started...

 

As for freeware, the main ones are Blender (really excellent free 3d modelling tool) and GIMP (raster image tool).

[sgman1]

I am replying without actually having read through the guides, so please forgive me if they already reference what I am about ask but;

 

Just Blender and GIMP? No C/C++/JAVA compiler to create and integrate scripts or something other task of the like? Nothing to create new animations for games? Or are these things that I am asking not supposed to be free ware?

 

Also, going by the outline of your guide, how do I do a few of the things I have mentioned such as AI mods, combat+combat animation overhaul, make shaders and FPS limiters or that cool dynamic camera thing?

[Matth85]

Blender for mesh making

GIMP for texture making/altering

the Construction Kit for level design, scripting, etc

 

There is nothing else really. You could get a freebie scultping software, but I doubt you'd need to be able to sculpt before you are decent in 3d anyways.

[CampanaAliquanta]

I am replying without actually having read through the guides, so please forgive me if they already reference what I am about ask but;

 

Just Blender and GIMP? No C/C++/JAVA compiler to create and integrate scripts or something other task of the like? Nothing to create new animations for games? Or are these things that I am asking not supposed to be free ware?

 

Also, going by the outline of your guide, how do I do a few of the things I have mentioned such as AI mods, combat+combat animation overhaul, make shaders and FPS limiters or that cool dynamic camera thing?

 

Blender will do animations as well. Anything that is related to art - models, textures, animations - can be done using Blender/GIMP, with various free plugins to help with file formats.

 

Someone else will have to answer the questions about coding or programs associated with that.

[sgman1]

Sorry if I am trying your patience guys, but just to be sure, I'd like to ask a few more questions, even if they are redundant.

 

I looked at the features page on the GIMP website and I am assuming I will be able to make shaders with it as well or at least textures with a certain color so that they look photorealistic?

 

Second, I am probably going to have to wait for the creation kit before I can try something like the FPS limiter or the dynamic camera, right?

 

Third, as mentioned by CampanaAliquanta, can someone please answer my questions about coding and associated programs?

[sgman1]

Bump because I think I could get some more advice.

[Galacticat42]

Yes, GIMP will be able to make your shaders. As for the other things that do not have something to do with models and textures, it's best you take courses in C++, Lua and Python as these three coding languages are the most common. I say Lua and Python since I'm not sure what language the new CK will be closest to (The Oblivion CK used Python but I noticed a lot of games switching from Python to Lua). I know that they claimed to have developed a new language for Skyrim, but of course everyone needs a base, the most common is C++ and Python. C++ is an extension of C and Lua is pretty much a realtime compiler version of C++ nowadays.

 

Anything that has to do with in-game dynamics such as cameras, filters, FPS limiters, animation integration, etc. You'll need to know the SCK script to be able to set up all the little details.

[sgman1]

So... did you actually mean SCK or SDK? If SCK, what does that stand for? And from what you are mentioning, knowing C/C++, LUA and Python and how to work with the SCK will go hand in hand to achieve the effects mentioned in your last paragraph?

[Ghogiel]

Think he meant Skyrim Creation Kit Script. It's the new script language Skyrim is using. All we know is what smkviper said about it, unreal script inspired it. so sort of C++.