Sick of these topics

[kingchris20]

Coming from someone who is new to modding, I want to add my two cents. When I first started playing skyrim (my first TES game, and one of my first PC games) I had many ideas for mods. So I came here and probably contributed to the "mess" you guys have been talking about!

 

Only thing is (like one of you pointed out) I had no idea of the amount of work involved in creating mod. For some reason, I just assumed it was easy ---- "game is already made, just adjust some things". ----the mindset of someone like me.

 

However, unlike the others, I actually started to use the creation kit. And I now know different! I started by attempting a very small quest to see how it would go. Everything went okay, but I ran into problems, that I still have yet to figure out. It definitely takes time to create mods, and it seems to be fairly difficult for even small "1 objective" quests.

 

(first problem, quest would advance through all stages, but the NPC would not show dialouge or acknowledge I had the item, found out I failed to include the script for the final stage, fixed that)

 

(second problem journal entries would not appear, this problem occurred for a few playthroughs, and then just fixed itself somehow, still haven't figured that one out)

 

(third problem, the enemy NPC was not lootable for some reason, and so I couldn't retrieve the object, haven't figured that one out yet) ***Moral, quest building is hard and takes a lot of back and forth, learning as you go, making many mistakes and correcting them, and lots of time away from what most people don't want to take time away from - which is gaming itself.

 

I appreciate this thread, as it lets me know how to get help with my mod. I was going about it backwards at first, asking for help before getting anything done. ** it reminds me of someone that asks to bum a smoke, and then stands there and asks to borrow the lighter too! LoL, all they brought was the habit **

 

Now I will get the quests fleshed out (hopefully!) and then ask for help with models etc... This way if I fail to get the quests done, I haven't involved anyone else and wasted their time!

[noae86]

the "PEOPLE" we are talking about on the first page are the "NOW" generation

"I WANT IT NOW"

"I DESERVE IT NOW"

"WHY IS IT NOT READY NOW"

 

like sk8on said, i don't want some punk bothering me because i made a house mod and its not EXACTLY how he wants it.

 

for this very reason i will hold off uploading my mods till the trolls move onto another game. less headache this way unfortunately,

Edited March 17, 2012 by noae86

[Darksun45230]

Are freelancing VA's like myself the exception or the exception that proves the rule? I don't believe I've ever forced my ideas on others. I just scope the forums looking for projects to contribute to and feedback.

[Rennn]

I wouldn't call them a 'now generation'. For example, I started this topic and I'm part of the so-called 'now generation', lol. Similarly, I ran into a married person (figured that out because of a very obvious email address), who annoyed me to no end asking for instant fixes and my eternal help.

 

I think the newer you are to the mod scene, the more likely you are to ask stupid questions. Age doesn't seem to have much to do with it.

[scrivener07]

I agree with this thread 150%. I also think all recruitment for mod projects belongs in the request subforum, EVEN if you made a fancy graphic for your post. For the Mod Talk forum if your trying to recruit for your project post files, screenshots, video anything that shows progress or gtfo and over to the request forum. A long idea list should not count.

 

Anyway these are just my opinions. Dont want anyone getting sore.

[MacKom]

I agree with most statements here. The problem is, people get overambitious without realizing just how much time, effort and knowledge is needed to create something. Something SIMPLE, mind you. So, whenever I see a thread like "Remake" or "Whole new game" or "Overhaul"...I just know that usually it will end badly.

 

My own example - I started with hairs. Very simple, plain hairs. And even tho I do have some prior knowledge when creating textures and meshes (I used to be something of a veteran modder myself, but for another game), it`s been hard. And slow. But, I`m learning. One thing at a time. Once I finish this mod...maybe I`ll try some simple weapons? And then, maybe, some clothing items...and eventually a full armor set? I don`t know, but I do know it takes time. It always takes time. But people nowadays...they just don`t seem to get it. :armscrossed:

[NanakoMagojiro]

it annoys the heck out of me. Occasionally i'll post to illustrate the size of the task they're taking on.

 

I do feel it's a problem in mod communities in general. There's far too many bright eyes and bushy tailed idiots who have no idea what game development is actually like. and of course they'll get defensive and insult you if you try to educate them. I'm sure there's more than a few who don't even have the intention of doing anything on it at all, and merely want someone to do things for them.

 

If i had my way, i'd make it a rule that posting your uberbig mod concept and looking for a team to "help" you make it, would be regarded as misclassified and moved to requests (or locked), unless the user displays competence and appropriate skill, prior experience/uploaded mods, or some work already done on the project.

 

There's nothing wrong with wanting to assemble a team for a mod. But if they've any sense, or hope of finishing it, the mod will start small with a defined scope, and have the possibility of more stuff later.

Edited March 17, 2012 by NanakoMagojiro

[DiGiTALZOMBiE]

:nuke:

 

Or the "complete overhaul" and "rebuild past TES game" threads. I won't begrudge someone their dreams to make some huge mod that will require 2000+ hours to build, but people need to start small and learn how to actually do some modding before they will be able to mod the really difficult stuff they have planned. There's a reason there's only a couple huge mods for Oblivion, and those also took "years" to finish. :thumbsup:

 

I totally agree, most requests like this are a instant switch off for me. It obvious that the people involved have no idea of the time scale and skillset needed to complete such a mammoth undertaking. Build small and beautiful, at least you stand a chance of finishing what you started

[AurelTristen]

I agree for the most part, but I wanted to point out that there are occasions when 'big' mods aren't speeding trains distend to fly off a cliff into a volcano.

 

I've been modding since Duke Nukem 3D... Sadly, games are so complex now days that one person can't do what they could before, but a properly structured 'big mod' or TC can be more than a train wreck. For example: I'm (obviously) working on a very big mod, but because of how I'm working through it, so long as we reach our first milestone, total failure would not result in nothing achieved. Each step brings the mod closer to the final vision, but each step is also its own self-contained mod in a way. This production 'path' is set up like this because we can't access all features of the engine right off the bat (Such as new worldspaces with proper LODs). This forces us to take a layered approach, but in the end is probably best.

 

Admittedly, it is highly unlikely that my mod will ever reach the level I'd like it to, but in striving for that impossible goal, I'll manage to make some nice content along the way. The key here is that compartmentalization. I don't need item number 999,999 to make item number 4 worth something. I might end up with a big pack of weapons inspired by edo period Japan, or a pack of weapons and armor. Or a pack of all kinds of items, with some new races, and so on.

 

With that said, I think my case is rare, as I'm not 'the idea guy' that you see in every modding community ever. I do just about everything (Modeling, compiling, textures, sound, animation, music, ect), and thus I know exactly what goes in to each properly rigged shoe, and every overly compressed normal map.

 

Maybe we need a sticky that outlines some suggestions to mod authors:

• 
   
  
• Take a tally of all assets you'll need for your first playable version. Try making one of each type of asset to assess how difficult each will be to create. Reassess what elements are truly needed.
  
• Consider the capabilities of the engine. Does your mod involve features you've never seen before? How would these features be implemented?
  
• Think about your target audience. Is there a following? Are you making something others might like, or just something you would want to play?
  
• As a mod leader, how will you contribute to the effort? In general, if you cannot create, or learn how to create the majority of the content, you should re-consider the scope of your project.
  

 

Along those lines.

[jet4571]

 

[*]As a mod leader, how will you contribute to the effort? In general, if you cannot create, or learn how to create the majority of the content, you should re-consider the scope of your project.

 

 

Along those lines.

 

A mod leader should be a jack of all trades. No need to be a master of each but have good working knowledge of each part so they are able to spot something that needs fixing and possibly fixing it themselves. The mod leader also needs to be the one compiling the mod into 1 package and distributing to everyone. A mod team leader must be able to work well with others and accept advice from the team, If they say X will not work or X will make things more complicated and not good for the end user then you must be able to listen to them and take in that advice, you are the leader not a dictator. A mod team leader needs to be detail oriented and able to keep track of hundreds of things If you do not know what one of the team is doing and how it links to anothers then the mod will fail.