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Are you starting a mod public? Please, read this first...
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Banshee
Supreme Banshee


Also Known As: banshee_revora (Steam)
Joined: 15 Aug 2002
Location: Brazil

PostPosted: Mon May 16, 2005 4:19 pm    Post subject:  Are you starting a mod public? Please, read this first... Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

The guide below was written by Major Gilbear* and it's very usefull for those who are starting a new mod:


Major Gilbear wrote:
If you are making a mod for the first time, I have some suggestions that might help you. I know these may sound obvious, and you probably know them already, but following them makes you work in a more efficient and focused manner:

1// Plan your mod. This means working out all the sides, units and buildings. Also, which logic you intend to make use of, and which factions will have which features. Basic tech trees and some background info on the mod should also be put down.
This allows you to stick to a defined route, meaning that you are less likely to get sidetracked on a minor part of the mod or get hung up. It also allows you to guage your progress properly as you work.

2// Know your limits. You know yourself better than anyone, so don't set yourself tasks that are beyond your reach. For example if you cannot make voxels, and are having trouble learning, then try and make use of the public assets if at all possible. Resizing and recolouring public assets (assuming you have permission to do so) is much more practical than asking for voxellers to make specific work. This also applies to other aspects of the mod, such as coding and buildings.
Again, this might be obvious, but having a huge number of units that require lots of specialised work means that they probably will not get realised unless you can do the work yourself.

3// Be realistic. There is no point in designing a mod with 200 new units and 80 new buildings as well as new terrain, unless you are a modding machine. Two sides with 20 well thought out units is not only more likely to get made, but will also force you to define each unit properly.

4// Ask for help. Most ppl get stuck at some point, and ask for help. Asking for help is not the same as asking for somebody else to do the work for you though, and this is something many do not seem to realise. If you need a specific voxel, or a particular type of weapon, explain everything in as much detail as possible, with examples or pictures where appropriate. Ppl are more likely to help out that way than if they see it as too much work for somebody who won't learn on their own.
Also, the recruitment of team falls under this section too. Unless you have got reliable and productive ppl helping you out, plan for the worst-case scenario; modding the whole thing yourself. By all means have things that "would be nice" to add, but make sure that their absence doesn't screw up the mod totally.

5// Report progress. If you want to get ppl enthused about your mod, you'll need to show off proper progress at intervals. Unskinned WIP models and huge screenies with one public asset in the corner will impress nobody. Make sure that you are specific about what you show off, and that you explain it properly. Models/units should be properly finished and the pix should be succinct and of good quality. The quality of what you show ppl, as well as how you present it, goes a long way to conveying your approach to the mod. In many cases, the approach to and progress of a mod are more significant than the storyline!
Having a good profile for your mod means that more ppl would be willing to help should you ever need anything, as well as take you more seriously when you get stuck.









* If you want me to take it down, just reply here.

Last edited by Banshee on Fri Apr 17, 2009 4:05 am; edited 1 time in total

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Havoc
Commander


Joined: 04 Jan 2005
Location: Toronto, Canada

PostPosted: Mon May 16, 2005 5:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

@Gilbear are you a writter? This stuff is great. I read it with patience (not with anger-like I do when I read tutorials #Tongue).
@Banshee, good ideea for posting this. Let's hope ppl will read it.

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Major_Gilbear
Cyborg Firebomber


Joined: 09 Aug 2003

PostPosted: Mon May 16, 2005 7:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

@Banshee:
You're quite welcome to post it up/pass it on, as long as it is clear that they are my words Wink. I almost PMd to you it to post up, but I didn't want to be presumptious.

@Havoc:
I'm not a writer, but I do write a lot. I also mod a lot. #Tongue

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DedmanWalkin
Grenadier


Joined: 20 Dec 2004

PostPosted: Mon May 16, 2005 7:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Thank you for posting this Banshee. I was going to post something similar in here to dissuade people from posting pointless threads because I am tired of seeing people post mod ideas that have no substance or thought in them. I mean does anyone even know about my mod? No, why? Because I see no need to post anything until I've gotten all that I can do done on the mod. So again, thanks.

\\//,DedmanWalkin

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"deth is only the beginning," Imhotep from 'The Mummy'

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Havoc
Commander


Joined: 04 Jan 2005
Location: Toronto, Canada

PostPosted: Mon May 16, 2005 8:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Hmm, I'm still at 1 and 2. Mj Gilbear, is it ok if I'll post this on my site (that I will soon launch)? I'll credit you of course.

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Major_Gilbear
Cyborg Firebomber


Joined: 09 Aug 2003

PostPosted: Tue May 17, 2005 8:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

@Havoc:
Sure, as long as you post it as-is and credit me for my words, you can post it up Smile.

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XxpeddyxX
Commander


Joined: 03 Sep 2004

PostPosted: Tue May 17, 2005 9:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

@Havoc... Well buddy you aint the only one who reads tutorials with anger... I just like to get things done with. So I like read fast, and then when I do somethiing wrong I complain.

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Havoc
Commander


Joined: 04 Jan 2005
Location: Toronto, Canada

PostPosted: Tue May 17, 2005 11:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

@XxpeddyxX: Tutorials are very useful, not just for modding, but for other too, like gaming, programs, programing, etc, but most of them are very long and ppl can get bored. Well I have my solution............MUSIC!
@Mj Gilbear: For sure I'll credit you! In my mod I'll use ppl's work, but I won't dare to not credit them, only if the author is anonymus. Same for you text.

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Dutchygamer
President


Joined: 18 Jun 2005
Location: Dordrecht, the Netherlands

PostPosted: Tue Jun 28, 2005 1:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

maybe a noobis question, but how can you put your mod on the internet?

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Havoc
Commander


Joined: 04 Jan 2005
Location: Toronto, Canada

PostPosted: Tue Jun 28, 2005 2:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Of course. Upload it somewhere and that`s all.

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Dutchygamer
President


Joined: 18 Jun 2005
Location: Dordrecht, the Netherlands

PostPosted: Tue Jun 28, 2005 5:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

how do u do that? do u just copy all the .ini or something?

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Havoc
Commander


Joined: 04 Jan 2005
Location: Toronto, Canada

PostPosted: Tue Jun 28, 2005 5:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

That depends. Every site has it's way.... Here u can use the atachment panel. Just click browse and select your files.

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Vincent93
Commander


Joined: 07 May 2005
Location: Behind you!!!

PostPosted: Tue Jun 28, 2005 5:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

i use XCC Mod Creator and it will make an EXE on command so i personelly would just load that on the site!

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B[2]F Camkill
Civilian


Joined: 30 Aug 2005

PostPosted: Fri Sep 02, 2005 4:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

wow.

as u can see (frum my post count) Very Happy, im newer here. anyway, I like PPM so far and the PPM forums. This stuff is good to see to help keep ur forum organized. Since im an avid modder its nice to find organized forums so i know where to ask for help and where to give it. again, great to see ur organized.

And i agree, you use a vehicle or unit or whatever else in a mod and don't credit the original author, you should be dragged into the middle of a street and beaten with a very large bat... but thats just me

Twisted Evil  Twisted Evil  Twisted Evil

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Comes not defeat with death, but with surrender.

Die only for your ally, never for you.

those who die truly live.

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My Big Boss
Medic


Joined: 18 Feb 2011

PostPosted: Tue Dec 13, 2011 3:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

i like reading stuff like this, it's like the first brick to a wall...

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Mortecha
Commander


Joined: 30 Nov 2006
Location: Brisbane, Australia

PostPosted: Thu Mar 24, 2016 9:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

I have made mistakes that these points specify against in the past. I do not intend to repeat them. Excuse necro, point has to be known:)

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Aro
Alcohol Fueled


Joined: 10 Sep 2006

PostPosted: Thu Mar 24, 2016 10:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Dutchygamer wrote:
maybe a noobis question, but how can you put your mod on the internet?


OMG What a noob.

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Mortecha
Commander


Joined: 30 Nov 2006
Location: Brisbane, Australia

PostPosted: Thu Mar 24, 2016 11:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Aro wrote:
Dutchygamer wrote:
maybe a noobis question, but how can you put your mod on the internet?


OMG What a noob.


I laughed so hard I woke my housemates XD

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G-E
Defense Minister


Joined: 09 Feb 2015

PostPosted: Thu Mar 24, 2016 11:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

I would add one more topic, a "pre-release checklist" Smile

I see too many mods that are terribly unfinished, not in the sense of using placeholders or undelivered features, but things that clearly don't work at all. I know a lot of people are turned off by nuisances like building a unit that won't attack, but really annoyed when the game crashes.

My rule of thumb is to consider every "bug" 10x worse than it is, so if you're weighing a pre-release, a comparison between known bugs and working features is in order. To that effect you might find you've added 20 things, and 3 don't work, which would score you a -10. It's overly simplistic so you don't get caught up in the mechanics of which bug really matters more than another.

Since no one knows what a mod is supposed to be like when they first try it, not delivering on promises or goals is less crucial.

As a side note, I also think the effort that is required to make an cameo and add a UI string is easy enough, that there's really no excuse to knowingly leave those out when adding a new unit. That just screams laziness.

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http://www.moddb.com/mods/scorched-earth-ra2-mod-with-smart-ai

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Mortecha
Commander


Joined: 30 Nov 2006
Location: Brisbane, Australia

PostPosted: Thu Mar 24, 2016 12:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

G-E wrote:
I would add one more topic, a "pre-release checklist" Smile

I see too many mods that are terribly unfinished, not in the sense of using placeholders or undelivered features, but things that clearly don't work at all. I know a lot of people are turned off by nuisances like building a unit that won't attack, but really annoyed when the game crashes.

My rule of thumb is to consider every "bug" 10x worse than it is, so if you're weighing a pre-release, a comparison between known bugs and working features is in order. To that effect you might find you've added 20 things, and 3 don't work, which would score you a -10. It's overly simplistic so you don't get caught up in the mechanics of which bug really matters more than another.

Since no one knows what a mod is supposed to be like when they first try it, not delivering on promises or goals is less crucial.

As a side note, I also think the effort that is required to make an cameo and add a UI string is easy enough, that there's really no excuse to knowingly leave those out when adding a new unit. That just screams laziness.


Your a man who has the right idea, except that nothing can really be enforced, so a broken mod in the end only infuriates the people who try it and leaves the mod maker with a bad reputation.

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G-E
Defense Minister


Joined: 09 Feb 2015

PostPosted: Fri Mar 25, 2016 8:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

If the people tempted to release their mod _early_ at least hada chance to read/evaluate the pre-release checklist, they might actually follow it...  almost guaranteed to influence some authors to work a weee bit harder to catch some issues that didn't need to exist in the wild.

_________________
http://www.moddb.com/mods/scorched-earth-ra2-mod-with-smart-ai

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