Difference between revisions of "Developing Successful Mods"
Well, it looked stupid and didn't really fit with the rest of the wiki.
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''' ''How to make successful mods and mods successful'' ''' | ''' ''How to make successful mods and mods successful'' ''' | ||
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In this page, I'll try to help with how to make mods more successful, playable, and hopefully get to completion. Just a short heads up; I'm not going to tolerate or answer flamers, or people who decide that this makes me big-headed or arrogant. I'm making this so we can see more mods of a better quality, and the completion of bigger projects. This isn't intended for it to look like I'm parading around, trying to convince people I'm a good modder; that's your decision to make, and whilst I may not have any recognised mods released, I do feel at home enough with the CS, NifSkope, Mod content and have played limitless mods to be able to determine what makes a mod a success. | In this page, I'll try to help with how to make mods more successful, playable, and hopefully get to completion. Just a short heads up; I'm not going to tolerate or answer flamers, or people who decide that this makes me big-headed or arrogant. I'm making this so we can see more mods of a better quality, and the completion of bigger projects. This isn't intended for it to look like I'm parading around, trying to convince people I'm a good modder; that's your decision to make, and whilst I may not have any recognised mods released, I do feel at home enough with the CS, NifSkope, Mod content and have played limitless mods to be able to determine what makes a mod a success. | ||
== '''''Index''''' == | == '''''Index''''' == | ||
'''1: ''Developing Successful Mods'' (An Introduction)''' | '''1: ''Developing Successful Mods'' (An Introduction)''' | ||
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'''11: ''Interviews''''' | '''11: ''Interviews''''' | ||
'''12: '' | '''12: ''Conclusion''''' | ||
'''13: '' | '''13: ''Bethsoft Forums Thread''''' | ||
== '''''Ideas and Drafting''''' == | == '''''Ideas and Drafting''''' == | ||
If you're planning to make a mod, then don't dive straight for your Constuction Kit; especially if you're planning a mod of a larger scale. Get some thoughts and ideas down, and plan your mod! Write down things like names, places, quests, and sketches of maps or new model content. If you don't plan your mod, then things can lead astray, and end up of a poor quality. | If you're planning to make a mod, then don't dive straight for your Constuction Kit; especially if you're planning a mod of a larger scale. Get some thoughts and ideas down, and plan your mod! Write down things like names, places, quests, and sketches of maps or new model content. If you don't plan your mod, then things can lead astray, and end up of a poor quality. | ||
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Make sure you put detail in everything you plan, or it could end up looking ugly. You should want your mod to be aesthetic and practical in one bundle, but focus more on the latter: People won't play a mod if it's detailed, but has no content, but some people will play a highly undetailed mod with barrels of practical content. If you're making a mesh, or texturing landscape; be aware of colours that would suit the need by implementing a colour scheme ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_scheme Wikipedia: Colour Scheme], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colour_theory Wikipedia: Colour Theory], or [http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Colour_theory_(level_design) Valve: Colour Theory].), and try to match the colours with the mood of the piece. Such detail can make a mod look visually stunning, and enhance a mod endlessly. | Make sure you put detail in everything you plan, or it could end up looking ugly. You should want your mod to be aesthetic and practical in one bundle, but focus more on the latter: People won't play a mod if it's detailed, but has no content, but some people will play a highly undetailed mod with barrels of practical content. If you're making a mesh, or texturing landscape; be aware of colours that would suit the need by implementing a colour scheme ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_scheme Wikipedia: Colour Scheme], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colour_theory Wikipedia: Colour Theory], or [http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Colour_theory_(level_design) Valve: Colour Theory].), and try to match the colours with the mood of the piece. Such detail can make a mod look visually stunning, and enhance a mod endlessly. | ||
== '''''Basic Beginnings''''' == | == '''''Basic Beginnings''''' == | ||
Now you have most of your ideas briefly finalised, it's time to implement them! It's important that you don't try to loose faith in your mod now; you've got an idea that should shake up the way people see and play Oblivion, and you can't let it go (Read more in 4: Motivation). At this point, it's important to stick religiously to your plan, and it'll soon be time to draft additional bonus content, and to spice up weaker areas of your plan. | Now you have most of your ideas briefly finalised, it's time to implement them! It's important that you don't try to loose faith in your mod now; you've got an idea that should shake up the way people see and play Oblivion, and you can't let it go (Read more in 4: Motivation). At this point, it's important to stick religiously to your plan, and it'll soon be time to draft additional bonus content, and to spice up weaker areas of your plan. | ||
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Don't compromise any aspect of your mod, and tell yourself that you'll overcome that hurdle later; or you'll have so many problems to finish towards the end of your mod, which is the point at which most people seem to send their mod to an early grave. Overcome problems as you face them! You should be able to overcome any problem if you set your mind on it. | Don't compromise any aspect of your mod, and tell yourself that you'll overcome that hurdle later; or you'll have so many problems to finish towards the end of your mod, which is the point at which most people seem to send their mod to an early grave. Overcome problems as you face them! You should be able to overcome any problem if you set your mind on it. | ||
== '''''Modding Utilities''''' == | == '''''Modding Utilities''''' == | ||
This section, which did not feature in the original thread, has been added at a later date, so excuse any in-fluidity between the other sections and this one. | This section, which did not feature in the original thread, has been added at a later date, so excuse any in-fluidity between the other sections and this one. | ||
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''Audio-Altering Program'' - These things don't really help too much, but can make your mod a mile appart from others. With these you can make your own music, edit and alter other sounds to fit your purpose, and basicly play with all the audio that comes with Oblivion. Even though they're not so great for making your own music, it's fine for altering existing ones. There's some really neat universal functions, so they can be fun to tinker in! I'd suggest Audacity. It's the only free one that I've found to be effective with what I want to do, and I haven't heard of any other good ones - Maybe ask around if you grow tired of Audacity, or need it for something more. | ''Audio-Altering Program'' - These things don't really help too much, but can make your mod a mile appart from others. With these you can make your own music, edit and alter other sounds to fit your purpose, and basicly play with all the audio that comes with Oblivion. Even though they're not so great for making your own music, it's fine for altering existing ones. There's some really neat universal functions, so they can be fun to tinker in! I'd suggest Audacity. It's the only free one that I've found to be effective with what I want to do, and I haven't heard of any other good ones - Maybe ask around if you grow tired of Audacity, or need it for something more. | ||
== '''''Team Projects''''' == | == '''''Team Projects''''' == | ||
If you're planning a large mod, it's generally NOT a good idea to try to involve a team. You'll find yourself spending more time managing your team than producing your mod. If you have to make a team to work on an incredibly large project, make sure you publish who's areas are who's, what each member of the team should be working on, and to keep track of progress. The last thing you want is for work to slow down because one member isn't devoted; try to ensure all goals are met. | If you're planning a large mod, it's generally NOT a good idea to try to involve a team. You'll find yourself spending more time managing your team than producing your mod. If you have to make a team to work on an incredibly large project, make sure you publish who's areas are who's, what each member of the team should be working on, and to keep track of progress. The last thing you want is for work to slow down because one member isn't devoted; try to ensure all goals are met. | ||
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Try not to get a huge number of people involved. You see an endless list of people on games such as Super Mario Galaxy, Half Life, and even Oblivion, but don't forget that they had to make the engines, all existing content and large scale plans. Try to minimalise your group, or you'll find people attempting to usurp your position as leader. Smaller groups tend to project better quality work, and lots of it. Tetris was designed and made by 1 person, as was the case for Counter Strike: Source; and these games are great hits. Besides; you can claim more of the rights to the work in smaller groups! | Try not to get a huge number of people involved. You see an endless list of people on games such as Super Mario Galaxy, Half Life, and even Oblivion, but don't forget that they had to make the engines, all existing content and large scale plans. Try to minimalise your group, or you'll find people attempting to usurp your position as leader. Smaller groups tend to project better quality work, and lots of it. Tetris was designed and made by 1 person, as was the case for Counter Strike: Source; and these games are great hits. Besides; you can claim more of the rights to the work in smaller groups! | ||
== '''''Motivation''''' == | == '''''Motivation''''' == | ||
Don't loose sight! You're mod can, and hopefully will, make Oblivion a better game. Stay organised, keep an eye on the result and take regular, short breaks; or you'll feel that you've been working so hard on the mod, and spending so much of your time on it, that it won't ever get finished. Keep a poll open, or a thread on these forums, telling people about your mod (But don't forget to claim rights to it). The feedback from these forums can boost your morale, and also raise attention on your mod. | Don't loose sight! You're mod can, and hopefully will, make Oblivion a better game. Stay organised, keep an eye on the result and take regular, short breaks; or you'll feel that you've been working so hard on the mod, and spending so much of your time on it, that it won't ever get finished. Keep a poll open, or a thread on these forums, telling people about your mod (But don't forget to claim rights to it). The feedback from these forums can boost your morale, and also raise attention on your mod. | ||
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Get excited about your mod! It IS going to be a success, and you ARE going to complete it! Hopefully this thread should help you realise just how great you and your mod are, so get to work; then reap the rewards! ^_^ | Get excited about your mod! It IS going to be a success, and you ARE going to complete it! Hopefully this thread should help you realise just how great you and your mod are, so get to work; then reap the rewards! ^_^ | ||
== '''''Completion''''' == | == '''''Completion''''' == | ||
Now you should be drawing a close to your mod. Try not to carry on adding more content, or it'll never get released! Try to get the core, but perfectly functioning and detailed, version of your mod out. Anything else you wish to add can come in an update or Additional Mod (Like an expansion pack, but for a mod.). Things should be drawing a close, and playtests should be becoming a lot more frequent. Iron out any bugs you find, replace anything of inferior quality and generally smoothen your mod. You want it to be perfect for the big day! Any Beta tests should now be closed, but feedback should still be taken into account. Beta Tests are an amazing way to gain feedback from the people you should be releasing it to, whilst raising the public awareness of your mod. | Now you should be drawing a close to your mod. Try not to carry on adding more content, or it'll never get released! Try to get the core, but perfectly functioning and detailed, version of your mod out. Anything else you wish to add can come in an update or Additional Mod (Like an expansion pack, but for a mod.). Things should be drawing a close, and playtests should be becoming a lot more frequent. Iron out any bugs you find, replace anything of inferior quality and generally smoothen your mod. You want it to be perfect for the big day! Any Beta tests should now be closed, but feedback should still be taken into account. Beta Tests are an amazing way to gain feedback from the people you should be releasing it to, whilst raising the public awareness of your mod. | ||
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All you have to do now is update the thread, open the gates and lett'em in! | All you have to do now is update the thread, open the gates and lett'em in! | ||
== '''''Publicity''''' == | == '''''Publicity''''' == | ||
This is the part of the final few stages that you should focus on. Aim to get your mod known by most people on forums, IRCs and methods, through a signature, website, and so on. Tell people how good your mod is, then make it seem better (Without lying, or you could get blamed for false advertisement). Show people how good it is with screenshots and video captures, and make sure they know exactly what the mod is about, what it should change, known bugs and compatibility. Enhance the positive points, and mask the negative ones, then make those bad parts positive! Just make sure the public loves you and your mod. | This is the part of the final few stages that you should focus on. Aim to get your mod known by most people on forums, IRCs and methods, through a signature, website, and so on. Tell people how good your mod is, then make it seem better (Without lying, or you could get blamed for false advertisement). Show people how good it is with screenshots and video captures, and make sure they know exactly what the mod is about, what it should change, known bugs and compatibility. Enhance the positive points, and mask the negative ones, then make those bad parts positive! Just make sure the public loves you and your mod. | ||
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Answer feedback and questions directly, and open an FAQ on the main thread if questions repeat too often. Giving response to such questions shows your mod is still alive and being produced; and thus keeps the interest of the eager viewer. Just be polite and hospitable, but don't reveal too much. One of the greatest mechanisms to keep the crowd with baited breath is to build suspense. If you do that well, it can make a mod seem so much more interesting. | Answer feedback and questions directly, and open an FAQ on the main thread if questions repeat too often. Giving response to such questions shows your mod is still alive and being produced; and thus keeps the interest of the eager viewer. Just be polite and hospitable, but don't reveal too much. One of the greatest mechanisms to keep the crowd with baited breath is to build suspense. If you do that well, it can make a mod seem so much more interesting. | ||
== '''''Post Release''''' == | == '''''Post Release''''' == | ||
Now the main excitement is over, but the mod certainly isn't. Make sure you can receive feedback from downloaders. Releasing further content, such as updates and patches will attract more attention, as people who have never heard of the mod will be able to through the forums, or media for conversation. | Now the main excitement is over, but the mod certainly isn't. Make sure you can receive feedback from downloaders. Releasing further content, such as updates and patches will attract more attention, as people who have never heard of the mod will be able to through the forums, or media for conversation. | ||
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Creating and releasing AddOn Mods (Think Expansion Packs again.) can make your mod yet more popular, known about and thus successful; even though you have to go through the whole process once more. This can make a mod turn from popular to a legend, that people recommend to others, and respect highly (Such as OOO). Just keep the crowd happy, give them more and bonus content, and settle rants to keep your mod in the spot light. Well done on the release, and I wish you luck on the coming project! | Creating and releasing AddOn Mods (Think Expansion Packs again.) can make your mod yet more popular, known about and thus successful; even though you have to go through the whole process once more. This can make a mod turn from popular to a legend, that people recommend to others, and respect highly (Such as OOO). Just keep the crowd happy, give them more and bonus content, and settle rants to keep your mod in the spot light. Well done on the release, and I wish you luck on the coming project! | ||
== '''''Interviews''''' == | == '''''Interviews''''' == | ||
This section, instead of containing information about interviews, contains some on this topic. At this current moment, I have only interviewed WillieSea, but if you're interested in being interviews, or have points that you wish to raise, please message me and I shall consider it. Enjoy: | This section, instead of containing information about interviews, contains some on this topic. At this current moment, I have only interviewed WillieSea, but if you're interested in being interviews, or have points that you wish to raise, please message me and I shall consider it. Enjoy: | ||
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8. When you make a WIP or RELz thread, make sure you 'bookmark' or 'favorite' the page in your web browser. You should check the page several times a day. For a RELz thread, bump it if there is no activity in a day. I bump it for about 2-3 days of no activity, or up to a week after it was released. Keep the bookmark of the RELz thread, and check it at least every other day to see if there are any new posts in it. Check the site that you uploaded your mod to at least once a day when possible and look at the comments people have left. | 8. When you make a WIP or RELz thread, make sure you 'bookmark' or 'favorite' the page in your web browser. You should check the page several times a day. For a RELz thread, bump it if there is no activity in a day. I bump it for about 2-3 days of no activity, or up to a week after it was released. Keep the bookmark of the RELz thread, and check it at least every other day to see if there are any new posts in it. Check the site that you uploaded your mod to at least once a day when possible and look at the comments people have left. | ||
== ''''' | == '''''Conclusion''''' == | ||
Thank you for reading the page, and I hope you appreciated all I had to offer, and learn a thing or two wherever possible. Again, I shall say I will not tolerate flaming, or any other breech of the wiki rules on this page or in the forums. Anything to mock my ability or any mods I have made should be seen as immature and needless, as this isn't a page to show off that I'm well known or highly rated; because I don't generally think that. All this was for is to give guidance and to advise all those who will be willing to accept it. Anything that is flaming or spam, and also abuse to the page or me, shall be reported and deleted. If you have any problem with this, message me, or talk to yourself about it... And that's not small minded, I can take abuse and criticism, I'm just aware that people will misunderstand the page's purpose, or take abuse from it, so I'm trying to avoid confusion and possible arguments. | Thank you for reading the page, and I hope you appreciated all I had to offer, and learn a thing or two wherever possible. Again, I shall say I will not tolerate flaming, or any other breech of the wiki rules on this page or in the forums. Anything to mock my ability or any mods I have made should be seen as immature and needless, as this isn't a page to show off that I'm well known or highly rated; because I don't generally think that. All this was for is to give guidance and to advise all those who will be willing to accept it. Anything that is flaming or spam, and also abuse to the page or me, shall be reported and deleted. If you have any problem with this, message me, or talk to yourself about it... And that's not small minded, I can take abuse and criticism, I'm just aware that people will misunderstand the page's purpose, or take abuse from it, so I'm trying to avoid confusion and possible arguments. | ||
Thanks for reading once more! ^_^ | Thanks for reading once more! ^_^ | ||
== ''''' | == '''''Bethsoft Forums Thread''''' == | ||
If you want to feedback or criticise the page, or want something to be changed, please do so on the Wiki, here. If you want to see previous comments of other users on the forum, then see the link below: | If you want to feedback or criticise the page, or want something to be changed, please do so on the Wiki, here. If you want to see previous comments of other users on the forum, then see the link below: | ||
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Please note that the thread may not be as up to date, or contain as much information as this topic here. This topic is viable to have been edited by other Wiki-Users, and improved in many ways. The feedback and comments on this version will, obviously, be attached to this page's discussion (top left of the page). | Please note that the thread may not be as up to date, or contain as much information as this topic here. This topic is viable to have been edited by other Wiki-Users, and improved in many ways. The feedback and comments on this version will, obviously, be attached to this page's discussion (top left of the page). | ||