Making mods for Dominions II. [Basic editing/modding discussion.]

Zerger · #1 September 28th, 2003, 02:37 PM

I love to mod with database files! Its the real oldschool type of modding.

Btw I agree with Aristoteles. A mod loader would be excellent. I dont think that it will be hard to script.

Pocus · #2 September 28th, 2003, 02:38 PM

The fact is that a vast majority of players like the *possibility* of modding a game. Not for them, but for the 0.01 % of players which will try to modify the game. The debate of open games versus closed ones has been raging for years, but very few people still think that he has to be proven that mods are good for a games, and for the studio behind it(just go to game sites like gamedev.net ,gamasutra.com, the newsGroups on game design, etc., nobody would dare pretends that modding is bad for a game!). Just think Half Life and Counter strike (FPS), Neverwinter night (RPG) big fan community, which led to tremendous increase in selling (more than 4000 fan modules and universes have been done, with more and more player attracted), Civilization I, II, III (I think it has not to be proven that the huge fan communities helped these games be so 'persistent' on a market which is rather transient.

Often it has nothing to do with game balancing. Thats just that you cant have a game witch cover all topics and sub genres of a given genre. Be it Middle Earth or Melnibonee, you have nation names and definitions which are not covered by the actual dominions game. The point of the modder here would be to design scenarios which are more faifthful to the world they are working one. It has nothing to do with the scheme of reaping Illwinter of their good work.

The thing most needed is perhaps the ability to modify unit stats, create new ones, and add them to a nation.
Modding of a nation too goes with that.

[ September 28, 2003, 13:40: Message edited by: Pocus ]

Zerger · #3 September 28th, 2003, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Pocus:
Just think Half Life and Counter strike (FPS), Neverwinter night (RPG) big fan community, which led to tremendous increase in selling (more than 4000 fan modules and universes have been done, with more and more player attracted), Civilization I, II, III (I think it has not to be proven that the huge fan communities helped these games be so 'persistent' on a market which is rather transient.

How true.

Mortifer · #4 September 28th, 2003, 02:49 PM

Aye, I am also sure that the ability of modding will increase the # of the sold copies.
As Pocus said, modding is attracting more and more people, also its fun to play in different game worlds, and not just in the original.

PS.
More than 100 replies in the thread alrady!

[ September 28, 2003, 14:02: Message edited by: Mortifer ]

MStavros · #5 September 28th, 2003, 04:41 PM

/me vote for modding tools of course.

What do we need?
Unit editor, race(nation)editor, god(pretender) editor, hero editor.
All other editing tools are just +++ for us.

[ September 28, 2003, 15:42: Message edited by: MStavros ]

st.patrik · #6 September 28th, 2003, 04:44 PM

Wow, I'm kinda shocked with how vicious you guys are being with Nerflix. Sure he expressed his viewpoint a bit too strongly, but that's no reason to call the guy names. And I think he has made a positive contribution to these Boards - I rate him 4 stars

With regard to modding, when it comes to a saleable feature modding has a lot of pull - people love to tweak something which they can actually play - 'see their name in lights' syndrome. So I think it may increase the desirability of the game to most people.

Nonetheless I would prefer not to see it happen. Not because I don't like elves, orcs, etc., but because about 0.1% of mods are worth downloading - I think modding is mainly itching a different scratch from playing a good game, if that makes sense. In other words, the satisfaction and enjoyment from playing a good game is one thing, and the satisfaction from creating your own little world is another thing. What I'm saying is that it's pretty much an illusion that adding moddability will in any way enhance gameplay.

That, of course, doesn't mean modding is bad - I just hate playing a ton of crappy mods and would happily just play the carefully engineered and well-tested game that Dominions II will be.

Just my opinion - don't flame me just because you disagree.

MStavros · #7 September 28th, 2003, 04:50 PM

I strongly disagree with you. 0.1% of the mods are worth to download? You must be kidding. I play many mods for many games, I barely even play with the vanilla games. Mods are super. Yes, there are bad mods, so what? You won't play with bad mods. Who will?
The point behind modding is that you can design what you want to see and to play with, using the engine of the game. Simple as that. If the others will like your mod, its just a +++ to the community. Think about that.

As for Nerfix, he sounds like an idiot, I reckon. His opinion is ridicolous and nonsense about modding. 1 star for him. Ooops I already gave him 1 star a few days ago.

14 persons used the voting system to rate Nerfix...Hes got 2 stars...I think at least 8 voted with 1 star?

[ September 28, 2003, 15:53: Message edited by: MStavros ]