What Do You Look For
Chubi_Chan
Join Date: 2004-08-26 Member: 30924Members
Join Date: 2004-08-26 Member: 30924Members
in Off-Topic
<div class="IPBDescription">in a mod</div> personally speaking,what do you guys(and girls...)look for in a mod,ramboishness with tons of weapons,tons of enemies,all going up in evilness and complexity,or simplicity where as all you really need,is in a small group of a few weapons,and the enemies are all basic,yet escalateing in evilness.
I'd like to know,because I'm planning on starting a source mod for a story I've always wanted to write,it's gonna be a prequel,explaining alot of the story before the book,but it won't be a must play to understand the book...
personally,I like the ramboish feel of having many ways to elimanate the enemy,but not over doing it.Having weapons which fit their purpose for their point in the story,but still being a nice sub weapon for later.Having lots of enemies is a must for me,or at least different kinds of the same,because then it becomes repeditive on how you take them out...someone finds a way to kill them rather easy,and the whole combat point of the game is gone untill a new enemy arrives.
but not just your thoughts weapon based,story:Long and drawn out,pointless untill the end,bit by bit story.What about things like mechanical design?I really need options on this,do you prefer the there for a a reason,nitty gritty no frills stuff,or the elaborate frillier then richard simmon's tutu things.Comeon,give me some feedback!
I'd like to know,because I'm planning on starting a source mod for a story I've always wanted to write,it's gonna be a prequel,explaining alot of the story before the book,but it won't be a must play to understand the book...
personally,I like the ramboish feel of having many ways to elimanate the enemy,but not over doing it.Having weapons which fit their purpose for their point in the story,but still being a nice sub weapon for later.Having lots of enemies is a must for me,or at least different kinds of the same,because then it becomes repeditive on how you take them out...someone finds a way to kill them rather easy,and the whole combat point of the game is gone untill a new enemy arrives.
but not just your thoughts weapon based,story:Long and drawn out,pointless untill the end,bit by bit story.What about things like mechanical design?I really need options on this,do you prefer the there for a a reason,nitty gritty no frills stuff,or the elaborate frillier then richard simmon's tutu things.Comeon,give me some feedback!
Comments
I'd like to know,because I'm planning on starting a source mod for a story I've always wanted to write,it's gonna be a prequel,explaining alot of the story before the book,but it won't be a must play to understand the book...
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WHAT BOOK? WTH ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT
i personnaly like mods that enforce teamwork, i dont like games that are fast and stuff its just not my style, also i like games where skills are easy to get, and not something you have to work ALOT on getting.
Also, whenever you use a puctuation mark when typing you are supposed to put a space after it.
And after the fun is there, I look for quality.
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I like the new 3.05 hitboxes btw.
On topic:
For a single player fps mod i do prefer the following:
-Constantly rising difficulty
-Well placed items/enemys etc
-No cutscenes (some hl mods had other 30 minute of cut scenes <!--emo&:(--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/sad-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->))
-Not completely linear level design (and performance saving desgin)
-Surprises
-Something unique and outstanding (ns:commander mode|s&i: research system|dod: level design|gunman:adjustable weapon functions|firearms: customizable classes|specialist: matrix feeling|the pit: funny|rocket crowbar: strange weapons|PVK: strange mod overall)
And the most important thing is:
---Stuff that works---
Anyway you should set some design rules, before you actually start with the level desgin:
-Do i want the player to fight masses, or single enemys (or maybe a mix)
-Should there be several ways to solve a certain riddle or pass a certain area
-Do i want to create situation, where the player does not need to fight
-Do i want to create situation, where the player can decide, what to do next
-Is ammunition rare, or will the player find plenty of supplies
-Do my design rules make sense? (finding 0 ammo in an army depot)
Remember:
Set your rules for every level you are intending to create anew.
well, as my mod goes, there will be cutscenes, but in the HL2 sence where you can jump around, and just generally be a fool like throwing stuff around, shot crap off shelves, that kinda stuff.
Teamwork is also a big thing in my mod, there will be a planned 5 playable chars. to the mod, and often you meet your teamates in cutscenes, and later in the game you play through the same part as the teamate you saw, but also in parts where a char. when through before, if you like, opened a door that normally would have been locked for that char. it'd be open, so teamwork is indeed something that would be included, but teamwork with yourself (a co-op version is planned as well...)
hell, the day my levels are linear is the very day dragons take over earth (hehe...)
but reguardlessly in the way the story is structured in this, it's got a kinda GTA:SA feel to it, but not exactly, there'll be a city you can explore and junk, but somewhat like robotech:Invasion had, sometimes your path will be blocked by debris, sometimes you'll be force to go somewhere, it'll have it's linear moments, but heck, without linearship most games crumble from lack of reason to go anywhere in particular.
difficulty will be and understatement in my game,it won't be Über hard, but it'll make you think. Alot of times you'll end up useing more brain then brawn. But also, for those rambo people like me, you can still take out enemies like no bodies busisness.
and it would be a very down to earth kinda game, well, down to earth like planet, hehe, as in you'll find ammo where it should be, not just some shotgun shells in the middle of the street, or a computer on an amish farm...
if you want the story for the mod,feel free to PM me.If you'd beleive you have skills in which you could us for a source mod,PLEASE PM me.
hell,even HL1 and HL2 had it's humor,so I also beleive humor is a big part to games.Games that are too serious suck arse...(even NS has humor)
Seriously, what else? Now matter what the mod is based around, as long as it's fun, it's good.
Well, if its singleplayer, there needs to be good character development, places where the player actually has to think, but also moments where you can blow something up, and the walls are collapsing, and monsters are getting torn apart, and once its over, you go "That was awesome!"
Mild RPG elements in a FPS is good, but it shouldn't be possible to gimp your character. Every combination of skills should change the way you can play the game.
While humor is good, it also needs to be contrasted with more emotional situations. This only works, however, if you have had satisfactory character development, otherwise no one will care when the friend/love interest sacrafices themselves for the player.
For multiplayer, promote team work, and diverse, but not redundant classes. And two or three ways to achieve objectives. And maps with many different routes. One of the most satisfying things to do in Half Life 2 CTF was to take the back route on the prison level to the enemie's flag room, jump down, take it, and then take the back route back to base. Keep all the players on their toes.
[edit]Oh, and depth of gameplay, too. Something involving skill and invested effort, rather than arbitrary character stats or who gets the rocket launcher first.[/edit]
Hit the nail on the head.
A few other guidelines once you have the fun out of the way... If you want a compeditive scene you need to provide balance, and a nice looking skill curve. If you are going to do a scifi/mythical setting anyways, go all the way an provide some immersion, in the end realism will just ruin your concept if you get caught up in it. Gameplay > Story, Gameplay > Realism, Gameplay > Graphics.
as for char. development, most of the chars. you don't see for a while at time, but most of them are just side saddle chars. The main char. will be developed beyond all understanding from what you know.Literally,he'll have so many secrets you'll wanna know,you'll buy the book(s) just to find out XD
but truthfully,ya'll are giving some great openions...I think I outta link this on a few mods comeing out so they can see what fans want in a mod besides "add this!11!!!!!1!1" in they're suggestion forum...
Seriously, what else? Now matter what the mod is based around, as long as it's fun, it's good. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Then why is Hostile Intent considered a good mod?
Seriously, what else? Now matter what the mod is based around, as long as it's fun, it's good. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Then why is Hostile Intent considered a good mod? <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Because having fun is <i>relative</i>, why the hell else.
hell,besides models,textures/materials (I may be able to do level textures,but not char. textures/materials),and MAYBE codeing,I can do the rest,Hammer isn't that hard to learn considering I used unreal edit alot,concept art was always something I could do,and the other minor stuff I can do.I really only need modelers,textureing peple (who could hopefully do the remaining UV stuff and compile),and some coders...
I know the coders,model makers,and texureing people are the big things to any mod...but at least I can do web mastering,mapping,and most minor stuff...
but consider how many mods have started without a great plan (we're makeing a deathmatch mod!!1!1!!!1!) and ended up dead in the water...but I have seen great ideas turn bad too.
on a side note <a href='http://agct.modnmod.com/' target='_blank'>Currently this source mod is my favorite...</a>
but,if any one wants to help...my PM and e-mail box is always open (espically to people who can model,code,or texture good)
I might have a site up soon,depends when I ca get used to photoshop enough to create a decent layout for a site...
I'm doing a Source Mod that includes this principle, but with 4 characters. Feel free to PM me any time you want for advice and critique on ideas.
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My philosophy about weapons is that they should be reusable. Too many games give you replacement weapons as the difficulty is increased. My main gripe with this is that most of the weapons do the same thing and very little thinking has to be done. Some games force you to reuse old weapons by alternating ammunition pickups, but I still find this a bit brainless.
It really depends what sort of game you're aiming for. If it is a rampage shooter then you can do it that way. If you seriously do want your players to use their heads then you might want to think about weapon types and not just different weapons. I'm not talking ICE against FIRE here, but creating weapons that can be used in different situations. Enemy design will also help you on this (speed/movement style/HP/attack style/grouping).
Once you've thought about that last part you can tweak the ammo pacing to force players to use an underpowered or unsuited weapon on hard difficulty and stuff like that.
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My main advice would be to write down the basic principles of your game. All the details can be added according to that gameplay rubrik.
hell,besides models,textures/materials (I may be able to do level textures,but not char. textures/materials),and MAYBE codeing,I can do the rest,Hammer isn't that hard to learn considering I used unreal edit alot,concept art was always something I could do,and the other minor stuff I can do.I really only need modelers,textureing peple (who could hopefully do the remaining UV stuff and compile),and some coders...
I know the coders,model makers,and texureing people are the big things to any mod...but at least I can do web mastering,mapping,and most minor stuff... <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Don't underestimate it. There's lots to consider if you want to make a <i>good</i> Mod.
<b>Mapping</b>
- Here you have interior/exterior/organic/urban and then there's architectural styles you have to think about.
- As it's an SP Mod you also need to find people who have experience with scripting events in the map, unless you're aiming for a plain shoot-em-up, which you're not, there'll be a lot of this in your Mod.
- You'll need people to design the levels, although this can be half-described in the writing phase.
- Custom-made Props, worldmodels and func_details will need modelling. Some of those will need animations for the various states they can be in and therefore skeletal framework and all of those will need UV maps and skins.
- Custom-made textures. Nuff said.
Thats. Just. The Mapping.
Before that there's writing, concept art, PR (for recruitment and creating a fan/playerbase)
and at the same time as the mapping there's modelling (cue: animators, UV artists and skinners) and coding
and then later you'll need (good and bad) Beta Testers
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Don't get ahead of yourself. Get the story done first, let it evolve and think about gameplay. Then come up with the basic principles you want your Mod to have and deliver.
Then you can go into the sort of detail I just skipped over for each element of your game; what styles you want, made to which specifications. Then you can give some of this info to the concept artists.
I think what Sub zer0 meant to say was...
I N N O V A T I O N <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo-->
I agree with that, though. I enjoy games that do something new, or do something old in a new way. That can be applied to many things: story, graphics, sound, gameplay, weapons, etc.
Sorry folks, but that's the least useful answer under the sun.
We lob anything we consider good in a game into the word "fun". The question here is therefore what makes you feel a game <i>is</i> fun.
A <b>good</b> zombie mod.
<!--QuoteBegin-Chubi Chan+Jul 17 2005, 11:09 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Chubi Chan @ Jul 17 2005, 11:09 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->on a side note <a href='http://agct.modnmod.com/' target='_blank'>Currently this source mod is my favorite...</a><!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Your favourite mod is unreleased? Great.
My favourite mod is still Threewave CTF for Quake 3
Second favourite, Half Life 2 CTF <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->.