Author Topic: Where are all the BIG mods? (Read 4357 times)

FlareBaffled · **on:** January 18, 2007, 04:51:42 pm

Now...this is NOT meant as a whine or anything along those lines, but more as a simple query from a guy who hasn't been here long... so feel free to slap me

The Freespace SCP engine just seems to scream out for all sorts of big mods, yet the only one that seems to have actually come to fruition is the Babylon 5 one. No Star Wars mod. No Homeworld Mod. None of the classic SciFi series seem to have made it into released mods. Battlestar Galactica ( the REAL one..not the modern one ) I know things like Star Trek are not really possible, since they focus on the wrong sort of starship. FS2 is about flying fighters, and not about commanding battleships... but there is so much that could have been done.

What happened?

Was it lack of modders, lack of time or enthusiasm? I see a Star War mod was in progress, but it has died. Same seems to be true for Homeworld ( though they were doing HW2 from what I can see ). It just seems to be such a good game engine for Space Combat that it amazes me these things didn't happen.

Now....I am not the sort to idly whine and expect someone to make it all happen for me. I fully intend to get stuck into a project.... but I don't know what to take on but I would love to see a Star Wars project actually reach release

Turey · **Reply #1 on:** January 18, 2007, 04:54:48 pm

http://www.game-warden.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=8

Getter Robo G · **Reply #2 on:** January 18, 2007, 05:03:18 pm

Flare, lots of BIG mods have come to fruition... (Derelict top of my list)

What you seem to be stuck on is TC's (or Total Conversions).

If that is all you're interested in, then yes, after many years lots of these teams HAVE been in existence but needed more help than what was available (don't we all!)...

It's a three way tie for the next TC around the corner to be released as BSG:BTRL, StarFox:SOL, and Wing Commander are in various final stages of completion.

On the FS2 front B.W.O seems to be wrapping up (we all hope)

And yeah, Trek would be kinda warped but I am trying to keep the spirit of it!

aldo_14 · **Reply #3 on:** January 18, 2007, 05:06:17 pm

Don't look at me.......

Centrixo · **Reply #4 on:** January 18, 2007, 05:16:32 pm

when ever homeworld mod gets released i cant wait, play the actual homeworld campaign from a fighter in the Hiigaran fleet staving off the attacks of a vaygr fighter and a flak frigate

or a torpedo frigate.

FlareBaffled · **Reply #5 on:** January 18, 2007, 05:37:49 pm

Getter Robo G..yes..It was TC's I was thinking of. Mods WITHIN the existing Freespace world are a different creature altogether. They require a different approach and a different set of restrictions, blending with what has been created but expanding it at the same time.

No...I mean taking the underlying mechanics of Freespace, with all it's SCP enhancements and flashy pretty effects, and applying that to a whole new world. I have toyed with the idea of starting aomething based on a completely home-brewed Universe, but I have cryed off that. I can't seem to come up with enough ideas for ships that fit a particular 'look' without seeming to be derivatory somehow. I have sketched out a whole heap of designs, some I really like..but harldy any seem to look as though they came from the same place! At least with an existing pool of stuff, you have that work done for you!

Yet hardly any such TC's have come to fruition. Do people bite off more than they can chew?

Original BSG.... half a dozen ships and you have a basic release package.

Star Wars. X Wing, Y wing and a few TIE fighters. Star Destroyer. release. then add more. Yet they went for the whole package and tried to convert tons of models.

Homeworld ... Build the original 'banana' and a few more ships and you have a package to start with. Only a handful of the ships will be pilotable, so start there and add in a few capships for colour.

Homeworld 2 is the same.

As far as Trek goes.... I am sticking with BC. For me, Legacy was like a heroin addicted pit-bull terrier going cold turkey .... dangerously unstable!

Getter Robo G · **Reply #6 on:** January 18, 2007, 05:57:42 pm

I'm not going to comment on those efforts... Getting what you need in terms of resources in game (like models) are only half the equation. RL gets in the way and when people come and go the vision (or mission statement) can change and what you started out doing can end up no where to what is finally done.

That's why Fs2 core mods are usually more plentiful and faster/easier to make. Much of the work is already done, and the vision of the "mod" remains focused more often.

I wouldn't write off your own TC too quickly. Why not help others out at first or just start learning on your own some of the aspects of FS2 modding. Then you might re-evaluate your capabilities or mod value.

Just cause a design might look like it's a derivative doesn't mean it is one... Just do it, when it comes right down to it it's your mod. If people don't like it or think it's too close to something else then they don't have to play it.

Col. Fishguts · **Reply #7 on:** January 18, 2007, 06:31:39 pm

Quote from: aldo_14 on January 18, 2007, 05:06:17 pm

Don't look at me.......

Too late.

Goober5000 · **Reply #8 on:** January 18, 2007, 07:56:17 pm

Well, this is a FreeSpace board; you're mostly going to see FreeSpace mods. On the other hand...

BSG:BTRL (Battlestar Galactica) and Starfox: Shadows of Lylat (Starfox) are on GameWarden; and The Apocalypse Project (Homeworld), The Babylon Project (Babylon 5), Star Wars Conversion (Star Wars), and Wing Commander Saga (Wing Commander) are here. Of those, only TBP and WCSaga have been released so far.

NGTM-1R · **Reply #9 on:** January 18, 2007, 08:01:15 pm

Inferno is, or was, pretty close to a total conversion even if it was in the spirit of FS.

bizzybody · **Reply #10 on:** January 19, 2007, 01:51:25 am

Quote from: FlareBaffled on January 18, 2007, 05:37:49 pm

I can't seem to come up with enough ideas for ships that fit a particular 'look' without seeming to be derivatory somehow. I have sketched out a whole heap of designs, some I really like..but harldy any seem to look as though they came from the same place!

Look at present day aircraft like the A7, B-52, F-15, B-2, F-16... the entire complement of American and Soviet/Russian military aricraft. Anyone who didn't know what he was looking at could hardly be expected to think that all those very different aircraft were produced mainly for the military forces of only two countries.

Vengence · **Reply #11 on:** January 19, 2007, 04:56:34 pm

Quote from: FlareBaffled on January 18, 2007, 05:37:49 pm

No...I mean taking the underlying mechanics of Freespace, with all it's SCP enhancements and flashy pretty effects, and applying that to a whole new world. I have toyed with the idea of starting aomething based on a completely home-brewed Universe, but I have cryed off that. I can't seem to come up with enough ideas for ships that fit a particular 'look' without seeming to be derivatory somehow. I have sketched out a whole heap of designs, some I really like..but harldy any seem to look as though they came from the same place! At least with an existing pool of stuff, you have that work done for you!

Well... If I am interpreting you correctly, my mod seems to fall into your 'BIG' catagory.
http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,44433.0.html
Completely homebrewed, ship designed from scratch with some inspiration, attempting to make full use of SCP (however very unlikely). But don't expect a quick release, I'm the only one working on this with a friend next door.

brandx0 · **Reply #12 on:** January 19, 2007, 05:42:16 pm

If you're afraid of feeling like everything doesn't quite match, come up with some common design traits.
For example, the US Navy prefers dual engined jets due to the reliability factor. Come up with a set of basic guidelines and have a reasoning behind it, and you shouldn't worry so much about the specific "look"

FlareBaffled · **Reply #13 on:** January 19, 2007, 06:08:39 pm

That's not a bad idea.

I have some basic 'outlines' that I have come up with already, and the idea of traits expands on that.

DarkShadow- · **Reply #14 on:** January 19, 2007, 07:38:48 pm

Quote from: FlareBaffled on January 18, 2007, 04:51:42 pm

The Freespace SCP engine just seems to scream out for all sorts of big mods, yet the only one that seems to have actually come to fruition is the Babylon 5 one. No Star Wars mod. No Homeworld Mod. None of the classic SciFi series seem to have made it into released mods.

Pfff, Machina Terra is better anyway

(and yeah, we're definitly working on it)

Tempest · **Reply #15 on:** January 19, 2007, 07:54:31 pm

And of course the Descent total conversion. Wouldn't want to forget that one.

Raptor · **Reply #16 on:** January 20, 2007, 02:34:44 am

Just to let you know Flare, I've been working (slowly + single handiedly) on a Original BSG TC. Though I took a little flak from the NuBSG crew a few weeks back. So a BSG TC is not dead... yet

Sadly, the type of person I really need to help me advance the TC is also the one type that we are really short of here at HLP... texturers. And with my limited amount of time...

I'll keep at it, when I can...

PS: I'm always looking for help!

Snail · **Reply #17 on:** January 20, 2007, 02:47:39 am

Quote from: DarkShadow- on January 19, 2007, 07:38:48 pm

Quote from: FlareBaffled on January 18, 2007, 04:51:42 pm
The Freespace SCP engine just seems to scream out for all sorts of big mods, yet the only one that seems to have actually come to fruition is the Babylon 5 one. No Star Wars mod. No Homeworld Mod. None of the classic SciFi series seem to have made it into released mods.

Pfff, Machina Terra is better anyway
(and yeah, we're definitly working on it)

Yeah.

GO MT! Wooooo!!!!

FlareBaffled · **Reply #18 on:** January 20, 2007, 03:09:04 pm

Well.... I have decided to put my ideas for a self-created univers to one side, until I feel the idea is ready. I am going to take on a project though......
The screenshot here is a bit of a clue as to which one

NGTM-1R · **Reply #19 on:** January 20, 2007, 03:10:09 pm

...Starlancer?

Dangit, I know I've seen that before.

News:

Author Topic: Where are all the BIG mods? (Read 4357 times)

Where are all the BIG mods?

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