[Vengence]

In college we were given an assignment to create a presentation and were handed out topics but I managed to strike an original topic not on the list. These presentations about games range from controversy to serious games. I received an original topic called Mod Development (better than 'Social Environment in MMOs') and I wish to include the FS2 SCP as a prime subject for the presentation. This presentation is in no right an endorsement of Freespace 2 or the SCP. It is an objective and detailed description of FS2's past and modding capability. The focus is "Mod DEVELOPMENT", not the history of mods or the usefulness of custom content. I seek to describe the beginnings of the SCP project and its impact on modding FS2. I will also delve into how mods are made. But still, the classmates I present this too might just get interested in FS2 anyways

Though I am already familiar with the impact of FS2 modding had, it is in no way 'research' if I just write what I know. In order to fully complete this portion of the presentation I would like honest input from you, the community. Basically I would like you to tell me about the following:

-What you think about modding?
-Do you think FS2 Modding is easy?
-How would you describe the impact SCP project?

These are the basic questions I have so far. Feel free to voice any opinions you wish. If you wish credit to be given during the presentation then please say so.

[Topgun]

fs2 modding is very easy compared to games of its time. nowadays game devs have learned to make modding easier, as that tends to add some appeal.

[Mobius]

Are you creating a video? You could:

- Show the normal combat capabilities of a fighter;
- Display a simple modification with Notepad(increasing speed);
- Show the effects ;
- Write a subtitle. Something like"It's easy!";

[Vengence]

Indeed! I plan on doing all sorts of stuff. Including model comparisons (Reg Orions vs New Orions  ), coding examples, SExp's (yes I will pronounce it as the volition tutorial said and I will say the same thing. Stop snickering!), all sorts of stuff. I won't delve too far into it, FS2 is not the only game I have to explain but it is certainly the best of those I plan on doing. It is, after all, a 10 minute presentation and I don't want FS2 eating it all

[Mobius]

I like the idea. Are you going to share your presentation?

[Hades]

Great idea.

[TrashMan]

fs2 modding is very easy compared to games of its time. nowadays game devs have learned to make modding easier, as that tends to add some appeal.

FS2 is one of the (if not THE) easiest game to MOD I ran across... and I've modded over 40 games so that gives me a good general idea. Newr games better at modding? Hardly!

As for hte questions:
 - modding is what gives games new life and freshness...it's what keep age old games like FS2 and JA2 stil lactive and often played. It's one of hte most important aspects of a game. To hell with a company that doesn't make a games easily moddable I say!

Indeed! I plan on doing all sorts of stuff. Including model comparisons (Reg Orion vs New Orions  Big grin), coding examples, SExp's (yes I will pronounce it as the volition tutorial said and I will say the same thing. Stop snickering!), all sorts of stuff. I won't delve too far into it, FS2 is not the only game I have to explain but it is certainly the best of those I plan on doing. It is, after all, a 10 minute presentation and I don't want FS2 eating it all

Fixed!

[Mobius]

Indeed! I plan on doing all sorts of stuff. Including model comparisons (Reg Orion vs New Orions  Big grin), coding examples, SExp's (yes I will pronounce it as the volition tutorial said and I will say the same thing. Stop snickering!), all sorts of stuff. I won't delve too far into it, FS2 is not the only game I have to explain but it is certainly the best of those I plan on doing. It is, after all, a 10 minute presentation and I don't want FS2 eating it all

Fixed!

Indeed! I plan on doing all sorts of stuff. Including model comparisons (Reg Orion vs New Orionis  Big grin)

Fixed

[Vengence]

Fixed too . However I plan on actually speaking to the class possibly as the video is playing. If I can record a voice over I could release it, but remember this is a presentation to a class, not a professional thing.

As for hte questions:
 - modding is what gives games new life and freshness...it's what keep age old games like FS2 and JA2 stil lactive and often played. It's one of hte most important aspects of a game. To hell with a company that doesn't make a games easily moddable I say!

Yes, and FS2 is a prime example. Tis is a sad thing that most game sales are from consoles in which modding is impossible... hmm, I'll be sure to include that part.

[Topgun]

fs2 modding is very easy compared to games of its time. nowadays game devs have learned to make modding easier, as that tends to add some appeal.

FS2 is one of the (if not THE) easiest game to MOD I ran across... and I've modded over 40 games so that gives me a good general idea. Newr games better at modding? Hardly!

I meant the newer games are better compared to older games in general. not freespace

[Thor]

Ok here's my thoughts, point by point

-What you think about modding?
Modding is a way of exploring ideas,  be them your own ideas (such as Inferno) or extending the original idea (BWO and Derelict) or merging to ideas (BSG, TBP, Wing Commander Mod).  It gives you the ability to change the game and make it more your own, to weak the game experience and correct original issues.  Perhaps the biggest thing Modding allows for is life extention of the game.  If HLP and GameWarden and the other places FS Modders hang out didn't exist, Freespace 2 would be dead.  people would have grown tired of playing it over and over again.  and that really is the point, to create new gaming experiences.

-Do you think FS2 Modding is easy?
I think it could be harder, but with the release of the source code and the existence of FRED2, its more simple then games that are closed off to development

-How would you describe the impact SCP project?
its what keeps us going around here.  all the other project benefits from their work and it helps keep Freespace current.  Look around the net and see how many other games this old have such active communities.  I don't think you'll find of them. 

[Vengence]

-How would you describe the impact SCP project?
its what keeps us going around here.  all the other project benefits from their work and it helps keep Freespace current.  Look around the net and see how many other games this old have such active communities.  I don't think you'll find of them. 

Precisely .

[Fozzy]

-What you think about modding?
-Do you think FS2 Modding is easy?
-How would you describe the impact SCP project?

1) its a nice hobby
2) it was untill the SCP was formed
3) it made moding harder

4) its 1:30ish am, and my nabours making strange movments in his window with his light on infront of his computer, i am scared for life and disturbed, arghhhh !

[Vengence]

 

[Polpolion]

-What you think about modding?

In general, it is very fun. Not all that often easy to do, depending what you're modding. Ex. modding hardware = Agghh! die!; modding software = wee!!

-Do you think FS2 Modding is easy?

It is the easiest to mod, even more so than Starcraft. Not only is it easy, but the amount things you can do is really amazing.

-How would you describe the impact SCP project?

Increased the flexibility of FS2 A LOT.

-------

Fozzy, why are you so anti-SCP modding? AFAIK, it doesn't change anything, it just adds new things that you can do.

[Jake2447]

FS2 is a very modable game, compared to many of its contemporaries, and even modern games.  With the release of tools such as FRED and VP/Model View, Volition gave novice modders (like myself) a way to easily modify the gameplay.  As for the code, obviously its release allows experienced modders to vastly alter the game, and in the case of FS2, to improve the level of the game so that it is still exellent eight years after its release.

[Vengence]

*takes notes*

[Flipside]

Good to see this is going well I'll post some of my own thoughts tomorrow

[Nuke]

1. id say that modding is a good hobby for teens and young adults who have an interest in becoming game designers. if it wouldnt be for modding i probibly woulda never learned any c++ or lua, i wouldnt be able to model even a cube, and my textureswould look like **** and i definately woulda never learned trig or matrix math otherwise.

2. yes, very. when you look at other games you usually need to know a programming or scripting language to make any usefull changes. where freespace has a table format that is so easy to work with. other games that make heavy use of text based data files, like freelancer, arent really written to be easy to deal with, but rather to simplify the parsing code. as far as model formats go how can you get simpler than pof. even back when we had to use the mod manager to edit pof chunks it was easy. so long as you could make a sound model and keep it free of bad geometry, you coulda convert it and have it in game withing about 15 minutes. nowadays the same process takes less than 5.

3. well its made a game that was really fun to mod even more fun to mod it also made the game last longer. when you consider most gamers blow all their money buying games hoping that they wont get ripped off (i felt that way a couple times with console games that didnt even last me 12 hours). but when you have a game like freespace, and several fps games with massive modding communities which are always adding new stuff to it, you find that you get more bang for the buck.

show off the dante and the htl ragnarok

[TrashMan]

I meant the newer games are better compared to older games in general. not freespace

Again, case-to-case scenario.


I look at some of the new games and cry in agony at the redicolous limitations or fu**-up procedures needed to get something done.

Just look at C&C3 - you need to COMPILE your MOD, than ends up like 20mb for something as simple as adding a single unit!