Want to make a mod? Want a mod team?

Hey, this is a good idea <img src=smilies/icon_smile.gif width=15 height=15 border=0 align=middle> Ok, let me add to the somewhat depressing (if realistic) reading materials above, by showing how you can do things <i>right, </i> and get the kind of attention your mod needs to grow and flourish! Because, in the end, that´s what we <i>all want </i> to happen here- I like playing new, beautifully-made mods as much as anybody does <img src=smilies/icon_smile.gif width=15 height=15 border=0 align=middle> So, here´s an example of how to go about things: ************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************ EXAMPLE ONE - &quot;I need a ship done for my mod&quot;. This is a pretty typical request. But it´s not exactly easy to get people to jump up and do this- most of these requests get ignored, and then the modders who´ve asked for the ship get discouraged, and either quit modding FL or just quit asking for help. We see it all the time here. How to avoid this from happening to you? Well, ask yourself a few questions: 1. Are you asking for a ship that´s probably already available in existing mods? For example, asking for a Bretonian VHF... is kind´ve silly. There are lots of mods that feature Bretonian VHFs. Go find one, and then write a nice, polite email to the mod creators or the shipwright who made the model... and you will <i>very likely </i> get their permission to use the model. Problem solved <img src=smilies/icon_smile_big.gif width=15 height=15 border=0 align=middle> 2. Are you asking for a ship from a specific movie, video game, manga, comic, book or other source? If so... use <A href=´http://www.google.com/imghp?hl=en&amp;tab=wi&amp;q=´ Target=_Blank>Google´s Image Search</a> to find screen-captures, drawings, paintings, still shots... anything that could help artists make the ships you want! Artists, even more than most people, are generally &quot;turned on&quot; by exciting, interesting images. That´s part of why they´re artists. So if you want to get an artist really excited about helping you... <i>find your source materials. </i> As an example, when I was building the last versions of Warriors of the Sky, I had four artists working with me... so, instead of just saying &quot;yeah, uh... build me X, Y and Z&quot;, I sent them to websites featuring aircraft from the period between WWI and WWII (which, if you´ve played Warriors of the Sky, makes perfect sense), and then told them to re-interpret them however they thought would be fun. 3. If nobody helps you... is your mod idea a non-starter? If your answer is, &quot;yes&quot;, then... either learn how to model/skin, or learn how to beg/plead/cajole/present with flair and enthusiasm <img src=smilies/icon_smile.gif width=15 height=15 border=0 align=middle> Modeling and skinning models <i>is very hard work. </i> There aren´t all that many people around here who are very good at all of the skills required. So please... if you want a ship, and really, really need it for your mod idea... be understanding that if you want somebody to give up hours to days of their free time for you, then you´d better have a very good sales pitch! ************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************ EXAMPLE TWO: &quot;I have this great idea for a mod, but I need help.&quot; Ok... let´s start with some basics. First off, <i>why do you need help? </i> 1. If the answer is, &quot;because I don´t know how to code, make models, or do much in the way of making a mod for FL&quot;... then your best hope is to write a really, really complete (and hopefully interesting) description of what you want your mod to do... and then maybe, just maybe, somebody will help you out. But probably not. Because, let´s face it... anybody smart enough to code / model / game-design / troubleshoot something as complex as a FL mod... probably has ideas of their own. My main advice, for those who don´t have any real, technical skills... is to be honest, both with yourself and with whoever you´re asking for help. Because if they think that <i>you </i> know what you´re doing, and then do a bunch of work for you, they´re going to be pretty upset if you don´t finish your end of things! 2. If the answer is, &quot;I know how to model/skin, but not how to code&quot;... then you´re in luck! If you just start making really cool models with skins... chances are <i>very good </i> that somebody will be willing to export them to CMPs, code them up, and release them for inclusion in FL. Because, quite honestly... putting Hardpoints on things and writing a ship script is really easy (especially if you have downloaded, say, one of my XML Toolkit mods). So just put up some screenshots, and you will almost certainly get some help <img src=smilies/icon_smile.gif width=15 height=15 border=0 align=middle> 3. If the answer is, &quot;I know how to code, but my project is so big that I need more coders&quot;... well, this is a fairly common request, but it´s one of the hardest to get <i>real, qualified help for. </i> Why is it hard to get help for something like this? Well, because you´re basically wanting to manage a large mod project- to be the &quot;leader&quot; and game-designer. And guess what- EVERYBODY with some skill and ambition wants that role! If <i>you </i> are going to be a mod´s &quot;creative dictator&quot;... I have some suggestions about what you should really know how to do before you put up a request: A. Build a working demo, showing off your coding abilities, and release it on TLR. Even a simple (but interesting) demo can really help you find assistance. B. Learn how to do <i>everything </i> you possibly can. Learn enough about how 3D models are put into FL, for example, that you can export a finished model from MS3D, put Hardpoints on it, and code it. Learn how to code Systems, Bases, Weapons, Factions, FX, Explosions, Fuses, Solars and Equipment from scratch. No, just being able to make a System with FLE <i>does not count </i> as being &quot;good at modding&quot;. Really. C. When you´re ready to make your pitch... write up your game design, and try to get people as excited as possible. Here are bad and good examples: BAD: &quot;I wanna make a mod about hAl0. Any1 wanna hlp meh?&quot; This is BAD, because people who cannot be bothered to SPELL CORRECTLY will never code well enough to finish a working mod, which requires ZERO spelling errors. Not to mention it doesn´t tell us much, other than that you like, uh, &quot;hAl0&quot;. GOOD: &quot;My name is XTremeModder. You may have seen my demo mod, &quot;How to make FL Physics Dance&quot; on TLR recently. I am very interested in starting a Halo mod project. The objective of the mod will be to model the entire Ringworld, all of the Covenant and Human ships, fighters, and other craft, and to make it possible for players to join either side of the war against each other in a MP-only environment. If you think this sounds interesting, please check out the Game Design Document found at (insert link here) which contains all of the details about what we will be doing. I have never lead a big FL mod project before, but I am very interested in completing a big project, am commited to working on it over a 6-9 month timeframe to the initial release, and have plenty of free time. Please email me at xtrememodder@xtremeflmodding.com if you have read the Game Design Document and feel that you would be qualified to join my team&quot;. Now... <i>that is a pitch! </i> <img src=smilies/icon_smile_big.gif width=15 height=15 border=0 align=middle> It has all of the elements- completeness, an example mod to demonstrate that he/she isn´t full of crapola, and links telling people where they can find out very detailed information about the mod´s objectives (which also implies that the mod &quot;leader&quot; has a website- a big plus towards credibility). So... you want help? Do things right <img src=smilies/icon_smile.gif width=15 height=15 border=0 align=middle>

Did you even <i>bother </i> reading the posts above yours? Sigh.