I think actually that part of modding is taking a game that was designed one way and to see exactly how much you can achieve. Yes, the game is old and does have quite a few aspects that could be a lot better. But, it is an easy game to mod and just look at all of the tools that are available.
With every mod that is released we gain new skills and new techniques that can be creditted and used in even newer mods.
It would be better for modders to aim at releasing unique aspects to their creations that really set their mod's apart from the rest. Its fine releasing a smaller mod that adds a system or two and changes the odd things, but its much better to create things that haven't been done before.

That's true MACE,but it's these people who make smaller mods who are the ones we want to progress into making larger,more unique mods.Isn't this what it is all about?
I've not long gotten into modding and yes,i'm doing the basic things of system making,ship making and am now looking at weapons including some sort of ammo based gattling gun-thingy.if that gun has been done,i say good on them,but i'm gonna give it a go and see if i can think of anything new.

Yes FL is a old game,but in the gaming mags i read it's still often at the top of the genre and still get's compared to other games new out,so it still has the ability.

I've seen asked why bother spending months on a project that ur not totally sure will work....well,to me that's half the fun,getting something that ur not sure about to work.And "IF" you decide you can't do it,post up what u have done and what does work or what you've found,i'm certain mod makers like Op Chips,Para and the others will all have idea's at were to take it.

At the end of the day,what i'm saying is that what makes a modding community is the modders...from the beginners to the experianced ones.
I'm what i would class as a novice,i've got some experiance,but i'm still learning where things are and what does what,so i can say from my experiance that someone saying "here download this" is not as helpful as someone showing your error,it shows support from fellow modders and also shows that there are people learning to mod FL.

So i say,if someone posts something that has been asked before and trivial,answer them with a reply that the question asks for,not download this.
Tools are great...but sometimes people prefer human help.

Rant over,btw...i'd suggest a new thread for new ideas and that it gets stickied so that politics and other non-essential chat from here doesn't get read 1st.

last thoughts....
Beginner modders are the modding communities future

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Edited by - ds9phoenix on 4/27/2006 3:54:04 PM

Here's my 2 cents on the matter. I think modding games gives others alot of experience in the programming world, and we all know, if we want to make good money, we need to have experience in what we want to do. Being able to change a game, and troubleshoot around any problems you may face is a very cool thing to do. What adds to what you've accomplished, is being able to share your new "game" with a community. I, myself, really enjoy watching people's reactions to what I have posted and created. Having a gaming community is a huge key point. You are then able to share ideas, and change and tinker with what you've created here and there, gradually making it better and better. Now, I've seen the word "impossible" to ideas I have posted about, but I don't look at it like, "Oh mna... it can't be done..." Anything and everything that uses code to operate can be manipulated in anyway. However, there can be GIANT obsticles, or very illegal solutions to your programming issues. When I see the word "impossible" used, I either think that, in order to create what I am think of, I will have to break the law, or, I am going to have to really, really work my rear end off to get it done. And, I have to admit, sometimes it's well worth it to see that word. I have started a few of those ideas I had, and have found that my ideas actually were WAY beyond my abilities to mod. Everybody here, in my personal opinion, is trying to help each other out, and one of the ways we help each other, is by saying that you probably don't want to take on such a giant task so early, because you most likely won't be able to follow through, and alot of your effort you had previously used to get that far would be wasted. Note my choice of words (alot). They know, from personal experience, that your idea is very hard, and they don't want you to waste your time brooding over it. They would also be very sad to see you leave the modding community because you may become UBER discurraged.

Now, I am currently working on a new mod. I'm not going to tell you all what it is yet, for fear of somebody taking my idea. I hope you guys can see where I'm coming from. But, I am going to say this. It is in need of ships, VERY badly. I have DLed a few of the bigger mods to see what they used, and have found a very nice selection. Many of them that I would love to use come from the Crossfire mod. I would like to ask for permission from SWAT to use these ships. It would be very much appreciated if you would let me do this... I'm not planning on having the mod be Multiplayer compadable, so you won't feel "challenged" by any compotition if I opened up a server and hosted my mod on it... I just don't have the time for something that big.

I bring that up because SWAT wanted people to post about new ideas... Well I have one, and it requires some of his work. So I am asking him if I can use it, so I can carry on with my idea. I will post further more on my new mod only after I get either a "yes, you can use my work", or a "no, scram, kid" from SWAT.

Hope it helps guys... And I hope I don't get chewed out XD... GL all!

If you think it is Imposible, think back to Argh and what he did. Much was though imposible. Some things could be Illegal, due to exe aspects, but that is differnt than simply not worked out. Who knows, some one may yet learn to sub trents voice and lines for the game, and make other changes ehhh?

Oh don't get me wrong. Like I said above, you can do what you want. In the programming world, everything is possible.

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Now, I've seen the word "impossible" to ideas I have posted about, but I don't look at it like, "Oh man... it can't be done..." Anything and everything that uses code to operate can be manipulated in anyway.

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