MonarchX;n9841281 said:
During the last few days I came to the conclusion that W3 modding community is truly dying and there is simply nothing to look forward to. AFAIK, Wolven Kit development stalled (GitHub wasn't updated) and lack of comprehensive W3 modding tools is probably the biggest cause of W3 modding decline, while the lack of knowledge is the second biggest cause of the same decline.
That may be your perception on it. Personally I hardly think it's 'dying' and saying that it's dying only exacerbates that perception, and is a pessimistic look on it. There are still quite a lot of modders - some skilled and others just starting that have enjoyment out of modding, and by posting negative comments about the modding scene dying discourages new modders from even starting.
I can't say how existing modders will feel, but for me it just make me a bit more fed up with the doom and gloom attitude of the majority of the community.
Yes the tools aren't the best, yes there is no real official documentation bla bla bla, we've all heard it. But that hasn't stopped players from doing what they love doing.
New mods appear on the nexus everyday, it dosen't matter if they are terrible, fantastic, big or small. What matters is that it's happening.
MonarchX;n9841281 said:
Knowledgeable Veteran-W3-modders who have done diligent and hard work in researching, testing, modding, fixing, etc., hoard the most important available aspect of W3 modding, knowledge, to themselves. I think it happens because veteran modders feel it would be unfair for other W3-modder-wannabees to gain that knowledge easily, from some simple guide, while it was them (the veteran/advanced modders) who performed all that research and were forced to work with crude, inflexible, and limited W3 tools. W3 modding knowledge is scarce as hell and that makes it valuable.
This is just bitterness talking.
There are plenty of tutorials out there and most of them are very detailed. Modders are more than happy to help. BUT there are things to consider.
- If you create a new thread just saying how do i do X, or Y, you will not get a detailed response most likely. If you are going to ask a question make sure you explain your problem/query in detail with exactly what you want to achieve. Include things you have tried out, and what did or didn't work.
- If your question clearly shows that you do not know basics of just modding then i'm sorry but no modder is likely going to answer your specific question and will just redirect you to an existing beginner's tutorial, you are asking the wrong question at that point.
- You will not be the only one asking. and modders don't always want to be answering the same question over and over. It's better to just make a general tutorial at that point. (Which is why i starting making a tutorial on flash files - although nobody seems to have given what's there much interest actually)
Now I'd like to explain some things (from my personal experience), that should dispel some of what you are saying.
I starting modding for the first time EVER back in June of THIS year, and only on W3 (with these tools bla bla bla - not the best way to start tbh). I did not know how to code, or understand it for the most part. I had no idea of game packing, or really anything of that sort.
Given the tutorials i found and the help of fellow modders, and by self teaching, I learned enough to release my first mod, the GTWCG cards mod. and that took about a month before release.
Which i will add is (at the time of posting) the biggest gwent mod currently for w3. And recently is the very first gwent mod that actually adds new abilities, with new mechanics, (not just recycled vanilla ones.
I can hardly agree with you that modders hoard information and try to keep it from so called 'W3-modder-wannabees'. Because i found when learning the exact opposite, and hence i could not have done what i have done so far.
I'd like to use
Hyadum as an example (if that is alright hyadum
)
When making my gtwcg mod I asked how to extract and modify flash files (this was the first time i learned how to do it) and he very kindly gave me a very detailed answer and was more than happy to help.
The discussion lasted a few posts before i understood.
I'd like to quote something he said:
Don't worry about it man, W3 modding scene is already hard enough without proper tools and such... if we don't even share what we know with eachother there's no reason to even try and mod it.
I think this proves my point.
MonarchX;n9841281 said:
That's not only my opinion. I've communicated with quite a few people on Nexus who complained of exactly the same thing. You see a modder who has done something cool, send him a PM inquiring how he figured those things out, and chances you'll ever even get a reply are some 5%, even though you see that modder being active almost daily. Sure, modders have lives, owe you nothing, may not like you, or have whatever reasons not to reply, but my gut feeling is that they don't want to be bothered with explaining all that info. I've posted many questions and I am certain that those veteran modders know the answers or semi-answers or at least how to work around those questions/answers/issues, but they aren't going to post a reply regardless. Besides, it would require more than just replying to people's inquiries. They'd have to write up comprehensive guides with sole purpose of making as many people understand it, as possible, and not target only other veteran modders with technical jargon and process complexities that, with effort, could be simplified. Maybe people with similar opinions and me are wrong about this, but it definitely "feels" that way...
Writing guides takes time, honestly more time than actually creating a mod that would be made by using it.
Modders do not act in bad faith or ignore you just for the sake of it. It most cases it's time, time that can be spent modding. I know which one i would rather do.
MonarchX;n9841281 said:
Perfect example with HD Reworked Project - THE very top mod on Nexus for W3. In HDRP thread I was discussing certain aspects of meshes, textures, custom fallback items, and how I was trying to get vanilla Stone_Wall meshes (that many prefer to HDRP 4.8 meshes) to use custom textures created by HalkHogan for his custom meshes, but shortly afterwards Halk replied with "Leave it to me!" because, it appears, that if you don't already know how, then you shouldn't even try to learn, and as suggested, "Leave to the mod author"...
This is going to be the case for the reasons i gave above. Halk isn't telling you simply because he wants to deny you knowledge.
Bringing up the example of the stone walls was a bad idea. Halk knows most of his users want the old textures/meshes, he has been told so multiple times, and writing to ask him about it doesn't help you, because in the end you are just another voice in the crowd. He is working on his 5.0 release so he hasn't got the time to answer questions on a 1 to 1 basis for each and every person who is asking him. and definitely does not have the time to write detailed tutorials.
MonarchX;n9841281 said:
I know too little, but when I learn something that can improve an existing mod by fixing/adding/removing, repacking/recooking, then I do it, and release it as some "repack" with whichever changes, giving all credit to the original mod author. I also tend to provide info on how I made it happen in simple language to both mod authors and mod fans/downloaders.
I'd like to give you some friendly advice: FOCUS
I have seen multiple threads and posts by you asking how do i edit animations how do i edit meshes how do i edit this and that etc.. etc..
Now there is nothing wrong with wanting to know as much as possible. That's for the most part a healthy attitude to have. But when you say 'I know too little' you really need to narrow down what you are doing and focus on learning something specific otherwise you'll find that you are biting off more than you can chew, and you will be overwhelmed.
For moderators... Yes i know this post isn't on topic for this thread. So feel free to move it in need be.
