TechnoHippyChic
The Freeman
- Joined
- Jul 23, 2003
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This is meant to be a sort of high-level conceptualization of the mod process. Feel free to criticize. I'll be the first to admit I have practically zero mod experience, but this sort of came to me in a dream (ok, I was high)...
A mod idea usually begins with a “visionary” or “entrepreneurial” type. This person may or may not have additional talent to lend to the team, i.e. mapping or skinning, but what a mod really needs at its inception is very good concept artists. If the creator can fulfill this role, great, otherwise, it should be his first priority at the beginning to find one (or more).
If the creator only has a generalized idea of the complete storyline, he should also try to bring to the team a writer. Only one, at the beginning, at least. But at the very start either creator or writer should not focus on the overall story, but one “set piece”. Redefine your idea of the set piece away from the finalized ideal, but as a series of milestones coming together.
The concept artist’s first task will be to create drawings of the environments. Run through several iterations of the writer’s idea of the space, whether it be a series of long corridors, a control room, or outdoors. Create the infrastructure first, and add detail on subsequent passes.
Once the piece’s environments are finalized, the mappers can go to work. They should also start with a “grey” or “orange” environment and go through multiple versions, adding detail.
Concept artists should then begin on models. Various “situations” should be depicted, and multiple angles of view shown. All passed through the idea guys.
Then modelers, then skinners.
When everything looks good and you have a “high level sandbox”, then bring in the coders and animators. Communication with “writer types” should be ongoing during this phase.
All this must be repeated for all components of the story once a successful set piece is realized.
Polish. Polish again, ad necessitous.
Test. A lot.
P.R. is up to you.
Limited beta.
Release!
A mod idea usually begins with a “visionary” or “entrepreneurial” type. This person may or may not have additional talent to lend to the team, i.e. mapping or skinning, but what a mod really needs at its inception is very good concept artists. If the creator can fulfill this role, great, otherwise, it should be his first priority at the beginning to find one (or more).
If the creator only has a generalized idea of the complete storyline, he should also try to bring to the team a writer. Only one, at the beginning, at least. But at the very start either creator or writer should not focus on the overall story, but one “set piece”. Redefine your idea of the set piece away from the finalized ideal, but as a series of milestones coming together.
The concept artist’s first task will be to create drawings of the environments. Run through several iterations of the writer’s idea of the space, whether it be a series of long corridors, a control room, or outdoors. Create the infrastructure first, and add detail on subsequent passes.
Once the piece’s environments are finalized, the mappers can go to work. They should also start with a “grey” or “orange” environment and go through multiple versions, adding detail.
Concept artists should then begin on models. Various “situations” should be depicted, and multiple angles of view shown. All passed through the idea guys.
Then modelers, then skinners.
When everything looks good and you have a “high level sandbox”, then bring in the coders and animators. Communication with “writer types” should be ongoing during this phase.
All this must be repeated for all components of the story once a successful set piece is realized.
Polish. Polish again, ad necessitous.
Test. A lot.
P.R. is up to you.
Limited beta.
Release!
