[Article] Where's Your Focus?: The Secret To Creating A Successful Mod
Where's Your Focus?: The Secret To Creating A Successful Mod
I have been thinking lately about what drives a mod to completion and gives it lasting popularity. I have touched on this before, but in this short article I would like to focus on...well, the focus!
Each mod can have a differing focus, but every mod should have one. What do I mean by a "focus". I mean a vision, within definable parameters, of the purpose of your mod. How will it be different from other mods? How will it be unique? What will be your angle?
I see many mods that seem to have very little or even no focus, the "add more regions, add more factions" approach that usually ends up being carted off to the Modding Morgue several weeks, months or perhaps even a year or so after its enthusiastic announcement (and a ton of wasted work and broken dreams).
Viking Invasion II, for example, had a very simple focus: to mimic MTW: Viking Invasion on the BI engine. That was it! And very popular it proved, being picked up by PCGamer in February (2009) as the main article in the download section.
Defining a workable vision is paramount when you start thinking about creating a mod. Here are some questions you might want to ask yourself as you sit down to think about creating your own tight-focused mod:
1. What mods have I played, or seen, that interest me but which could be improved by creating a tighter focus?
There are so many things that could be done. So many things not covered in mods! Take a look at the mods out there and see how they could be more tightly-focused. Maybe the dev team would even allow you to make a submod (i.e. use their resources). Some examples of tight-focus mods would be the wars between the medieval Welsh principalities, or a focus on the Rise of Wessex in Southern Britain, or how about the rise of Normandy from AD 911 and its struggle to defend its borders, enhance its land and overcome internal division? Ireland would also make a good setting with the five provinces warring one with another, or what about Caesar in Gaul - a whole campaign set solely in that part of Western Europe? If you come from Eastern Europe or the Mediterranean area you could create a mod based on the history of your homeland. Maybe something less obvious or more obscure such as the oft-neglected rise of the mighty Khazar Empire around the Caucasus? Or how about a mod focused around some Biblical events such as the prophet-warrior Joshua's invasion of Canaan? (there' actually one in development on that theme and I hope it succeeds). If you're working on a Roman or Medieval mod then, as these milieu dominate, you must make all the more effort to have a unique angle.
Of course, I am speaking only in one dimension here - the geography, period, or time frame. You will need to focus on the peculiarities of the culture(s) too.
2. What are the minimum number of factions I really need in such a mod?
Start with the minimum. You want to add more? Well, you can do that if you have time after the mod is finished in its minimal form! I can't stress this enough. Think big with your angle, think small with your coverage. Aim to paint the most perfect and unique picture you can - but on a small canvas, not something Rolf Harris would have used (you might have to be English/Australian and over 30ish to understand that one..)
3. What is the minimum map coverage I really need in such a mod?
Adding the extra unit, faction or region may seem like a small thing - but they can add a great deal of work and may even dilute your focus and make the game less enjoyable. Stay focused on the crucial elements that uphold the focus of the mod. Concentrate. Don't dilute!Think about expanding the uniqueness of your mod - not the size of the map or the number of cultures and factions!
4. What elements specific to this focus could I convert into unique and/or interesting mod features?
Think of using game features in ways they are not generally used or of making them more interesting in their use. Play other mods to give you ideas. Be original. Think outside the box. Use features in new ways! Very few mods do this.
5. What "gaps" exist in the modding scene that need filling?
Sometimes your own passion will marry up with gaps in the modding scene. One of my reasons for starting up Viking Invasion II in May/June 2008 was because no Viking mods had been released - and the majority had died. Indeed, Viking mods were said to be cursed! There are other such gaps in the mods available today - maybe some will coincide with your interests. Personally I cannot drive myself to create a mod in which I am not interested. I love Middle-earth so I worked on Fourth Age Total War, I love Irish mythology so I created Gods & Fighting Men, I love the Anglo-Saxon times of Britain so I created Viking Invasion II. You get the picture. Follow your passion!
Now I realize the above is somewhat abstract, so here's what I've done: I beat up Halie Satanus into a whimpering pulp until he agreed to make public the hidden forums where Viking Invasion II was developed in 2008 (Halie's "In The Shade" forums). In there you'll see what happened between the very first conceptual post I made (May 31st if I remember correctly) to the "release" post 113 days later! Remember, this is all previously hidden stuff. There were no public forums for VI2 (I prefer working on mods that way)
I AM retiring from Total War modding in October - a nice round 5 years- and hope this can help YOU in your modding (the article and forums, not me retiring
)
I have one more project yet to unleash, but you'll just have to wait a while longer for that. In the mean time, here's the old VI2 dev forum:
http://s11.zetaboards.com/Warlords_o..._key=last_unix
Enjoy!
EDIT: You may need to register to see the forums.
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) whereas this will be a retirement from at least *starting* any more mods.
Originally Posted by Aradan
