CA Modding Summit

[klesh]

Interesting how this turned out.

[DARTH VADER]

I wish you a Merry Modding Summit,
But I think I must talk now for myself as a modder from 2005 and with mods from ETW era which are the most popular, as I believe and maybe the fans agree with this.

All invitations have now been sent out, and any delays are just waiting for final responses or booking finalised details.

I do not know what behaviour have other modders experienced but I know I have been completely ignored. Not even a reply. Therefore from now on, I express publicly my complete "Transparency" and I will consider a modding retirement (no new mods for new Total War games, only for older mods support) because it seems to me foolish to continue. I am certain that this is what CA wants, so I will not continue until the predetermined checkmate, I will quit/resign.

We have chosen members of the community to attend who we feel have demonstrated a considerable talent or passion for the modding scene, with a track record of creating excellent content or a demonstrable passion for spreading the word about some of the best Total War mods out there. We’ll share the attendees soon, but we’re keeping it small and intimate to begin with and will expand our efforts out in the coming months to be as inclusive as possible.

I hope at least those picked match fully the criteria (there are many to choose) and they get as much information needed to help themselves and the community in modding Total War. I am just fed up with all this hypocrisy.

I am ready to be bitten by the usual protesters/jealous guys of DarthMod... I ignore from now on the whole situation.

[alhoon]

...
• Secret announcement!...
• Secret!

I don't know why, but those secret announcements make me hopeful! Very hopeful!

[Prof]

I don't know why, but those secret announcements make me hopeful! Very hopeful!

I don't know if I should be hopeful or concerned, but I guess, we'll know in a week.

It's times like this I wish I was unemployed. xD

[Akaie]

Well, that and British .

[grateful]

I wish you a Merry Modding Summit,
But I think I must talk now for myself as a modder from 2005 and with mods from ETW which are the most popular, as I believe and maybe the fans agree with this...

Absolutely agree! Can't believe CA would've ignored the saviour of their failed ETW series for such an important event. It made this summit a little suspicious to me. surprise me CA!!

[Steph]

It's not that surprising since they said it's focused on STW2 (although they hinted initially that it would be broader than that).
I hope it can still yield some benefits for ETW/NTW, but until we know who really attends, it's difficult to have a real idea..

[toshiroash]

I actually registered soleley to reply to this thread.

I, hands down, bought Empire because of DarthMod. I am a long time lover of the total war games and I have played every game since the first, and as a 30 yo guy with high expectations, the mods make the total war games still worth buying. Otherwise I would not buy them. They are not worth my time because the, in comparison, extremely watered down/dumbed down gameplay. When I first played empire I was amazed at how bad it was. As I am now amazed at how good it is.

I have no problem with CA being a company with making money as their first priority. But your company owns it reputation due to the great games you have made. You are now close to ruining your own brand. You realize that this is basically irreversible right?

Just saying, if you keep providing games with great engines and allow modders to make them actually playable, I will continue to give you my money. But I think you need to rethink stuff. Games are evolving. Peoples consumtion of games are evolving. And there is a lot of people that have no interest in the typical console games YOUR games are evolving into.

So, Darthmod and CA, thank you both for giving my a very fun experience. But you need eachother. I mean, how can CA not hire Darthmod STRAIGHT UP? What could be a better resume than the mods he made? I am amazed at how you are handling this, and I am pretty sure that a LOT of the employees at CA agrees with me about this although they can't openly say it.

[Steph]

Don't forget we make good mods because we have time and freedom to make them since we are small team
If CA employed Darth, or another modder (me included), time and budget constraints, as well as decision from the team, would force us to do something we would not really like, or to rush things.

This being said, it's true that some parts done by modders are really better than what CA did, which is a kind of paradox given we don't have full access to all their tools: it should be easier for them to do better stuff than it is for us.

Another point about "hiring modders". I don't know how much CA pays employees, but even if I'd interest them for instance, I'm not sure they could afford me...
Some modders may alreayd have a good job with good pay, and even if they are talented modders, it's not sure they would quite it for a job at CA since I suppose it could be paid less.

[magpie]

Good luck with the summit all.
The thing about modding TW. games by non CA people is we have the time and are not under release dead lines.
We can spend years studying the various quirks and adjusting for improved game play. The army of TW player's are good guide lines for likes and dislikes.
Of course CA can be rightly proud of their games, However allowing mod's to be done helps to keep a good relationship PR. wise with the public.

[leviath]

Don't forget we make good mods because we have time and freedom to make them since we are small team
If CA employed Darth, or another modder (me included), time and budget constraints, as well as decision from the team, would force us to do something we would not really like, or to rush things.

Wise words indeed. I have to remind that Jack Lusted was a TW modder before to join CA. But I speak of a time where TW were fully moddable.

[Steph]

Wise words indeed. I have to remind that Jack Lusted was a TW modder before to join CA. But I speak of a time where TW were fully moddable.

I know, and he was out in charge of units modelling. Look at the dozens if not hundreds of better units made by fans for NTW...
CA used a "cheap" method of generic units and colour mask to give a sense of individual units, but it's far from perfect compared to what we can do, in term of quality.
On the other hand in MoE we need 3 months to finish Russia, this could be done much faster with CA approach (although this is biased since we work on mods only the evening / week end while they can work full days).

[leviath]

I know, and he was out in charge of units modelling. Look at the dozens if not hundreds of better units made by fans for NTW...
CA used a "cheap" method of generic units and colour mask to give a sense of individual units, but it's far from perfect compared to what we can do, in term of quality.
On the other hand in MoE we need 3 months to finish Russia, this could be done much faster with CA approach (although this is biased since we work on mods only the evening / week end while they can work full days).

The quality of a vanilla Total War is not so much important if it is fully moddable since as you say, modders can enhance the game. I found the first TW (Shogun and Medieval) much better than Rome and Medieval II vanilla, but the mods made them so much better or different (Thirde Age, etc) that I play them everyday.

The TW modding community has more hindsight and freedom than CA can have while making the game, this is understandable. We all know what are the rules of the gaming industry nowadays...
If this summit can lead to a Rome II with excellent moddability because of the discussions between those very modders and CA then it's all fine to me. I know that as soon as the first mod is out I won't play vanilla anymore and then I'll be able to enjoy this game I paid for hundreds of hours.

[CraigTW]

There's a balancing act when picking who to attends our events and we have to take into consideration a range of factors. There are some mods out there that claim to do things that are impossible to do within the limitations that exist at the moment, for example.

We’ve been impressed by the endeavours of a lot of the community, and it’s fair to shine the spotlight on them. We invited a range of modders we felt took an exceptional approach to modding and the claims they make of their mods. We were hoping Radious could join us, but sadly he can’t make it.

Attending will be:

TAW
Daniu
.mitch.
Bobbin (EB team)

We’ve extended invites to a few other members of the modding community, too, who we also feel have taken a proactive, original approach to modding. Not all of them could make it, but we’re hoping to add a couple of extra names to the list by the end of the week.

As you can see in the summit agenda, there’s a secret section there which we hope to share news of with the entire community on the day.

-The Creative Assembly

[Akaie]

Perfect! I'm not sure about this .mitch. fellow; he seems rather shady . It's very good to see taw and Daniu going, too .

[Huberto]

There are some mods out there that claim to do things that are impossible to do within the limitations that exist at the moment, for example.

Ouch, that hurts.

Anyway here's to hoping those limitations will soon become a thing of the past.

[Steph]

There are some mods out there that claim to do things that are impossible to do within the limitations that exist at the moment, for example.

What does it mean? That the claims are a false and some modders are boasting?
Or that your knowledge of the limitations wasn't as good as you think and some modders managed to pushed it further?
Can you give an example?

[Noriax]

Hey Guys,

I am kinda new in making a message on this forum (newbee) but I feel I have to say this, the only reason I kept playing total war till this day, is DarthMod! Dont wanna insult CA, you guys kick , and do good job, but all darthmod series really toke the games to next level, thats all I have to say
.

[Radious]

I was nicely suprised by the offer, but as Craig said timing is not right for me, i am just too busy at my job lately and i cant disappear for 2 days to England in midweek . But i love TW games and modding is my hobby, so the invitation honored me and i am sure i will follow all about TW games in the future and if the Rome 2 will allow me to mod it, i am damn sure i will spend long time on it to deliver my best again for all of you in a style i am used to work.

I hope summit will be great and we get some new info about modding future. People who can make it are all well chosen and they are importnat part of this community.

[MathiasOfAthens]

TAW will be focused on the campaign map and adding new regions, hopefully he can crack the code.

Is Bobbin part of the EB2 team?

What does it mean? That the claims are a false and some modders are boasting?
Or that your knowledge of the limitations wasn't as good as you think and some modders managed to pushed it further?
Can you give an example?

@Craig
Yes, give us an example. It sounded like you were in a train of thought but forgot to finish the example. I know you have one.