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In a day and age where good RPG games are about as hard a find as is an honest politician who actually listens to his/her constituents, and at one of those times when new RPG game development (whether good, bad, or just indifferent) seems to be the exception rather than the rule, I count my blessings in my familiarity with "the spice of life" that brings new life to an old and beloved RPG - known as the "Mod".
With the ever increasing sophistication and capability of modern computer hardware, coupled with the ever increasing number of "computer literate" people from all around the world, Mods, and their respective "Mod Engineers", are becoming more and more commonplace in today's gaming world - and mainly in the RPG gaming community (seeing as how RPG's tend to be much more conducive to "modding" than most of the other gaming categories). And Thank the Lord for that fact; as it actually does take some little time and effort, research, patient experimenting, and often personal finance as well (i.e. money for the various software utilities and licenses so often needed) for the Mod Engineer to create his/her own "game mod" for the free download and usuage by any one who knows where to look for such mods. IMHO, that's not only real dedication on the part of the Mod Engineer, but also real and selfless service to the gaming community in general.
Mods themselves can be developed in as many forms and styles as the individuals that create them in the first place i.e. they can be scripting changes, NPC or PC "skins", trainers and/or character editors, scenery or sound or even cutscene changes or additions, to even almost total conversions to the original game itself. Just as the occasional variety is essential to a good sexual relationship, so are mods essential to the enjoyment and "replayability factor" of a good RPG game, something that all too few game developers seem to either acknowledge, or to support. C'est la vie.
So where do these mysterious Mod Engineers find support and/or help in the creation of their works of gaming art??
That particular (and perplexing) question was what prompted the creation, growth, and development of the (generally) independent and varied "Mod Communities". These have been providing not only a haven for Mod Engineers to gather around and share (or compare) notes/techniques/news and utilities; but also provide both a "sounding board" for the various Mod Engineers to publicize their efforts and/or to receive feedback, as well as often providing a viable source in which these community mods could be displayed and made available for the general public to download for individual and/or server gaming enjoyment. A very small example of some of the various Mod Communities (to go into any real depth re the many available Mod Communities would require another "Side Quest" editorial) would be:
(1) The ever-popular Sorcerer's Place for a general potpourri of quality gaming mods.
(2) The famous (or infamous - depending upon your point of view) Holowan Laboratories for all of your Star Wars KotOR & KotOR2 PC gaming enhancements.
(3) The biggest and best of the Morrowind "Modsites", aka the Morrowind Summit.
I should like to reiterate that these three examples are but a very infinitesimal "tip of the iceberg" when it comes to even beginning to list and describe the many (and most excellent) Mod Communities that are well worth the perusing by those of you who would desire to "add a little spice" to your RPG epic adventuring. So as not to leave the reader to his/her own devices in attempting to locate some of the better quality modsites, I shall (over the course of the next few days) finish up this particular Side Quest topic with a follow-on Side Quest editorial I shall entitle "A Few Of My Favorite Modsites", in which I promise to go much more in depth re the many Mod Communities and their locations within this virtual world we call the internet. |
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Side Quest: Bring On The Mods
