Create a Compilation Mod, Anyone?

[WhiteDragon25]

Hello... I'm WhiteDragon25, longtime lurker and fan of the Command & Conquer series (obviously).
I'm rather new to forum membership and thread posting entirely, so please be patient and pleasant with me.

Anyways, as the title mentions, I've had this idea for a while about a mod, and I was wondering if anyone would be interested? My general idea is that we take the best ideas, concepts, and aspects from multiple mods and compile them into one BIG mod, so that we can have the best game experience without having to go through dozens of different mods to play with certain gameplay elements.

My basic starting base would be taking the setup of Kane's Wrath and go from there, adding in units, structures, and abilities to cover whatever glaring flaws there were from the base game. The advantage of this would be that we would be able to play the same basic Kane's Wrath concept, but still be able to modify and improve upon it when the need arises.

If anyone's interested, I can discuss some of my ideas in more detail below. Any takers?

[Commander32]

Your best bet is to make your own mod that has your own content of your own interest, its not possible to just 'combine' mods. It just doesn't work that way.

It might work for Generals and ZH as its not as hard coded compared to more recent games, but anything CnC3 and beyond is impossible to do. Even if it is you need to get legal permission from the modders, and not all of them will give you a yes answer.

Try to find a good dedicated team whos willing to pinch into your goals.

BTW this needs to be moved to its right section. :P

[WhiteDragon25]

Yeah... About that... I don't have the Mod SDK for Tiberium Wars, and even if I did, there is no way I could possibly comprehend how to use it, I'm no programmer. And I didn't mean 'combining' mods as in 'smashing two or more together', I meant more like 'building a separate one, but using elements from several different sources'. Sorry if I didn't clarify that enough.

[WhiteDragon25]

A bit more clarification: my idea was that this would be more of a community-wide effort, and no one mod group has to take the full burden of the work - they can just contribute whatever they can when it's needed. And I was thinking that doing it this way, we could work on the mod much faster than if it was a single effort by one group or person. After all, although the mod itself would be built from the ground up, it's still using material that already appeared in another mod (such as TE or TWA). Additionally, some of the concepts I have actually come from all over the place, mostly from projects for other Command & Conquer games. A lot of the projects either have an extremely slow production time, or are dead in the water. I thought 'why let these ideas go to waste?', so I collected them to use for something else (that doesn't count as plagiarism, right?).

[Commander32]

Well I can say that its not really gonna happen, every modder wants to do thier own independent thing.
Such a big, ambitious project will not happen unless you find a way to get the WHOLE modding community to pitch in, which of course wont happen as I have stated above.

Also, if your gonna use someone else's concept, you need to ask them for permission, its basic copyright law.
And not everyone is just gonna give away stuff for use.

BTW you gonna be out of luck if you have no modding skills, if you wanna get something done you will have to do it yourself. I wanted something in so I invested my time to learn how to mod and stuff, and you can do the same as well.

[Stygs]

The basic problem is simply:

Who decides what goes into the mod?

Who decides that idea a) is better than idea b) or how something should be realized?
The community? People tried similiar mod concepts before, the relust is allways the same: If you try to listen to everone, you only end up with a bloated mess that no one really likes.

[WhiteDragon25]

Well, as for what goes into the mod, I already have a (rough) concept of what should go in - not to step on any toes, here, but I already have a plan for it (if anyone's interested in joining). Would you guys like an example of what I think might go in? I'll put it in my next post if so.

[Commander32]

A plan is just a plan, and not everyone is gonna agree with your plan.

You should REALLY try to mod yourself, its pretty much the only sure way you can get something you want in.

It takes time to learn, but it beats depending on someone else in a longshot.

For me it will take time b4 I can be independent on others, but I can assure you it will be worth it.

If you wanna get something done, you have to do it yourself...

Though public models and code sources do help cut the time in half.

[WhiteDragon25]

OK, then... so I pretty much can't do anything without first learning how to use the SDK... which we like learning ancient Latin for me. *Sigh* Oh well... but can you at least hear me out on my ideas? I think an example may help with illustrating them:

First, take the basic Kane's Wrath faction setup:
Nod
Black Hand
Marked of Kane
GDI
Steel Talons
ZOCOM
Scrin
Reaper-17
Traveler-59

Simple, something everyone can (mostly) agree on, right? Now, let's focus on, say, the Black Hand:

Infantry - Take the same loadout from the game. Now what needs changing? Well, in my opinion, we could start with replacing the Militia Rocket Squad with a Confessor equivalent (minus the buff ability, maybe); then, to fill in the hole left by the Shadow Teams, we could put in the Elite Cadre - those soldiers from the Firestorm Nod campaign - which would fit in perfectly with the general theme of the faction. Lastly, the Commando(s). Perhaps replace the design with KaneNash's "Shade Slayer" art, with a flamethrower instead of laser pistols? Another thing to add would be the weapon-switch feature from TWA, giving the Black Hand Squad laser rifles along with the flamethrowers, some sort of fire-themed rocket for the Confessor Rocket Squads, and a anti-vehicle laser rifle for the Commandos (who would be renamed the "Twin Sisters").

Vehicles - Start with replacing the Scorpion Tank and the Flame Tank with their equivalents from Tiberian Essence (giving the Black Hand a subterranean theme to replace stealth), and the Beam Cannon as well. Both of these would be good choices, since there is precedence for the Black Hand to have its own models of Nod vehicles (i.e. Renegade). The Mantis Drone would need a remodel, though. Also, the Purifier Warmech could be given the loadout from its upgrade counterpart also from Tiberian Essence. The Spectre Artillery should also be replaced as well, possibly the Mole Artillery idea from Twisted Insurrection? It would add to the subterranean shtick. Lastly, the Reckoner APC could be given a subterranean ability as well, and a slight remodel to fit it as well.

Aircraft - Obviously, no aircraft, but at least give them something like a scout UAV with no weapons on it, which could be launched from a building that replaces the Air Tower, giving extra support powers to compensate for no aircraft.

Defenses - Same armory, but replace the Shredder Turrets with a flamethrower equivalent.

Upgrades - Mostly the same, but moving the Purifying Flame to the Tech Lab to prevent the Black Hand from being too overpowered early in a match. Anything else pending for changes.

Note: anything above is also liable for balance changes if necessary (assuming this goes anywhere).

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And that's some of my ideas, nothing I think that could be too objectionable. So, any thoughts? Criticisms?

(Note: All of the stuff that's from other mods that I mentioned belongs purely to them, and dependant on permission to use if this ends up going anywhere; don't want to step on any toes.)

[Commander32]

OK, then... so I pretty much can't do anything without first learning how to use the SDK... which we like learning ancient Latin for me.

If you don't at least try than you not putting your ambitions into reality.

At least try it, and you can learn from the pros.

Also I not really agreeable with those ideas, sorry.