The first ideas…
Before you start thinking about all of the stuff that you need to do, you need to think about what exactly you want to change. You’ll be working in a very different way if you’re just adding NPC’s and quests, or if you want to make new items, monsters, or even whole new worlds.
While you can edit or make new NPC’s, quests, and dialog with a simple text editor, you’ll need some specialized (and often rather expensive) software.
That’s why your first thoughts should be about what you want to change.
What’s in a MOD?
Basically, a mod is a whole bunch of data-files, which each has its own purpose. Right before you release your mod, the data-files will be changed into vdfs-files. Just picture that as something like a zip program. The vdfs-files are something of an organizational thing. They make the data easier for the Gothic-engine to read, and they make it so that you can’t really screw up while installing the new mod.
Models, textures, animations, scripts, and a lot more can go into a mod. You can do everything at once, or just do a couple of small things. It just depends on what you want to do.
What do I have to change, to achieve what I want to?
A lot of newcomers have the problem that they know exactly what they want to change, but aren’t really sure how to bring about that change. While it might be relatively straightforward what you can achieve with models or textures, it might not be so clear with scripts. Scripts handle everything beginning with NPC’s, their daily routines, dialogs, and quests. (As well as many other ‘non-standard’ things.) But the major advantage is that you don’t need a costly program to do these things.
So, where can you find the help that you need to get things started?
- New models are made with a 3D-program like 3ds max.
- (New textures)? are made with a picture editing program like Adobe Photoshop.
- (Placing models)? in the world is done with the Spacer.
- (New NPCs)? are made with the scripts.
- (New daily routines)? are made with the scripts.
- (New dialogues)? are made with the scripts.
- (New quests)? are made with the scripts.
Note: Most of these pages have not yet been translated. Patience is a virtue.
Translated by wWw
