Post by nusirilo on Dec 22, 2005 14:11:26 GMT -5
Well, I had to write a feature article on a topic that I enjoyed for my english class and since you guys play mods, well, I figured someone could take a look at it and tell me what they thought. If you can, great, if not, oh well.
Anyways, here it is.
"Pimp My Game"
A brief look into the world of video-game modding
For every game, there are mod teams that work to improve or change the game into something better than what it already is.
Ok, maybe I’m exaggerating somewhat by saying that every game has mod teams, but the trend of attempting to change a computer game into something different, sometimes even better, than the original is growing. As an example, there is a first-person shooter game for the PC that has 10s, if not 100s, of different teams working on different modifications for the game. This trend has grown so much that some people buy computer software not to play the game that developers spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on, but to play a modification made for free by their favorite mod team.
(An image of an entirely new grenade model, created by Jordan George in Canada and textured by another team member, for the First Strike Battlefield 2 game mod)
What is the draw of playing a game that is made by a team that is most often inexperienced and that will most likely not be of as high quality as the original game? One major factor is the fact that mod teams have a lot of freedom to do what they want to do for/to the game. Whereas a professional game team may be guided by deadlines and the standards of the producers, mod teams, working for free, can, and often do, pour their hearts and souls into making a game that will be loved and played by many. Additionally, while a game featuring various fuzzy animals pummeling the living daylights out of each other may not interest a professional production team, the mod universe could make this into a hit game.
The most amazing aspect of the entire game-modification process is the people who work on the mods. Witnessing a small group of individuals from various locales around the world working as a united group on a project that they aren’t getting paid for, all for the benefit of others is inspiring to say the least. The only reward given to those on a mod team are the writings of gratitude and happiness from the players who reap the benefits of the mod team’s work. For many, this gratitude makes all of the blood, sweat, and tears worthwhile.
(An X-Wing game model created for the First Strike game mod by Russell Jemmett in Britain and textured by another team member)
So, the question is, “Are these mods worth the time and effort put into them by the mod teams, and are they worth spending time to play them?” To answer that question, I’ll turn your attention to a game called Counterstrike. This game has been put into stores (alongside the smash hit, Half-Life 2) by the makers of numerous best-selling games and is being played online by thousands of loyal players. However, this game came from humble beginnings, starting as a mod for the original Half-Life game. Because of the creativity of a mod team, lead by a Canadian man, this mod attracted the attention of many online game-players, as well as the above-mentioned game production team, Valve. There are many other tales of success to be told, but the point is, when dedication, skill, a love for games, and creativity are combined, great things happen.
In conclusion, while many people buy games with the expectancy of playing what is seen on the back of the box, the mod community opens doorways to an immense variety of game play. In essence, when a person buys a game at a store, he could end up with dozens of other games, all for the price of one. Therefore, the mod community truly makes the gaming experience that much better. In the long run, the mod community is a force for good in an industry that often focuses only on the bottom line. For players, mod teams may mean the difference between playing the game that they want to play and playing a game that the men in suits approve of.
So the next time that you enjoy a mod for your favorite game, think of those behind the scenes, and give a shout out to all of those that are pimping our games.
(Note, all writing Copyright me
and the images in the report are the same size, even though they aren't in this post)
P.S. SWF IS THE OWNAGE AND HE IS SO COOL!!!!!
(sorry nusirilo I couldn't resisit. Delete it if you want.
Anyways, here it is.
"Pimp My Game"
A brief look into the world of video-game modding
For every game, there are mod teams that work to improve or change the game into something better than what it already is.
Ok, maybe I’m exaggerating somewhat by saying that every game has mod teams, but the trend of attempting to change a computer game into something different, sometimes even better, than the original is growing. As an example, there is a first-person shooter game for the PC that has 10s, if not 100s, of different teams working on different modifications for the game. This trend has grown so much that some people buy computer software not to play the game that developers spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on, but to play a modification made for free by their favorite mod team.
(An image of an entirely new grenade model, created by Jordan George in Canada and textured by another team member, for the First Strike Battlefield 2 game mod)
What is the draw of playing a game that is made by a team that is most often inexperienced and that will most likely not be of as high quality as the original game? One major factor is the fact that mod teams have a lot of freedom to do what they want to do for/to the game. Whereas a professional game team may be guided by deadlines and the standards of the producers, mod teams, working for free, can, and often do, pour their hearts and souls into making a game that will be loved and played by many. Additionally, while a game featuring various fuzzy animals pummeling the living daylights out of each other may not interest a professional production team, the mod universe could make this into a hit game.
The most amazing aspect of the entire game-modification process is the people who work on the mods. Witnessing a small group of individuals from various locales around the world working as a united group on a project that they aren’t getting paid for, all for the benefit of others is inspiring to say the least. The only reward given to those on a mod team are the writings of gratitude and happiness from the players who reap the benefits of the mod team’s work. For many, this gratitude makes all of the blood, sweat, and tears worthwhile.
(An X-Wing game model created for the First Strike game mod by Russell Jemmett in Britain and textured by another team member)
So, the question is, “Are these mods worth the time and effort put into them by the mod teams, and are they worth spending time to play them?” To answer that question, I’ll turn your attention to a game called Counterstrike. This game has been put into stores (alongside the smash hit, Half-Life 2) by the makers of numerous best-selling games and is being played online by thousands of loyal players. However, this game came from humble beginnings, starting as a mod for the original Half-Life game. Because of the creativity of a mod team, lead by a Canadian man, this mod attracted the attention of many online game-players, as well as the above-mentioned game production team, Valve. There are many other tales of success to be told, but the point is, when dedication, skill, a love for games, and creativity are combined, great things happen.
In conclusion, while many people buy games with the expectancy of playing what is seen on the back of the box, the mod community opens doorways to an immense variety of game play. In essence, when a person buys a game at a store, he could end up with dozens of other games, all for the price of one. Therefore, the mod community truly makes the gaming experience that much better. In the long run, the mod community is a force for good in an industry that often focuses only on the bottom line. For players, mod teams may mean the difference between playing the game that they want to play and playing a game that the men in suits approve of.
So the next time that you enjoy a mod for your favorite game, think of those behind the scenes, and give a shout out to all of those that are pimping our games.
(Note, all writing Copyright me
and the images in the report are the same size, even though they aren't in this post)P.S. SWF IS THE OWNAGE AND HE IS SO COOL!!!!!
(sorry nusirilo I couldn't resisit. Delete it if you want.
It was definitely my favorite English assignment hehe.
And yea, Ramseus, you're the other member hehe. I can always credit you by name if you want, but unfortunately, I don't know your real name 
