Modding / Steam Workshop

[Captain Jean-Luc Picard]

Hi,

are there any plans to allow the game to be moddable, to have user-created mods in steam workshop ?

Maybe so as to allow players to modify their ships graphics, world graphics, flags, custom UI, custom maps, custom skins, maybe some scripts for example to enter some harbours...leave it to the community to always have some ideas.

Besides today's game, i am also thinking about the game in 20 years time, when user-created mods could help make the game live for several generations, as is the case with some old games that still have a strong following mostly thanks to their mods.

Of course the game is open-world and not solo, so unless there are private servers there is a limit on what can be modded.

Thanks.

 

 

 

[SirThorne]

This is likely to be my first post here in 2 or so years, so pardon if I'm quite out of the loop.

 

I enjoyed custom flags in PotBS and I made a few of them (sadly they shut down the service before any of mine made it in), but even cosmetic mods require a fair bit of vetting from *someone* before they can be allowed in game.

If a texture mod is client side only, and others can't see your custom content, it is less of an issue, but that sort of modding is actually fairly exploitable. For example, If you mod all the ship textures to be really easy to see on the Open Sea, that presents a balance issue for everyone.

 

All of that said, yea I would like to have custom pennants/flags so long as someone can keep up with removing the inappropriate uploads that always pop up in these situations. Its a low priority though all things being considered.

Edited May 3, 2017 by SirThorne

[Captain Jean-Luc Picard]

Mods / workshop content in multiplayer games is client-side only indeed, unless there are dedicated servers ( for example for extra ships/complete overhaul mods )

So if you were to make a mod that makes your ship a pink unicorn, only people having installed that same mod will see it as a pink unicorn indeed.

Steam workshop content can be required to be pre-approved. I could always just make my own file and add it to the steam folder manually to go around that of course.

 

 

 

 

[Lannes]

I thought that only Single Player games can be modded not multiplayer.

[Hethwill, the Red Duke]

9 minutes ago, Lannes said:

I thought that only Single Player games can be modded not multiplayer.

Yeah, half correct. Arma, IL-2, etc can be modded. Can't recall any persistent world MP that is moddable.

[Captain Jean-Luc Picard]

For persistent worlds, there is neverwinter nights. I had also played a freelancer mod, that besides adding new ships etc... actually made that solo game into an mmo ( the space mmo that was never designed to be an mmo XD ). It has also been done for mount and blade. Even world of warcraft has private servers with mods.

 

 

[Hethwill, the Red Duke]

Ah yes. NWN is true enough

Freelancer is akin to M&B persistence mods no ?

[Bommel]

I don´t care for mods, but I would love to see a dedicated server with a balanced (fictional) map.

This game could be way better (most of the combat mechanics are awesome!) if it wouldn´t be set in a historic map. Trying to balance that world is pointless if people keep insisting on reflecting historical data.

Historical map would be awesome for a singleplayer/coop age of sails game that also has exploration and so on.

[Lannes]

Then, we could have Clan flags, our men with uniforms, a decent number of men on deck. What else?

[MassimoSud]

It's not my habit to start a new post but I think this idea can be useful for devs and gamers.
Steam let players change games through the workshop, so why not use this feature.
No change that can modify the gameplay, but only aesthetic aspects that do not concern the future possibilities of getting money for devs (as for paints).
OW looks a bit monotonous, the overall look is pleasing, but it does seem to lack in details. Developing a giant map in detail is something impossible for a small team of developers, so why not "use" the players and their fantasy to improve the game, maybe by reserving them a small acknowledgment at the official release (i'm not a modder and therefore the interest is not personal).
The idea is simple:
Devs should locate map's areas that have a purely aesthetic function and allow modders to modify them according to precise rules (historical relevance and nothing "fantasy") to keep the game's historical character intact.
We could have more detailed and diverse cities and points of interest that could help the players to better orient themselves and improve the gaming experience.
It would be nice to be able to add the ability to edit the map, adding specific names for islands, capes, and points of interest in general so that you can better communicate positions between players.
Thank you.

[Anolytic]

As far as I can remember a couple of modifications have been made to the map in the past by players. Someone was able to add coordinates to their map before they were implemented by devs, and one mod just replaced the map with a historical one.

That was by editing your gamefiles directly though. Not Steam Workshop. I'm just saying it's already possible, though you probably have to jump a few hoops.

Edited May 12, 2017 by Anolytic

[MassimoSud]

I know this.
What you can not do now is to graphically modify the city look, you can not add lighthouses and other historical details ...
All this should be possible through the steam workshop and not using copying and replacing files, it should be simpler and more immediate (as the steam workshop is).

[Captain Jean-Luc Picard]

If it's in the steam workshop there is no need whatsoever for historical rules, you can make and share a map or buildings depicting leviathans, elves or anime characters ( i shouldn't have said that, probably gonna inspire someone ) or an early 1700 or an early 1800 map, and only those who like it will get while others will just ignore it. It will never affect those who don't have it while letting those who like it play with any enhancement they like.

 

~ snippet was redirecting to this merge. title was changed to a generic one to fit all ~the moderation team

[Hethwill, the Red Duke]

Merged

[MassimoSud]

19 minutes ago, Captain Jean-Luc Picard said:

If it's in the steam workshop there is no need whatsoever for historical rules, you can make and share a map or buildings depicting leviathans, elves or anime characters ( i shouldn't have said that, probably gonna inspire someone ) or an early 1700 or an early 1800 map, and only those who like it will get while others will just ignore it. It will never affect those who don't have it while letting those who like it play with any enhancement they like.

Also, i had already posted on this topic very recenty

I completely agree with the freedom to change the graphic aspects according to our tastes, but only once the game is released.
We are in alpha and at this stage our intention is to help developers to develop the game, and not customize it according to our taste. If their choice is in the direction of an "historical" game and not a "fantasy" one, then at this stage you have to move in that direction.
Because some of the mods could become an integral part of the game at the release.
Once the game has been released, what you are proposing may be.

 

[Custard]

On 5/3/2017 at 9:47 AM, The Red Duke said:

Yeah, half correct. Arma, IL-2, etc can be modded. Can't recall any persistent world MP that is moddable.

Space Engineers is both although it's only just made it into BETA and is still seriously flaky.

[Hethwill, the Red Duke]

1 minute ago, Custard said:

Space Engineers is both although it's only just made it into BETA and is still seriously flaky.

True. Servers keep persistence, same as minecraft, etc. But in essence they are simply... "player" hosted ... so to say

But hey, tech changes at a fast rhythm, I'd be very pleased with UI mods indeed.

[Sir Texas Sir]

On 5/3/2017 at 4:36 AM, Captain Jean-Luc Picard said:

For persistent worlds, there is neverwinter nights. I had also played a freelancer mod, that besides adding new ships etc... actually made that solo game into an mmo ( the space mmo that was never designed to be an mmo XD ). It has also been done for mount and blade. Even world of warcraft has private servers with mods.

 

 

Wait NWN has mods?   I been playing that the last week since I just could never get into it cause it's nothing like the old Neverwinter games I was hoping it would be like and D&D games.  I went from like 20 to 67 this week.  There are mods for it?   I assume it's graphic mods or something. Man some of the leveling up armor looks like complete crap.  I just went from an awesome looking cleric armor back to the basic starting armor at my level 36 DC.   

Back to OP though I think modding would be something later down the road if they allow it for things like flags and even ship paints.   I can see doing flags cause that way every one in your clan can load the flag for the clan and it shows up in battles instead of the national flag so you can tell clan mates from other players in your nation in the fight.  Hell I just be happy if they get clan flags into the game is all I really want on the modding side.

[Captain Jean-Luc Picard]

11 hours ago, Sir Texas Sir said:

Wait NWN has mods?

Talking for both iterations, it goes from whole campaigns, including a remake of baldur's gate, to new classes, races, skills, textures including HD, tilesets, gui, fonts, and for you customizing the character looks, wearing one armor but visualy another one, dying it etc...  on shared private servers all can be used as long as the server is up.

yes, only graphic mods can be used on an official public server like NA, but that's already a lot, especially once today graphics will be considered old.

Mods are great. Mods are life. They make new games better and old games more worthwhile.