Starting Out Modding

[Spawn of Order]

Hello everyone, first time poster, long time lurker and downloader of both Skyrim and FO4. With the abundance of high-quality projects that have been canceled lately (http://www.loverslab...0/?hl=nuka?st=0), along with excellent ideas I really want to see (http://www.loverslab.com/topic/68292-mild-spoilers-nuka-world-and-player-enlavement-missed-opportunity/?hl=nuka), I was seriously thinking about trying my hand at making mods. I have literally no experience with making mods, just watched a few YouTube videos on how to mod very basic stuff. I'm watching more and plan on downloading the CK when I get home tonight. However, I'm for sure gonna have questions and may require assistance. So I guess what I'm trying to say is, are you guys willing to help me and provide insight for topics I'm unfamiliar with?

[dharvinia]

The community is very good here, but be aware that the modders are stretch very thin sometimes.  Keep your question clear and concise. Provide as much data to show what it is you are having trouble with.  BE Patient.

 

Secondly, look for solutions yourself, especially if you are scripting.  Sometimes all it takes is a misplaced comma to cause a meltdown.

 

Start simple, and learn what your mod will do in your game.  Be aware that changes you make can affect the game.

 

Also be aware that changes you make will sometimes take a few "game hours" to show up.

 

example: everything is working well then you leave the area , return, and find the character you modded has no body(hands, face,etc)

As a beginner, keep it simple and make only one or two changes at a time, so if something goes wrong you at least know where the problem might be.

 

If you find mistakes in my English please forgive as I am using a translator.

[Guest]

That is very good advice - for pretty much everything in life AND FO4 modding. Precisely the methodology I used for Wastelander's Rash. Add one or two functions, go test them for an hour (real world time) and then when satisfied functions are working and not causing issues, go and work on a few more. Slowly build it up and one day you have an idea for a mod, the next thing you know, you have a finished and functional product.

[The Lonesome Spirit]

I'm currently an ametueur modder and currently working on dialogue(for New Vegas), so if you have any questions pertaining to dialogue ill do my best to answer.

 

Tip: start of small and work up to bigger things as you gain experience, just in my short time working with my mod I've learned plenty of new things.

[TomatoEddie]

On 11/8/2017 at 11:11 PM, Spawn of Order said:

Hello everyone, first time poster, long time lurker and downloader of both Skyrim and FO4. With the abundance of high-quality projects that have been canceled lately (http://www.loverslab...0/?hl=nuka?st=0), along with excellent ideas I really want to see (http://www.loverslab.com/topic/68292-mild-spoilers-nuka-world-and-player-enlavement-missed-opportunity/?hl=nuka), I was seriously thinking about trying my hand at making mods. I have literally no experience with making mods, just watched a few YouTube videos on how to mod very basic stuff. I'm watching more and plan on downloading the CK when I get home tonight. However, I'm for sure gonna have questions and may require assistance. So I guess what I'm trying to say is, are you guys willing to help me and provide insight for topics I'm unfamiliar with?

hey, Spawn of Order,

 

i guess our friends above said most of it.
as a part-time developer, all i can counsel is: think M o d u l a r l y — small pieces of code, if possible reusable (abstract) code — that interconnect and interact. in the long run, it will help you to keep things really organised.
some of the advantages of Modular coding are:

• Readability: other modders/developers can quickly discern what is what, so you may work with a team;
• Scalability: as your code grows, wherever pattern is required can easily be reused;
• Maintainability: if a redesign becomes necessary (due to bugs, for example), the code to be changed can be found and adjusted quickly;
• Code Quality: simplifying and abstracting lessens the fragility of your codebase.

 

good luck!

 

E.