Dev tools for community

[Axe]

I've come across a few posts where people are requesting this tool, that equipment or a weapon, and general requests for modifying stats on these items. I don't think it's really possible for the devs to provide every tool, equipment and weapon requested, some people may not be bothered about such aesthetics while others disagree on potential changes to durability or working time stats of some items.

We have to balance gameplay with a bit of realism. The thing is the level of balance is different for everyone and it's not possible for the devs to make a game everyone is going to be completely happy with. There are those who want a survival simulator, and those looking for a casual game experience (story), and the devs have to carefully shape the game to suit their market, ideally the biggest portion of it.

If the dev team have the resources to put in new models for tools/weapons/equipment so you get flavors of different colors sizes and shapes and types and stats i'm all for it.

But what would be more useful is if the dev team made a set of development tools available to the community and allowed player made content to be released through the steam workshop, so that WE the community could create some content, such as the saws/weapons/sleds, etc, and many other tools we'd like on our own and share these with others if they so choose. Now that would create truly limitless possibilities, you wouldn't have to ask the devs for this tool and that weapon, you could just make it yourself, or modify what's already there, within set parameters.

So you could create a model for a tool/weapons/object, then set what other objects it can interact with, then set its durability and working time stats, etc. Or even more simply just have additional models for the same object so that things look a bit more varied. If the devs have time  to create different models/textures then great. I still feel we need to make sure there's some tools to help fill some gaps in the content as we find them after release. I can see people playing this game long after its official release, but the game will only be kept alive if new content is added to the game. Since the devs can't provide indefinite support post project, it will fall to the community and the few truly dedicated to keep this game, fun, interesting and alive with new content.

Community dev tools would go a long way... Now imagine a story editor, and members of the community providing voice acting for a TLD short-story, that would be truly amazing!

[illanthropist]

Pretty sure the devs have said it's something that they are open to doing or at least not opposed to it but only once the game is fully released and not whilst still in alpha.

[bethany]

3 hours ago, illanthropist said:

Pretty sure the devs have said it's something that they are open to doing or at least not opposed to it but only once the game is fully released and not whilst still in alpha.

Yes, this is essentially our stance. We don't support modding while the game is still in development, but aren't opposed to considering it once it's been completed. That being said, we have yet to make any final decisions or formal announcements. 

[Dirmagnos]

Modding is always good idea. Altho yes, during development its rather pointless, since many variables can change, making existing tools useless.

[elloco999]

I agree that for most games modding is a good thing. I think it will be a good thing for TLD as well. I know that there will be many many mods adding all kinds of weapons and tools etc to the game. Those I will most likely not use. But I'm also sure there will be mods that I will like, things like new maps that are in line with the current maps. The nice thing about mods is you can chose which ones you want to use

One thing to keep in mind for TLD though is the leaderbord. Modding should disable your game from being added to the leaderbord.

[Fuarian]

As long as it's their own system rather than steam workshop which is not for Xbox users. I would feel horrible not having access to mods PC players would have!

[hauteecolerider]

16 hours ago, elloco999 said:

I agree that for most games modding is a good thing. I think it will be a good thing for TLD as well. I know that there will be many many mods adding all kinds of weapons and tools etc to the game. Those I will most likely not use. But I'm also sure there will be mods that I will like, things like new maps that are in line with the current maps. The nice thing about mods is you can chose which ones you want to use

One thing to keep in mind for TLD though is the leaderbord. Modding should disable your game from being added to the leaderbord.

That's what I liked about the PC version of the Elder Scrolls IV and V games - once I played through the vanilla, picking and choosing mods basically renewed their appeal for me. Not that I bore easily.  It might be cool for this game, though at this point I'm having a difficult time thinking of mods that would improve on the sandbox experience.

3 hours ago, Fuarian said:

As long as it's their own system rather than steam workshop which is not for Xbox users. I would feel horrible not having access to mods PC players would have!

I think the lack of mods for Xbox is more due to the limitations of the console OS rather than to the lack of interest. It was the main reason I switched from Xbox to PC/Mac for TES IV. In that case I think you may be out of luck.

[Skitfaced]

User-extensibility, adding new items, maps, digital artwork, mechanics, interface changes. Allowing the fans that have the experience in 3d modeling and texturing software, the game would have a beautiful opportunity for trialing some of the ideas in the forums wishlist that are plausible by the dev team.

I would like to point out some memorable games that succeeded with this techniques:Total Annihilation, DOOM, Team Fortress 2 (cosmetics)

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Steam Workshop Hinterland! (hey do you guys have a job opening by any chance?? haha) 
Expect some artwork from me 

[SteveP]

Well it's certainly possible that fans and experts could contribute art work and maybe maps or something. That depends on if or when they might support that feature. As far as I know, Steam permits that sort of extensibility. I'd have to defer to your expertise on that!