So, after sleeping on it, my plan is to learn to modify the World of Tanks (WoT) game. I chose WoT over warplanes because it has been around longer and has a deeper development pool. It might be that the only people modding warplanes only speak Russian (Wargaming has studios based in Kiev, Minsk, and St Petersburg); I know that the Hyrunomod site translates from Russian before I download from it!
I plan to leverage XVM, a mature modification that Wargaming supports and that has a large user base (the site claims 3.7M+) as well as a large development base. I have already done a quick search in YouTube and the video I checked out was out of date and really just involved installing and configuring XVM (when I did this, prior to starting the project, it took me several hours to figure out). My next strategy is to dig into the forums at the XVM site and start learning about what level of modification is manageable. My target is to learn how to make my own customization for XVM (add on some kind of feature, like a new graphic or sound), but I will consider my effort successful if I am able to customize XVM outside of the Aslain's configuration I currently use. I plan to keep pulling on threads until I make some breakthroughs. Here are 10 questions that should serve as a nice set to get me started:
I plan to use Diigo to document my research. I have already started using it as a tool to track interesting content/teaching sites. I expect that along with improving my modding skills, this project will also help me to develop more sophisticated Diigo techniques.
I plan to leverage XVM, a mature modification that Wargaming supports and that has a large user base (the site claims 3.7M+) as well as a large development base. I have already done a quick search in YouTube and the video I checked out was out of date and really just involved installing and configuring XVM (when I did this, prior to starting the project, it took me several hours to figure out). My next strategy is to dig into the forums at the XVM site and start learning about what level of modification is manageable. My target is to learn how to make my own customization for XVM (add on some kind of feature, like a new graphic or sound), but I will consider my effort successful if I am able to customize XVM outside of the Aslain's configuration I currently use. I plan to keep pulling on threads until I make some breakthroughs. Here are 10 questions that should serve as a nice set to get me started:
- Where does XVM end and the hooks for creating custom sounds or graphics begin?
- Can I create sound files with my voice and local microphone that ultimately end up in my game experience?
- Do I need programming skills or will I be able to use GUI type tools?
- Who are the right contacts in the forum to help me learn about this?
- Which forum/resource will help me get beyond simple/others' mods to install and configure and let me start creating my own mods?
- If I do successfully create a mod, will I have to update it with every game update to keep it viable?
- Which type of modifications will have sufficient scaffolding for me to get involved with?
- Which type of mods will be the most fun to create?
- Will my kids/students be interested in using the mods I create?
- How can I integrate these mods into math or physics lessons?
I plan to use Diigo to document my research. I have already started using it as a tool to track interesting content/teaching sites. I expect that along with improving my modding skills, this project will also help me to develop more sophisticated Diigo techniques.
I posted a couple of screen shots above to give you some idea of the capability of XVM as I have it installed now. The one to the left is generic, with no visible mods. Two enemy are visible and you can see the type of tank and their hit points. The one to the right is a screen shot from a recent game I played. Disregard the improved graphics (that's either YouTube or the player not enabling full capability). Note that tanks have stars above them. Color is for capability (red = poor; green = good) and the stars show games played, skill rank, win rate overall, win rate in specific tank. In the upper left it shows the shots I scored to damage opponents. Lower left shows hits scored against me and by whom (a typical game where I received more than I gave :P ). You can see other differences, but that should give you a feel for what is different and how it can enhance the game. Note that a fun area that is hard to show is the sound. I have loaded extensively modified sound files that use Mortal Kombat and Duke Nukem voice overs (among many others) that are fun and nostalgic.
Finally, on the off chance any WoT or WoWP players stumble into this post, you can find me in game as Cunobelin in the Screamin Eagles clan (a planes centered clan).
Finally, on the off chance any WoT or WoWP players stumble into this post, you can find me in game as Cunobelin in the Screamin Eagles clan (a planes centered clan).