Super Mini Mods

[IchI]

Hey, It just came to my head and I thought... why does everyone make total conversion modifications? Seriously though, think about it. Half-Life 2 works on a very flexable system, as long as you don't colid with existing data and make sure you are using new and seperate names then you can make addons to Half-Life 2. For example. you could program a new entity in the fgd and as long as your provide all the data in a file to download anyone can make mini mods.

I really do think there would be a large community for mini mods, you wouldn't need to program much if you think about it because all you would be doing is building up from the hl2dm foundations. If you did it properly your new data would only be actived when needed (when running a mini mod) and since its different names wouldn't be used with standard hl2dm. Here are some examples of what I though could be possible:

mini olympics with a simple (who can press the button the fastest) system.

catch the chicken with the physics gun and score goals for your team (the chicken is controlled by AI)

destruction derby (not very advanced) just basiclly giving each vehicle a set health so they can be destroyed.

All of these things would in some ways look very cheap, but its not really always about making a total conversaion. Also you proberly wondering why I posted this in the mapping section, if you think about it... with mini mods all you would be doing is downloading a new map with small amounts of data. So technically its just like downloading an advanced map.

Thats just my opinion anyway, maybe someone will find intrest or already has. It would definatly be something different. I am getting a little sick of mature and realistic mods, they are not many mods that actually make me laugh anymore or just shock me with WTF! look st sven coop for example, its got that cheap funny feel to it. The content is just bizarre and its all about having fun with your friends.

 

[sf-R]

What I don't understand is that noone has made a Super(blue)Physgun-mod :-/

 

[ShinRa]

no way. total conversion are the best. the whole idea is to get AWAY from the hl2 world, and play a totally new game. thats where it gets interesting. mods like sven coop, dod:s. and hl2:dm will keep us happy in the modded hl2 world. the ww2 mods, the cyberpunk mods, the japanese themed mods, the fighting mods, the dozens of decent mods in development are where the fun is. i personally hate minimods. after 5 minutes with one ur bored out of ur mind.

 

[AcousticToad]

I quite like the chicken idea.

 

[OCybrManO]

I just want someone to code a teamplay mod with the following new rules:

1) Kills do not score points.
2) Only a special trigger can add a point for a team and it can only be set off by a special object (like a prop_physics with its name set to "GameBall" or a whole new entity).
3) The mapper can choose to use a ball (or another object) of any size... like a huge, heavy ball that can easily crush players or a small ball that can be picked up with the manipulator.
4) If the ball goes out of play (either destroyed or not touched for a certain amount of time) it will return to its spawn.
5) If someone of the opposing team stands too close to the goal (perhaps in an area defined by a new brush entity, so that it is optional for the mapper) for too long they get sent back to their team's spawn.
6) If someone is holding the ball with the manipulator they can lose it if they die or if someone uses their manipulator to steal it.
7) When the ball triggers a score it is destroyed (and, thus, goes out of play... returning to its spawn).
8) The mapper can decide whether he wants everyone to start back at their spawns after each goal, after a time limit, or only after they die.
9) Multiple balls can be in play at one time (if the mapper wants to do so).

With those changes/additions you could have a mod that acts like QPong (you use weapons to push huge balls into the other team's goal... and crush anyone that gets in the way) on one map, ProBall (you pick-up and throw the ball into the goal... more like an actual sport) on another map with no weapons, or even a mix of the two. Those are my favorite mods of all time... so, if one mod for HL2 could do all of that and more I would be in heaven.

 

[Jay9475]

I think that's a interesting idea IchI, and I'm doing something kinda like what you mean, making a single player mod set just after the events of Half life 2, that pretty much just uses all the base stuff you get in the half life 2 fgd, therefore all you'll really be downloading is a heap of maps.

Admittedly, this isn't because I want to maintain a sense of fun, it's because I am but one man and I realize my limitations , but still I especially like the chicken idea, and you seem to be pretty clued up on the toolset (from watching all your scoregasmic video tuts), so why not give it a try yourself?

P.S. I was pleasantly suprised when I watched the first tut to find that it was an English guy like moi, I don't know why, but they feel more fun and personal and I've chuckled out loud a good few times during them. Anyway, I'm rambling,

-J

 

[Pennington]

To tell the truth, what we generally refer to as a 'mod' is not a mod. It's a total conversion. What you are saying is a mod. A modification is just a small change to gameplay, and totally different from a total conversion.

Did you get your idea for the catch the chicken mod from the similar one that was on the quake 3 engine?

Hehe, this post is actually kinda funny to me. I review mods for a website (http://www.modnmod.com) and have for a while, through several iterations of the site (hehe, they give me free games, and while i could buy them this is actually a lower work to return ratio than if i used my own money) and back in the day it used to be just the opposite (back in the day... lol, like five years ago). There used to be a shortage of total conversions and an abundance of minimods, so many that noone played any particular one. PPL were whining and whining for true total conversions. It's just kinda funny that it's come full circle

But honestly, I'd prefer a good total conversion myself. While minimods are fun at first, they get old quick (er than total conversions). In addition, since they are still generally proliferate (there's as many of them at least as total conversions for every game, you just don't hear about htem as much) there's very few ppl playing each, so it's hard to find ppl to play with. I'd prefer something that basically gives me a totally new game (and i WOULD like a realism mod for hl2, cuz i am totally thrown off by the speed at which ppl can move, specially strafing, and would like to see something more true to life) to something that gives me a slight gameplay tweak.

What would ROCK, however, would be if modders took a few notes from some other games (dare i say it) on consoles. While i definately prefer computer games (mostly cuz of mods, then also cuz of better physics, graphics, etc etc, internet play, etc) minigames are almost console only. PPL making total conversions could include normal mods in their TC files. Popular total conversions would come packaged with the most popular mods. So for instance mebbe you download TF2 (dare i say it? Oh wait, i already did) and it also comes with Catch the Chicken, Derby, Headcrab Keep-Away, etc. It'd be a nice fusion of ideas, and make it so that you could actually find servers for good mods and not just TC's.