Modding: The Community's Contribution to the Gaming Industry

Gaming studios, publishers, and developers are always praised for the success and the level of details as well as entertainment value of their products, but there are also unsung heroes who play a role just as, if not more, important as the development team; the community. Indeed, a game is only as alive as its player base, and some are so passionate or attached to the titles they hold dear that they are willing to spend their personal free time expanding and adding onto these games. The hobby, since this practice is dominantly done for free, became known as “Modding,” short for modifying.?

What are Mods??

Mods are any type of modification made for a specific game. Modders have been enhancing game visuals, creating new models for both characters as well as vehicles, and even creating custom spells which can add a layer of variety to the game. That said, mods can be way more in-depth than that as, given the proper skillset, modders can create entirely new levels and game modes from scratch using the game’s logic and/or adding their own twist to it. Some have managed to do mods so well that the publishers have allowed the trading of mods on their official platforms. It is worth noting that some modders opt to monetize their creations, but this is rarely the case, and mods are mostly traded for free.?

?How are they made??

Creating mods is no easy task, and it takes some amount of technical knowhow to make good ones. Firstly, some games make it against their terms of service to create mods, which admittedly doesn’t stop modders from doing their work, but using them could result in bans or legal action to be taken.?

That said, others completely embrace it and encourage the practice by releasing tools to make modding possible and easier. In order to create a mod, the first step is to have some knowledge about the engine used to develop the game as modders need to create files that can then be individually added on the user’s end. VFX, new physics, and even abilities can all be added through the engine. Further, modelling software knowledge is also required to create custom characters and vehicles that are strapped onto the main game files.??

Modding Communities?

In the modern era of gaming, mods have become integral parts, and most players expect them to be available for their favorite game regardless of their popularity. In fact, each game has its own community of modders that share files, ideas, and tips on best practices, and they all communicate through different channels such as Discord and Reddit. Also, access to these channels isn’t restricted to the creators, and fans of the game can even join these communities to follow up with works being done and even share their ideas of mods that should exist for the games.??

Popularity of Mods

Mods have become a staple of the gaming scene since they do not only make games more enjoyable but, they can also be beneficial for the gaming publishers as well since it contributes to the longevity of the game as well as player engagement, which in turn increases the likelihood of gamers buying DLCs and other microtransactions.?

Some of the most popular games that feature an endless number of mods are Grand Theft Auto (GTA), the Elder Scrolls series (ESO), and Minecraft. These games already offer high-fidelity graphics and intricate mechanics, so the mods range from utility to the more questionable side. GTA features a chaos mod for example that bombards the player with random events designed to ruin their day. ESO includes quality of life (QOL) mods such as mini-maps and quest helpers to guide the players. Finally, Minecraft mods allow players to dig and build much faster and much more efficiently.??

These are the big titles, but it is also relatively easy to find mods for more obscure titles. Take for example the largely unknown Capcom masterpiece Dragon’s Dogma. Its latest expansion pack, Dark Arisen, was released back in 2013, and though it was, and still is, phenomenal in the gameplay and AI aspects, its graphics are understandably dated by today’s standards. That said, modders have rolled up their sleeves and created multiple packs that have visually upgraded the game, and they have even modified some of the classes to create completely original mechanics and a fresh way to enjoy the game a full 10 years after its initial release date.??

Conclusion?

All in all, mods are a perfect example of the gaming community’s passion for the games they so enjoy, sparing no time nor effort to make them more enjoyable or prolonging the experience as much as possible.??