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[Kornel Kisielewicz]

We all agree it would be fun to do Total Conversion mods with the DoomRL engine (like Doom3RL, QuakeRL). For terms of modding, we define a Total Conversion (TC) as a mod that changes the game so much that it can't use the same player/score.dat. I have decided now how loading and handling of TC's will be done. However, I still can't find a way for the other mods to work. Thinking about it, I realized that I don't fully understand, what kind of non-TC mods would people want to do anyway?

Your suggestions? What kind, except for TC's, of mods you'd like to see/create?

[tinyrodent]

Well I'm not sure what is implied by changes to player/score.dat. But it's easy to imagine mods which could be compatible with each other. For example almost any area of the game could be extended individually in some way: new weapons, new challenges, new powerups, new levels, new monsters, new traits, etc, etc.

If these were implemented as discrete mods, it could allow the user to choose his favorites. Also I think it would open the door to a lot more people of creating their own mod. Much less work to make a simple mod idea than an entire TC.

In this case scoring of a game should probably mention which mod(s) were in effect, rather like how the Challenge mode is currently listed.

[TFoN]

There are many interesting, and relatively minor, ideas which have been proposed, though I wouldn't like to see them integrated permanently into DoomRL - alterations/additions to traits, monsters and equipment (among other features), which would drastically change the DoomRL style and feel, though with little effective modding. I would, however, like to experience them otherwise. Non-TC mods seem to me ideal to this end.

Another face of it is skins. Color schemes and sound effects have naturally huge impact on atmosphere, and I'd like to see that [ab]used :) - I'd certainly like to see a psychedelic look and sound, an ultra-morbid, heavy goth skin with a soundtrack to match, and so on.

[007bistromath]

I'd just like to point out that the kind of stuff these guys are talking about is exactly why making it so only TCs get their own .dats is kind of off. This might be just your own verbal shorthand at work, but generally, when you call something a TC, that means you're basically using the engine from one game to make a completely different game. Obviously that should get its own .dat file, but if you'd rather change the existing game rather than making a totally new one, that shouldn't share a .dat with the regular game. Examining stats is an important tool in judging balance, so if you're making new stuff for the original DoomRL, you need to be able to contrast your version against the old one. This means it's crucial to have a separate .dat.

[Cyber Killer]

I personally think that one of the first mods will be unlimited inventory ;-).

[Kornel Kisielewicz]

Okay, Mods that ADD content wont be a problem anyway. However there would be a problem with REMOVING or MODIFYING existing content :/

Cyber, unfortunately that's a part of the engine :P. However, if enough people bug me about it, I'll add it in for modders.

[007bistromath]

I think that sort of says something about the way you're using these terms. Seems like anything which is an actual mod as opposed to custom content is a Total Conversion in Kornel-speak. :p