MTS2:Creator Guidelines/Game Mods

This page was last modified 14:51, 30 January 2009

Game Mods: Introduction

Creating a game modification - may it be a Global Mod, an Object Mod or a Config Mod - requires particular care, because these creations are intended to modify, in different ways, the normal functions and appearance of the game or of the sims.

In order to be sure that your upload gets a positive review from the moderators, please read carefully the following Definitions, so to choose correctly the upload category, and the Guidelines, that you must comply to, in order to see your upload approved.

Definitions

Use these info to upload your creation to the right section.

Global Mods

A "Global Mod" is something that will modify the general game behaviour or appearance, without any further intervention from the user. Some global mods modify the behaviour of the entire game (example: a mod that prevents death, or modifies the age duration); others act upon specific objects or categories (examples: a replacement for the Pollination Technician, or a mod that enables a training interaction on the Maxis cash registers). Technically speaking, the Global Mods are made of resources that use the same GUID's and/or GroupID's originally used by Maxis, thus overriding the original ones.

Object Mods

An "Object Mod" is a variation of a Maxis object, or a completely new object, that can modify relevant parameters of a sim, or a lot, or another object when used. Examples: a painting that instantly maximizes the sims' needs when looking at it; or a board that allows to freely choose any possible job; or a potion that instantly turns a sim into a vampire, a witch, etc. Again, all these objects must be used or activated, in order to produce the desired effect. Technically speaking, the Object Mods are autonomous objects, that use their own GUID and contain resources assigned to the private GroupID's (0xFFFFFFF and/or 0x1C050000 only).

Config Mods

This is a special Global Mod that affects the general game behavious by adding or replacing a configuration file (as opposed to normal Global Mods, that only use packages placed in the Downloads folder). Configuration Mods include, for example, camera modifications and alternative lighting systems (such as the Radiance).

Guidelines

In order for a Game Mod to be approved, it must meet the following requirements.

Correct game compatibility

While uploading the mod, you must check the appropriate icons in the Game Compatibility panel. Unless you can prove (with appropriate testing) that the mod works with less requirements, a Global Mod should be marked with ALL the Expansions that you have installed. We understand that a Global Mod marked as base-game compatible is much more appealing that one that requires 7 different EP's, but it's up to you to find out what are the real game requirements. SimPE has a nice "Compare" function that lets the creator compare a specific BHAV or BCON from the various EP; and you can modify SimPE's "file table" to exclude one or more EP while cloning an object. Use these functions, if you want to create something that can work without the EP that you have!

Extensive testing

You can't upload a Global Mod without having tested it extensively. While not mandatory, it's strongly suggested to test the mod using the AnyGameStarter, that can create clean test games, optionally excluding one or more EP that you have installed. This last feature is extremely useful if you claim your mod to work in game configurations different than your actual one (e.g. if you claim your mod to be base-game compatible when you do have some EPs installed).

Package clean-up

Either you are creating an overriding Global Mod or an autonomous Object Mod, you must include in the package only the resources that you have actually modified or are anyway required for your mod to work. Useless, unmodified resources left in the package reduce the overall game compatibility of the mod, and only lead to conflicts with other mods, heavier usage of the CPU and longer loading times. Therefore, don't include in your Mod meshes, textures or code already existing in game; on the contrary, you should instruct your Mod to re-use the existing Maxis resources (ask in the Create forums if you don't know how to do that).

English translation

MTS2 is an English-only forum, and all the uploads *must* be fully translated in English; any additional language is welcome, but English is always required. This rule applies to messages, catalog descriptions, pie menus, and also to the screenshots attached to you upload post. If your game is installed in a non-English language, you must use the AnyGameStarter in order to set up a test game in English. UK creators please remember that the game objects use as "default language" the US English , which is completely separated from the UK language. Of course, this rule does not apply to a "Fix" that is supposed to correct an error in a specific non-English language.