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Post by osiris on Feb 2, 2008 11:34:01 GMT 1
This thread may be linked to others when I was asking you about your mod preferences, however I'm starting it to investigate further on the topic.
What's a clean mod for you? When a plugin can be called in this way? With 'clean' do you exclusively mean a plugin that has been phisically cleaned up from unwanted dirty references and evil game settings (the infamous GMSTs), or what has always bothered you is even and especially when the eventual artwork files that may come with the download aren't packed respecting a good modding etiquette and will likely overwrite many other game files already stred in your hard drive causing tedious issues?
As usual, feel free to discuss: just start the conversation and I will reval to you my thoughts about the topic to you.
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Post by denina on Feb 3, 2008 11:06:32 GMT 1
Well, in my opinion, a clean mod is one that is cleaned of GMSTs and dirty references, but also has been constructed well in the sense that there are no gaps, statics, landscaping errors, breaks quests or dialogue, etc.
Even with that working definition above, just because a mod is clean doesn't mean I would immediately add it to my permanent games. A lot depends on personal preferences that have nothing to do with clean/dirty. For example, I looked at a house mod recently where the storage room was entirely in red lighting. It looked awful! The mod was otherwise "clean" but the red lights had to go. If it's not a 6th house type mod or a brothel, why would anyone add red lights? Ugh! This is just an example, of course.
I only use clean mods in my games, of course, but I don't have any terminology for what I would call a mod that I'd add to my permanent games, other than "good enough to add to my permanent games" or "I can't play without that." It doesn't mean it's perfect, though I strive to have playable mods that are as perfect as possible. Most of them come very close.
I hope this is the type of response you were looking for, Osiris.
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Arakhor
Retainer
Daedra Courtier of Boethiah
Posts: 55
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Post by Arakhor on Feb 11, 2008 3:52:24 GMT 1
Well, I would say both, Osiris. Obviously a mod needs to be free of GMSTs, but if it's just plain awful to look at, it won't be used anyway.
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Post by Intrepidacious on Feb 22, 2008 23:37:18 GMT 1
Some of the more obscure and easily forgotten mod issues, too, such as forgetting to put a good pathgrid in interior cells, and forgetting to check the pathgrid in any modified exterior cells! When you plop a structure down in an exterior cell, check the pathgrid, modify it so that it goes around the structure in a reasonable manner, and that it connects to nearby pathgrids as needed. Make sure trees and other things aren't sitting on a pathgrid, too. And if there's no pathgrid, add one! Think of it as improving the game's transportation system! Either the game or someone else's mod may have a character traveling through that area, and a pathgrid will help. I guess it's a pet peeve of mine since it's so often totally neglected.
It's no less important in Oblivion modding, though pathgrids can cause odd behaviors there. For example, when I made the Abecean Lighthouse and added some peaceful slaughterfish in the area, fish would swim all the way to the surface and leap out of the water over and over again until they could finally get up on a platform and flop around, just because the pathgrid was there! When I placed an underwater pathgrid, the fish were happy.
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Post by osiris on Feb 28, 2008 12:30:21 GMT 1
My answer to your posts after some days of absence from this thread. Thanks for the replies guys, much appreciated. Seems that these kind of threads are the ones that most interest the community, so I will keep on posting on similar questions in the near future.
I basically agree on what Denina said (and yes, even if a mod is perfectly clean that doesn't means that it should be part of my game): you have answered very well as usual. But let me say that I wouldn't call clean a mod with a bad or wrong lighting as well (the house you mentioned), as it doesn't run seamslessly with the rest of the game.
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