Modding vs Content Creation

I notice there has been a lot of talk about modding since one of Tiy's latest streams.

Unfortunately what has been shown so far is not modding. You could call what has been shown so far "content creation" maybe. You can add new artwork to the game, new music and sounds, tweak values in the world generator etc. But all that uses existing functionality and behavior. We actually don't have any information on modding that creates new functionality and behavior except that starbound supports Lua for scripting.

How much functionality will be exposed through Lua? Tiy briefly showed a Lua script that controlled part of the NPC system. But he merely said "This is pretty advanced" and closed it right away. That disappointed me because that's potentially where the REAL modding is, and some of us who are interested in starbound as a platform for modding are pretty advanced and competent programmers.

ANYWAY. My question is if anyone has more information on what will be possible as far as modding goes. Because I am pretty good at Lua

 

I'd like to see a simple API that would do all the basic scripting for you, e.g. create object, possibly object properties, type of object, etc.
making things simple for the people that can't/don't have time to learn how to do the real hardcore stuff would be really nice.

 

I agree that would be nice to have but I'm only talking about the "hardcore" stuff as you put it.

 

I've seen somewhere that there is going to be a rather complete API to develop mods. The existing content isn't set in stone either, the game itself is only a mod that yu can freely modify. I'm sure there are some people here who will create a "empty game simulator" that removes everything save for a handful of blocks and weapons. Dirt mode

 

What you say is still modding. Just 'cause it's not the type of modding you're interested in (no worries, I'd rather script new stuff, too) doesn't mean it's not modding.

 

The ability to mod a game doesn't make up for lack of content. All of this modding talk is making me hope that the game feels like a game, not a game TO BE MODDED.
Minecraft...

 

Adding new art, music etc. IS modding. In fact, just making a few changes to a config file is already modding.
Just because other things don't involve writing new code doesn't mean is any less "real" modding.
Art, music and sfx creation is no less work intensive and "real" than code creation.

As for Tiy being brief about the LUA, he isn't the lead code monkey, so you can't expect him to make a long narrative on how advanced the code is or how moddable it is. Its possible at this stage the devs themselves don't know or haven't decided how "open" the game will be towards new/custom functionality.
However from observation of other games that do allow LUA scripting in mods, then the probability is high that you'll be able to create new functionality as well.

 

Have you read *any* of the daily updates? At all? Because I think they've addressed that concern several times over already.

 

I just hope that the let us modify that are extremely deep in to the game, such as world generation, or collision detection (Can lead to fun if not careful.)

 

Out of curiosity, where does that put Skyrim?

 

In a pit of mods and money?

 

Well, it depends. At some level if I'm playing on a server I don't want to spend an hour downloading all the modded items and etc.

Sure, servers can be unique and I don't mind playing a 'mod' character. But I'd like I dunno. A mod-flag on which character is using mod stuff and items so I know which is main game and which might glitch out next patch.

 

I like all your opinions. Thanks for sharing.

I have been looking through a bunch of streams I am finding some more info. It looks like the LUA api will be pretty extensive. So there will be very little limit to modding possibilities.

 

I feel like that will not happen since minecraft kinda had never been a game with a real story and it kinda obvious at least now that jeb and the current team see it as more of just a game to test things the want to try in and also for user crated content since they have added map making things out the wazoo.

But yeah, minecraft does feel lacking after you kinda have done and made basically everything and are just grinding enemies to make a silk touch pickaxe to build a castle or statue of something. But yeah the daily updates hint there will be a lot more stuff then there was in minecraft, so it should take a while before you need to mod because the game just feel so samey without them

 

To clarify.

I understand mods may be quick. I'm just having bad TF2 server flashbacks. :catface2:

If I'm playing a character who is running around with modded items from a mod friendly server, I'd love to have a flag (notice) that something is a mod. Just in case it has compatibility issues with an update. So I can de-mod just in case.