A Brief History of Game Modification
Author's note: I wrote this article primarily to provide basic background information on the origins of some of the topics I'll be discussing in future posts.
Ever read a book and said "I could have written the ending better."?
Ever watched a movie and said "The cinematography was great, but I could have edited it better."?
Ever seen a TV show and said "I can write a better storyline than this."?
Of course you have. We all have. And for those of us who play games, we've all said all of the above about games that we've played.
Video games are a relative newcomer to the entertainment scene, and it's only within the past decade that we've really seen them come into their own as a mainstream medium. What makes them unique is that, in addition to their ability to entertain, they offer an interactive experience like no other medium before them.
Like books, movies, and TV did before it, the video game industry is struggling through its infancy, testing the waters, trying to find formulas for success, and inevitably discovering that the only sure thing is that there are no sure things when it comes to creating a blockbuster title.
Like the older media formats, video games have inspired many to enter the growing industry, bedazzled by the idea of creating the Next Big Thing. Previously, this was accomplished through direct application into existing video game development companies, or in some cases the founding of completely new development companies.
In the last few years, however, we have seen a major shift in the psychological, if not practical, application of this transition into the gaming industry. With the unexpected and meteoric rise of Counter-Strike for Half-Life, the entire gaming universe was turned on its ear and forced to re-examine how games are made, and what the gaming public looks for.
Suddenly, a new pathway into the game industry beckoned to aspiring game developers: artists, designers, programmers, musicians, authors, and every variation in between. In the wake of the commercial success of Counter-Strike, the game industry shifted gears and started devoting energy into producing not only finished games, but also on providing tools for people outside their immediate staff to produce new content for their finished games.
Thus was born the game modification community (often referred to as "modding community"). This community is composed primarily of two groups: modification developers, and modification players. The mod developers come in a variety of flavors: hobbyists, college students, and other people with extra time on their hands, as well as a small sprinkling of professionals looking for a creative outlet. Mod players run the spectrum of the normal gaming fan base, and thus are dominated by the youth demographic.
Today, the modding community is a vibrant and edgy place, filled with enthusiasm, politics, and even a shadow of the spirit of innovation which marked its founding.
In future articles, I'll be discussing at length the characteristics, both real and illusory, of this community that I have at times adopted, and other times reviled.
Ever read a book and said "I could have written the ending better."?
Ever watched a movie and said "The cinematography was great, but I could have edited it better."?
Ever seen a TV show and said "I can write a better storyline than this."?
Of course you have. We all have. And for those of us who play games, we've all said all of the above about games that we've played.
Video games are a relative newcomer to the entertainment scene, and it's only within the past decade that we've really seen them come into their own as a mainstream medium. What makes them unique is that, in addition to their ability to entertain, they offer an interactive experience like no other medium before them.
Like books, movies, and TV did before it, the video game industry is struggling through its infancy, testing the waters, trying to find formulas for success, and inevitably discovering that the only sure thing is that there are no sure things when it comes to creating a blockbuster title.
Like the older media formats, video games have inspired many to enter the growing industry, bedazzled by the idea of creating the Next Big Thing. Previously, this was accomplished through direct application into existing video game development companies, or in some cases the founding of completely new development companies.
In the last few years, however, we have seen a major shift in the psychological, if not practical, application of this transition into the gaming industry. With the unexpected and meteoric rise of Counter-Strike for Half-Life, the entire gaming universe was turned on its ear and forced to re-examine how games are made, and what the gaming public looks for.
Suddenly, a new pathway into the game industry beckoned to aspiring game developers: artists, designers, programmers, musicians, authors, and every variation in between. In the wake of the commercial success of Counter-Strike, the game industry shifted gears and started devoting energy into producing not only finished games, but also on providing tools for people outside their immediate staff to produce new content for their finished games.
Thus was born the game modification community (often referred to as "modding community"). This community is composed primarily of two groups: modification developers, and modification players. The mod developers come in a variety of flavors: hobbyists, college students, and other people with extra time on their hands, as well as a small sprinkling of professionals looking for a creative outlet. Mod players run the spectrum of the normal gaming fan base, and thus are dominated by the youth demographic.
Today, the modding community is a vibrant and edgy place, filled with enthusiasm, politics, and even a shadow of the spirit of innovation which marked its founding.
In future articles, I'll be discussing at length the characteristics, both real and illusory, of this community that I have at times adopted, and other times reviled.
posted by Jim Tran at 11:59 PM
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