Total modding n00b here, have an awesome idea for a quest mod that I'd like to make happen, but I have some questions.
Sorry if this is not the proper place but I don't know where to ask this. How much time could a total n00b like me take to create a quest mod with dungeons, cutscenes, and a bunch of quests? Also, are there any step by step guides to modding skyrim that can speed up the process? If this is too much for one person I think I could give the idea to anyone who had the skills and interest to make it happen tho, but I am curious if this is doable for someone who never created a mod.
Posted Aug 6, 2018, 5:01 PM UTC
2013
Ooh boy.
Um.
Okay, first you'll need to get acquainted with Creation Kit. There are plenty of tutorials on YouTube, just search for whatever it is you are trying to do at the time, set up the application, build a dungeon, a quest scene, add dialogue options, etc.
CreationKit Wiki is going to be your new holy book. However, it has a lot of shortfalls so you'll be googling for solutions with the rest of us.
How long will it take? There are modders who have been maintaining the same mods for years and are still ironing out bugs in them. Not a reflection on their skills so much as on their determination to continue dealing with an old and often counter-intuitive toolset.
I would say set a simple, attainable goal such as a basic fetch quest and see how long it takes to get that working. Set another goal to build a simple interior and connect it to the world somewhere and see how long that takes. By that time you'll have a much clearer idea of what's required to get your ultimate ambition realised.
Two words of advice: asset reuse. You may want to make all new static meshes and magic effects and whatnot but these will become major roadblocks if you let them.
On the subject of giving out ideas: not to be a wet blanket but ideas are a dime-a-dozen. The ability to turn ideas into functional products is the thing that really counts.
Good luck.
Thank you, I really love quest mods and since TES is abundantly rich with lore, I thought that it could be feasible to create something that drawed on the lore of previous eras of Tamriel. Maybe creating a small quest first could be a way to get familiar with CK, and I think you gave me just the right idea for creating the setting of the story. Well, thank you so much for the encouragement :D
Bethesdas YouTube tutorials helped me learn how to use it if you're more of a video person.
Yes I am, thank you for your help :)!
My first game-dev tutor taught one of the most valuable lessons I've ever learned: Ideas are cheap. There are no good or bad ideas, only good or bad execution.