Mod Sdk Released!

[Smurf Bizkit 0]

You can get the SDK at the BFME2 website.

 

Don't let the site name mislead you, this is good for all Sage engine games (meaning Generals, Zero Hour and BFME1). It includes the long awaited 3dsmax w3d exporter, an updated w3d viewer, maxscripts, a ton of detailed documents on the tools, and the BFME2 assets cache creator.

 

For those modding Generals, Zero Hour and BFME1, it means that exporting w3d's is much friendlier for those of us who work out of 3dsmax. For BFME2 modders this also means that you can make use of normal maps.

 

Soapbox

First up, I have to applaud Apoc’s efforts for getting us the SDK. I know that it took a good deal of work on his part to get this released. We’ve come a long way from cobbling together voxel editing programs and using outdated Renegade tools. Hopefully this is just the first step since other tools, such as the particle and window editors need to be released to round out the collection. Remember, these tools are nice and all but not only have other RTS’s been releasing SDK’s for years, FPS has been doing it far longer.

 

“RTS is to FPS modding as building a house out of Lego’s is to building an actual house,” is the best comparison I’ve heard of the genres. It seems almost silly for me to be praising EA for releasing the bare essential tools, when nearly every top line FPS game allows for a level of modding that RTS modders can only dream of. Not only is the scope of modding far better but so is the support and acceptance, Epic’s “Make Something Unreal” mod contest handed out $1,000,000 in prizes (including an engine license). Valve on the other hand has been actively making mods commercial.

 

What makes this even more absurd is that even though RTS outsells FPS barely anyone even knows that RTS mods exist while a good portion of FPS players are actually playing them. The reason for this is that many FPS developers make their games as a modding platform alongside the game. RTS developers make the game, and then scramble together a couple of their tools.

 

As I said earlier, hopefully the BFME2 SDK is the first step. Shipping CNC3 with the world builder and an updated SDK would be another step (and one so easily done for them it should be a crime not to so do). The ultimate step would be to leave more of the game open to modification, similar to FPS modding. Eventually, hopefully someday soon, an RTS developer will take this step and secure themselves a foothold on RTS modding similar to how Valve did for FPS. For the EALA team’s sake I hope its them, otherwise they can say goodbye to their precious mod community.

[BlckWyerve 0]

Fair points. But it is at least a start.

[Smurf Bizkit 0]

I'm of the "wait and see" opinion if this is truely just the start of larger mod support...or just them playing catch-up to other developers. We'll find out with CNC3. ;)

[Korona 0]

Sweet! I don't think we should overlook the amount of time and effort it takes to put an SDK together that can be summed up in two words: Idiot Proofing.

 

Credit where it's due, EA have done good to put this out.

[key0p 0]

Well I unproofed it right away :P time not so well spent? :lol:

[weston 0]

Yay!

[Korona 0]

Well I unproofed it right away :P time not so well spent? :lol:

hahahahahaha

[kornlord283 0]

Funny how EA releases an SDK after SAGE has been around for more than 3 years... damn RenX tools.

 

Speaking of large corporations attempting to extend their products' shelflives, THQ should encourage somethings similar if they decide to continue using the DoW engine (which is the most wonderful RTS I have encountered so far).