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Ask HN: What's the easiest way to get started modding Quake2 or similar?
I just found https://github.com/id-Software/ the other day. I'm pretty familiar with C, and there was a time when I'd play Doom and Quake2 a lot.
I'd really like to jump in to the source, change a few things, compile, and play my modified version of the game.
But first of all I'm having a hard time compiling it. I'm on Mac OS X and started thinking maybe the problem is that it compiles most easily on Windows or Linux? Google isn't helping much in this regard.
Secondly, where would someone find free (legal) data files to use in place of the official ones that only come with buying the game? Is it easiest to just buy it on eBay, or are there places to find community-made data files?
If this is an off-topic question, please let me know and I'll delete it. I try to use my best judgment on this, but I don't always get it right. And I'm not sure about this question.
- phantom_oracle 13y agoUse a VM to try running it on Linux or Win. Ideally, if it is C, I would go with Linux. The best way I would get started is by trying something as simple as making my player move twice as fast as all the rest. It sounds simple in theory, but it is complex and a great way to break things while getting your feet wet. If you can read the code and understand what each piece does, it isn't very tough to make mods. If you find it confusing, coding weird things and watching it break is a good way to experiment.
- sdegutis 13y agoI figured the early Doom stuff would compile best on some kind of linux, but the readme for the Quake stuff looks like it's talking about Visual Studio which is what started worrying me.
- phantom_oracle 13y agoGetting an earlier version of Visual Studio won't be difficult. I think they give them away for free.
- blakerson 13y agoFor assets (data files), I recommend buying the game. Steam would work well since you'd get instant gratification and everything would already be patched - don't forget, Q2 dates back to well before automated patching in games. Admittedly, it's unlikely assets themselves got patched, but it could pop up as an issue after you compiled your own source. There are community-made data files, and these were called "total conversions" since all assets - models, textures, sound, maps - were original. You could go find those, but they often had original game code as well so you'd be effectively playing a different game at that point.
- sdegutis 13y agoWhoa, I didn't even think to look on Steam. Thanks for pointing that out!
- bliti 13y agoSomewhat related: There is a game based on Quake Arena called Urban Terror. It has a good community of modders that help others learn how to modify the game. If you do not have too much luck with Quake2, you could look into this as as well. Good luck hacking.
- deleted 13y ago[deleted]
- DanBC 13y agoThe post is grey because all threads posted to HN are like that. Is that what you mean?
- deleted 13y ago[deleted]
- replax 13y agoYou could also try to go into developing/modding a game called Xonotic. while it's based on the Q3 engine, it looks really good and has an active developer community! it's fantastic really :) http://xonotic.org http://xonotic.org
- thenomad 13y agoIt's been a looooong time since I fiddled with the Quake 2 source, but I remember the basics. 1) Yep, it's easiest to compile on Windows, I think. Not sure about Linux, but I recall that the projects were Visual Studio based. 2) I don't think you'll find replacements for the official data files. The easiest way to get hold of the official ones is to buy Quake 2 on Steam, which is instant, then download the data there. Alternatively it's also available to buy on Amazon, still.
- sdegutis 13y agoOkay. I hope the Visual Studios Express (free) compiles it in Windows 7 running in VirtualBox.