Random Mod Ideas Anyone Can Use

[Elektrix]

I just decided to make a thread for random mod ideas I have in my head that t I don't want to use but maybe someone else would like to. First off I put this thread in general because I didn't think it belonged in the mod topics (If it does than please move it to that) Anyways
First Mod!
Marble Blast Retro (If it doesn't exist already) This mod would be very arcadish styled and the textures would be like the textures in old video games like Mario or sonic and etc.
The levels would be simple but very entertaining and sometimes very difficult.
I dont have any more ideas at the second but I will edit this post when I have 1 or 2 mods I will tell the community about.
Oh and you can give me credit if you want to in the mod but I don't really care

[mfpwnsall]

These are great ideas! Why not make the mods yourself? You seem to be very creative, no one will be able to make these mods as well as you because they don't have the exact thought of the mods as you do. I'd love to see these become real.

[Elektrix]

Thanks but I'm either going to continue the mod I'm working on right now MBX or join marble blast super if I can
EDIT:
I'm working on my mod Marble blast X

[main_gi]

Okay, it's time for me to make a giant big wall of text.

The reason why people like mods from different people is they will all have different ideas. One person thinking of ideas like Marble Blast Red, Green, and Blue (generic, but examples) are going to run out of ideas (a mod usually has new powerups (and even if they don't, they use things that are new. For example, teleporters in Marble Blast Platinum.) and features. Marble Blast Platinum has teleporters, more in the GUI, Leaderboards, achievements, etc.). Marble Blast Advanced had a speedometer. Usually, if one person makes three mods, they are going to reuse ideas, making only one mod spectacular for unique ability. For example, if they did Red first, unless this is their first mod, it will be only good because it then is released first (usually) and praised, until Green and Blue come out and, what do you know! A bunch of reused levels. Chances are nothing else is going to be shown. Unless you have something that everyone will then praise the mod only for bringing it in (Marble Blast Blue, say, getting water, Green getting acid).

My current, well, technically "completed and lost", mod that is now in development, is really more of a bunch of my custom levels in a 100-set. The community would rather prefer custom levels over mods right now, because now we can care about misalignments and professional working more. Now I'm building a bunch of 2007 like levels, because I want to bring my past back. It's fine to me, and making that horrible 100-set that should really be forgotten (not this one, the MBG interior-taking level-editing) was made in a huge rush, trying to remember things. Honestly, if anyone is JUST like me trying to remember things, go and try to play other people's levels. I found Ralph's 22-set of levels and remembered 2 levels perfectly after that. Now let's not get into detail about which two, but it works for me.

Ever wonder why so many mods wind up in the trash? Many people lose interest in making them. They also require coders, which I had to do myself. I don't know a lot of code, but I can easily navigate and, heck, still remember what's going on. Honestly, if one even bothered to look at the .cs files, the comments (//) are quite user-friendly, intentional or not. I changed the 7-second PowerUp time to a 5-second one. I made six types of times in different colors, which seems to be a problem. I explored MBP's way of doing it and figured how to do six different ones, which are not too much of a problem.

Joining other people's mods are a great way of having different and unique levels in a mod. After all, 100 is a big bundle to shoot at for one person. This particular mod took around a year, maybe more. It had different graphics and a style based off of fun. I don't know what Marble Blast Platinum's style is, as MBG seems to shoot for "cartoony" while MBP seems to hit "realistic". MBA hits...sorry, but I can't think of a name for it. "technical"? MBF hits "even more realistic". Some mods don't get a style before they're thrown in the trash. Making a mod that takes interiors from other mods just seems more like copying, and why even my failure of making one, Gauntlet gives you a lot to work with. Gravity changing is not even needed, just a bunch of SUPER GYROCOPTERS! Meanwhile, Learning to Roll only gives you a gravity modifier and maybe rolling on the edge to turn it into a tightrope level.

It's been two years since I've changed my name, changed how I feel, (didn't change my writing style), upgraded my Intelligence, age (um... yeah), attitude, (didn't change how I made levels), changed my password (Yeah. I don't actually remember my old one.), likings (not this), and a lot of things. Many people know me before and after, and I certainly still know a lot of people.

Here are my level ... types:

Thoughtful - Usually these are fun, as they rely on PowerUps. Some levels require not much, for example, obviously a Gyro and a super jump will lead to a big jump. However, the smarter levels will do other things: Take the gyro, use it, take the super jump but don't. After that you need the super jump for some reason. An example is "Combo Course".
Puzzle - Use the environment to your advantage. PowerUps here usually come one by one, instead of all at once. This can overlap with Thoughtful. My most recent level, which is not really recent anymore. If a PowerUp is singular, and you can't do much to get another PowerUp, you probably need to wait for it to respawn and use it twice. An example is "Slope Madness".
Speed - Usually uses a lot of insta-boost PowerUps like Super Jumps, Super Speeds and Gyrocopters. You are not likely to see the more passive PowerUps (well the Gyro is passive, but has more use). For example, "Speed Attack" in MBP is a Speed level. However, this can also apply to levels with a low par time, including Battlefield Finale.
Training - That's about it, really. It just teaches you. For example, 3/4ths of the Beginner section, and Tutorial section in the case of MBF.
Maneuvering - Usually without any PowerUps, and if they do have them, they are singular and not needed for puzzle-based things. PowerUps do not lead to the next one in a tricky way, and usually have gems, but also have a bunch of wall and edge hits. For example, "Crash Course" or "Strategy Climb" would do it. Crash Course is a pure Maneuvering level; Strategy Climb uses PowerUps and, notably a bumper shortcut.

[FruBlox]

Aug 19, 2013 19:26:59 GMT main_gi said:

They also require coders,

I'm sorry but this really is not true, even though many people seem to think so. Remember that MBP started as just a level pack, and that coding, along with the new graphics and textures, was started later on.

Sure, some new features coded in would be nice if implemented will, but honestly everyone's always too wrapped up in doing textures, code, graphics, etc. to worry about making the mod fun to play. Most of the time, the mod is already dead before that.

I'd love to see someone just make a decent level pack for MBG/P; it'd be a lot more fun to play than all of the mods that are sitting dead right now in the mods thread or the vault.

[main_gi]

Aug 22, 2013 0:28:25 GMT FruBlox said:

Aug 19, 2013 19:26:59 GMT main_gi said:

They also require coders,

I'm sorry but this really is not true, even though many people seem to think so. Remember that MBP started as just a level pack, and that coding, along with the new graphics and textures, was started later on.

Sure, some new features coded in would be nice if implemented will, but honestly everyone's always too wrapped up in doing textures, code, graphics, etc. to worry about making the mod fun to play. Most of the time, the mod is already dead before that.

I'd love to see someone just make a decent level pack for MBG/P; it'd be a lot more fun to play than all of the mods that are sitting dead right now in the mods thread or the vault.

Really, by that sentence I meant that the coders are expected in mods now. If there's no code, that'd be a level pack with graphics and new sounds or something.

[FruBlox]

Aug 22, 2013 1:22:17 GMT main_gi said:

Aug 22, 2013 0:28:25 GMT FruBlox said:

I'm sorry but this really is not true, even though many people seem to think so. Remember that MBP started as just a level pack, and that coding, along with the new graphics and textures, was started later on.

Sure, some new features coded in would be nice if implemented will, but honestly everyone's always too wrapped up in doing textures, code, graphics, etc. to worry about making the mod fun to play. Most of the time, the mod is already dead before that.

I'd love to see someone just make a decent level pack for MBG/P; it'd be a lot more fun to play than all of the mods that are sitting dead right now in the mods thread or the vault.

Really, by that sentence I meant that the coders are expected in mods now. If there's no code, that'd be a level pack with graphics and new sounds or something.

Nobody really 'expects' coders, it's just that, especially in the recent past, coders have become more common. While it's true new code can make a more fun mod if implemented correctly (as I said earlier), it's really not a necessary thing and people shouldn't treat it like it is.

I honestly don't think anyone would object if a mod was created that didn't plan for new code, simply because that is not what the community really hopes to get out of a mod. So what do they really want? A fun mod to play.

As for no code making it a level pack, that's really wrong. If a mod doesn't provide any new content or features (excluding levels, of course), then yes, it is a level pack. But before many noob mods simply relied on reskinning old textures and making a new gui. Whilst often not resulting in quality, they were still mods.

[Trace]

A mod doesn't really need that many new codes. Aside from GUI based coding, what did the original MBP have in the way of new codes? Checkpoints and a modified landmine? Teleporter? Modified frictions? None of those require a large amount of work to make.

A mod doesn't need crazy new features to be a "mod", it just needs to be well made.

[Pablo]

Start by making levels, not graphics.

How's that for a random mod idea?

[Jeff]

What about the MBDK? That has loads of codes that are available for free to use as long as you credit the MBDK. There are even tutorials on how to install them and such, so having a proficient programmer isn't even that necessary, and as Trace stated, look at MBP 1.14 with the GUI coding and checkpoints. There is MainMenuGui.gui source code in the MBDK that gives you something to tinker with, as well as stuff that I as well as many other people contributed, such as HiGuy's checkpoint. Learning enough TorqueScript to do some simple stuff that can make a mod promising is not that hard, as you can see the code that we have provided for you, and learn from it.

And what's wrong with a level pack? The community in my opinion seems to be more interested in those anyways, and to prove it, read Pablo's comment above. There doesn't have to always be mods to marble blast, a few custom graphics and custom levels can get you far, as well as implementing some of those wonderful .mis mod codes into your levels to make them even better. The options are there besides just making a new mod.

[FruBlox]

Aug 22, 2013 19:46:21 GMT Jeff said:

What about the MBDK? That has loads of codes that are available for free to use as long as you credit the MBDK. There are even tutorials on how to install them and such, so having a proficient programmer isn't even that necessary, and as Trace stated, look at MBP 1.14 with the GUI coding and checkpoints. There is MainMenuGui.gui source code in the MBDK that gives you something to tinker with, as well as stuff that I as well as many other people contributed, such as HiGuy's checkpoint. Learning enough TorqueScript to do some simple stuff that can make a mod promising is not that hard, as you can see the code that we have provided for you, and learn from it.

And what's wrong with a level pack? The community in my opinion seems to be more interested in those anyways, and to prove it, read Pablo's comment above. There doesn't have to always be mods to marble blast, a few custom graphics and custom levels can get you far, as well as implementing some of those wonderful .mis mod codes into your levels to make them even better. The options are there besides just making a new mod.

Yes, I REALLY agree with using the MBDK more. I wrote a post earlier about it here.

EDIT: Used URL tags

[IsraeliRD]

[.url=http://marbleblast.com/index.cgi?action=gotopost&board=generalmarbleblast&thread=15924&post=181120]bleh[./url] without the . obviously

Also it just amazes me that despite dozens of people throughout the last few years saying make levels, not mods people still think mods are the best course of action.

[Elektrix]

I don't care what you use the ideas for I just wanted to share some thoughts.

[FruBlox]

Aug 23, 2013 2:25:52 GMT IsraeliRD said:

[.url=http://marbleblast.com/index.cgi?action=gotopost&board=generalmarbleblast&thread=15924&post=181120]bleh[./url] without the . obviously

Also it just amazes me that despite dozens of people throughout the last few years saying make levels, not mods people still think mods are the best course of action.

thanks =D

Yeah, the people who are in favour of all the mods typically argue with 'it will be bring members of the community together', but in countless instances it has just wasted a lot of member's time to create something that no-one in the community really enjoyed.

I also bet that the people who have time to work on all these mods could probably spend some time learning to build levels and release them to the community as well.

[IsraeliRD]

It's not just that people waste time on making mods, they have ZERO experience with level design and then they're certain what they put up in their mod is something anyone would play when in reality it's anything but that. Your levers are bad, end of story. The only way to improve is by creating and releasing custom levels to the community, NOT through a mod, and getting constant feedback. That's the only way.

[Jeff]

Even if level building isn't your "thing" there are plenty of other options that the community will still respect you for, such as learning TorqueScript (take HiGuy and myself for example, we can't build good levels, but we do amazing coding work together that everybody appreciates and is proud of, not to brag, which this isn't the point of this, but just using as an example), or possibly learning custom graphic design (look at chaosunown's textures if you haven't yet in his thread, his work is amazing) as well as even making music and sounds.

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Aug 23, 2013 10:41:26 GMT Elektrix said:

I don't care what you use the ideas for I just wanted to share some thoughts.

Your forum administrator, the platinum team, and the community, are giving you excellent advice here for both you and others who may be confused about the difference of why make levels when you can just make a mod, or need guidance on what to do what the community would like, and yet despite all of the advice taken (especially maingi's giant wall of text, props to him on that one!)..........you didn't respond to anybody specifically about all the great advice given, which I'm interested to hear