Giveaway of the Day Forums

1. 

   GMMan, Hexadecimal Blacksmith
   Blocked

   After the last failed attempt to create such a topic, I am trying again, without pointing fingers.

   So what this is about: What do you think of modding games? Specifically:

   -How it impacts the players
   -How it impacts the developers
   -Does it improve or make worse the games (tough one)
   -Should modding start before the developers have given explicit consent?
   -Etc.

   @graylox: May I, with permission, quote some content from our PM conversation?

   ---

   
   Not really related to game modding, but still an issue. Should I state myself as "game hacker" or "game modder?" There seem to be some issue around that. I'm referring to the classical sense of the term "hacker," not the contemporary (which means I'm talking about hacking before the '90s). Do keep in mind that modding games require certain amounts of "hacking", as in my case finding the decryption code for certain games and figuring out how games parse data.

   Posted 13 years ago #
2. 

   goodgotd
   Member

   I think it's interesting but not something I can do much of.

   It's got a grand history, though- check out the modified Tempest levels in MisfitMAME- those were modified by arcade operators in the 1980's to keep up interest and income when people started finding the original sets too easy to 'beat'. Some really twisted and fiendishly devastating playfields were the result.

   And I think it improved the games, at least for those who were real expert at running the levels on the original- it provided more challenge. the same went for the 'speed chip' for pac-man and ms. pac, and the similar enhancement to the original asteroids. There are several modified pac and galaga/galaxian games as well.

   In point of fact the ms. pac-man game was an official game mod (conversion kit- rather like the Black Widow kit for Gravitar boards) that plugged into the original pac-man board's CPU socket and swapped out a few socketed ROMs. AFAIK there never were actual dedicated ms. pac-man boards built. I have 2 pac boards and a conversion kit around here.

   Most later 'conversion' kits were replacement boardsets and graphics/marquee overlays that let you reuse the game case, power supply and monitor. (you usually had to modify the control panel) There really weren't all that many actual arcade game systems made to plug in game packs- the conversion kits were too high a percentage of the original game's price to make it worth doing.

   Posted 13 years ago #
3. 

   Robert
   StrayCat

   @graylox: May I, with permission, quote some content from our PM conversation?

   
   -

   Quoting a PM to a particular mod is irrelevant... to say the least.
   It only shows you two have a discussion going on,which is none of our business.
   Not really a delicate way to start nit-picking on the word 'hacker'...

   More to the subject,to most of us 'hacking' still has the obsolete 90's meaning.
   Nowadays a hacker also is someone who tests computer programs often using 'hacking techniques'... in all modesty... just for the fun of it, or to help prevent possible exploits.
   So in that sense a lot of us could put that attribute next to their avatar,but what would be the use of that?
   In short:yes,IMHO 'modding' would me a more appropriate term.

   Just my 2cents and no offense meant.

   Posted 13 years ago #
4. 

   Frique
   Member

   Personally, I think that modding games should be no big deal. Once I legally purchase a game (or any other program), I should be able to modify it in any way that fits my needs. If I do not care for the in-game music, I should be able to replace it with something I find more suitable. If I wish to (as GOODGOTD pointed out) modify the levels to make them more challenging, I should be able to do that. If I find a splash screen particularly annoying, I should be able to remove it.

   Don't get me wrong. I am not asking to "crack" the game so that I can sell it to others illegally. I am just looking to extend the life of a game that I enjoy enough to purchase for myself. If more games would include good level editors or allowed you to change the music, much of this would be a non-issue. Besides, cheat codes (and discs) are legal and perfectly acceptable to most people. Why should making a game easier be acceptable while making it more difficult or more aesthetically pleasing be unacceptable?

   If it is a matter of a person needing to rip apart the code to change things, think of it like a car. I buy a brand new Mustang GT. Should I be allowed to modify it to go faster? Should I be able to change the paint on it? Should I be able to change the radio? All of this is perfectly legal (within reason) under US laws. It is considered my property, not Ford's, to do with as I see fit. I also know that if I screw it up, it is all my own fault.

   The same should hold true with anything that I buy. The first hackers/modders to jailbreak the I-Phone probably bricked quite a few $400 phones before they succeeded. They knew the risks and were willing to live with the consequences. Ultimately their ingenuity helped make the I-Phone more useful for their own needs. I am sure a similar process went into modding Tempest back in the day. Thanks to people with much more knowledge and skill than I posses, I can change the music on this weekends game giveaway (Trio.) That is a godsend considering how banal the music is/was!

   As for how you state your title GMMan, I think that is up to you. Most of us here know what you mean by it, but remember that it has taken on a rather negative aspect in recent years. I lived with the moniker "D**n dirty hippie" for years before it became relatively acceptable again. Hopefully the same will be true for "hacker."

   Posted 13 years ago #
5. 

   Whiterabbit-uk
   Games Guru

   I think modding has added so much to every game I've eer bought that was moddable. Take for example Battlefield 2. The original game with expansion and booster packs gave the player a choice of about 30 maps. Over the five yars that I've played the game there has been hundeds of community based maps added to the game plus over a hundred mods, some of which are still supported. I would certainly not be playing the game still if the game hadn't been moddable. The same goes for most of the games that i have that are moddable.

   I don't thnk modding a game hurts the developer and in a way is a tribute to the developer for creating a game that is worth modding. It certainly mproves the overall game.

   I'm not sure about the last question that you pose.

   W.R.

   Posted 13 years ago #
6. 

   GMMan, Hexadecimal Blacksmith
   Blocked

   @Whiterabbit: My last question (not about the name) refered to the bit of dispute between graylox and I regarding the release of UnTrio. You missed the conversation because your PM box was full. I can add you now if you wish.

   -------------------------He got all info via mail. graylox

   Posted 13 years ago #
7. 

   Idunnobutiwastold
   Gaming Acolyte

   It seems as if the debate in the media over terminology is never-ending. :D

   This blog entry, published 3 days goes, has a condensed discussion on the etymology of the terms Hacker/Cracker.

   Link to article:
   http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/security/?p=4237&tag=nl.e064

   Posted 13 years ago #

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