I am happy to see minimods coming up like in the good old days of FH1 - finally, more then a select few are learning how to mod the BF2 engine. However, I realize there is only so much time before the engine gets too old, and people simply move on.
While i imagine FH2 having ALOT longer than that, fan modders may not have that longivity for this engine
I'm wondering if we cannot pool minimods together. Have fan mod groups to come up with specific add-ons that can be put on the FH2 game rather than the multitude of throw-away mods we have today.
I decided to give headers for some of these - Some that are already out there, but which I think need to be pooled.
1. Realism sound mod.
Think PR... or beyond. The idea is not to dump in SPR or BoB, but to get authentic sounding sound sources. It needn't be from the exact gun as these might not come across as humans percieve the sound to be, but to get sound that does work. We already have snippet mods out there. Someone should get the sounds that work and make it the ONE sound minimod. Consider:
a. Gun sounds
b. Other weapon sounds, cannons, reload and chamber, aircraft mgs and cannons.
c. whizzes and whoops
d. Impact sound
e. distant sounds and explosions.
f. Vehicle engine sounds
2. Skins and insigna
We might need a main one, and an add-on to that. The main one will perhaps make the uniforms worn, the right texture, shade, have the right legal insignas etc - the add-on will add the illegal ones and sharpen the propaganda posters around. So players can choose how far they want to go with realism.
3. Mappack
This is both for the singlelplayer fanmappack and the general mappack. We have ALOT of fanmaps floating around. For those that their mappers will allow reuse, these should be collated as online maps and singleplayer maps. Each should have the same standard i.e. COOP, SP and CQ or CQ only. None that you HAVE to go to SP to find, otherwise we get alot of questions about where x map is etc....
4. RTS mod
Now I suggested this before. What it has, is basically a tweak of the game interface for COOP mode. Let's put it this way; For version 1 of this mod, the player needs only the following, automatic or Hud controlled commander view (1st peron single-unit control and 3rd person are secondary), and easy access to commander interface. The gameplay is the same a la COH. players defend flag points (Victory points) and command their AI army at squad, individual and Army level to defend of attack.
Most of this is already there. AI might need to be tweaked to be more obedient, but it works even now. Would be an excellent add-on and I think FH2 has great potential in COOP to be played as an RTS. When the player decides to do nothing, it already does.
5. Realism mod
Now I know this is controversial since PR and FH2 fan(atic)s tend to be cats and dogs, but it will be an excellent way to have players able to play with hardcore realism on the side, even if only in COOP. It may not require an overhaul, but tweaks to guns, perhaps, add the realism sound mod, realism skin mod, remove ammo boxes etc, and definitely use the Battlegroup frontline vehicle motion for both planes and land vehicles... It simply affects how easy vehicles are to accelerate and decelerate so I think it works on everything if a crack coder gets his hands on it.
6. Realistic effects mod
I always thought mg tracers were too damn long - Consider the mod to change that, realistic explosions, tank blow ups, longer lasting destroyed vehicles and bodies, impact effect to show different calibre of rounds, pieces of wall flying off (Just an effect, not destructible background), non-colour coded tracers, removed muzzle flash for those without, bullets dropping from planes firing mgs, blood splatter effect or dust effect as the case may be, dust from tanks driving, smoke effect from firing cannons, dust from firing cannons, etc...
7. Other sound mods
a. Voice over mod - Make your own... devs might even adopt it
b. movie game sound mod (SPR, eat your heart out)
c. WWII footage sound mod - Maybe change skins to black and white also. But essentially, this mod gives you those footage sounds for the various guns, so it sounds like WWII footage all across. Might want to tweak voice overs too to match
d. The taunt mod - Big cookie and a fat wet kiss for anyone who figures out how to add that, either using the commo-rose or automatically as a random after a kill (May or may not taunt)
Well, that's all the major leagues
What DOES make these mods fly though, is being able to package them right. Your average fan does NOT want to do surgery on his FH2 game. Damn thing CTDs already without your help. So if you can cook up a batch file, an installer EXE or even a simply zip process, it will really make this sing.
We now realize ALOT of these mods will not get you kicked from online play, especially the cosmetic ones, so I think if the devs can be a tad flexible and see the possibility to attract modders and a variety of fans alike, they may want to give their blessing or advice fan projects in this direction. Sure we need guidance -Some people have NO morals whatsoever. However, we don't need a lock and key on every thing that isn't official.
