Database of components and products of M&B community

[Kolba]

I wonder how many of you is familiar with such an enigmatic name as NWN Vault.
It will be clear for Those who already know NWN Vault - what the above subject refers to.
Those not familiar I would like to encourage to check this link (it will explain clearly what is on my mind):

Neverwinter Nights Vault

Its a portal website uniting society of players and users of one specific game (which one it is not relevant for our needs). Our goal was to collect and keep all or at least as many as posible resources relating to this game just in one place.

The point is not to collect and keep may of the final products such as mods!
Nothing like thata. The point is to have a website with resources catogorised and kept in most efficient way to help typical user find not only perticular mod itself, but what is even more important, any resources this user at the moment needs (monsters, maps, sounds, scripts, items, ideas, graphics etc)

Let say forexample that one of the users, a modeler, is perfect in creating characters for Star Wars mod. Why don't give him possibility to share his work with others. Everubodu could use his work on a Freeware rules and then include same in their own projects?
Somebody is very sufficient in making awsome uniforms and weapons (for mod Festung Breslau for example). Imagine that his or her experience helps to create a serie of Second World War mods.

Still it is not the end. Somebody creates creatures (animals / monsters etc). It would be great for M&B scene to be able to have an access to such a kind of database containing all the neccesary recourses. As per Freeware usage policy we wolud be able to use all these resources in our work in our projects, sharing our experience with others at the same time, to make our mods even more outstanding.

Needless to say that mod is not made from models only.
What makes a good mod?
Everything counts. Maps, objects, cities, villages, interiors, and what is most important - game mechanics itself. Scripts making our mod alive, schemes, plans and even ideas how to implement them in most efficient way.

Here comes the moment when we quite often need a script or a system for any reason (new transport sytem, bartering, craftmanship, npc actions etc). Often if we are stuck we have an option to write such a sytem by ourselves from the beginning. We may not be aware that maybe such a system is already done by somebody else, the working system, sometimes even better than we planned or might expect .

If it would be possible to settle such a portal database it might be most efficient, the largest base of useful resources in the world, available for everone. Being a great scripte does not mean that you are a good modeller at the same time. If you would have an option to use of already made, excellent buidlings and matching interiors or start from scratch, what would yu choose?

Maybe it is a time to create such a portal?

Best Regards

PC_Maniac



(I'm writing on pc_maniac's request)

 

[jik]

I agree and have always made my ideas, models, scripts open to all, but it's not always the case.  Some are trying to bring out their "ground breaking" models/textures/scripts/game mechanics/etc. with their own mod.  Each to his own, as this stuff is generally all free.  There are fan made tools all over, as well as a few that are being kept from the rest of us.  A cataloged, well organized site of resources is a dream for many the new and experienced modder, but who will organize it?

I haven't browsed the site, but it seems like just another board.  There are already several for M&B.  Who's going to host the storage (much like Janus with the repository)?  Who will manage the content?  If you got something in the works and want to start populating it, I think more people may jump on board, but for now, I use the repository and this board to catalog my stuff.  There would have to be a good reason to shift over.

Not saying it's a bad idea, it just needs to be implemented before people will climb on board (myself included).

 

[Kolba]

Actually, place for hosting modding files is not a very big problem. We can use free hosting sites (the best one could be without limits of downloads and which doesn't delete files after some period), and main site of "treasury" will only have script plus database for new listings and comments. There are some servers, which make possible to upload files on one account from many users - for example we make account "scripts" -people are hosting their scripts in this place, we make "models" and...even 4shared.com is offering same possiblities. In the beginning, it will be enough.

It is not difficult to find content managers. There are some experienced people like pc_maniac and few other guys on Polish forum. Even I can give it a try.

 

[PC_Maniac]

I know the M&B community has created something like the M&B Repository, and it is a very valuable initiative. However, at the present stage of the M&B popularity, it’s not sufficient any more, I think.
Main reason being the lack of a well constructed web portal which would allow sorting data into categories as well as easy searching for the various components, needed by mod builders. I think that creating a portal (php and SQL based) with a good search engine would be the major step of such an undertaking.

The other very important issue is a possibility to judge and grade other builders’ work, similar to the system used by the NWN Vault portal and their "Hall of Fame" title for most interesting works. It has a great impact on the quality and gives the authors the motivation to improve. And it is very rewarding as well.
By the word "work" I mean not only the complete mods, but also various components there of - scripts, creature models, object models, sound sets, maps and supporting tools.
M&B Repository could be the perfect starting point if its creators would like to participate in such an undertaking.

 

[recidivist]

In my opinion creating something like NWN Vault in Mount&Blade community is good idea because this library of models and scripts should be very useful for everyone medders. Just take a look at the library set up by NWN Vault, it is very useful and helpful and significantly accelerates the work of each mods. I think administration should take that idea into consideration and be allowed to speak on this subject.
Good luck for the continuation of this idea.

 

[fisheye]

MBrepository is doing a great job hosting the files. Maybe just a sticky with a maintainer would suffice.

 

[Elenmmare]

I think this is a great idea. Even if we can't find a proper hosting site, at least an area with catagories, and in them, links to the files in various sites would be fine. But I agree that some sort of website to share resources would be fantastic.

We could have different ratings, for example if you submit a file, you can specify who can use it and when...etc.

 

[Kolba]

I think that there is no wait for a discussion of meaning of this exercise, and we should do something in this way, construction of such site. I would like you listen your propositions how it should look like.

(preview of how they operate similar services is indicated)

In my opinion it should be so:

Sections
1. Scripts/scripts systems (question whether these two forms together or separately, because the scripts can lead to the site immediately in the form of listings, and the systems are already much higher, so it has to offer in the form of files)
2.Creatures and objects models (including their textures)
3.Models and icons equipment (so-called items) (including their textures)
4.Ready locations and maps from main game menu.
5.Music and sounds.
6.Tools and tutorials for creating a mods (tutorials and tools together or separately?)
7.Mods.
8.Fable and proposals (not ready items, only proposals for modders). In this section would not be added files, but going by the discussion on topics what is missing for creators.

All of this elements creators will be able to post from Alfa to higher versions, with information on what stage the item is.

Serching system it should be two gradual (with an indication of search, how do I want to use):
1.Searching in this section.
2.Searching throughout the portal (no division on sections).

Searching keys
1.Standard by words.
2.By name (nick) creators.
3.By date added to the portal.
4.Numbers of downloads.

Sorting of search results
1.Alphabetically
2.By added date.
3.By rate.
4.By progress stage (alfa version on bootom, ready version on top, or inversely)
5.By creator.
6.By numbers of downloads.

Way to rate resources
Works would be evaluated in the point form (I propose 1-10 scale) by logged persons. From time to time the board of site to give the stamps "Hall of Fame" (or other name) for works which have reached some limit of positive rate and reached high numbers of download.

 

[Arch3r]

If this site would be made I would share my scripts here. Also the search by rate should also search for the most ratings, on some sites files with rating 5/5 with one person rated are above 4.98/5 with 10000 people rated.

 

[recidivist]

I hope this site rise It will be a fantastic and helpful base of any things that the m&b modders need.

 

[Mat Berserker]

You got my berserkers axe. I cant provide site and serwer, but when it comes out i'll proudly host some files from Festung Breslau mod(this is'nt adwertisment, thisis proposition!)

 

[Septa Scarabae]

When MBX popped up, my initial thought was that it was unnecessary. Having a central HUB is important, but if you have splinter networks, it begins to segregate the community. The TaleWorld forums, along with the M&B Repository provide a great resource to the mod community. I don't think there is a need to expand further, and I don't think it can be done in a way that would not further split the community into different sects.

 

[kt0]

Hrm, are we talking about a place to put stuff or a place to talk about stuff?  The former has use, especially given the troubles I've had with mbrepository being slow or down.  That said, I'd probably be too lazy/forgetful to upload small things to multiple places. 

As for the latter, I'm going to agree with Septa in general.  I don't think that splitting the knowledge base here is at all a good idea if'n that's what folks are thinking.  Keeping that kind of stuff right here where I don't need another login would be pretty convenient.

 

[Elenmmare]

When MBX popped up, my initial thought was that it was unnecessary. Having a central HUB is important, but if you have splinter networks, it begins to segregate the community. The TaleWorld forums, along with the M&B Repository provide a great resource to the mod community. I don't think there is a need to expand further, and I don't think it can be done in a way that would not further split the community into different sects.

The difference is that MBX is a discussion forum. This website would just be more of a warehouse.

 

[Alkhadias Master]

Idea may be good, but for what? Official site Taleworlds.com and mbrepository.com is a good servers with files and tutorials. Maybe people can have a problems with find some files but making a new large website may be expenssive and difficult. OSP is very good idea, but this need adjust and not more.
I'm neutral in this discussion. Now is good and with new site will be good.

 

[fisheye]

Another issue is that the modmaking explosion has resulted in hundreds of good quality released mods in the mods subforum, scrolling for many pages... forum might not be the best way to manage those either.