Super-Powered Tools for Mod Force!

By Jay Watamaniuk March 23, 2005

The foundation of any community is based on the enthusiasm and talent of its members and the tools that are available to create new content. In our first article on the new partnership between BioWare and Irrational Games, General Manager and Creative Director Ken Levine hinted at what was coming down the pipe for Modder fans of Freedom Force. The Mod Force tools that will be available for Freedom Force® vs. the 3rd Reich are powerful, new, and allow for beginners to advanced users to modify, create, and build whole new stories and worlds. Ken Levine gives the Mod community some tips on the fabulous new tools:

Can you give us a quick overview of where I can grab the best info on Freedom Force and Mod Force?

Ken: For anyone looking to get information on all things Freedom Force, the official site, www.freedomfans.com has all the answers. From modding tutorials to the forums, the official site has it all. There's a particular section on the site that we call Mod Force. There, you'll find all the details on modding you'll need. From the Freedom Force Editor to the Character Creation Tool, it's all there. You'll also find our updated beta mod tools set we just released there.

What is Irrational Games take on the Mod community?

Ken: Like NeverWinter Nights, Freedom Force had a fully featured gaming experience. However, the primary reason these games both have such an absolutely dedicated fanbase is that we provide accessible, free tools that fans can use to stretch their own imaginations and build their own adventures. The development goal of Freedom Force and Freedom Force vs. The 3rd Reich has never been just make a great game, but to also make a great tool set for people to expand the Freedom Force experience. We're happy for them to use Freedom Force characters to do this, or to have them build mods that feature their own creations. Nothing gets us more excited than seeing a fan leverage the Freedom Force mod tools in a way we never thought possible. There are entire sites dedicated just to skinning, and others to just sounds, and others to special effects. It's almost overwhelming.

How can the beginner Modder get started in Mod Force? What should I read first and where can I get some help?

Ken: Since there are so many different ways to mod Freedom Force, the first step is to decide what exactly you want to mod. To get a glimpse of what modding is like and for in-depth tutorials, you're going to want to check out the official www.modforce.com.

For the true beginner, you can start modifying the existing characters in-game. From the main menu of the game, you can view every character, power, and attribute of the game. By selecting the "Characters" tab, you can view all these things and even start altering them. For example, with a few clicks, you can change the voice type, powers and attributes of any characters. In other words, if you're not happy with the way one of the characters is balanced, change it. You can simply make some of their powers have a greater range or better area of effect, for example. Heck you can even steal powers from another character.

Perhaps you're a bit more ambitious and would like to create your own character altogether. In this case, you'd want to check out the new version of the Character Tool that can be downloaded from the site. There are in-depth tutorials on how to do everything from re-skinning the characters to how to import new meshes and effects. Check them out at: http://www.irrationalgames.com/modforce/ArtProc/index.htm. Creating your own character is a great starting point for experience modders looking to get their feet wet with Freedom Force.

If I'm an experienced Modder, where can I put my skills to their best use?

Ken: While the Character Tool tends to be a little easier to use, the Editor itself (FFEdit) will allow you to edit missions. This is obviously a bit more complicated, so you might need a little help from the site. If all else fails, there's always the hundreds of modders on the forums who are more than willing to lend a hand.

For an NWN modder looking to create their own mod, your first step will likely take you to FFEdit Documentation. FFEdit will allow you to change everything from mission objectives, scripting, and even the very layout of the level. In short, you can create everything you need to build your own level and perhaps entire game!

Your multiplayer game changed quite a bit from the first Freedom Force. How did Irrational Games listen to the community when it asked for more options and choices for multiplayer games, easier content building and more resources to create their own work?

Ken: In taking a look at Freedom Force's community, we noticed that there were countless original fan-created heroes and villains that weren't being put to good use. Sure, you could run a deathmatch game with a bunch of random characters, but it wound up being just that...random. Irrational wanted to give our fans the chance to put all those creations to good use. With Story-Based Multiplayer, players are able to create scenarios that they've always dreamed of. Out of the box, this can be done very simply through an intuitive in-game interface that lets you adjust all the details and essentially play our your own comic book story.

What can Modders expect in the upcoming release of Freedom Force vs. the 3rd Reich?

Ken: More tools and more power to use them. With improvements made in the new Character Tool 2, access to a level creator and Story-Based Multiplayer, Freedom fans will be busy modding for some time. The new tools were just released in beta form for download at freedomfans. The whole package includes Character Tool 2, FFEdit, and Nif Viewer.

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