User:Rapidgame7/Modding Intro
mod resaurce test
i should've picked a better subpage name, f
Software
When you
WAD explorer
SRB2 packages graphics, music, sounds and other lumps within WAD and PK3 files.
The most used software for modifying the game or exploring game files is SLADE. It allows you to open these files, import and extract lumps and other operations.
SLADE requires OpenGL 2.0 or newer to properly display graphics.
If you are unable to run it, you can also use XWE as an alternative.
However it is known to be unstable at times - Read the issues section in that page for more information!
Map making
SLADE bundles a map editor, however it does not support some of the features that SRB2 has.
The currently most used program for this job is Zone Builder.
Scripting
SLADE contains a good text editor, able to select multiple languages and supports SRB2's Lua syntax as well!
If you're not comfortable with it, there are other alternatives, such as:
Notepad++
Graphics
SLADE also bundles a texture editor, however limited. It can't create new graphics and it can't resize the canvas. It is mostly used for small edits!
However, you can use an external program to create an image, export it as one and then import it with SLADE.
Audio editing
Sometimes, you want to create your own sound effects, or maybe you want to take that 68.9MB sound file and compress it to something significantly mroe manageable.
Audacity is a powerful audio editor that allows you to... edit audio files. Crop, add effects, change volume and such.
LabChirp allows you to create chiptuney sounds. Good if you're looking for something retro-sounding, placeholder sounds and other.
Resources
Various links to material for learning.
Map making tutorial
Map making tutorial playlist by SeventhSentinel.
Lua resources
You can find information about SRB2's Lua in this page.
lua.org provides a reference manual for Lua. Because t is a reference manual, you may not be able to give it good use if you're not proficient at programming in general.
There are many Lua tutorials in the internet.
Lua-Users provides one such tutorial.
Tutorialspoint also provides one, but I can't link to it because of the spam filter.
You can find an online Lua interpreter here.
Other
Q: Can't I use something like WinRAR or 7zip?
A: While you can use a zip manager to open PK3 files, these software do not always support extraneous characters in the files within nor the ability to set an arbitrary order for lumps within. Additionally, SRB2 looks for a special header on every file it can load - Such header does not exist on files created by a zip manager, rendering the file unloadable.
WAD files cannot be opened by zip managers.
Are you sure you want to start modding by creating a character?
Characters are no easy feat to create for SRB2. To create a fun character, it has the potential to involve 200+ custom sprites (several rotations of different frames of different sets of animation!), custom sounds, custom abilities and what-not.
You can create a character consisting of a sprite rip and no scripting, but that would just be a barebones character... It wouldn't be particularly memorable.
Learning how to draw or how to script are not easy by themselves either. You need some time of dedication to get used to the programs you will be using as well as how you operate within them.
I would greatly recommend you begin one step at a time, creating small gameplay mods that change some aspect of the game (Lower gravity? A jetpack for everyone? Recreate the thok? Create custom objects?) or modifying the textures and graphics found in the game to get used to the SRB2's palette.
But hey, nobody can stop you! If you are confident enough to learn everything at once, good luck!
Thank yu