Balancing your mod

There are a load of reasons for modding a game and it can be a very personal thing. In fact, many mod authors build mods for themselves, to make the game more like the game they themselves wanted it to be. They share their mods because, well, because they are generally very nice people who just like to share their love of their favourite games with people who feel the same way. Other’s make mods to make the game easier, overcome or fix bugs, downright cheat - all valid and good reasons to tinker with game code!

That said, if you want to build mods that really enhance the game, build on the universe and systems that the game presents, and you want it to enhance the game for others, it’s worth having a think about “balance”. Think about what you’re trying to achieve and how it will “play” for other players and how you might balance some pro’s and con’s of what you’re bringing into the game world. Some of the best mods out there offer some sort of benefit but at a cost. For example, a fast Sea Truck but with increased energy usage; upgraded boosters but via a blueprint to find, and materials to gather and use. Again, there’s no “right” way to do things, but I personally feel a balanced mod can really add to a game. Unbalanced mods, such as those that I have produced so far, can be just too “cheaty” and can sometimes take away from the experience of the game, rather than add to it.

Just a thought!