Video Games Modding--Talented Community

If you have been playing video games in more than average gamer fashion(read: load game, click, click, click, win, done), odds are you might have heard of the so called modding community for that game. If not, you read about it now :) .Basically they are people who know how to make modifications to the game in a form of add-on files that are usually called “mods”. Generally they community is comprised of young guns, computer literate and then some, young folks who, usually as a hobby, mod the game that they are playing. I am guessing they do this because it is a license to let their creative juices flowing? Whatever the motivation, why not, right? And sometimes they mod the game to the point where you, the regular player who played the very same game, you will be standing there staring at the screen wondering, “Just what are they playing there?!”

This is not to say that this modding community is restricted to auto games only, as the impression might be after this hub. Similar community functions for at least one other game style: RPG games. This one I technically was part of myself, so I know. I also know that some of them young modders were really determined to contact the maker of the RPG game they were playing and modding and inquire about job opportunities. Gateway to a career where one will do what they love and get paid for it.

Anyway, these young talents don't just tweak the game, they generally improve the game too, improving where the developers might not have invest as much into because of costs, time or some other restraint. And sometimes, the mods community just gives the players what the said players can’t get out of the normal game. For example, how about driving Mazda Furai in a Need For Speed game? Need For Speed Most Wanted does not have that car as one of the playable—or even available—cars. But someone in the community has released a mod that does just that, adds Furai to the game. As a former player and a Furai fan, I say bravo, bravo guys, I wish I found out about these while I was still playing the game.

But that is a long prologue, on to the point. And that being that some of these mod guys are pretty talented if you ask me. Browsing trough the available mods for a particular game—check them out, see for yourself(http://www.nfscars.net/ )—I noticed some were listed as “Fantasy” brand cars. This I had to check out. What I found is some pretty nice wheels. Interesting, curious wheels. Granted, not all of them are going to wow you and and not all look like normal cars. One looks like heavily modified Corvette C5. And can you say pumpkin hotrod car?

But some were instantly getting my attention as styling that could give Lamborghini run for its money. No, I am not exaggerating here, they really could. Sure, them wheels might not have been done with professional software and hardware Lamborghini uses. But they were something nonetheless. Naturally, these mods were, what else, GT cars. Radical designs they were. I blast auto manufacturers for being too radical with their designs. Did, do, and will do. But here, I think I will praise the practice of running wild instead and encourage these people of the mod community to continue experimenting with new lines and shapes. Properly aided and their styling properly developed, these guys can produce what is appealing to youth markets. Yeah Scion, I am looking in your general direction.

I read of design contests and such held by manufactures and auto publications. Well, I personally think it is time some of them organizers of those design contests dropped by the website and scrolled through the available “Fantasy” car mods, looked them over, and maybe even contacted the user who submitted them and offered those guys opportunities.

Naturally, I did include some screen shots of the said mods. Not all are going to wow you right away. But some are pretty nice work. Check it out.