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I might expand on this but here are a couple of tips for any want to be modders out there.

1. Think about the scope of what you want to create. Limit it if you are not an experienced modder.

When thinking about modding a scenario everyone always want to create the scenario/campaign they always dreamt of. This usually involves something really big and something that really changes the aspects of the game. There is a reason why there are something like 5 different versions of the World at War campaign and not so many versions of the original Battle of the Bulge scenario. The one major mistake a lot of people have made is trying to imediatly create the huge scenario of their dreams and getting tired halfway through.

If you havent designed any scenario before follow in Vics footstep and redesign his scenario simuating the invastion of Holland in WWII.


2. Explore a couple of facets of scenariodesigning in each scenario. Dont try to change everything in every scenario

The editor is huge. You can change everything from all the graphics to all the units, research, events, balance. EVERYTHING! But what you have to decide is why you want to change an aspect of the game. Take research for example. There is no need to change that in an operational or tactical scenario. As to the graphics. There are several really nice graphic mods out there. I have created scenarios ín very different environments and i usually try to focus on what aspect that is most important for that scenario. A couple of examples. The Punic War scenario demanded a lot of graphic changes and changes in the rule settings. Scenarios with partisan environments or political elements or asymetrical opponents usually needs a lot of event making. A historical/operational scenario needs a lot of OOB, description flavour work but not much else. Think about what is needed to make your scenario work.



3. Dont change SFT unit balance with a light heart

AT has been playtested for several years. The SFTs are more or less balanced. There is no simpler way to destroy an otherwise brilliant scenario than changing the strenght of the SFTs in a major way. I usually change some SFTs a little, create a couple of new SFTs, rename a lot of them with new graphics. Nobody will know the difference between a rifleman of the 1940s or 1980s. If you do change the basic relations of SFTs be prepared to playtest for years.


4. Choosing a theme/scenario/campaign.

Boardgaming has been around since the 60s. There has been scores of boardgames made for more or less every historical conflict out there. So you want to make a scenario about the Boer War. Check out the boardgames. These sites have them in detail. www.boardgamegeek.com www.consimworld.com and www.grognards. com

Look up the boardgames you are interested in. Check out the graphics, rules, maps etc. You will find a lot of inspiration. A lot of the times you can even download a map, counters etc that can be used for overlay for your own mapmaking.

If you are really interested in a game. Why not buy it? And then you will have the perfect shell for your scenario. Complete with OOB, a suggestion of events, etc. You can also buy gaming magazines about the conflict you want to represent. Strategy & Tactics or Against the Odds are excellent magazines that both come with historical articles and complete boardgames in them.

5. Customising graphics, maps etc

Again i go to www.boardgamegeek.com But there are a lot of other sites out there. For example the http://www.isimulacrum.com has counterscans of some 789 different boardgames.

If you want historical military photos for the war you are modeling there is only one place to go. www.militaryphotos.net has everything. I found photos from the 1860s Tripple alliance war in South America there. It truly has everything. Googleing for pictures is also a good way to find nice pictures.

As for scanning counters etc. Do you want a download of the real game map as an overlay. Why not download a Cyberboard or Vassal module of the game you want to imitate. A lot of the time the map is in there together with all the counters. The map in the Punic War scenario is an almost excact replica of a boardgame map that i got from a Cyberboardmodule

If you found counters that look really nice but they are the wrong size. Use the Pixelgrease program to change the size of the counters to 40*40 or whatever the format is.

Need flag for a nation you havent seen before? www.wikipedia.org has them all.

A nice example of a map from a cyberboard.

7. Recycle things

Be rational. Use things that have been uses before. Export that event you made for the other scenario. Look at the events that come with the game.

Want to change the basic graphics. Use the Real mod, Boardgame mod or Wargame mod graphic sets. Why not mixing them even? Sometimes you want the rivers of the boardgame mod, the canyons of the Wargame mod and the plain colour of the Real mod.

Ask if you can borrow counter graphics from earlier scenario designers. Credit them for it. Sometimes you can even save another scenario as a masterfile and then use that masterfile as a new base for your new creation.

Dont write long descriptions of leaders etc. Find them somewhere and copy them. www.wikipedia.org has articles about just about every militaryr leader out there. Often with photos also.


8. Who will play your scenario? And why? Will you play it?

Think about this? Why should anyone play your scenario? Or do you care? I mostly make scenarios based on games i would like to play myself. But generally you at least need one other player to play against?

If you want to modify someone elses scenario think about it. Why would people opt to play your version of the scenario instead of the one already existing? Its really sad to spend a lot of time working to "fix" the submarine aspect of wwII only to find out no one else found that part as interesting as you?

Another way to go is to make a scenario that is at least in some respect AI capable. Which bring us to the next point.


9. Should the scenario be AI capable?

Yes of course it should be. All scenarios should be AI capable. But not all are. A couple of tips about making an scenario AI capable.

Dont expect the AI to be able to play to an assymetrical warfare?
Dont expect the AI to understand that it will recieve reinforcements or use heavy political elements?
Want to redo the SFT values in a major way? Dont expect the AI to handle it.

If you are going to make an scenario where the forces are unequal you might go for making the AI able to play one of the sides, but not the other. That is actually much easier.

Dont expect the AI to be capable of a intricate land/naval/air interaction.

Generally AI best in the following scenario types.

- Random type games with a lot of chrome changes but few rule changes.
- Games where the AI is set to either attack a lot or defend a lot. But it will really need an advantage if it is to attack.
- Games that are very evensided.
- Operational scenarios with a clear objective.

Want to use it? Just ask.

I might fill up this article with more information. But maybe someone else can fill up with their own tips & tricks.

Nice guide Grymme, I didn't know about http://www.isimulacrum.com but it looks great for creating counters!

Great guide Grymme. I did not know the links before...
Here is one of my experience from my current mod.
Test your mod as early and as often as possible in solitair mode. This way you will find if some idea you have will work or not. It is much easier to change the fundamental of a mod in the early stage then if it is close to finishing.
Say you have the idea of making a mod on the fabled realm of Atlantis with the core being some amphibious units who are supposed to come out of the deep sea from Atlantis to invade land hexes. Then it makes sense to test just this part of how amphibious units may work (maybe with some event moving them from sea to a land hex and converting the unit type?) until this part works really well and to your satisfaction before starting with the rest of the work...
 

On the topic of recycling, would it be possible to recycle this:

tm.asp?m=2095172&mpage=2&key=&#2155079

TOAW III mod?

Ive seen it and it really looks fantastic. I am no wiz with graphics. So i will just wish that someone else implements it. I am sure it could be done.

This is mostly just a matter of replacing the hex art is it not? Could be whipped up in photoshop in a week probably.

Hmmm.. that sounds like a dare....

Lets see you do it...

LOL,

I do have my mod to work on too you know...and a full time job [:D]

But, I really do like the boardgame look, if no one else does it after a while I might go for it.