Modding - How it brings out the best in a Video Game

Modding, short for modifying is generally used on the internet in reference to modifying a game to suit the user's wishes. In history, games that have been modifiable have done a lot better in terms of popularity when compared to games that do not allow modding. A few games come to find in terms of being modifiable, that are coincidentally also very popular. I'll list a few:

The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim (And all other Elder Scrolls that are modifiable)

Counter Strike: Global Offensive

 Left 4 Dead 1 & 2

Fallout 3 & New Vegas

The list goes on, my point is these games are massively popular in the RPG community, and one of the main reasons is because you can mod them, to change them into whatever you like. There are no limits to how much you can mod a game, so long as there are modders out there to make what you wish or even make yourself.

Modding is not only great for the game's popularity, it is also a great and encouraging way to train one's skills. Modding can either be done via coding or asset creation such as modelling and texturing. I have made a mod for Skyrim, and it greatly improved my modelling and texturing skills. I intend to do more, and I'd love to do some modelling for Dying Light, should the upcoming mod development kit support importing of new models, such as new weaponry or re-textures. It's a great way to beef up one's portfolio with creative assets.

Modding adds a lot of extra play-time to a game, you can either add weapons to the game, add functionality, change the way combat works or even increase the difficulty of the game. Skyrim is literally transformable into anything with the amount of mods available. There are mods that add additional dragons, change the game into a more stealth-themed game, more enemies, more weapons & armour, player created DLC, new lands and new areas to explore. The possibilities of modding Skyrim are limitless, you can truly create the experience you have always wanted with mods, and I'd love to see the same result for more games, as it can be only be good for a developer's game to be modifiable. 

Techland have allowed both of their Dead Island game's to be modifiable, and so there is no reason to believe that they may back out of their decision, they have even apologized for introducing a patch that hinders already existing mods, in the name of dealing with cheaters in multiplayer. This is a great attitude, and I hope to see more developers that take this approach when developing their game.