Summary
One of the best things about the gaming industry is that there is no one way to make a video game. Some come from AAA studios with millions of dollars worth of funding behind them, while others come from indie developers with motivation and a dream. Sometimes,fans get together to make ground-breaking mods that end up taking off, leading to some of the biggest game franchises around, includingPUBG: BattlegroundsandCounter-Strike.
It is surprising how many mods ended up becoming massive titles. Mods are often seen as somewhat of a new commodity in gaming, butsome of these titles have been around longer than some console lines. If players could get access to the engines behind games, they also added mods to the game to make it whatever they want. Interestingly, some titles provide better grounds for modding than others, withHalf-Life 2being one of the best examples.
Skyrim: 15 Best Character Creation Mods (Hair, Clothes, Face, & More)
Skyrim’s modding community has pumped out some great character-related mods to refresh your next playthrough when it comes to creation.
10Enderal: Forgotten Stories Is A Total Conversion With A Steam Page
Started As A Skyrim Mod
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrimis famous for being a foundation for some of the most amazing mods around. Total conversionmods allow players to completely transform a gameinto whatever they want.Enderal: Forgotten Storiesis one of the best examples of this,turning the Nordic land ofSkyriminto an entirely different country.Enderalhas done so well that it won a 2016 Game Award for the best fan creation and brings some great story telling to the fantasy genre.
Enderalis currently free to download on Steam, using both the original andSpecial EditionofSkyrimas a base. It has its own Steam page for both versions and when it is installed, it will be treated as an entirely separate game that won’t affectSkyrim.In fact, either version ofSkyrimdoesn’t need to be installed, only owned, and the game adds many systems, which further its immersion.
The Forgotten Citybegan life as a reasonably immersiveSkyrimquest mod.It garnered fame for its creative use of a time-loop mechanic to solve puzzles and has some incredibly creative writingto pull players into the intrigue of the quest. It also used Tamriel’s Empire as an aesthetic to create an Ancient Roman civilisation, but it was hampered and held back as a mod for a larger game. Thankfully, the mod creators established themselves as a studio and remade the quest as its own game with Unreal Engine 4.
The original mod is often still included in many modpacks for Skyrim and is considered one of the greatest quest mods of all time.
The Forgotten Cityhit Steam in 2021 and has an aesthetic completely separate toSkyrim.In fact,the game doubled down on the mod’s Ancient Roman lookwith marble buildings, centurion armor and time-appropriate clothing. The creativity of the original is still in the official version of the game, and is no longer held back by trying to fit intoSkyrimand the world of Nirn. Thetime-loop mechanicis better than ever and the visuals of UE4 make it quite impressive for such a small studio.
Although mod is in the name,Garry’s Modhas become its own thing, with popularity that has arguably eclipsedHalf-Life 2’s(the game it started out as a mod for). With the ability to let players do whatever they want within the Source Engine,Garry’s Modhas become practically immortal, garnering popularity with anyone from roleplayers to prop-hunters. Still, it has quirks and items fromHalf-Lifeto remind everyone where the game came from.
For some,Garry’s Modis a playable embodiment of the incredible Source Engine and grants players unparalleled freedom.It uniquely straddles the line between a game and a tool, allowing players to set up mini-games like Breach, Murder, and Prop Hunt. If players want to do something,Garry’s Modwill likely let them. This is a testament to the versatility of the Source Engine used inHalf-Life 2.
Chivalryhas practically started its own niche genre of first person, medieval war games, where titles likeMordhaufollowed its lead. Torn Banner Studios has made a popular sequel inChivalry 2, and is looking at releasingNo More Room In Hell 2, clearly demonstrating success since its first game. Amazingly, this all began as aHalf-Life 2mod calledAge of Chivalry.Back then, the developer behind it was simply called Team Chivalry.
With the fun, chaotic nature of theChivalrygames, it should be no surprise that the Source Engine used to be its home. Now,theChivalryseries uses the widely popular Unreal Engine 4and if a sequel is made, it will likely move to UE5. The series' combat is unique, especially with how it asks the player to use the mouse, and it’s no wonder that it made its own genre in the competitive multiplayer scene.
Many attribute the creation of the hero shooter genre to theTeam Fortressseries, even ifOverwatchmade it widely popular back in 2016. AlthoughTF2became a giant in its own right, with players continually enjoying the title ever since its release, the series began withTeam Fortress Classicback in 1999. This title was based off a mod forQuakein 1996, simply titledTeam Fortress.
Each version ofTeam Fortresswas made on a different engine, with the mod using the Quake Engine,Classicusing the GoldSrc Engine, andTF2using the famous Source Engine. Despite this,the core identity of having two teams with class/hero-based characters competing against each other remained from version to version, eventually culminating in the charmingTF2. This then led to the success of the genre, with titles likeOverwatch, Paladins, andValorant.
PUBG: Battlegrounds(formerly known asPlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds) is one of the titans of the battle royale genreand once competed withFortnitefor the crown. Although almost nothing can now compete with the immense popularity ofFortnite,PUBGis still massive in its own right and offers a more realistic setting to shoot at strangers online. It began life as anArma 3mod in 2015 with the original name and has catapulted in success ever since.
PUBGwas recreated using Unreal Engine 4when it became its own standalone game in 2017. Since then, it has received a mobile version, has had numerous collaborations and earned a loyal fan base. Its larger maps, more realistic setting and slower gameplay offer a great alternative to many fast-paced and hectic battle royales out there.
The Stanley Parablecombines charm, wit and excellent story telling to create a truly unique experience. Although its gameplay essentially makes it a glorified walking simulator around an office,its charismatic narrator and the choices offered to the player keep it interesting, no matter what players choose to have Stanley (the protagonist) do. It received an expanded re-imagining with theUltra Deluxeversion released in 2022 and continues to keep players captivated.
The original version of the game was released in 2013, but is a recreation of the 2011 mod forHalf-Life 2. Like the game it was once a mod for,The Stanley Parableuses the Source Engine and does seem to have the charm of a Valve title, even if it was made by the relatively small Galactic Cafe team. It is one of those games that many have heard of, thanks to the number of popular let’s play videos on it, and is well worth checking out if players want a trippy, choice-based story unlike any other.
No More Room in Hell
No More Room In Hell 2is hitting the Steam and Epic stores on Halloween, 2024, with an early access build, but the game series started with humble roots before the studio behind it was acquired by Torn Banner.It began as aHalf-Life 2mod, using the versatile Source Engine to create a unique, eight-player co-op experience. The mod received its own Steam page, becoming a game in its own right.
The original mod was put on Steam in October 2011, and is free-to-play for everyone. It is unique in that it offers a zombie-survival setting with eight player co-op and permadeath. It has earned quite a cult following since its launch, and its sequel will split from itsHalf-Liferoots by moving to Unreal Engine 5. Unlike the first, the sequel will need to be paid for.
Almost anyone who has played a video game has heard ofCounter-Strike.Alongside the likes ofHaloandCall of Duty,Counter-Strikeis one of the most popular FPS games out there, with a strong Esports following and addictive gameplay that has kept players hooked for decades. Unlike other FPS giants,Counter-Strikebegan life as a mod, with its first version stemming from the originalHalf-Life.
DespiteCounter-Strike 2only being recently released, there are actually 10 games in the series in total.
TheCounter-Strikemod was made by Valve, who developedHalf-Life, so the first version of the famous FPS was an official mod, rather than a fan-made one. Still, it captured the attention of players, leading to a franchise that is still going strong to this day.Counter-Strike 2,the series' latest title, launched in September 2023 and has a mighty player count behind it.
It took a while for the MOBA genre to get an official game.DOTAbegan as a mod forWarcraft 3and RTS titles have proved to be a popular choice for multiplayer online battle arena games.Aeons of Strife, the game widely accepted to be the first MOBA, was made as a mod forStarcraft, but the genre didn’t kick off until theDOTAmod forWarcraftwas made into its own title, creatively calledDOTA 2.
The 2021 International DOTA Championships holds the record for the largest prize pool for an Esports tournament at $40,018,400.
AlongsideLeague of Legends, DOTA 2made MOBAs massive.DOTAhas a strong player base with a healthy Esports scene and a Netflix animated series to boot. It is likely one of the most recognizable games that many players know began as a mod and is responsible for making MOBAs what they are today.Without the originalWarcraft 3mod, the genre might have remained in obscurityand would never have allowed for the success ofLoLorDOTA 2, which remains a pillar of its genre likePUBGandCounter-Strike.
