Gameplay modes vs comprehensive mods?

[jefmart1]

Why are there so many "gameplay" mods and hardly any comprehensive mods. And by that I mean mods that add a few things or change a few things about the original game, but are basically the same experience. Versus mods like FFH which change the gameplay experience completely, with different tech, units, wonders, etc.

I'm surprised more people aren't working on those, or maybe they are and they just aren't finishing them...

 

[Refar]

Big mods allow for more freedom - for art and mechanics, so they are naturally popular.
But, there are plenty of mods that add units or art to the base game without changing too many of the mechanics. Some keep it just with art (Bug, the various Diversity ones) some go further adding more units, civs (Wolfshanze, Gold, Amra just to name a few). Then again there are some chanign some mechanics while retaining the feel of the game (DCM)...
Overall there is plenty of everything, so i am not sure what you are talking about.

 

[General Tso]

I'm currently working on a mod that's very slowly approaching beta level and probably fits your description. I call it Civ4 Panzer General. It's a multi-map world war 2 mod. Just combat, no techs, economy, diplomacy, etc. When you are victorious on one map a victory screen appears and the next map loads automatically. Your generals gain experience and move from map to map. Your other units are lost, but you get new units with the next map (some at the beginning of the map, and some later as reinforcements). There are a lot of other changes that I won't bother with here. The mod itself is close to 100% done. The thing that is slowing me down is making the maps - I find it boring. If things go well I might be able to release a beta version in the next month or so.

 

[Wolfshanze]

Jefmart, I'm not sure what you're saying/seeking... do you want MORE mods that CHANGE A LOT (gameplay totally different?), or are you looking for MORE mods that CHANGE VERY LITTLE (other then art and stuff).

My own Wolfshanze Mod is sorta inbetween... it's mostly the same game experience as default Civ4, but with totally new art and a few new units (but most game mechanics/techs are the same). There's plenty of mods out there that make far more drastic changes to the game... I'd say there's plenty of both kinds of mods on the forum (and a good number of those in-between like mine).

 

[Vrenir]

Hephmod is the most comprehensive non-adding mod that I have ever played. It adds no civs or leaders, leaves the tech tree mostly intact, but it enhances a vast number of existing parts like the religions and civics. I suggest you give it a try.

 

[Admiral Armada]

IT sounds like jefmart wants more comprehensive mods, and my view is that by their very nature, they are much larger and more time-consuming endeavors, and so are much less common; if you want more, try making one.

 

[jefmart1]

I do want more comprehensive mods, and I am working on one. I persoanlly like mods with a unique tech tree, civics, units etc. There are lots of time periods historically that haven't been explored, like the Napoleanic era, that this could be done for.

There are also alot of mods that get started and never finish, or never taken to the next level. I know it is time consuming and people lose interest, but it seems like there are a lor of people putting out mods like BUG, DCM, etc (that are cool); but they alter gameplay mechanics rather then the experience.