Modding and Unity - Possible?

Ok, I am wanting to create a modifiable game for unity3D however I am not sure if unity would be the best option compared to engines such as UDK and Cryengine 3 which allow you to redistribute their editors.

We just want to release an free user editor alongside our main game as well as expansions (if we make any)

Would this be possible?

or would an separate program need to be written from the ground up just to modify the game?

 

Yes. You can do anything you want in that regard.

 

Short reply: yes you can.

Long reply: definitely possible, but you'll need to build the custom modding tools. Depending on the approach you take, you can either open up the game enough that it's moddable using the Unity editor itself (giving modders as much control as you have), or make it happen ingame (Which should make modding possible on more platforms):

If you go with your own, you can import textures and sounds at runtime from a file path (either local or web!). Two roadbumps you might stumble onto:
1- 3D models. There is a runtime importer available on the Asset Store for static .OBJ files, but none for animated meshes that I know of.
2- Scripts. You'll need to make your own external config/xml files or script interpreter. Again, some solutions exist on the Asset Store namely for lua and python.

Also, unless you encrypt your build somehow, it's entirely possible for someone to decompile your game logic using a .net reflector, so advanced modding/hacking will be 'enabled' that way by default.

 

Ok, a little background behind the project -

We are currently developing it for PC and later on Mac (if the project is successful)

Now if we use Unity pro would that be a problem?

 

Using pro, you may want to look into asset bundles.

 

Yes. But I don't think a modder will want to but UnityPro for 1500 dollars just to mod a game.

 

with unity pro you could develop a c++ plugin to allow the modding to take place.

 

Damn right. I didn't think of that lol.

 

haha. I would really like my games to have modification capabilities, but do not know how to start from it. :/

 

When I have time, I will look into some articles I remember seeing a while ago. They gave some pretty darn good info if I recall.

 

Thankyou. I would like to read them.

 

I too would like to see these articles

 

Same here. When released, I would like to grow my game with a modding community.

 

you know what would be the bomb? have the option to package your game with open resources, then they can edit and compile! (out b4 pros smock at theory)

 

wait do you mean like what the cryengine does with their .pak files you just extract them with winrar or 7zip. Then when you are done you put it back into .pak format?

 

More like all Source games, I'm assuming, which don't package the assets up at all.

 

I can not for the life of me find the articles I remember . Terribly sorry for the false hope guys.

 

If you have Unity pro, perhaps download the C++ fbx sdk.

 

Where is that at?

 

fbx = autodesk proprietary format -> autodesk page

 

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/index?siteID=123112&id=7478532


I would of posted the link, but I had to get the hell out immediately (late for a birthday party).