List of Essential Mods

[Circa]

Okay guys, this needs to happen and be regularly curated. A big list of essential mods for both Jedi Outcast and Jedi Academy. I'm going to make a page here on JKHub that will split into the two games, and then split into 2 more sections: singleplayer and multiplayer.

 

Things like texture enhancements, model enhancements, improvments to SP, maps, etc.

 

Post what you think are essential for any new player to have in their base folder.

 

I'll list some things as optional, such as code mods. I'm hesitant to include those just because they can break things and change the game drastically. They will be listed though.

 

I already have a list of some MP mods and Star Wars character models, so those should be covered, but feel free to post more.

 

Make sure to list both JKA and JK2 mods and state which they are for, SP or MP or both.

[Futuza]

If such a thing were done, what might be neat is a tool that downloads all the essential mods in the list off of jkhub and installs them for you.  Kinda like how ninite works.

[Circa]

Would be cool, but I personally would hate that. I want to be able to pick and choose what I want.

[Onysfx]

I'll list a few:

 

-Moviebattles II (one of the best conversion mods there is)

-Ingame Server List (very useful so you don't have to leave your current game to see the list of servers)

-Jedi & Sith Customization (A well known customization pack for customizing your own jedi/sith.

-Atlantica (one of the biggest and best maps to ever be made for JKA)

 

More to come, busy for a few hours.

[Futuza]

Would be cool, but I personally would hate that. I want to be able to pick and choose what I want.

Ninite has a checkbox for each item you want it to include.

[Clan FJA]

We need to make several categories.

I think a "skin category" is pointless, except maybe for the spanki jedi pack. There is already the jkhub section dedicated to skins and players models. People can use the search bar.

 

For maps, it is the same problem : what can be considered as an "essential" map ? Only the base maps are essentials.

If you want to list all good maps, there are too many, and people will want to see their prefered map in the last. How to place a border between a "very good map" and a "good map". There is no map that was extremely used, only the base maps.

 

We can make 6 categories :

- SP "vanilla" mods : mods for SP which doesn't alter deeply the game (enhanced textures, ingame saber select, ingame skin select...)

- SP other mods : mods for SP who alter the story or the gameplay, or which are new campaigns (Dark side SP, Dark Force Mod, ...)

 

- MP "vanilla" mods : mods for MP which doesn't alter the gameplay (Ingame server list, HQ chat icons, skins, enhanced textures, OpenJK...) (= client side only)

- MP gameplay mods : MBII, OJP Enhanced, Japlus, Lugormod, ...

- MP "dual sides" mods : mods which requires to be on the serverside too : Sabers packs, some nice maps, ...

 

(- MP Server mods : Some mods dedicated to the serverside for security or better functions (Openjkded, ... ) )

[Circa]

Yes. As I said, I will be breaking them down in categories.

 

And sure, people can use the search bar. But how would they know which is the best? There are tons of Darth Vader models, yet Toshi's is clearly the best. This list will make it easy for newcomers to see the best Star Wars models and skins.

 

And yes, there are a lot of maps, but there are a few that are used on a lot of servers, such as Jedi's Home, Sith Council, etc. Will probably have those, along with some good Star Wars maps from the films. These are things that newcomers would want to see and use on their servers, I'm sure. 

[Barricade24]

You mean something like this:

 

https://jkhub.org/topic/4883-the-definitive-best-of-the-best-character-weapon-and-vehicle-guide/

[Circa]

You mean something like this:

 

https://jkhub.org/topic/4883-the-definitive-best-of-the-best-character-weapon-and-vehicle-guide/

Yes, but finished and main characters for the models (mostly).

 

But more focus on mods that are (semi) essential for players, like HQ fonts and textures, etc. One could argue that the player models aren't really essential.

 

inb4 no mod is essential

[Barricade24]

Yes, but finished and main characters for the models (mostly).

 

But more focus on mods that are (semi) essential for players, like HQ fonts and textures, etc. One could argue that the player models aren't really essential.

 

inb4 no mod is essential

 

nO mOd eS eSsEntial

 

k rAnT oVah

[eezstreet]

Arguably, QEffects Pro could be considered "essential" to some users (I certainly don't).

 

@@Botdra's improved levelshots are good.

 

OpenJK is mandatory for SP, and highly recommended for multiplayer.

 

JA++ is a vastly improved JA+. jaMME is the essential video editing mod.

 

I would consider Hapslash's imperials and DT85's stormtrooper replacer to be mandatory.

[DrXann]

Ultimate Weapons for Jedi Outcast and Academy if you want fancy weapons and effects.

[Merek]

I'd write a list of essential mods for JK2/JKA but I doubt I would ever complete it .. (Ya know, too many to list)

 

I'll give it my best shot tomorrow...

[Futuza]

 

For maps, it is the same problem : what can be considered as an "essential" map ? Only the base maps are essentials.

If you want to list all good maps, there are too many, and people will want to see their prefered map in the last. How to place a border between a "very good map" and a "good map". There is no map that was extremely used, only the base maps.

 

Through voting (forum polls) or other statistical measurements.

 

Also I think the extra maps Raven released should be considered essential maps.

[Raz0r]

It's a touchy subject, trying to draw a line that changes "you made a good mod" to "your mod isn't good enough to be considered essential".

The seemingly objectively-better mods like "HD Texture Overhaul" are entirely subjective - I dislike it (for MP) and am making my own. How do we know if that mod is essential or not? If we consider it non-essential, what is the exact criteria for that?

If your answer is "it's a case by case basis" then you're likely to take some executive action and make the decision as staff/the list curator and then it becomes "My Favourite Mods For Laser Sword Battles".

 

What I'm getting at here is that this list needs to be short. Like very short. Essential, not cool or handy - cool and handy are optional, that's an antonym of essential.

A better option would be layers of necessity.

 

Some mods that come to mind for the essential list: Patch 1.01 for JA or 1.04 for JK2, OpenJK, JK2 model + taunt restorals

Second layer: HQ fonts, Raven bonus maps

Third layer: Canon player models of movie characters, etc.

 

I have a huge problem with endorsing a list like that, and it is entirely related to quality control.

Some of those mods are made fucking terribly and annoyingly. Why should a player model be changing around the menu translation files to change the name of "Lightsaber"? Where did this saber collision EFX mod come from? Why is my console filled with errors?

I think it's necessary to dissect any mod that is put forth as "essential" and point people to the cleaned up/fixed version. One of the reasons I stopped using so many mods back in the day was because my console was being spammed with error messages and I couldn't filter out messages I should have paid attention to. pls 2 more quality control.

[Circa]

Right. I don't plan on listing a bunch of random mods that people post here. I just wanted to know what people thought as "essential"

 

I suppose we could call it a "getting started" list or JKHub Starter Pack or something along those lines.

[Darth Martyr]

Some mods that come to mind for the essential list: Patch 1.01 for JA or 1.04 for JK2, OpenJK, JK2 model + taunt restorals

Just my little two cents here, It's a toss up for me on whether I agree that the official patches should be "essential."  Whereas updating the game changes your list of available servers to join and can damage different communities in older versions by helping people bypass the chance to play with those previous versions, I may have to disagree with including these patches.  

 

But then there's the point that some mods are incompatible with older versions of the two games.....

Like I said, it's a toss up, but it's something to consider I suppose.    

 

In my opinion, the JK2MV Project should be an essential for Outcast because it supports these older versions as well as the latest.

[Circa]

Was thinking about that as well. The whole JK2 version situation is a conundrum indeed. The community is split. If you don't have the same version as a server, you can't join it without JK2MV.

 

That may be something I'll have to clarify when listing them. The 1.04 (or 1.05 for Mac) patch is essential for SP, but any new player should probably use JK2MV if they plan on playing any MP. Otherwise they'll be trying to join servers all day getting the protocol error and getting lucky when they find the version they're using, which is most likely 1.04/05 from Steam.

 

But yes, JK2MV will be in there.

[eezstreet]

https://jkhub.org/files/file/2051-fixed-vchat/

 

Also kind of essential, imo.