Hello SnowRunners!
Today we have our first guest for a very special new series of blog posts, where we showcase a new modder every week. We hope you'll all enjoy this insight into modders, their lives, work, and thoughts.
Please welcome Rng3r!
How did you discover SnowRunner? What about it appealed to you?
My discovery of Snowrunner is based on the first game in the series. I've played all the games in the series since then. Snowrunner meets many features that should be in an offroad themed game for me. The main ones are deformable terrain, trucks, off-road vehicles, amazing graphics, challenging but fun missions. The best for me.
How did you get into gaming?
The first game I played when I was a kid, Hard Truck 2. Has anyone been able to pass the places where the helicopter opened fire on your truck on the map or escaped the mines? I played for a long time. Good old days... In the following years, my interest in simulation games increased and I can say that now I only play simulation, except for certain games.
Could you tell us a little bit about your background?
Sure! My name is Yusuf. I live in Turkey. I’m very passionate about design & 3d modeling, and am currently working as a freelancer. I have been interested in 3d modeling as a hobby and freelance for about eight years. All my experience has been gained through research and with very limited opportunities. My goal is to achieve better results and finished products, gain more experience and take part in the games industry in the future. After I started modding in the last year, I can say that my experience has increased 10 times. I even had the opportunity to take part in professional projects. I keep working for the better!
What got you into modding?
It's great that the 3D models you can create can be made functional within the game. Being able to design anything you want and giving it life. For example, the movement of the mudguards, the shaking of the exhaust with the power of the engine and much more. For me, Snowrunner is a great opportunity to gain experience. State-of-the-art game engine, PBR, and gorgeous visuals, that's what impressed me. Currently, I can produce an average of one mod per month from scratch. RNG TX is an example of this. This is great stuff. Some of my friends even think there is a modder team in my house.
Have you modded for any other games?
Years ago, I tried a few mods for Euro Truck Simulator 2. But these are like simple texture replacements or vehicle skins.
What's your favourite SnowRunner mod?
Mercedes-Benz Zetros. It can do almost anything you want in SnowRunner. It has many unique addons, like the radar unit and much more.
What would be your dream change or addition to SnowRunner?
Chassis options like 6x6, 8x8 would be really cool. In my opinion this will be a great experience for both SnowRunner vehicle and modding.
What’s your favorite thing about SnowRunner?
Maybe I could say something about physics or vehicles. However, there is something that has been affecting me since Phase 2. Maps! Developers produce truly breathtaking maps. Sometimes I just stop and watch the view. Especially Canada and the upcoming DON map are my favourites. They have excellent views and the lighting is very good.
What advice would you give to people who would like to get into modding?
In my opinion, the most important criteria in modding is 3d modeling experience. Nowadays, it is possible to access hundreds of content/tutorials on platforms such as Youtube. Don't give up too soon. Ask yourself: can I realistically make it better? If yes, continue. If not, be honest with yourself and start from scratch. The important thing is that you learn how it works and work with passion.
Start with a simple sample. I mean really simple. Creating samples is the best way in my opinion. Thus, you will not waste time and it will be very easy to make changes if there is an issue or you don't like it. If it works without any issue, you can move on to modeling the actual addons/vehicles. Have a roadmap. Modeling your own vehicle from scratch or using a paid/free model.
Do not get excited and pay high prices to random 3d models, this is the biggest mistake. I've seen dozens of examples. You have to consider many criteria in modding. In my opinion, the most important thing is optimization. Make sure that the vehicle (your own, paid, or free model) is suitable for games. Vehicles with millions of polygons are generally suitable for movies, commercials, close renders, etc. Carefully read the modding guides published by the developers. You can find many answers in them. The first days and weeks of modding can be really challenging. There are many things you need to take care of. Don't give up, modding over time will be as simple as pressing a key and turning on the computer. :)
Working on any exciting mod at the moment?
I'm currently working on more than one vehicle right now, However I'm working on a project that will be released very soon and which I call my best mod ever. Oshkosh M-ATV. Called RNG MPV.
So why is it my best mod? Each new mod/3d model gives me different experiences and each new mod is more detailed and better than the previous one. While modeling the M-ATV, I used some new techniques and gathered a ton of detailed information about the vehicle. The most important point for me is the reference pictures. It is very difficult to reach references especially for military vehicles. But Snowrunner is a great game and has a great worldwide community. Thanks to this, I was able to get references with the support of my friends online, some of whom serve in the US Army.
Of course, references or 3d models are not enough to make a good mod. Textures are the element that will determine how the vehicle looks. I was able to use much better texel values with a minimum number of textures. M-ATV is more detailed than many of my other mods. Many details were hand painted. For example rust, scratches, dirt etc. At this point, I tried to do my best by examining the Snowrunner vehicles one by one to get the closest quality to the vehicles in the game.
I believe this is great work. Stay tuned, much more is coming soon.
What’s your all-time favourite real life vehicle? What about SnowRunner vehicle?
Kenworth W900. When I was traveling between cities as a kid, there was a big Mobil Delvac Engine Oils billboard with the W900 image on the road. Whenever I passed that road, I would eagerly wait to see the billboard. It has been my favorite vehicle ever since.
The upcoming Tatra Phoenix for Snowrunner is my absolute favourite. It has unique add-ons and suspension from the vehicles. I always wanted to see European manufacturers in Snowrunner and previous games.
Wildcard Question: Nutella Pizza. Thoughts?
You can't buy happiness. But you can buy Nutella Pizza.