Read This Before You Ask For Help Learning To Mod:

[tehMugwump]

It's great that you love Don't Starve and you, too, want to be a 'modder'.  So, where do you start?  

 

Honestly, there is no simple guide to modding most things.  It's usually trial and error, even if you know what you're doing.

 

There are dozens of types of mods, so you'd need many tutorials to cover them all.  It's just not practical for every possible mod variation.  Fact is, even to follow a tutorial, you'll have to know your way around LUA coding.

 

So, you have to be a bit of a self-starter.  How do you do that?  Read on:

 

Do's and Don't's of getting started:

 

Do:

• Do dig into existing mods that do something similar to what you're after.
  
• Do check out the game's Lua files (best to use a free program like NotePad++) for actual game mechanics.
  
• Do learn how they actually function and then you can take baby steps to creating your own. 
  
• Do search the net and learn the basics of LUA coding
  
• Do, then, apply that knowledge to don't starve modding.
  
• Do check the existing Tutorial list below to help you get started. 
  
• Do come back to the forum and ask for help when you've hit a stumbling block.  Many people will be willing to help someone who's put forth the basic effort up front and just needs a bit of help here and there.
  

 

Don't:

• Don't start a thread asking for someone to 'show you how to mod'.  At best, you'll just be pointed to this thread.  At worst, you'll be given a wedgie and sent on your way.
  

 

No simple road, I'm afraid.  The hard truth is, you're going to have to learn some basic coding on your own (LUA in this case), then apply that knowledge to don't starve modding.  Do a Google search on "learning LUA" to get started.  Plenty of sites out there on the subject.

 

Now, you may very well find that coding/modding is simply over your head. It's really the select few that really excel at it. All hope is not lost though. You can always start a 'request' thread.  You may get lucky and find someone who wants to make your mod a reality.

[TheDanaAddams]

Great post, and one that I feel has definitely been needed for a while...

 

That said, though, I feel that this is also a great place to compile a list of existing tutorials, because there are some great ones out there to help you get started with something specific. And if someone comes to this thread, the tutorials would be a great next step.

 

There are probably more than this, but these are the ones that I know of:

 

Custom Character creation: http://forums.kleientertainment.com/index.php?/topic/27341-tutorial-the-artists-guide-to-characteritem-modding/

 

Using Spriter: http://forums.kleientertainment.com/index.php?/topic/27729-animation-nation/page-3#entry323076

(Not quite a tutorial, but a walkthrough of the software that could be helpful, nonetheless.)

 

Sound Modding: http://forums.kleientertainment.com/index.php?/topic/27721-sound-mod-tutorial/

 

Modding a Character's Sounds, Specifically: http://forums.kleientertainment.com/index.php?/topic/27803-tutorial-adding-custom-sound-to-your-custom-character/

 

Creature Mods: http://forums.kleientertainment.com/index.php?/topic/27509-creature-mod-tutorials/#entry318339

[Neosaurus]

Thanks! I feel also this has been needed .-.

[Heavenfall]

I feel like it should be noted somewhere in this post that the game's mechanics can be found almost in their complete form in the game's directory in readable .lua files. A lot of what we do as modders is emulate behaviour found in those files.

[RCatta]

  Fact is, even to follow a tutorial, you'll have to know your way around LUA coding.

 

 

 

 

I don't necessarily think you should know lua coding to mod in lua.

 

I've never heard of lua nor ever worked in it before doing my WX mod. What you really need is some Object Oriented Programming(OOP) knowledge and you'll be fine.

 

Other than that , you're exactly right.

[Heavenfall]

Thanks, I'll clarify bullet number one that tells them to look at other mods.  I'll add info about the readable LUA files.  Your post helps clarify that as well.

 

I think you missed my point. I wasn't talking about mods; an excellent source for information is the game's own Lua files that contain most of the game mechanics.

[simplex]

I agree with @Heavenfall. Taking a look at mods with similar functionality is convenient, since it points more clearly in the right direction, but the game's scripts are the reference material.

[goldfish911]

there needs to be some disassembly of files, as in someone provides an annotated example of houndbrain.lua showing what each line of code/function does.