Prolific FPS game studio Id Software has finally released the mod tools for 2011’s RAGE. While it was quite a long wait, it looks like it will prove to be worth it. The RAGE Mod Tools are basically the same tools (id Studio) that id Software used to make RAGE and presumably what they’re using to make Doom 4. With these tools you can modify the RAGE game in various ways, including changing weapon functions, making new levels, adding customized elements to the game, character skins and more. Basically, you get to work directly with the ID TECH 5 engine.
While the RAGE Mod Toolkit is free, there is a performance and time cost that will make this tool newbie prohibitive. It’s a 35GB install, and if you install it how id Software recommends, it actually takes up about 43 gigs. While these numbers may see shocking to some, industry veterans know that it’s not uncommon to have a AAA game engine with built in assets go into the dozens of gigabytes. John Carmack, who wrote the ID TECH 5 engine (and all previous id Software engines), gives fair warning to aspiring modders, “The toolkit release is not something that we consider consumer friendly, but it does let you get a look inside the construction process.” He goes on to say, “Doing significant work will require patience, because internally we use a 300 core renderfarm for megatexture creation.”
For many game developers, they got their start in the industry by modding PC games. Heck, a large portion of id Software’s staff came from the (Doom & Quake) modding community, including their studio director Tim Willits. RAGE Mods are already being made, including the first one thats been publicly shown. A rocket turret by modder havok13888.
Check out the first public RAGE Mod below (go fullscreen for larger image)…
As you can see in the video, it’s running quite choppy. As mentioned above, the system requirements for the RAGE Mod Tools are very high. The faster and more beefy your system specs are, the better it will run. havok13888 recorded the video with his iPad because screen capturing would’ve made it even worse. Once he exports the mod, it will run with normal performance in the game.
The RAGE Mod Toolkit is downloadable via Steam in the Tools section.
Now then, who’s gonna make Doom’s E1M1 map for RAGE first?
You can read the RAGE Toolkit FAQ and Getting Started Guide on Bethesda’s blog.