What exactly makes a "Total Conversion" Thread

I was thinking the other day that I really don't know what would constitute as a "Total Conversion" instead of just a "Modification". Some things are obvious, like if the gameplay is identitcal to the original and the only change is that the mod has a different interface.

But what really makes a game a TC? Is it anytime you change the genre? Or is it totally subjective? What are some examples of true TCs? It seems like a lot of mods say they are a TC when it doesn't seem the title is deserved. I'm just curious because once I start working on my mod I wanna know if I can get away with calling it a TC - because it sounds more impressive.

Discuss! Thanks.

Bojingo
Lead Developer of TBA HL2 Modification (or TC?)

Total conversions make a completely new game out of the games engine.

They redo the models, sounds, story line etc. However I think the most important thing to declare something a total conversion is that it has complety new single and multiplayer maps and campaigns.

Models, maps, sounds, nothing from the original game can be used. The code can, obviously, but must be modified in some way. At least I think so.

That is what I always thought. The thing is that by that definition you could pretty much think of Half Life as a total conversion of Quake II. HL uses the Quake II engine and built a whole new game around it after all. Is the distinction only in the fact that Valve payed the full lisense versus modders who just use the provided SDK?

So really any commercial game based on another engine is a TC?

Bojingo
Lead Developer of TBA HL2 Modification (or TC?)

I don't think so, no, although I don't know the specifics regarding the birth of HL. The engine itself is not a game. First, ID made the engine, then they used it to make Quake II. Valve didn't buy Quake II, they bought the engine.

- Edited By froberg On Wed 7th, Jul 2004 @ 10:04:12pm

Half-Life is not a Quake 2 engined game. It's using a modified version of Quake 1 engine.

With some networking code from Quake 2 i think

As stated by the Quake Wiki:
"Half-Life: Valve (1998, mix engine, q1&q2)"

Anyway, a TC is basically a whole new game just running on the game's engine, not its gameplay content. Most real TC's have around 90% new content, sometimes they just use textures or small models from the original game. Please note though, a TC is an awful lot of work. It would take you at least a year to get a fully working TC released.

I'm working on a TC, and it primarily involves replacing resources and strings with new ones. Mind you, this is for an eight-year old game without an SDK.

i hate TCs.... Total Annihilation(my favorite game) needs Core Contingicy for some mods and most races.....hmm but i can make a TC and say screw it all..... should i make a TC

examples:
-HL
Team fortess classic
Counter strike
Natural selection
-quake(that I know of)
Battle mech (stand alone)

um, brain fart. I lost my train of thought...