Recently I popped by the mod DB page of a mod team I was asked to join last year. The mod is/was called Mindworld: Shattered Dreams. Moddb.com
If you visit the page you'll find the mod is now cancelled. This really isn't a surprise to me.
The mod leader had lots of enthusiasm, the team seemed skilled and the concept art and music was fantastic.
So what could possibly go wrong?
Well there were tell tale signs this mod was doomed from the start.
1: The mod leader had no programming, mapping or artistic skills.
A typical ideas man, I'll direct everything and you guys do the work. Not great. If the mod leader can't produce a working alpha version of the game off their own back then its a good warning not to get involved.
2: The team didn't actually have a GAME
They had a story, some characters, a look and feel but had never decided what the actual mechanics of the game were. No game = no mod.
Rule number 1, there has to be a game, and it has to be fun to play.
3: They didn't produce a single playable area
Build early, build often. If you're not producing playable content then you're not making any progress.
Sage wisdom/words to develop and mod by :)