19 replies to this topic

[taikara]

Modding is a term that applies to both light and deep mods, from case replacement (skinning), to adding LEDs, to hardware upgrades (larger hard drives) to the addition of mod-chips (which often requires soldering, though some new mods are solderless).

Basically, anything that requires you to crack the case is a mod - this does not include simple face plates or external hardware that can simply be plugged into the system to be functional (the exception being anything not necessarily intended on being used with the system, such as the Xbox external hard drive mod listed below).

Some examples of mods:

Llamma's Rockstar Case Mod

Black Chameleon LED XBox360 case

Llamma's External Hard Drive Mod for the 360

Adding Extra Buttons to the 360 Wireless Controller

Various Modchips for the PS2 by DMSTech: with functions including multi-regional encoding playback, unlocking developer functions, etc.

The mods I've listed here are for specific systems, but rest assured, you can find them (or re-create them) for pretty much any system, though some are of course still in development for more recent systems. And there are much more, of course.

[Blood-Pigggy]

Modding the case is one thing, but actually modding the system hardware is a totally different one, and it's not worth the void in warranty, it's there for people who want to mess around with things, just like people who enjoy overclocking their hardware on a PC, but in the long run, it's better to just leave your system alone, and with systems like the 360, PS3, and Wii offering updates and such that improve facets of the system and its games, and even allowing you to download Retro games, which was largely one of the biggest parts in modding a console, so you could play emulated games on your X-Box or PS2, is kinda making it pointless.

[taikara]

Actually, case mods void the warranty as well, which is why full skinning is considered a mod. It just looks so cool though.

Edit: If you've never done it before, I would recommend trying out modding by starting with a used system that you can buy cheaper, or just buying a pre-modded system, some of which come with warranties by the company that performs the pre-mod.

[Blood-Pigggy]

Not if you can just take it off

[DakaSha]

cant vote because none of the answers fit ... i just dont see the point. i buy a console because it pwns from the get go and not because i want to screw around with it.


turn on... game in.... play... turn off

[taikara]

Sorry, I thought I made the fifth option basically what you said - people buy consoles because they don't want to mess with them (and therefore making modding a moot point in console purchase). Isn't that what you're saying?

I mean, the question isn't why people buy consoles, but whether they would want a modded console, and I tried to give a range from a simple yes to no in order to get a more accurate representation as to why modding is or is not a consideration.

I have to say, I think that your reason for it being a moot point is rather limited, though I do agree that some people feel that way. I just also think that more people would consider mod-ability a plus if not for the "risks"  (warranty voiding, screwing up their system) involved - which is why I said that most people aren't into modding due to phobia.

I never said that everyone would want to buy consoles for the sole purpose of modding, but there is a large community of people who would consider that a plus - so, listing mod-ability as a pro or con helps those people decide, and still doesn't affect the people who buy consoles because "[consoles] pwn from the get go and not because [they] want to screw around with it."

[DakaSha]

erm ok

[DeathDude]

I think it's an intriguing idea, I wouldn't mind trying it myself one day, but granted part of the worry is yeah not to screw up the warrenty.

Especially wouldn't mind modding so  for the idea of unlocking region codes, so can try out some of the game that don't make it here to North America, would be nice if developers wouldn't keep locking it out, but I can understand why they would,

[Sinke]

What I wish to say can't be told any other way then frankly and openly. I think I say this for the majority of Balkan region users such as Tulac or Nace. Modchips are very spread in our conutries. They are used for piracy purposes. As you probably know, modchips allow you to play copies of your original games. Or in our case, copies of copies of copies of copies of original games. In other words, we have hundreds of pirates which work quite openly in the field. They even have websites which contain lists of games you can order. Installing modchip is something a freshman of computer science university can do in twenty minutes. They even give assurance that if modchip doesn't work they will install new one free of charge.

Warrenty in our shops last only a year, and majority of people don't care much about it. Government doesn't fight piracy as much as they should , for the simple reason- if they were to fight it, our countries would fall back in Internet education as well as general computer education. I mean, Internet alone is very expensive to some of us. I was in the shop in Bosnia which was selling copied music and they gave me the bill (  I think it showned VAT ).

In other words, the governments here are not much interested in stopping pirates. This will probably change, but since I witnessed pirates selling games in the streets of Italian cities, I guess we are not the worst.

Gaming companies as well don't care much about that. They earn more money in our case with piracy then without it. Without modchips, nobody would buy a console. Those who would buy original games would probably search for used ones, which wouldn't give any money to the companies.

I hope I didn't say something wrong. Afterall, piracy let us be part of gaming community. Without it, we wouldn't even play old games since they are out of stock. Sure, SNES games are great, but they can't be bought anywhere.
Interesting enough, modchips for next-gen are already on the market. I just recieved a note about "viper" modchip for Nintendo wii which allows you to play copies of original games.

Eh, and one another thing- I am very happy that Wii uses this virtual console stuff, altough emulators for Sega Mega Drive which I had on PS2 were great. You didn't have to do anything but to choose the title on the screen. That is why I was sceptical about virtual console stuff, but in any case, I hope Nintendo will earn victory this time.

[A. J. Raffles]

I wouldn't have the technical knowledge to any of this stuff anyway, so no.

[Tom Henrik]

That Black Cameleon LED box looks awesome! I'd want that

[RyGuy]

Sinke, on Nov 23 2006, 04:02 PM, said:

Gaming companies as well don't care much about that. They earn more money in our case with piracy then without it. Without modchips, nobody would buy a console. Those who would buy original games would probably search for used ones, which wouldn't give any money to the companies.

Gaming companies cannot stand piracy. They flip out if release details to an upcoming game are leaked. Back before the whole "modchip" thing, people still bought consoles. As for used games:

Person buys game for $50.
Company makes $50.
Person sells game back for $20.
Company sells game $30.

It's pure profit.

[BeefontheBone]

You're confusing two companies there, though - the publishers only make money on that initial sale, it's retailers who turn a profit on secondhand titles.

[RyGuy]

No I purposely said it like that, for the sake of simplicity.

[Potatoe]

The fifth one doesn't suit me.. Why? I buy consoles to play games that are not out on the PC.