Thanks for agreeing to chat with us, norskpl! First things first, tell us a little bit about yourself?
Hi, thank you for the opportunity to participate in the interview. My nickname is norskpl and as you can guess from my nickname I am a player and modder from Poland. As for games, I don't have a favorite genre, I like to try everything.
What does your journey into modding look like? Have you always been a gamer?
I have been playing games since I was very young, when I got my first computer. I never owned a console, I have always been and I am on the side of PC Master Race. The first game mods I ever installed in my life were modifications to Grand Theft Auto San Andreas, they were simple character and car model replacements.
Despite the fact that I have never made a single mod for any GTA game, this game series pushed me towards modding, because not long afterwards I got acquainted with the Mafia series, especially with Mafia 2, which I love and still play to this day.
It is probably the only game that I have passed countless times. I really like the driving system and car physics in this game, hence I have made many mods for this game revolving around car themes.
You’ve modded for a variety of games, how do you choose what to play or mod next?
As I mentioned before, I don’t really have a favorite type of game. Instead, I like to explore a wide variety of genres and experiences. I typically play open-world games, as they allow for a lot of freedom and immersion. However, that’s not always the case.
For example, Stray, a linear game caught my interest. It's a shorter game that follows the journey of a cat through a dystopian city, and even though it doesn’t fall into the open-world category, I found it fascinating. The game utilizes an Unreal Engine plugin called Gfur to generate realistic fur on the cat, which is very flexible and allows to make most types of fur into the game. I enjoy spending time in the Unreal Engine editor, experimenting with how the cat's fur looks and reacts to the physics, while I'm creating mods for the game.
I saw your plethora of cat mods for Stray! As a cat owner myself, I have to say I’m impressed - what made you want to take requests?
A lot of people have deep, lasting memories of their pets, and I believe the game Stray provides the perfect narrative to evoke those cherished memories, especially for cat owners.
Playing Stray with a cat mod that resembles your own cat can serve as a unique way to recall fond memories, moments, and adventures you've shared together. The game contains amazingly done animations, so you feel like you are actually controlling your cat.
It's not just about playing a video game, it's a chance to reminisce about your pet, whether they’re still with you or not, through the cat’s behavior and the emotional journey, all while enjoying a thoughtfully developed experience of exploring dystopian city.
So what led to you wanting to mod Black Myth: Wukong?
I'm always on the lookout for new experiences in gaming, and Black Myth: Wukong is a title that really caught my attention.
It’s a challenging game, especially when it comes to the boss fights, which demand skill and strategy. Although it’s not technically in the "souls-like" genre, it incorporates several elements reminiscent of those types of games, such as difficult combat and precise timing, which makes it stand out. In fact, those elements have inspired me to explore the Dark Souls series in the near future, as I’m intrigued by games that offer this level of challenge.
One of the aspects that immediately drew me into Black Myth: Wukong was the design of the main character. He looks incredibly cool and powerful, but I felt like he was missing something that could make him stand out even more, something that would give him an extra edge of craziness. This idea stuck with me and inspired me to start modding the game to bring my vision to life.
Since I had previous experience modding other games that use the Unreal Engine like Stray, Palworld, Hogwarts Legacy or Manor Lords, getting into modding Black Myth: Wukong was really easy. I wanted to add a weapon that would look spectacular and crazy. That’s when I got the idea to add a double-sided lightsaber from the Star Wars series into the game. Its shape and fluid movement fit well with the style of weapons already available in Black Myth: Wukong, and did not require much effort in the form of creating special animations.
The final effect looks amazing, and also sounds like a real lightsaber from Star Wars, as I took the time to refine the mod and add custom attack and hit sounds.
You've said you mostly mod games that use Unreal Engine, is there a game made outside of Unreal Engine that you'd love to be able to mod?
I would love to mod Ghost of Tsushima, but it presents some significant challenges due to the fact that it's built on a custom engine from Sony. Don’t get me wrong, there are some modding tools available for the game, but they are fairly limited in scope. Most of the mods you can create right now are restricted to texture replacement, meaning you can only alter the appearance of existing characters or weapons.
While texture mods can definitely breathe some new life into the visual experience, they don’t let you tap into the full potential of modding, which thrives on pushing the boundaries of what a game can do. I really hope that someone at least will do modding tools like a Blender plugin for importing and exporting models from and to the game.
It’s cool to see that you’ve brought various different IPs into the world of Wukong, what’s been your favourite franchise to bring to the game?
I’ve brought a lot of different models into Black Myth: Wukong, but without a doubt, my favorite series to work with has to be Dragon Ball. There’s just something about seeing Son Goku, one of the most iconic characters in anime history, take on a whole new life within the mythological world of Wukong.
I’ve ported several different Goku models into the game, and even went so far as to create a weapon mod specifically for him. Out of all the characters I’ve experimented with, Goku probably fits the best, and it’s not just because he’s a recognizable figure - it's because his character is deeply rooted in the very same mythology that Black Myth: Wukong is built on.
The connection between Son Goku and the Monkey King, Sun Wukong, is what makes this crossover feel so natural. Goku is directly inspired by the Monkey King, from his journey in Dragon Ball to his personality traits and his abilities. So, bringing Goku into Wukong almost feels like bringing him back to his origins.
It's like merging two different versions of the same mythological figure across two vastly different cultural lenses, one from traditional Chinese folklore, and the other from modern Japanese anime.
Is there anything you’d love to see modded into Black Myth: Wukong?
I’d love to see a model of Sun Wukong based on the 1986 Journey to the West TV series in Black Myth: Wukong. That particular series, starring Liu Xiao Ling Tong as the Monkey King, is legendary in Chinese television history and holds a special place in the hearts of fans of the classic tale.
What makes it so iconic is not just the faithful adaptation of the story, but the incredible costume design and the unforgettable portrayal of Sun Wukong by Liu Xiao Ling Tong. Bringing that specific version of Sun Wukong into Black Myth: Wukong would be a really intriguing and lore-friendly mod. After all, Black Myth: Wukong is deeply rooted in the same mythology that the 1986 series adapted.
Sun Wukong's story is central to both the game and the TV show, so introducing this model would feel like a natural extension of the game’s world. Instead of taking the game in a different direction, this mod would enhance the authenticity and connection to the source material - Chinese mythology.
So, aside from modding, what do you get up to? Any other hobbies?
I really enjoy watching anime and recently I finished watching all the episodes of Shikanoko Nokonoko Koshitantan (English title: My Deer Friend Nokotan).
It’s such a funny and crazy show, and what makes it stand out is its clever use of pop culture references throughout. The humor is quirky, with a lot of random and offbeat moments that kept me laughing, but what really hooked me was how it incorporates subtle nods to other anime, games, movies, and even internet culture.
Every episode feels like an Easter egg hunt, where you can catch all these little references to things you already love. I recommend checking out this anime.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with us today, or any shoutouts you’d like to make?
I would like to give a huge thank you to all the people who work tirelessly to create the tools that make game modding possible.
Without the countless tutorials, guides, and the amazing modding tools developed by the community, I wouldn’t be able to create mods for games. For anyone interested in getting started with modding Unreal Engine games, I highly recommend checking out the following resources:
https://github.com/Dmgvol/UE_Modding
https://github.com/Buckminsterfullerene02/UE-Modding-Tools
These links contain invaluable information and tools that can help you learn how to create mods for Unreal Engine-based games. They offer tutorials on how to explore and edit game assets, along with everything you need to know to start your modding journey.
As for me, I’m really looking forward to modding more games on Unreal Engine, especially with Silent Hill 2 coming up in October. Although I’ve never played games from the Silent Hill series before, I’m excited to dive into the world of survival horror.
The Unreal Engine remake of Silent Hill 2 will be the perfect opportunity to not only experience the series for the first time but also to experiment with mods and add my own creative spin to the game. I already have a few ideas brewing, and I can’t wait to get started on those once the game releases. It’ll be interesting to see how the atmosphere and psychological elements of Silent Hill can be reimagined through modding.
Thank you so much again to norskpl for taking the time to chat! Do check out their mods, and as always if you have any recommendations for future interviews, send SlugGirl a message or leave a comment below!
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A moderator has closed this comment topic for the time beingI just had to share that. Carry on.
in my language "Norsk" means norwegian, so i didnt guess correctly
there's a someone already know the method, but it's just money they want