Modding for newbies / first time modder?

[Rousel]

Hello there!

Well, I've been on here a little while and I've been playing Rimworlds since it was first released on Kickstarter, I'm loving all the community are doing and well, I want to get involved, when I'm not working I play Rimworlds.. I even dream of it, damn potatoes! (I don't really dream about Rimworlds.. not often, any way.)

So I'm starting to look into the modding, even currently doing the tutorials on the wiki right now, but as I'm doing this, I want to do it the right way so that my skills as a whole can develop.

Now I've never done any modding what so ever, I've altered a few number here and there (Yeah, my Ironweed spits out like 2000 iron a go.. <.< So what, I'm a cheat.) and well, I'm a bit baffled, I've never done any thing with art resources so I'm finding my self a bit confused.

What I'm wondering on is well, creating the art, what is a good program to use? I'm using Windows Art and well, I'm a complete noob at it, I'm looking for maybe a guide on making art resources, I know they have to be 64x64 pixels, and there has to be two files for the actual asset and then the menu asset, sure.

So I can learn about the text part, but can some one help me on the creating the art resource? maybe a guide and a few links to good free tools? I'm using Notepad++ for the text part of modding.

[Crimsonknight3]

Well I am just learning aswell, the graphics bit is quite easy, just trial and error. I use GIMP as it is free. As for the art I find a good way to try things out is to get a picture of what you want to make off google, scale the image down to 128x*** pixels or so (or 64x** if it is simple) and then zoom out and see what it looks like, then edit it and keep zooming out until it looks how you want and that process can help you learn pixel art better. I have only played with textures from the clutter mod and added in my own micro pixel art... like 10x10 pixel aloe vera plant or a pencil or a lava lamp... but just messing around really helps teach you! Also the items aren't necessarily always 64x64, it depends on what the items size is... Floor textures are 1024x1024 from the ones I have looked at, and things like a 2x1 table the texture is 128x64, so just assume that one game "block" is 64x64. Also icons for items are 64x64 Just look at other peoples works

The .xml edits for simple items is very simple and easy. I don't fully understand it yet but if you look at other peoples mods it becomes clear. As for more complicated mods with custom assemblies I don't know... haha

I think the best thing any aspiring modder can do is look at other peoples mods, look at their textures all zoomed in and up close, examine the xmls for all kinds of items and what-not and compare them, figure out what each piece does and then start changing things to see what you can do. It's a lot easier and more motivating to learn by doing rather than by reading lots of guides -- Thats where I went wrong when I was trying to add something to buildcraft - a minecraft mod... I spent so much time reading up on HOW to mod, I ended up losing motivation and never did it in the end

These are all just my personal opinions on what works for me, everyone is different but it's always worth a shot