Help with getting started for modding

[perfecttangent]

Hi, old fan of the games and supper appreciative of what you all do here!  I'd like to try my hand at some modding but don't know where to start.  Specifically with TFTD, I've always been irritated that you can't use lasers under water.  I suppose that was an effort to drive you towards Gauss in the base game, as lasers weren't even a thing in the sequel, but, well, lasers DO work underwater and blue/green lasers are a thing.  Anyway, I'd like to be able to mod game files but don't know what software or tools to use.  Everything I've seen in the getting started section on modding was primarily about game images and textures.

I know some python, and my turbo pascal is suuuuuuuper rusty (likely gone completely from my brain).  I'm basically technologically inept at this point in my life.  Any help would be appreciated, thanks!

[Solarius Scorch]

Hi! It's a pretty broad question to answer specifically, but I guess the way to go is:

1. Get The Bible.
2. Find a mod which does a similar thing (like for example adding new weapons).
3. Ask people questions.

Regarding your specific idea: if you want to introduce a completely new damage type (like laser damage in TFTD), then you'll need the OXCE fork (which is used by most big mods anyway). If you want to stick with OXC, you'll have to do some gymnastics, like for example changing Gauss weapons to AP damage (same as darts) and using the Gauss damage type for your new lasers.

[perfecttangent]

Thanks, I'll start there.