Forts Modder Showcase: Birdie's GUNS by SamsterBirdies

This Month's Spotlight: Birdies' GUNS

(by SamsterBirdies)

[dynamiclink href="https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1630215768"]

Birdies' GUNS is a massive weapon expansion built for players who like to push Forts a little (or a lot) past the sensible limit. Adding 50+ weapons and variants, it leans fully into experimentation.

From upside-down guns and sky-raining mortars to beam weapons, drones, helicopters and quite frankly irresponsible amounts of explosives, the mod encourages creative builds and unpredictable battles. It also plays nicely with a wide range of popular mods (that you'll hopefully see here soon)!

A chat with SamsterBirdies:

I like gaming (ofc), ASMR, anime and VN’s. I like creating things, and dabble in a lot of random subjects that I happen to currently be interested in. Whether it be trying to make content for a game, coding something, recording/creating sounds, digital art, music, etc.

Q: What inspired you to start working on Birdies' GUNS, in the first place?

I used to sketch up my own fictional weapons instead of paying attention in class. After playing with weapon mods like “ Tanya’s Mod ” and “ What are Tiers? ” I realized that it was possible to bring them to life. When Extra Stuff++ came out, it was the final straw before I decided to try my hand at making a weapons pack. After releasing it, I got some 1v1's with The Mighty Cat (creator of Extra Stuff++) where he used his mod’s weapons, and I used my own.

Q: How long has the project been in development, and what was the biggest technical hurdle?

The initial Jan 20, 2019 release was at most 4-5 days. However, it has taken years to get to its current form. The biggest technical hurdle was that I didn’t yet know how to make mods or really any basics of programming. I had to learn while developing the mod (don’t look at the code guys, it frightens me). The modding channel of the Forts Discord had been invaluable to helping me get the mod working, thanks guys.

Q: If you could go back and give yourself, or a budding modder, one piece of advice at the start of this project, what would it be?

For a pack like this, the most important thing is putting extra time into designing the mechanics for each weapon. What new gameplay does it bring to the table? What makes it fun? What makes it unique? And so on. Some of my weapons were not well thought out, and this makes balancing them or making them fun difficult.

Q: Do you have a favorite weapon or feature in the mod? Why that one?

That’s a tough pick. I may have to go with the drunk laser. All projectiles that pass through it start circling like swarms that were hit by an EMP. They also accelerate, and the impact beam will free them from circling for some cool trickshots. It's pure chaos.

Q: What’s something this project taught you about modding or game design?

It was the start of teaching me everything about it really.

Q: The Forts Community can be pretty passionate, what kind of feedback has meant the most to you personally?

I appreciate the kind feedback. It's very encouraging to continue developing mods for this game. I also appreciate when someone tells me that there is something wrong so that I can get it fixed, though sometimes it's difficult to pinpoint unless more information is given.

Q: Are there any features or experimental ideas you’ve been itching to try?

I really want to make some nice looking environments, as well as a mod to add some visual flair to maps.. I'm also itching to try making a campaign. It’s a part of the Forts workshop that has been barely touched on. No promises with either of these though.

Thank you so much to SamsterBirdies' for not only providing the community with a wide-range of workshop items, but also for being willing to join the showcase and collaborate with EWG in so many different ways!

Condensed Birdies' GUNS Resources:

[dynamiclink href="https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1630215768&searchtext=birdies"] GitHub | Website | Freesound | Workshop | Support SamsterBirdies

Our modders create and maintain their projects in their spare time, purely out of love for the game. If you enjoy what they've built, consider supporting them directly through a kind comment, commending their mod on the workshop or contributing to their Patreon/Ko-Fi/Support Page above.

Join the Conversation:

You can find more community creations, or share your own, on the Official Forts Discord.

Steam post image(Check out the new #mod-wall-of-fame channel, under the 'Announcements' category, where we'll archive each feature and prominent Forts Modders.)

To be featured in the Forts Modder Showcase you need to:

• Have been awarded the Modder Medal

• Answer a Q&A and collaborate in good-faith

• Provide gifs/clips or images that best showcase your creations

To start things off, we're featuring a few selected mods that have made a big impact on the community. In the future, we'll open the floor for modders to reach out and put their creations forward!

A Note from the Team:

The modding scene is one of the best parts of this community. Every map, every mechanic, every idea adds something new to Forts, and we're beyond grateful for the passion you all bring to the game. For that reason, we urge you all to help us celebrate every small victory so that we can all benefit from our shared passion for Forts for many more years to come!

Cheers, EWG