What if i wanted to learn how to mod games

[XxstonyxX]

So i been wondering If i could do it .... If i can make mods for games i have like programs ( save edit ) and ect....i alway wanted to try something new , if i self taught myself on how to edit and use Photoshop and AE.

where would i go or what would i download ( up to date )

i want to help as well for the community and now just sit here , i want to learn it :)

[TheBartFoundation]

For starters:
You'd have to figure out what game you want to mod.
You'd have to figure out if you want to mod it(texture replacements, etc) or hack it(gameplay changes, etc). Looks like you want to mod it first.
You'd have to get a JTAG if you want to mod on the 360.
Do a lot of reading up as well on the file types and how you can edit them. I'd start off with something that has a quite a big modding scene, Skyrim. I myself mod WWE '13(texture mods, hack and do tools now as well, I've got the entire scene covered :P)

[IhazEvily]

Modding is fun. PC games are usually easiest, due to fast access to the game's files. Although, I remember on xbox 1, that if you were able to FTP to it, it's about as easy. Then the diffficulty lies in what you're able to do. Skinning halo2 maps, and playing/modding halo 1 and 2 were some of the best years of my life. I could only do simple stuff, though, so I mostly kept to skinning.

Skinning is just as good though, I also remember making textures that made everything look fuzzy, :)))

[Emerald Lance]

It depends on whether you want to mod the game itself or just the save. If you want to mod the game itself, TheBartFoundation has the right idea. I'd also suggest checking out the console modding forum (http://www.360haven.com/forums/21-xbox-360-xdk-jtag-rgh-modding/). Other than that, I can't help you on this front; console modding is beyond my expertise.

If you want to mod saves (which is the prevalent form of 360 modding) then the whole process is much easier. You will need a hex editor; if you don't mind dropping some change, Hex Workshop is easily the way to go, otherwise HxD is probably the nicest free alternative. You should first learn how to mod games with just a hex editor, as when writing the code for a program you need to tell it what to do and where to do it. You can find some nice info on that in the save modding forum (http://www.360haven.com/forums/16-xbox-360-modding/).

Once you're ready to actually start writing save editors, you'll need to decide on a programming language. 360 Haven allows its members access to PackageIO, which streamlines the editor creation process and makes everything much easier for beginners (can be found here: http://www.360haven.com/?pageid=PackageIO). PackageIO supports VB.NET and C#, which are the two most popular languages to write editors in. However, any current language can be used to create an editor (just PackageIO only supports VB.NET and C#, so it's suggested that you start with one of those).

Whether you decide to mod the games or their saves, these will probably be the most useful threads to study up on:
http://www.360haven.com/forums/threads/1588-introduction-to-hexing-programming-and-game-modding/,
http://www.360haven.com/forums/threads/27301-%5Btutorial%5D-newbie-guide-basic-hex-editing/.

Good luck, and don't be afraid to ask for help. It's what we're here for. ;)