Journey to the West – norskpl at Fallout New Vegas

If you’ve been playing and modding the incredible Black Myth: Wukong, chances are you’ve come across today’s interviewee: norskpl. Whether it’s adding character skins or transforming our monkey protagonist’s iconic weapon, there’s plenty to talk about, so let’s get right into it!

Thanks for chatting with us, norskpl! First of all, tell us a little bit about yourself?

Hi, thanks 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. When it comes to 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’ve been playing games since I was very young, when I got my first computer. I’ve never had a console, I’ve always had a console and I’m on the PC Master Race side. 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.

Although I have never made a mod for a GTA game, this game series did get me into modding. Not long after that I was introduced to the Mafia series, specifically Mafia 2. I love it and still play it to this day.

It’s probably the only game I’ve played countless times. I really like the driving system and car physics in this game, so I’ve made a lot of mods for this game that revolve around car themes.

You’ve modded for several games. How do you decide what to play or mod next?

As I said before, I don’t really have a favorite type of game. Instead, I like to explore a wide range of genres and experiences. I usually play open-world games, because they offer 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 a cat’s journey through a dystopian city, and while it doesn’t fall into the open-world category, I found it fascinating. The game uses an Unreal Engine plugin called Gfur to generate realistic fur on the cat, which is very flexible and allows for the creation of most types of fur in the game. I enjoy spending time in the Unreal Engine editor, experimenting with how the cat’s fur looks and reacts to physics, while 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?

Many people have deep, lasting memories of their pets and I believe the game Stray is the perfect story to evoke those precious memories, especially for cat owners.

Playing Stray with a cat mod that looks like your own cat can serve as a unique way to recall fond memories, moments and adventures that you have shared together. The game features amazingly crafted animations, so it feels like you are actually controlling your cat.

It’s not just about playing a video game, it’s also a chance to reminisce about your pet, whether they’re still with you or not, through the cat’s behavior and the emotional journey it takes you through, all while enjoying a carefully crafted experience exploring a dystopian city.

What made you decide to start modding Black Myth: Wukong?

I’m always looking 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 require skill and strategy. While it doesn’t technically fall into the “souls-like” genre, it has several elements reminiscent of those types of games, such as difficult fights 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 attracted me to 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 would 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 already had experience with modding other games using the Unreal Engine, such as Stray, Palworld, Hogwarts Legacy or Manor Lords, it was very easy to mod Black Myth: Wukong. I wanted to add a weapon that would look spectacular and crazy. Then I had the idea to add a double-sided lightsaber from the Star Wars series to the game. Its shape and fluid movement fit well with the style of the weapons already available in Black Myth: Wukong, and did not require much effort in terms of creating special animations.

The final effect looks amazing and sounds like a real Star Wars lightsaber. I took the time to refine the mod and added custom attack and hit sounds.

You’ve said that you primarily mod games that use the Unreal Engine. Is there a game made outside of the Unreal Engine that you’d like to mod?

I would love to mod Ghost of Tsushima, but it presents some significant challenges since it is 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 mods you can make right now are limited to texture replacement, meaning you can only change the appearance of existing characters or weapons.

While texture mods can certainly breathe some 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 will at least create modding tools like a Blender plugin for importing and exporting models to and from the game.

It’s cool to see that you’ve brought different IPs into the world of Wukong. What’s your favorite franchise that you’ve brought into the game?

I’ve brought a lot of different models into Black Myth: Wukong, but without a doubt my favorite series to work with is Dragon Ball. There’s just something special about seeing Son Goku, one of the most iconic characters in anime history, take on a whole new life in the mythological world of Wukong.

I’ve ported several Goku models into the game, and even went so far as to create a weapon mod specifically for him. Of all the characters I’ve experimented with, Goku probably fits the bill the best, and that’s not just because he’s a recognizable figure – it’s also because his character is deeply rooted in the same mythology that Black Myth: Wukong is built upon.

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 abilities. So bringing Goku into Wukong almost feels like taking him back to his roots.

It’s like merging two different versions of the same mythological figure, viewed from two completely different cultural perspectives: one from traditional Chinese folklore and the other from modern Japanese anime.

Is there anything you would like to see in Black Myth: Wukong?

I would 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 story.

What makes it so iconic isn’t just the faithful adaptation of the story, but also the incredible costume design and unforgettable portrayal of Sun Wukong by Liu Xiao Ling Tong. Bringing that specific version of Sun Wukong into Black Myth: Wukong would be a truly intriguing and lore-friendly mod. After all, Black Myth: Wukong is deeply rooted in the same mythology that inspired the 1986 series.

Sun Wukong’s story is central to both the game and the TV show, so introducing this mod would feel like a natural extension of the game’s world. Rather than taking the game in a different direction, this mod would reinforce its authenticity and connection to the source material – Chinese mythology.

So, what do you do besides modding? Do you have any other hobbies?

I really enjoy watching anime and recently I watched all the episodes of Shikanoko Nokonoko Koshitantan (English title: My Deer Friend Nokotan).
It’s such a funny and wacky show, and what sets it apart is its clever use of pop culture references. The humor is quirky, with plenty of random and offbeat moments that kept me laughing, but what really appealed to me was how it incorporated subtle nods to other anime, games, movies, and even internet culture.

Every episode feels like an easter egg hunt, where you can find all those little references to things you already like. I recommend you watch this anime.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with us today, or anything special you’d like to tell us?

I would like to express my deepest gratitude to all the people who work tirelessly to create the tools that make game modding possible.
Without the countless tutorials, guides, and the awesome 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 begin your modding journey.

For me, I’m really looking forward to modding more games on Unreal Engine, especially with Silent Hill 2 coming out in October. Although I’ve never played any games from the Silent Hill series, 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 put my own creative spin on the game. I already have a few ideas in the works and I can’t wait to get started on them once the game is released. It will be interesting to see how the atmosphere and psychological elements of Silent Hill can be reshaped through modding.

Thanks again norskpl for taking the time to chat! Check out their mods and if you have any recommendations for future interviews, send SlugGirl a message or leave a comment below!