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Mods can be fantastic additions to games. They allow dedicated modders to change games in ways their creators never imagined possible, extending a game's lifespan indefinitely as long as there are people willing to keep coding new adventures. As a result, game developers typically support fan-created content, and Bethesda Studios is particularly well-loved by fans of modded games. It's easy to see why, as their expansive worlds and open-ended games allow for some truly startling innovations and the freedom to create them.

The Fallout community, for instance, has already embraced Bethesda's post-apocalyptic landscape, producing mods that play like entirely different games while they eagerly await the release of Fallout 4. However, some enterprising developers have decided to play with Fallout: New Vegas for just a little longer.

A team of modders, lead by founder Maybenexttime, are developing a Fallout: New Vegas mod called Fallout: The Frontier, complete with a nuclear winter that the developers say will force players to "choose between doing the right thing and trying to survive." These choices will include hunting and trapping out in the snowy landscape, where the weather will be as dangerous as the enemies. Players will have to equip the right gear to survive the harsh winter, and will need to worry about frost-bite while trying to survive the new snow-specific enemies. The weather will be dynamic, too, with Fallout: The Frontier adding things like rain, mist, and falling snow.

Weather dynamics are not the only thing Fallout: The Frontier will look to enhance from the Fallout: New Vegas experience. The mod will also include additions like aerial dogfighting, cryotech weapons, and destructible items to the Fallout game world. That being said, players looking for some classic, by-the-book Fallout will be happy to hear that the developers are also planning on including new vaults. All in all, the developers are estimating that the mod will end up roughly the same size as the entire Mojave Wasteland, which is as ambitious as it is exciting.

Fallout: The Frontier's development comes at an interesting time for the modding scene. While we doubt any of them will release before 2015's end, Bethesda did reveal that Fallout 4 will support mods on PC and Xbox One, and that some are already developing mods for it.

Still, despite the recent hype surrounding the new Boston location for Fallout 4 and the fact that Bethesda literally can't produce Pip-Boy Edition versions anymore, Fallout: The Frontier offers a unique take on the Fallout universe that hasn't really been seen before. Judging from the trailer, those seeking to expand their post-apocalyptic vault dwelling to a more frosty climate will not be disappointed when they get the chance.

Fallout: New Vegas is available now for the PC, PS3, and Xbox 360. Fallout: The Frontier is currently targeting a winter 2015 release.

Source: Kotaku