I've always been fairly good at understanding technical jargon, but I haven't really had the opportunity to learn any programming other than what I've picked up from tutorials whilst modding various games. But I'm at a point where I would like to actually learn more about game modding- and programming- more in depth. I bounce around from game to game, the general process for modding changing drastically and leaving me helpless until I learn enough to not break something. But I figure that most of these games must have common ground; they must should all share common factors that, if I learned about them, I would be able to pick up modding much quicker.
So my question would be: Is there any one thing I should learn to be better equipped at modding game, or is it just something that people pick up and run with?