11 replies to this topic

[erehwonnz]

A few words of introduction, so bear with me!

Before the release of Skyrim, I'd never heard of modding or the Nexus. How much I've learned since November!

I've been awed by the creative content this community produces again and again. Your imagination has enriched the world of Skyrim for me, and I'm grateful. And curious. As an endlessly curious person, I'm lucky to be in a field that allows me to explore what I enjoy, to think about spaces in which I get to play. So, as a relative newcomer here, I'm asking y'all, modders or users of mods, to consider modding with me.

Studies suggest that gaming helps us learn and share as communities while encouraging technical know-how online. So I've a quick 5-question survey for anyone who is willing to contribute to my geeky academic musings. I'd also like to pose some questions for you to consider in this thread.

A survey for modding folks!

And some question to mull over in this thread:

• What motivates you to mod (and learn the technical process of modding), to download mods (and learn how to use/troubleshoot them), and participate in the Nexus?
• How did you learn to mod or use mods? What role has the Nexus community played in that learning?
• What can people outside the Nexus learn (skills, approaches to the internet, working in online communities) from what goes on on the Nexus and in modding communities? Alternatively, do other communities lack something (e.g. Steam)?

This isn't some kind of lab-rat study: I'm genuinely curious to hear about modding from the people who make it what it is, and any feedback and conversation will be endlessly appreciated. I hope to hear from you.

-Ryan

[BeyondTom]

I know a bit about the technical process required to mod and I learned it so I could make come of the changes to my own game that were needed. I upload the small mods I make because I feel other could enjoy them . There is a lot to learn a lot from other members here, and not just about modding, which is why participation is fun. Discussions about hardware/software/games are very informative.

As for installing mods, it is very straightforward (even before the mod manager), especially if you have been doing it for a while so there is not too much to discuss about that. It may seem a bit tricky for new members but once you know what each file in a mod does it becomes easy to troubleshoot your own problems.

Overall I find That amount of mods and the quality of the community encourage people to contribute in any way they can. This can be in the form of actual mods, pictures, videos or even commenting. Hope this can help you out a bit.

[gasti89]

Motivation for modding ---> my "modding work" is quest/story design. I enjoy thinking fantasy stories and since i learned how to use the Creation Kit i discovered i enjoy much more making character and things in the game "act" like what i think. The main motivation to continue modding is that i discover new features and learn new things everytime i use the Creation Kit

Motivation for downloading mods ---> in my opinion the best feature Bethesda offered to the world is the Creation Kit (and Construction Kit before). People around the world make stunning works that really improve an already stunning game.

How i learned modding ---> i started with the CKwiki tutorials, some youtube videos and more than everything else by watching the game stuff in the Creation Kit. As you can notice in this forum, the community is vital in helping modders reach their goals. It's a sort of giant team!

What can people learn ---> in terms of modding or mod using, Nexus community is very helpful with everyone having troubles about anything concerning the game. In other terms, from my own experience this community encourages the teamwork, the team creation and the release of projects people have in mind with the help of other members. I don't have experience about other communities, but talking about the game mods theirself, Steam is more a "i download a mod, i play and if it doesn't work i go complaining on the mod page".

[David Brasher]

Motivation for modding: Playing Skyrim is a destructive process. Kill and plunder, kill and plunder, kill and plunder. A wise wandering mage once preached, "Thou shalt not kill." Rather than resulting in catharsis, violence results in moral obesity. You become more and more like yourself. Your actions shape what you are. But modding is a creative process. You build things. This can be quite fulfilling and can help bring balance.

How I learned to mod: The Elder Scrolls Construction Set Wiki, TES Nexus Forums, the CS, Oblivion, and the school of hard knocks.

What outsiders could learn from The Nexus: The Nexus is infused with a spirit of volunteerism. People do work for the common good by making mods and tutorials for everyone to use for free, and they share information on the forums freely. Not every modder has to know every piece of information as long as he or she can obtain it from some other modder on the Nexus who knows it. The Nexus is very liberal and accepts people of all races, genders, alignments, aims, nationalities, and languages. The discourse tends to remain fairly gentlemanly and ladylike because of the culture of the site and the strong and effective hands of the moderators. I think that the Nexus works because money is not an issue in modding. If all mods were for sale and all modders were getting paid, then everyone would be hiding trade secrets, hiring and firing assistants, and engaging in smear tactics to harm the sales of competing mods. Bethesda forums is sort of broken because of Bethesda censorship and because they don't host mods. The Bethesda moderators lock topics that point out serious defects in company products and that are critical of Bethesda's behavior. Steam forums are not popular because everyone hates Steam and would just as soon have Skyrim be set up like Oblivion or Morrowind. Steam Workshop is broken and many types of mods cannot be uploaded on it. Modders and gamers would rather user a full service site like TES Nexus where mods can be uploaded and downloaded, there is a critical mass of gamers and modders, and there is freedom of speech (within the accepted bounds of custom.)

[erehwonnz]

Interesting! Thanks for the responses, folks.

Seems like, as you say, BeyondTom, there's a lot of diversity in how people get to respond in a place like the Nexus. Is it fair to say that the variety of ways to be part of the process encourages people to be involved? Really cool.

gasti89, I like how you describe it as a giant team. And I have to say that half the fun as a user of the game is discovering what wonderful creations are out there on the site--I can imagine that discovering new features in the CK is even cooler.

David, interesting response! It seems like there's a creative and communal spirit in the technical process that isn't necessarily 'there' in the game but becomes part of it through a place like the Nexus. It sounds like the Nexus works because it offers freedom as well as guidance from moderators--a healthy place to be!

Thanks, folks. Really, really great to hear from you. And I'd love to hear more from anyone who has a thought to add.

[flobalob]

1) Generally, adapting the game to suit my preferences.
2) Trial & Error mostly. (although you always pick a few tips and trick off the forums)
3) Won't comment on steam workshop for philosopfical reasons..

Incedentally I've been modding computer games since DOOM, & I'm willing to bet not many here remember that game (I created a level based on my office at work. My boss wasn't too impressed when he saw that I put an eye tyrent in his office )

Edited by flobalob, 26 April 2012 - 11:04 PM.

[Loki180]

I don't mod all that much, but I am getting into it as we speak with a big idea in the works.

But the effort that other put inot their work is amazing, it makes the game all that much better, from an amazing game too the best game.

Modders keep the PC version alive! Betha loves it too!

[TheDarkPrince]

• What motivates you to mod (and learn the technical process of modding), to download mods (and learn how to use/troubleshoot them), and participate in the Nexus?
• How did you learn to mod or use mods? What role has the Nexus community played in that learning?
• What can people outside the Nexus learn (skills, approaches to the internet, working in online communities) from what goes on on the Nexus and in modding communities? Alternatively, do other communities lack something (e.g. Steam)?

1) I am motivated by the fact that I do not have to stop my creativity and I can make my own dreams come true with modding; I download mods become they make the game like I wanted it personally and I partecipate the Nexus because it's the Old school and the Old school always rocks. (Better modders and friendlier btw)

2) I learnt with tutorials or by simple trying, started from the Morrowind CS and now I am on Skyrim. The Community helped me and continue to do so by asnwering questions about stuff I may not know.

3) Other communities lack the brotherhood that the nexus sometimes create between modders.

[AlbertRBrowne]

I am. Therefor I mod

[TheDarkPrince]

I am. Therefor I mod

Wasn't that I think therefore I exist? XD