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Retired Mod Authors and Leaving Nexus


Fkemman11

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I've read from so many people about how they "retire" from modding and I'm just trying to understand the reasoning behind someone even announcing such a thing. I mean, does this mean they quit playing games? Or does it mean that they quit modding their games? Perhaps it just means they no longer want to be part of the community. In that case, wouldn't you just leave and not say anything publicly? And how do you stop that urge to look at the latest mods or to look at some screenshots by a few people and resist the wanting to maybe comment here or there on a forum topic?

 

My question is why would anyone feel the need to leave in such a semi-dramatic fashion? Also, what is it about modding that compels anyone to think that they need to quit? We say jokingly that modding is an addiction. But, is it really a joke?

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When someone say they "retire" from modding, I assume it's a mod author who is announcing he is no longer going to be making mods. I can't imagine someone who is simply using mods would announce they retire from modding. I couldn't care less if you use mods and I couldn't care less if you don't use mods. Simple.

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When someone say they "retire" from modding, I assume it's a mod author who is announcing he is no longer going to be making mods. I can't imagine someone who is simply using mods would announce they retire from modding. I couldn't care less if you use mods and I couldn't care less if you don't use mods. Simple.

I meant mod authors. Of course no one cares if someone mods their game or not. Didn't realize I needed to be more specific - sorry. I just have trouble understanding when someone says that they will never share a mod again. They don't stop playing games and they probably don't stop modding them. Why think or say that you're never, ever going to share/upload another mod? What do you think is the main reason they stop? Is it burnout? Is a lack of appreciation? Have they ruffled to many feathers in the community and just don't want to deal with it anymore?

 

On a related note, does Nexus have anything akin to a mod author hall of fame? I mean it might be nice to honor some of the best that have come and gone or are still active.

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IMO it's self-explanatory. Retirement announcements from mod authors are certainly nothing new, but the major bulk of them that I've seen were posted around and since Bethesda's decision to turn modding from an amateur labor of love into a professional and vested financial interest. It's one or the other, the privilege of having it be both is (or should be imo) reserved for the developer and nobody else.
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IMO it's self-explanatory. Retirement announcements from mod authors are certainly nothing new, but the major bulk of them that I've seen were posted around and since Bethesda's decision to turn modding from an amateur labor of love into a professional and vested financial interest. It's one or the other, the privilege of having it be both is (or should be imo) reserved for the developer and nobody else.

Nah, it has been going on from way before that. Not saying Bethesda's move didn't contribute, but modders have been quitting since, well, games were moddable. Most of the ones who quit are often sick and tired of a kind of entitlement users seem to think they have to ask for whatever changes that suit them on every mod they use.

 

Or from folk who don't know what they're doing and blame everything that goes wrong in their game on this or that mod.

 

Then there's also modders -a minority however- who themselves don't exactly know what they are doing and have to opt out because they bit off way more than they could chew.

 

There's umpteen reasons why someone would quit modding. PC broke down, found a new job/new girlfriend/went into exile in a part of the world where there's no internet. Or just plain tired of doing the same thing over and over again.

 

To be rather blunt, most modders who quit are missed, but not for long. Because for every great modder disappearing, there's another one waiting in the aisles to amaze us. Until that one quits as well and is replaced by someone else.

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Nah, it has been going on from way before that. Not saying Bethesda's move didn't contribute, but modders have been quitting since, well, games were moddable. Most of the ones who quit are often sick and tired of a kind of entitlement users seem to think they have to ask for whatever changes that suit them on every mod they use.

I can't speak for most of the ones who quit, only for the notices I've run into the last 10+ years. As the OP correctly mentioned, and it's who my response was aimed for, quite a few of these people didn't really retire from modding, they simply refused the forced conversion of their hobby into a business. I don't know how many readers of this thread are aware that once money is required for software, it legally and globally obligates the sellers of this software to certain minimum support and other requirements, according to various civil laws. It was a very efficient way to eliminate virtually everyone from the modding scene who was unable or unwilling to make it a financial venture instead of a hobby.

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I meant mod authors. Of course no one cares if someone mods their game or not. Didn't realize I needed to be more specific - sorry. I just have trouble understanding when someone says that they will never share a mod again. They don't stop playing games and they probably don't stop modding them. Why think or say that you're never, ever going to share/upload another mod? What do you think is the main reason they stop? Is it burnout? Is a lack of appreciation? Have they ruffled to many feathers in the community and just don't want to deal with it anymore?

On a related note, does Nexus have anything akin to a mod author hall of fame? I mean it might be nice to honor some of the best that have come and gone or are still active.

Hm, that's strange. I wrote a pretty lengthy response to this comment a day ago but it somehow never got posted. Oh well.

 

I think it's a combination of all the things you mentioned but also perhaps not being able or have the patience to deal with toxic mod users. I've seen several popular mod's comment section being filled with comments from mod users who are being abusive or just upright obnoxious because they failed to read the description and thus failed to install the mod correctly. "Your mod broke my save thanks alot asshole!" or "This mod is full of bugs and glitches DON'T DOWNLOAD!". I'll tell you, Arthmoor is an incredibly patient and understand guy considering it seems to me he deals with this constantly. Mod users commenting that his mod is the reason x problems start showing up, when in fact it's the user who failed to install the mod properly.

Lack of appreciation and uncooperative mod users who's problems is apparently always the mod authors fault. This coupled with not getting enough appreciation when a considerable amount of time has been put in, can cause someone to get a sense of "what's the point anymore?". Which I can understand.

 

On a related note, does Nexus have anything akin to a mod author hall of fame? I mean it might be nice to honor some of the best that have come and gone or are still active.

Not on the nexus I don't think, but I follow Nexusmods on facebook and they showcase new and potentially cool mods with a short description of what the mod does. It's not exactly a Hall of Fame but it's nice they do it.

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Nah, it has been going on from way before that. Not saying Bethesda's move didn't contribute, but modders have been quitting since, well, games were moddable. Most of the ones who quit are often sick and tired of a kind of entitlement users seem to think they have to ask for whatever changes that suit them on every mod they use.

I can't speak for most of the ones who quit, only for the notices I've run into the last 10+ years. As the OP correctly mentioned, and it's who my response was aimed for, quite a few of these people didn't really retire from modding, they simply refused the forced conversion of their hobby into a business. I don't know how many readers of this thread are aware that once money is required for software, it legally and globally obligates the sellers of this software to certain minimum support and other requirements, according to various civil laws. It was a very efficient way to eliminate virtually everyone from the modding scene who was unable or unwilling to make it a financial venture instead of a hobby.

 

Beth instituting creation club in no way obligates modders that are not participants to do anything more than they have been. I also find the 'require to support' statement absolutely laughable. Beth has not bothered to fix one single bug in any of the content they have released on CC, yet folks still buy that crap.

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I meant mod authors. Of course no one cares if someone mods their game or not. Didn't realize I needed to be more specific - sorry. I just have trouble understanding when someone says that they will never share a mod again. They don't stop playing games and they probably don't stop modding them. Why think or say that you're never, ever going to share/upload another mod? What do you think is the main reason they stop? Is it burnout? Is a lack of appreciation? Have they ruffled to many feathers in the community and just don't want to deal with it anymore?

On a related note, does Nexus have anything akin to a mod author hall of fame? I mean it might be nice to honor some of the best that have come and gone or are still active.

Hm, that's strange. I wrote a pretty lengthy response to this comment a day ago but it somehow never got posted. Oh well.

I think it's a combination of all the things you mentioned but also perhaps not being able or have the patience to deal with toxic mod users. I've seen several popular mod's comment section being filled with comments from mod users who are being abusive or just upright obnoxious because they failed to read the description and thus failed to install the mod correctly. "Your mod broke my save thanks a lot a**hole!" or "This mod is full of bugs and glitches DON'T DOWNLOAD!". I'll tell you, Arthmoor is an incredibly patient and understand guy considering it seems to me he deals with this constantly. Mod users commenting that his mod is the reason x problems start showing up, when in fact it's the user who failed to install the mod properly.

Lack of appreciation and uncooperative mod users who's problems is apparently always the mod authors fault. This coupled with not getting enough appreciation when a considerable amount of time has been put in, can cause someone to get a sense of "what's the point anymore?". Which I can understand.

 

 

 

I would think more people would be appreciative of a mod author whom has taken their personal time to try and make something special to share. I've heard some say that a person makes a mod for themselves first and shares it second- I don't think this is always the case. I am almost sure that some authors start making a mod with the main reason for doing it is to share with the comm. Granted that all of us mod for our greedy little selves, but authors do occasionally listen to requests and put the effort into making an idea a reality. Then some go further still by making something like a huge quest mod or expansion with yrs of work put into them.

The problem is that most of the people that download the new "shiny" really couldn't care less about who made the mod or why. Do they endorse it later if they liked it? From what I have looked at, only about 1-3% actually bother to click a button to show they did like it and even fewer leave a nice comment or compliment. But OMG, if they find something wrong with it- doesn't matter if real or imagined- they will be back with torches and pitchforks ready to burn your sh*tty mod down!!! My favorites by far are the ones that tell you why they're not going to download/use your mod because of "x" reason and proceed to tell everyone what a crappy mod you have made!! :laugh: Hasn't happened to me, but, I've read it on others mod post pages.

 

I do think this is more and more of a reason in mod authors getting fed up and thinking "F*ck it !!" and then leaving (or for some to never start). And I agree that CC didn't help matters either. Yes, new mod authors are appearing all the time with good mods. I can say from what I have learned in life is that quality in anything goes down when the much more knowledgeable, experienced people start to leave in droves- but, maybe I just didn't read the description. :tongue:

 

I still think a sort of Mod Author Hall of Fame to honor the best authors(based on endorsements?) would be a nice tribute and incentive to help keep people interested in sharing their work. A small recognition of one's contributions in life at least helps to make it seem like they were worthwhile endeavors. Do any Nexus Staff agree?

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I can't speak for most of the ones who quit, only for the notices I've run into the last 10+ years. As the OP correctly mentioned, and it's who my response was aimed for, quite a few of these people didn't really retire from modding, they simply refused the forced conversion of their hobby into a business. I don't know how many readers of this thread are aware that once money is required for software, it legally and globally obligates the sellers of this software to certain minimum support and other requirements, according to various civil laws. It was a very efficient way to eliminate virtually everyone from the modding scene who was unable or unwilling to make it a financial venture instead of a hobby.

First, there has been no "forced conversion" of any kind. Secondly, mod authors can't sell our work without the approval of Bethesda / ZeniMax (so no need to worry about minimum support and whatnot). Third, the only way to get said approval is for mod authors to enroll (and be accepted) into the Creation Club. Finally, once a mod author creates something for the Creation Club and it goes through QA, the mod author transfers ownership to Bethesda, who then is responsible for any patches / updates they may feel are appropriate. The mod author gets paid while developing the mod but after the mod is complete they are no longer in charge of it.

 

As for the overall topic, it is likely a combination of several factors. Burnout is definitely one, while unappreciative / insulting mod users is probably a big second. Also mod authors can get bored with the base game or find other games or hobbies to spend their time on.

 

As for the "why" of retiring / announcing it, the answer is simple: doing so alerts users that there won't be any mod support from the mod author anymore. Further it also tells mod users not to expect new work from that mod author. This all in turn makes the mod author's life easier because they don't have to worry (as much) about users pestering them about updates or support.

Edited by Reneer
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