Unrealistic expecations on modders.

[gunslinger6792]

I feel like this thread strikes me a bit as I'm really passive on the Nexus. Only now have have I given a great mod like Project Nevada and a few other mods my endorsements after using them since I began using mods several years ago.

 

Anyways, don't feel disheartened by lack of feedback. bben46 gave some great advice that you should seriously consider trying, as I know myself that I tend not to download mods without a proper description.

Thats assuming though that I or other modders haven't given good descriptions maybe we do. Perhaps they could be better but we shouldn't have to make a mod like project nevada to get an endorsement. I suppose some people are really miserly with their endorsments but let me ask you this. If you've used their mod and you enjoyed it is it so hard to go back and endorse? It takes you a few seconds it takes modders hours, days, or even weeks to make their mods even if they're not massive undertakings.

[GnatGoSplat]

Usually, I have to really enjoy a mod to feel the urge to come back and endorse it. I wouldn't say I'm stingy with endorsements, it's just that some stuff is really great, and other stuff is just, "meh".

 

I can't comment on your work as I've never used it, but I think a lot of people are like me. We think our own creations are far more awesome than they really are. I've been there. I love modding games and uploading my best mods to the appropriate game mod sites, only to receive little interest in my work. I think my mods are awesome and extremely useful, but I know everyone else who has made mods thinks the same of their stuff. However, some mods I've tried, I think, "meh", and some I don't bother to keep. So if I feel that way about someone else's awesome creations, I'm sure someone feels the same way about mine.

 

Everyone has different taste, different wants and needs, and plays the game differently, so I think it's not worth worrying about endorsements. I do agree that lack of endorsements does feel demoralizing, but I just see it as a life lesson on humility and I use it as motivation to improve my work.

 

At least there's no rigorous quality standards here. Another game mod site that I frequent, everything gets evaluated by moderators before it's accepted. If it doesn't meet their strict quality standards, you get a nice rejection PM with a list of criticisms. Talk about a humbling experience! To get a PM with "REJECTED" in the title with a bunch of criticisms I don't agree with for something I spent a ton of time and effort on feels way more disheartening than getting few endorsements!

[gunslinger6792]

Usually, I have to really enjoy a mod to feel the urge to come back and endorse it. I wouldn't say I'm stingy with endorsements, it's just that some stuff is really great, and other stuff is just, "meh".

 

I can't comment on your work as I've never used it, but I think a lot of people are like me. We think our own creations are far more awesome than they really are. I've been there. I love modding games and uploading my best mods to the appropriate game mod sites, only to receive little interest in my work. I think my mods are awesome and extremely useful, but I know everyone else who has made mods thinks the same of their stuff. However, some mods I've tried, I think, "meh", and some I don't bother to keep. So if I feel that way about someone else's awesome creations, I'm sure someone feels the same way about mine.

 

Everyone has different taste, different wants and needs, and plays the game differently, so I think it's not worth worrying about endorsements. I do agree that lack of endorsements does feel demoralizing, but I just see it as a life lesson on humility and I use it as motivation to improve my work.

 

At least there's no rigorous quality standards here. Another game mod site that I frequent, everything gets evaluated by moderators before it's accepted. If it doesn't meet their strict quality standards, you get a nice rejection PM with a list of criticisms. Talk about a humbling experience! To get a PM with "REJECTED" in the title with a bunch of criticisms I don't agree with for something I spent a ton of time and effort on feels way more disheartening than getting few endorsements!

Having to get your mod rejected would be pretty rough. Don't think I think my mod is the best out there but I do think they're pretty good and they haven't gotten alot better especially my last one. At this point I just except that while several hundred people are eventually going to download my mod next to nill are going to comment or endorse. Which means most people won't see my mod at because its going to be with the rest of the files that were poorly done a few years ago. It is what it is I suppose and people aren't going to change in that regard.

[someguy2000]

Having to get your mod rejected would be pretty rough. Don't think I think my mod is the best out there but I do think they're pretty good and they haven't gotten a lot better especially my last one. At this point I just except that while several hundred people are eventually going to download my mod next to nill are going to comment or endorse. Which means most people won't see my mod at because its going to be with the rest of the files that were poorly done a few years ago. It is what it is I suppose and people aren't going to change in that regard.

At the risk of sounding trite... hang in there - it gets better.

 

For future reference, you might try creating [Relz] threads (both here and at the Bethsoft forums) with a detailed description and images, topped off with download links. Even though I take a haphazard approach to promotion at times (I prefer a minimalist presentation), I recognize its value during the mod's initial release. You might also consider collaborating with other modders on small projects as a means to acquire recognition (and links to your other mods).

 

If all else fails, add images of gargantuan breasts, along with a catchy, risque title that subtly suggests sexual themes, e.g., "HOUSE OF TITS". I guarantee a 25% increase in downloads. :wink:

[Groogo]

 

Having to get your mod rejected would be pretty rough. Don't think I think my mod is the best out there but I do think they're pretty good and they haven't gotten a lot better especially my last one. At this point I just except that while several hundred people are eventually going to download my mod next to nill are going to comment or endorse. Which means most people won't see my mod at because its going to be with the rest of the files that were poorly done a few years ago. It is what it is I suppose and people aren't going to change in that regard.

At the risk of sounding trite... hang in there - it gets better.

 

For future reference, you might try creating [Relz] threads (both here and at the Bethsoft forums) with a detailed description and images, topped off with download links. Even though I take a haphazard approach to promotion at times (I prefer a minimalist presentation), I recognize its value during the mod's initial release. You might also consider collaborating with other modders on small projects as a means to acquire recognition (and links to your other mods).

 

If all else fails, add images of gargantuan breasts, along with a catchy, risque title that subtly suggests sexual themes, e.g., "HOUSE OF TITS". I guarantee a 25% increase in downloads. :wink:

 

:)

[gunslinger6792]

 

Having to get your mod rejected would be pretty rough. Don't think I think my mod is the best out there but I do think they're pretty good and they haven't gotten a lot better especially my last one. At this point I just except that while several hundred people are eventually going to download my mod next to nill are going to comment or endorse. Which means most people won't see my mod at because its going to be with the rest of the files that were poorly done a few years ago. It is what it is I suppose and people aren't going to change in that regard.

At the risk of sounding trite... hang in there - it gets better.

 

For future reference, you might try creating [Relz] threads (both here and at the Bethsoft forums) with a detailed description and images, topped off with download links. Even though I take a haphazard approach to promotion at times (I prefer a minimalist presentation), I recognize its value during the mod's initial release. You might also consider collaborating with other modders on small projects as a means to acquire recognition (and links to your other mods).

 

If all else fails, add images of gargantuan breasts, along with a catchy, risque title that subtly suggests sexual themes, e.g., "HOUSE OF TITS". I guarantee a 25% increase in downloads. :wink:

 

Sounds like good advice. Part of the endorsments and downloads seems to be base partly on the creater which isn't surprising. Certain modders are almost like a brandname if you will. I'm more of a generic and as such don't get the same attention. Same as the real world I suppose.

[Midgefidget]

Don't think for one second you aren't appreciated. I tried modding and even with tutorials I couldn't figure out ANYTHING. Anyone that makes a mod, even if it's total garbage, has more skill/determination than I do.

I too have noticed the huge difference between downloads and votes. I've been guilty of not voting for mods that I consider vital to playing the game. I just get in a hurry to install it, get it working, and using it. After I

play a while I forget all about it.

That's my bad. But be aware that many people do download and use the mod and don't know to endorse, don't care to, or don't remember to.

[GnatGoSplat]

Perhaps part of the reason for the low endorsement vs downloads ratio might be just how the site is designed and laid out. I think there is a lot of room for improvement. For example, another game mod site I'm on has a "My Downloaded Items" as the first menu option on the top right of the page. It's there whether you're in the main site portal or in the forums. You click on that, it shows every item you've ever downloaded. It has checkboxes on whether there is an update since you last downloaded it, and whether you have Thanked the download (that site's equivalent of Endorse). If you haven't thanked enough of your downloads, it puts in a bright yellow box something like:

 

"You thanked 29% of your downloads! Please consider going and Thanking some more, it shows the creators you like their work, and encourages them to make more content!"

 

On this site, your full download history is only available if you're a Premium member. It wouldn't surprise me if Premium members endorse more than free members. I'm really not sure why download history should be Premium only. Right now, I show nothing in my New Vegas download history even though I downloaded a mod just a week or so ago, because a week ago was last month. There is a handy "File tracking centre", but you have to remember to click on "Track this file" when on the mod page. It also doesn't indicate whether I've endorsed the download or not. For the type of person that likes to jump straight to the forums, there's shortcut link to either download history or tracked files.

 

So if I want to endorse that mod I downloaded last week, but forgot to track, I'd have to search for it again or look for it in my web browser history. It could be just me, but I don't find the search function on this site all that intuitive; I usually end up just using Google to find mods on this site. Also, searching web browser history after a week is an exercise in futility. I think a lot of the mods that I actually bother to endorse are just mods that are so complex that I had a question to ask about it, so I Google its download page again to leave my question in its comment thread and then endorse while I'm there.

[Mishaxhi]

Make whatever the hell you want to make and ignore the numbers.

 

Popularity is down to luck, guile and presentation as much as the actual contents of the mod.

 

I made a quest mod for Oblivion years back that took me about a year to make, got like, 20 endorsements?

Niner took me a couple of months to make and is sitting on 1200.

 

It's not really worth worrying about.

[gunslinger6792]

Thanks for the advice :) For the moment I'm just building stuff to have fun. Honestly I spend more time in the geck than I do playing the game. Hopefully people reading this will be a tad more informed. Perhaps they'll be compelled to go back and endorse the mods they've been using.