BLOG PIECE: Modding as a hobby versus modding as a career, and the position of the Nexus

[Deleted3624098User]

In response to post #23593334. #23594289 is also a reply to the same post.

I am relieved and happy by your standing on this.
Btw. very well written as well. You're a Champ!!

[Surilindur]

Excellent post! Thank you.

 

This is both interesting and a bit frightening. But perhaps it would be possible - if modding really moves towards the curated workshops - that Bethesda and Valve will let independent sites like Nexus continue offering mods, as downloading mods from the workshop might be considered easier by the average (or below average) user. How many of the so-called 'average gamers' are truly ready to learn how to use all the tools made by the community so that they can add mods to a game they will probably not play for more than a few years (or months)? To them, the relatively easy workshop might be more tempting - even if it did cost money and did not have the level of control sites like the Nexus together with community-created tools allow over one's mods and such. So there might still be enough people who use the workshop even if there were sites like Nexus.

 

We shall see what happens in the future. Hopefully, the Nexus sites are free to continue their existence. This is both the first modding community I have found and the best one. At least the Oblivion section.

 

Edit: Also the rules and the easy-to-navigate, smartly built site that is easy to use make Nexus so good.

Edited March 19, 2015 by PhilippePetain

[chaptermaster21]

I as modder (well not as big as many modders here on nexus since i have only released one mod and the rest is still not on a stable state to release it) i want to say that the hobby of modding is what made me learn modding in the first place, and the modding of games like dota 2 and cs:go was always open for me to go there and make a new armor for that hero and get a good buck out of it yet i didn't do it. I believe the idea of sharing your work with users and other modders for free is what made those modding communities in the first place. One would look at mod authors such as Bergzore, Fore, Caliente and many other, it wasn't money that made them make and support their mods for many years, it was their hobby and their continuous support of their mods that made them continue doing it. while i am kinda certain that modding for money will help a modder greatly and also turn many modders from moding for free to modding for money, my only hope is that the free modding where the love of modding and the idea of sharing your work with others without it turning into another "dlc fest" will continue to exist, because if modders turn to money then it will be in my opinion a dark age for modding because we are making the companies dream of infinite dlc come true. Because modding is essentially a dlc for free, and when money comes...you know the rest.

[SolidusEkans]

So, developers want fans to create paid content for them?

[chaptermaster21]

In response to post #23594979.

It will basically be user generated dlc. More money for the developers and even less work for them to do lol. Edited March 19, 2015 by chaptermaster21

[Meisenbach]

I don't want this to happen. Paid mods is the last thing that I want. I don't think I can ever see myself paying for one. That's what official DLC is for. And the Nexus community is already toxic as it is.

 

I've had people flip out just when I asked for help, and been blocked for giving my opinion on a mod, and even for giving helpful suggestions because so many people on this site seem to think that the comments section is just for compliments, when I see it as an area for discussion, help, tips for the mod author and downloaders, and for constructive criticism for the author to improve the mod.

 

And the monetization of mods would make permission almost impossible to get from other authors, meaning less awesome mods would be made. If mods would have been curated before Immersive Armours and Weapons, and Legacy of the Dragonborn, mods such as those (I absolutely love the latter by the way, and Aurien is my new favourite altmer), then those mods wouldn't have existed, or at least been much smaller scale and LotDB would have been a petty mod.

 

And again with the touchy community, having to cover your opinions and suggestions with butter, sugar, peanut butter, jam, maple syrup, and chocolate; monetization of mods would cause massive fights, and yes, I can see multiple lawsuits, and possibly even the end of this site. Totally not worth it at all.

 

If you want to make money for creating content, go apply at a company and be a developer making official content. Modding is something we should be doing for fun and to improve our enjoyment of video games.

 

And to anyone who flips out about noob questions or blocks people for suggestions and criticism, lighten up! The former people are new to modding and the latter people are trying to help you. Live to be happy, and try to be more positive and think about the fun that's supposed to be in gaming and modding. Don't take hobbies so seriously.

 

I'm sorry for the wall of rant, but I'm just so surprised at how touchy people can be. I hope my opinions don't offend anyone.

Edited March 19, 2015 by KGMeisenbacher

[chaptermaster21]

In response to post #23594079. #23594254 is also a reply to the same post.

Couldn't have said it better myself. At this point the developers are just looking at modders to make them basically make more dlc for their games to get more money. Because lets be honest here, a mod is basically user generated free dlc and when modders start charging money for their mods then it will be just another dlc milking program.

[Meisenbach]

In response to post #23594979. #23595194 is also a reply to the same post.

And mods are usually made with inferior quality as well, since they're done by amateurs. One of the main reasons why I'm touchy about quest mods is that the voice acting is either poor or nonexistent, and they're not always lore friendly.

[Brandy1123]

In response to post #23594109.

Certainly SteamyPile doesn't have a dog in that fight. They only ask for a paltry 75% of your effort to show up on their chopping block.

I also think it will open the door for not so honorable designers. Manufacturing in game flaws that their chargeable content will magically fix - OR- have some associate pass off the MOD under an anonymous and untraceable name to get the curated workshop funds.

[EvilDeadAsh34]

In response to post #23594324.

I wouldn't because they screwed up my Skyrim game even when i used them from the beginning of the game. I know i may be in the minority on that but it's a fact.

And this is the problem of making people pay for mods. You obviously never had problems with the USKP but i have to a major extent and if i had to pay for that i would have been PISSED. That's the other thing. If a mod you payed for doesn't work correctly (which a lot don't for a thousand reasons) what is your recourse? My guess is you'd be sh@t out of luck.