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

[Saije]

Hahaha...

 

I've always loved Bethesda games for their modding element. The idea that the game can have it's longevity extended nigh infinitely by the addition of several alterations to the core gameplay mechanics or content by dedicated modders.

 

Of course one of my favorite elements to this system was that the games longevity from modding was free of charge, born out of passion and creativity, rather then out of some desire for material remuneration.

 

This news makes me sad. It makes me sad that Modding is headed in this direction. It makes me sad that modders don't seem to realize they are just being exploited and heavily. It makes me sad that top tier mods I once downloaded freely like a giddy school child anxious to see all the cool nuances and elements of said mod will now cost me up to five dollars.

 

Maybe I AM greedy, maybe I AM selfish... Wanting work that took someone hundreds of hours of work to complete for free.

 

Maybe... Or maybe I just thought Modding was about more then making money. I thought it was about community and about sharing and showing off ones creativity.

 

I thought Modding was about selfless creativity and passion... And it was. Until now.

 

Until some fat worthless corporate bastard saw just how lucrative he could make modding for himself and his company... With practically nil effort involved on his part.

 

I never saw Steam as a bad company, but they have slowly been changing my perception of them. Between their neglect their shortsightedness and yes their greed... Slowly but surely I'm starting to see Steam for what it is.

 

I won't judge Modders for putting their works up for sale if they should choose to. I just hope they don't judge me for refusing to pay a single dime for something I once got free of charge. Because I'm not.

 

[aceventura45]

I think paying for mods is a bad idea. The reason being, compatibility.

 

Lets face it, there are a lot of great mods, however 90% of them are terrible, buggy, unfinished, crap. A lot of them will greatly enhance your experience, and a lot of them will completely ruin it. It's always a risk one takes when installing mods, and this doesn't change just because you put a price tag on it.

 

The reason for this is compatibility issues. Most modders aren't in complete communication with one another as developers are. So they are going to change things to models, navmeshes, textures, code, that will break someone else's mod, and possible break your entire save file. If you take this into account, and add the drama of paying money, your troubles with said game triple.

[TheMathus]

Well, this is puzzeling the whole community as I see, the same as me as I learned it with the official annouce.

 

What to say ?

First, I want to sincerely Thanks all the modding community for sharing their passion, sweat, and happiness through their free work up until now. I am eternaly thankfull for everyone who took time to answer my questions considering modding.

 

I personnaly have a lot of fun building my own skyrim through mods and my modding. this is like a giant sandbox game framed by their creators, Bethesda. And I thank them too, they have sold us entertainment and I have a lot of it with this.

 

but,

As far as I am conserned, when money comes into the playground, this is not sharing anymore, it becomes business.

So, I f you want to make some business, buy for mods, then everybody can do it, it can be rewarding for the modders, and invite inspiring modders to create and release some of their art, but it might kill the spirit of the community, and the spirit of modding itself.

 

a mod given freely by an artist is a true gift.

 

Personnaly I began to play the Elder Scrolls games with morrowind, and because of the free modding system. Because I share the same principles. And Even if my thanksfullness could be rewarding a modder with money, it would be afterwards, and in the same spirit they gave me their mod : freely and willingly.

 

In the end, I don't think at all that I will pay for mods, but we shall see if this works. Anyway, if we do not want of this economic system, we just don't have to pay anything, and it will stop.

I'm in the same mood for paying everymonth for an MMO, I didn't wanted to cross the border of paying every month, and now we can all see that this system is not working anymore.

 

 

So We'll see, but I hope this won't kill the spirit of the modding community.

 

Cheers for all !

 

 

 

[Deleted4782210User]

In response to post #24256784.

Jaycefrancis wrote:

My thoughts as well. Im a student and i have limited funds, i would never pay for a house or armor mod.

[WaRLocKThEoRy]

Modding is a form of art. Taking something that already exists and customizing and adding to it to make it better in your own way, individually or with a team.

 

To put a price on your own art, is to make and sell a product.

 

To make and sell a product, you are now a developer.

 

The point is, this gives the power to the modding community to become a developer in their own right. Modding was something that you got into without the need or want to make money, you did it for your self and community. But now we will have modding professionals doing it for the wrong reasons.

 

Every mod maker goes to great lengths, beyond their own capability to get a little better and make something amazing. Those are the people in which I have donated to, and it is the above mentioned that I have not, and will not pay for.

 

Please to all mod makers, no matter the skill level. Be a community, not a business.

[slayermaster006]

In response to post #24561169.

aceventura45 wrote:

To alleviate that issue, Val.... I mean vEAlve, has a "refund" button, you can get your money back, if you didn;'t like it, and have to wait some time to "verify" that you are not abusing their refund system, and ofc it goes to steam wallet, which means you have to spend it on their site, so no refunds, just an exchange.

[TheMathus]

An other thing I am thinking of :

 

how they will control and assure you that the mod you buy, instal and play is not full of bugs ? and how they deal with crashing to deskop, with bad compatibility, or crushed saved games, etc ?

 

Thinking of this it appears funny !

[TheMathus]

In response to post #24561324.

WaRLocKThEoRy wrote:

I totaly agree with you !

[SolidusEkans]

Well, charging for non-finished mods already began. And by chesko no less. It's a sad day indeed. Edited April 23, 2015 by SolidusEkans

[aceventura45]

In response to post #24561169. #24561344 is also a reply to the same post.

aceventura45 wrote:

slayermaster006 wrote: To alleviate that issue, Val.... I mean vEAlve, has a "refund" button, you can get your money back, if you didn;'t like it, and have to wait some time to "verify" that you are not abusing their refund system, and ofc it goes to steam wallet, which means you have to spend it on their site, so no refunds, just an exchange.

You can still run into issues where you have a mod which is completely compatible with another, but then one of said mods is updated and that update breaks the other mods. This is very common, and I can see it being a issue for people who's refund time period has run out, and now they have a broken skyrim save file, and can't get their money back. Edited April 23, 2015 by aceventura45