Valve/Bethesda announce paid modding for Skyrim, more games to follow

[knightspk2]

In response to post #24581739. #24581849 is also a reply to the same post.

mouser9169 wrote:

yps wrote: better mods? why? because some modders can make some money, they suddenly became better at modding? please.

You endorsed a few mods, I see. How about they all get removed from the Nexus and put on Workshop for $5?

[NamelessTed]

I don't understand why everybody is freaking out over this. Is Valve or Bethesda actively preventing mods unless you pay for them? No. There are still free mods, we still have the Nexus. All Valve is doing with this Workshop update is allowing mod authors to charge for their mods.

 

I can understand a conversation on whether a 25/75 split is fair, and I would probably be on the side that would say that the mod authors should get closer to 50% of the revenue. Who are you to say that if a mod author has spent time and effort into making something that they shouldn't be allowed to charge for it if they choose to do so?

[popcorn71]

In response to post #24581854. #24581934 is also a reply to the same post.

freedom613 wrote:

knightspk2 wrote: Doesn't look like it

...what????

===edit===
I have it open right now so...no it defiantly did not get shut down. Edited April 24, 2015 by popcorn71

[knightspk2]

In response to post #24581854. #24581904 is also a reply to the same post.

freedom613 wrote:

popcorn71 wrote: ...what????

Doesn't look like it

[AKcelsior]

In response to post #24581739. #24581849, #24581889 are all replies on the same post.

mouser9169 wrote:

yps wrote: better mods? why? because some modders can make some money, they suddenly become better at modding? please.

knightspk2 wrote: You endorsed a few mods, I see. How about they all get removed from the Nexus and put on Workshop for $5?

That logic isn't very sound.

Huge content mods like "Wet and Cold" will be a thing of the past if this continues. Not because Isoku wants to charge, but because authors like him will have no choice but to charge. A prominent author already put a price tag on content that wasn't his to sell, so unless we want to have our content stolen by charlatans we will eventually have no other choice but to put price tags on everything.

This is a terrible day for modding. The community will not get better mods because of this... those mods would have been released for free/donation, but now we need to think about whether to release for free and risk being taken advantage of, or playing it safe and putting a price tag on it.

[Terramaris]

 

In response to post #24581854.

 

 

 

freedom613 wrote:

...what????

 

Someone posted that they think this is because ESO shutdown and I was confused since last I heard ESO is up and running.

[knightspk2]

In response to post #24581379. #24581434, #24581509 are all replies on the same post.

Jsmorris14 wrote:

akkalat85 wrote: I've got quite a collection of images from this night. Keep em coming, reposts and sharing will keep this hypocrisy at the forefront of this awful decision.

WightMage wrote: What the hell did I just read?

SERIOUSLY!?

Edit: never mind Edited April 24, 2015 by knightspk2

[marthgun]

In response to post #24578789. #24579599, #24579684, #24579689, #24579699, #24579814, #24581179, #24581389, #24581644 are all replies on the same post.

donta1979 wrote:

marthgun wrote: they should just add advertisements to the downloads of mods like youtube. some can join in others can refuse.

This costs nexus only what it would take to implement it, everyone is happy except people that don't know how adblock works.

have a clickable advert to give them more money. let them shill for shekels (the current rules still apply though, no update stuff etc)

Natterforme wrote: Im pretty sure that Valve and bethesda have signed some sort of exclusivity agreement to prevent site like the Nexus from offering a better deal.

-Natterforme

movomo wrote: Modding is in essense more of a community effort that has built on what came before them, than what some modders imagine.

Speaking of the "frankenstein" modding tools as you say, who made them? Where's their cut if the end-modder starts to charge their mod? Who educated them to mod, whose knowledge and tools enabled them to mod, where's their cut? All the mod managers, mod tools, and great many more indirectly vital tools. Who helped the bug fixing, who helped the newbies on the forum, where's their cut?

All of this was fair when all of it was free and none of them had their cut. Now it isn't. Do modders deserve money for "their" mod? Certainly, to an extent, but not entirely. Is it only a form of donation... as a whole, no modding comnunity has ever had strong objection to this donation thing for modders; that option has always been there. As long as it is not a disguised paywall (I do not necessarily mean chesko is making paywall), donation always has been accepted.

Anyways, I hope they'd not be using the student-licensed max.

Nichoice wrote: Adding advertisements similar to Youtube is actually a brilliant idea, it allows modders to have monetary gain for the work and effort for which they have put in and does not create any form of consumer vendor relationship which would otherwise impose responsibilities for the modder!

marthgun wrote: and what about the nifskope team? without them getting custom assets into the game would be almost impossible without the injector that doesn't work nearly as well. They spent countless hours slaving away for free and people can go sell their armor mods for money.

disgusting.

donta1979 wrote: You will see, studios start releasing their in house tools/exporters-importers for modders. If you have no noticed there are 3d production programs on steam now, there is a reason for this. Not just for indy studios, but also modders. Like by Frankenstein what was the last update for Max? Maya? Its been awhile am I right? Nor does it always work correctly. There will always be free mods, it will not destroy the modding community, if anything will give the modding community access to studio tools so the gaming companies can start making profits sooner than later. Many of you need to go read the authors comments on the steam page, looking at their mods they look fantastic. But they will tell you they have not even gotten a cent from donations, and 25% is better than 100% of nothing. I used to mod way back in the day of morrowind, when the first tools started to become available, been modding since, didn't release a single mod until the past 3-4 years publicly on a big site. I have the donations tab up, have a couple of nice mods, have I received a cent? Nope Even going out of my way to try and tailor for almost every request. Do I expect a donation? Nope That is why I am laughing at none modders saying donations but have not even donated a cent to modders, yet are all up in arms against those that wish to sell their art. Would I sell my mods right now? Nope, would I sell my mods if it became more profitable like I did back in the day before high speed internet? Maybe.

Like I said above modding and mods was not always free, mods used to be sold by floppy/CD/BBS and in rare rare cases a DVD. You all are directing your anger in the wrong direction dont put it on the modders that see this as a way of generating extra income, but on Valve for taking the Nintendo approach to modding with the high peace of the pie. Having youtube videos will not work so well unless your a big site like the nexus that has tons of users, or you run a youtube channel with over one million subscribers your not going to generate that much you would probably generate less than the 25% valve is handing out.

iloveyoupurples wrote: I could kiss you for this post. We'll probably both be banned for calling poor sight and eye on the Nexus, we'll go down together! <3 (I was actually against all the selling of mods until I did some google-fu.) I found out a few dudes make a metric-****ton of money off of the modders on these 3rd party websites and modders get nothing. So I kinda had to shift my weight on this one.

donta1979 wrote: I am not trying to go down, or shame anyone I am just pointing out I know how much sites like this make. Though google and having worked in the industry, gaming studios/publishers know trust me. What valve and bethesda is doing since EA failed at it so hard is how to do it right, turn out a profit, without major backlash, and by backlash I am talking about one to ten million pissed off consumers.

@ donta1979

incorrect. Anger must be directed somewhere. 25% is simply unacceptable.

waiting to get paid until 400 shekels is achieved is criminal. The copy write is a big issue.

This is not a lesser of two evils, these are two demons and they both must be put to the fire.

I'm open to a conversation about monetizing mods, but this is unacceptable. Join the rebel alliance or burn on the stake with the other witches. We will prevail.

[empiric]

In response to post #24581189. #24581254, #24581444, #24581514, #24581594, #24581669, #24581859 are all replies on the same post.

darkslayer666 wrote:

akkalat85 wrote: I'm actually almost certain this has nothing to do with Bethesda. Steam is the distributor, Bethesda just developed the game. Their stance has always been to promote free content created by users. That's why they released the CK since Morrowind for free. I could be wrong, they might have dirty hands, but I think primarily we should have our crosshairs aimed at Valve/Steam.

Of course, Bethesda's original stance on promoting free user content by giving us free tools might not hold in the future. But that's neither here nor there at this point.

Lillysdad2009 wrote: Without a doubt, we were talking about the fact that modders even if they are willing to take 25%. They really can't all of the tools, and base mods like fores and SKSE really have more claim to the mods than the authors do. I feel like maybe Bethesda is just pissed off about something. I hope they are not really dumb enough to think they are helping the modding community or even themselves with this bright idea. They are absolutely not helping the authors for sure. Kudos Slayer

Aidopunko wrote: @akkalat85 mate you are talking about the company that was selling horse armor DLC a decade ago. Both of the instances of Valve taking profit from community creations are for free to play games, whose continued development is funded by those sales. This is a single player game that will see no further development that Bethesda already charge money for.

Both companies deserve their share of criticism but I actually feel like this is something that Bethesda have wanted to do for some time. After all, Valve are taking the same cut they do for any other transaction, Bethesda are the ones deciding to keep ~45/50% of the money.

Lillysdad2009 wrote: Agreed that Steam is the most likely culprit here they have always IMO been really shady. But if that is the case I would hope Bethesda would make a stand, and say you know that's not what we're about here. But instead they seem to be going along with it for now. I really hope that Bethsoft comes to their senses here. If they made a stand here for what they have always been proud of. Which is the modding community, I think not only would they salvage their rep here. With the amount of attention this is going to get, maybe set a new tone for future games. I am sorry if these last posts make no sense I am exhausted and I don't even know if I am making coherent statements at this point. Kudos Akkalata

darkslayer666 wrote: This idea could of never been possible without Beth's approval though.

Either that or Zenimax is involved somehow(never trust a publisher). They're the publishers of bethesda, which makes you wonder why they need steam at all?

I am no expert on Valve\steam. But they've reeked of monopolization for the longest time to me.

What business do Zenimax have with another distributor? They aren't hurting on sales that for sure. Plus mods have been generating income long past due date of their games, something steam couldn't even fathom to generate.

Personally I feel like Zenimax is angry their MMO was shut down, so let's do this crap to get their shares back.. still I'm talking out of my ass.

Aryell wrote: We already had now a huge mistake "Art of Catch" as been removed from workshop because uses FINIS , how to share the profit between all contributers?

"The community should contribute for free" followed by "we're monetizing your work by sleight-of-hand X" is the business model of most of the internet now.

[Timarot]

The more I think of it the more I feel confused. What type of mod can exactly be made into commersial under 25/75% split. Couse it clearly wont encorage huge mods with all exclusive content(since team, required for such mods would simply be better as indie studio making fully original content under better deal). And it clearly cant be retextures/small tweaks since almost no one will by them. Stuff like most of companion mods use other people assets(body model and textures, hair, sometimes even armor and spells). From stuff I know and tried only one mod look like something that can be moved behind paywrall and look ok there - Falskaar. Since it has zero actual new content apart from voice actors. Look like even from commersial viewpoint idea is questinable at best.