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

[thestoryteller01]

All Valve=greed thoughts aside I am afraid of the domino effect.

 

Every mod worth paying for (and those are a lot) uses content from other authors/developers. Everyone is trying hard to give proper credit but if you use others content that maybe already used content etc. it's hard to keep track 100%.

 

So if mods are being charged for it's commercial use and if one sees 100+ downloads at 4.99 for a mod and realized his work is in there, which had only a non-commercial license - what then? Are modders going to take legal action against each other? Because Valve doesn't give a rat's ass about it.

 

In the long term it could mean that mods dealing with textures, items, systems or general improvements won't be allowed for commercial (=paid workshop) use or modders will choose rather not to use them.

 

Will all this make BETTER mods? I doubt it.

[pacino23]

 

In response to post #24585539.

 

 

 

pacino23 wrote:

 

Did you play Dota 2?

 

 

No, why do you ask?

Edited April 24, 2015 by pacino23

[gelf2]

In response to post #24585079. #24585344, #24585519 are all replies on the same post.

gelf2 wrote:

marthgun wrote: that wasn't a problem with the "games industry" that is an ongoing problem with corrupt media trying to cover up their own misdeeds by labeling a group of people uncovering their deeds as misogynistic. That narrative was started by Anita Sarkeesian and Brianna Wu, neither of which had anything to do with games journalism or GamerGate.

and both have seen record profits, so its pretty obvious that claiming to be harrassed is actually great for business.

KChan wrote: I think the issue isn't the fact they're expecting money, I think the issue is the way they're going about doing it. Many people, including myself, are more than happy to donate to mod authors should they simply ask.

The reason why they're not yelling at Valve or Bethesda is simple; they don't care. Yelling at them won't do anything, if a bunch of mod authors throw up paid mods and people buy them. In the end, Valve and Bethesda will rake in cash and won't care what anyone says.

The authors are being attacked because their contribution to the paid content system is what will define this system as good or bad. If mod authors looked at this and refused to be a part of a flawed system that will likely cause incredible exclusivity in the modding community, or a straight dissolving of the mod community, then Valve and Bethesda would receive little to nothing in return.

The only way to truly nip this in the bud is to make sure the entire community is on the same level. The exclusivity that's created by this will keep new authors from sprouting up, and will standardize a system of "trade secrets" among authors competing to profit with their individual products.

People complain all the time about companies out to just make a profit, without any consumer-related mindset. If this system is found to be an effective means of profit, and authors cease making their mods free, we'll end up with modding companies. Companies which might turn out acceptable products, but at the cost of our community.

What you say is true and I did not say the problem was with the games industry, but the industry has been hurt by the allegations.

[Bayz]

In response to post #24581894. #24582039, #24582049, #24582084, #24582119, #24584879, #24585404, #24585789 are all replies on the same post.

NamelessTed wrote:

akkalat85 wrote: Valve is promoting the view that large content mods should be sold for a price. Whereas before we would release content because we loved to share, now we must decide whether to be taken advantage of, or sell. No they aren't preventing us from releasing mods for free, but they certainly are promoting the opposite idea for the express purpose of lining their own filthy pockets with 75% of your creation's return.

phantompally76 wrote: And who are you to say that if a mod author has been hyping the newest updates for their existing mods for weeks and weeks without telling their endorsers/subscribers that they must pay to download them isn't a HUGE slap in the face to said endorsers/subscribers who have been eagerly awaiting said content?

THAT is why everybody is freaking out over this.

GenBloodhorn wrote: its the reason that the large mods we love will go to the workshop and sell it instead of sharing it free with the community.

The fact that yes, there are good alternative mods, but they cant be as good as those mods. (no offense to mod authors around). and remember, the first batch of corruption included Chesko and Isoku, wonder how many more authors could get corrupted. btw, Im not really mad at Chesko as long as he makes the mods free (wont really care for early access bs).

WightMage wrote: And it wasn't just one author, either.

NamelessTed wrote: You people are using word like "corrupt" is absurd. These people spend a lot of their time on these projects and now they have a reasonable venue to make money off of their hard work if they choose to do so. If you don't find their work valuable then don't pay for it, it is that simple. You don't have the right to the content, and you don't have the right to get it for free.

I have also thought more about the 25% revenue share and don't find it as bad as most people probably think. Realize that in a traditional publishing scenario a developer usually only gets 10-15% of physical retail sales, the rest goes to distribution, retail, license (MS, Sony, Nintendo), marketing, publisher, tax, etc. Getting 25% doesn't sound like much but it is certainly a bigger share than what is already established.

Also, if a mod is actually good and worthy of a few bucks isn't it a great idea that these mod authors could make a living doing this? Instead of only having spare time to work on these mods what if they could do it full time? Imagine if these people didn't have to work a full time job if they didn't have to and they could make more mods or make their current mods even better wouldn't that be better for all of us?

popcorn71 wrote: Its not the moders that are corrupt, its Valve and Bethesda for the way they are handling this whole thing. This whole thing stinks to high heaven. Its a precedent that has some rather sinister undertone for how modable games will be approached in the future.

LiveOnTheEdge wrote: While I'd say 25% is probably a little absurd, just off first impressions. But I do have to say that modders are getting free (or if they're charging, minus the cut, technically) storage, bandwidth, and a storefront on the Workshop. So I can definitely understand there being some cut. As to what's fair, I have no idea. I'm not knowledgeable in that area.

And it's true that the Nexus also provides these things for free, and that's because the owners are bringing in enough money keep this place running. (Maybe?)

"I don't understand why everybody is freaking out over this. Is Valve or Bethesda actively preventing mods unless you pay for them? Not yet."

Corrected that for you

[Olliaf]

In response to post #24561569. #24567479 is also a reply to the same post.

Dark0ne wrote:

Naznaczony wrote: R.I.P Skyrim mods.

Shame on all those who make it. Please all modder fan don't take that way and boycott these mods. Thanks

Long live Skyrim modding !

[Crowzer]

Nexus is the last line of free mods... Long live to Nexus !

[Bayz]

In response to post #24561804.

Jerethi50 wrote:

I don't codone insults, but why would it be a shame exactly? You have people like isoku charging 4,59€ for a mod that requires SKSE and that uses assets he did not create, yet he monetizes for his own gain...

Why is it you feel we need people like him profiteering on other people's work?

[LordAnorak]

In response to post #24584389. #24584569, #24584719 are all replies on the same post.

Daiyus wrote:

Inertio wrote: I hope Nexus opens up a Patreon Account so we can give back to the community if we want.

Daiyus wrote: I think that could be wise. I wouldn't mind modders having personal accounts I could contribute to either, heck, I'd actively encourage it now. I wouldn't even mind Bethesda/Nexus taking a cut of that contribution (as long as it's negotiable).

It's the requirement of paying on the Steam Workshop I dislike, the philosophy is all wrong. Ask for money by all means, but don't demand it.

Just leave Valve out of it, they don't deserve any cut, they're making boatloads of money as it is.

[Aahzmandias]

In response to post #24561849.

BobOfAllTrades wrote:

Do you mean, these mods I never will see or play?

I am only willing only pay for mods, that I am not able to play without them.

For that matter, I have to play them long enough, and test, if they are compatible to other mods I won't play without it.

And I am not willing to pay 5$ for a single weapon or such nonsense. NO WAY. Edited April 24, 2015 by mkess

[Alamil]

Donate to a mod developer? No problem. Pay for install a mod? Never. Can you take your mod for yourself if i have to pay for them and simply i will change game.

Bethesta and Valve are becoming evil corps. M2c