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

[Kevlar39]

As of right now modding has taken a bullet to the gut. Either it will bleed for a long time before dying, or it will get back on its feet in time.

 

In hindsight this move by valve was inevitable, give the volume and quality of mods being produced. Free and easy availability of mods is the only reason why games like Fallout and Skyrim last for years. It is also why people buy these games.

Next few weeks should be interesting anyways.

[Terramaris]

In response to post #24575704. #24576384, #24576634 are all replies on the same post.

TheSovietPenguin wrote:

Tantalus010 wrote: I mostly agree with your post. I think this system is a horrendously bad idea for modding in general - the only ones this will benefit in the end are Valve and Bethesda, because they're profiting off of someone else's work (i.e. skimming). Mod authors who choose to use it exclusively will likely find themselves not making much money out of it (I imagine most of us won't be willing to pay for mods if we are forced to - I sure won't), and users will find themselves deprived of outstanding work if they aren't willing to pay for it. There's no question in my mind that some mods are truly worthy of being monetarily rewarded for it, but requiring that reward leaves a really bad taste in my mouth - both as a user and someone who has created a few (simple) mods.

WightMage wrote: I'm with freedom613, and I enjoyed your post and thoughts.

Maybe I am just a boring person, but I was quite disappointed when you didn't go deeper into the impact this had on modding culture. Edited April 24, 2015 by freedom613

[dinofinder]

In response to post #24575764. #24575884, #24576014, #24576019, #24576029, #24576179 are all replies on the same post.

dinofinder wrote:

CaedesAposis wrote: So what prevented you from using the donate button on this website previously? Hmmm?

Explosive196 wrote: Then feel free to donate to the author. Nobody should be forced to pay for a mod.

freedom613 wrote: I must agree with Caedes. We as a community share the same amount of blame as Valve and Bethesda. If we donated more often, then the modders would not risk being ostracised by the community and would keep their mods free.

Reaper0021 wrote: Seriously there has been a "donate" button here for ages. I've given. You set yourself up for that question.

belenbelen wrote: ignorance at its best. you know how to mod skyrim in the most complicated ways but not heard of donate button? i hate humans.

Well to be honest before I didn't have a job to be able to afford to (Still am living at home with the family), and I hadn't really given much thought into it after I recently just finally got one, guess I haven't endorsed much either like I should have been, there are tons of great mods here on the nexus that deserve to be.

edit: I know, I pretty much failed on the donate button front and I've always seen it. Edited April 24, 2015 by dinofinder

[WightMage]

http://www.reddit.com/r/skyrimmods/ In light of recent events, some mod authors and mod teams are going out in public and announcing their decisions to keep mods free.

 

Glad to see that there's some positive things going on...

[duinnin]

It is perhaps best you canceled the vacation because not only will the server be hit with the influx of new gamers, but I imagine many, like me, will be downloading anything and everything here they want before modders decide to remove their mods and put them up for sale on Steam. Let the downloading begin!

[Bigmoose85]

We need to black list these "modders"

[ScrollTron1c]

In response to post #24571929. #24572044, #24572064, #24572299, #24573824, #24573909, #24574109, #24574289, #24574414, #24574694, #24574724, #24574819, #24574964, #24575344, #24575629, #24575824, #24576304 are all replies on the same post.

swiftfoxmark2 wrote:

boulegue wrote: bethesda decided to legalize it

Azarakos wrote: Valve and Bethesda get 75% of the mod income, the modder himself/herself get 25%. More money to the companies.

Welcome to capitalism, brother.

boulegue wrote: a musician gets much less for their music, a developer gets much less for their work on the game, a writer gets much less for their books.....

valve is being very generous in that department

swiftfoxmark2 wrote: Yes, I know that. But I'm referring to the Nexus policy.

boulegue wrote: the nexus is probably not able to give bethesda a share or bethesda is simply not interested in it and partnered with valve

WightMage wrote: And this why self publishing books and indie record labels are all the rage now. So too should it be with mods, IMO.

boulegue wrote: in the top 15 combined print & e-book fiction bestseller list of march 2015 all are published by established publishers to lazy to look up the music charts but i could bet its similar.... selfpublished and indie labels remain a minority because they cant afford the advertising big publishers can.... just as with games.... theres a few exceptions like minecraft but even that has now a big publisher behind it now

Reaper0021 wrote: This statement is 100% wrong. I work in the "Entertainment Industry" in the 'literature' side of things. Author's don't "Get" less for their books in that capacity. Nor is it "Much Less". You claim to work in the 'industry' and if so cool. But please don't step where you have no knowledge.

boulegue wrote: the industry standart for royalties for books is 10% correct?

Reaper0021 wrote: Wrong. Dependent on several factors but not limited to: Authors previous works, legal, notoriety, part of a series/contractual, etc. Too many things to list. No, 10% is not even worth the ink.

Reaper0021 wrote: Writers i.e. Script Writers might get away with that. Think someone like "S. King, R.A. Salvatore or numerous other well known authors would settle for that? No. The amount fluctuates and is dependent on many factors.

boulegue wrote: okay none of our modders here no matter how good they are are world renown they are literally starting the business today

Reaper0021 wrote: Very true. But your statement is still wrong. You've gone from 21 posts today to your current 87. Obviously this is a subject you care about. So, let me just say this once more for your own benefit: I'm NOT against modder's making money. Hell, Bethesda should have paid some of these people out of their own pockets months ago for taking their game and breathing a whole new life into it. I'm looking at/worried about the bigger picture. I'm just that way....far thinking. What I'm afraid of is this will add fire to the current trend of "Pay to Win". An example for you: The Total War Games. Rome II, Attila....all of them have factions. Many in fact. What CA/SEGA does is cuts out the blood, gore, factions, etc. and offers them up as "DLC". Pricey in the long run. This trend needs to stop.

boulegue wrote: its actually 4am and im just unable to sleep i really dont care either way i wont buy mods on steam workshop myself i started by telling people that they could file DMCA complaints if something of their work got stolen.... and i believe i started with 2 comments yesterday just a coincedent i couldnt sleep and came here at the right/wrong time

and i 100% agree you that the pay to win & microtransaction crap has to end.... but starting a whitch hunt at the modders that are trying to make money off of it (not you but others) and others crying for the worlds end just makes it kinda entertaining i could also argue against the valve system but theres already 9000 people signing the petition and another couple hundred here and on steam being against it... very few people defending people like cheesko, isoku and blacklake that do nothing wrong

Reaper0021 wrote: I'm on YOUR side. I agree. Modders if they want money and deserve it and CAN get it....okay. I just think better ideas are abounding about how to do it man. Much better ones that won't encourage STEAM/Valve to keep taking every damn chance to milk us for every last damn $$$ we got/get/will get.

marthgun wrote: boulegue -

Don't make it out like people are mad that mod authors are getting paid. I think that is the least of anyone's concern. They should get paid if they feel so inclined through donations. I support that 100%

There are other more important issues at hand here. 25% being chief among them, followed closely behind by DMCA fears. What's going to happen if Valve gets copywrite for all these mods? Can offering the same mod that just changes a few globals get taken down here? There is going to be no way to tell and a whole bunch of crap flinging. As it stands, its a terrible idea and I haven't seen anything to convince me otherwise.

Actually ValveThesda should pay modders for their work - from their own stash of dollars.

Would be interesting to know how many people only bought Skyrim because of the mods.

[s1lvaCe]

In response to post #24567504. #24567569, #24567784 are all replies on the same post.

Reaper0021 wrote:

boulegue wrote: im pretty sure for bethesda and valve its a test run for the coming fallout&TES games.... if it works great we will see fallout 4 with paid mods.... if it doesnt work out they lost nothing and wont have it in the future

Reaper0021 wrote: Still, assuming you are in fact correct, this can lead to an utter shut-down of modding. Rather let me clarify-it can make some modders vanish as they will no longer release mods on the Nexus in lieu of $$$$$ on STEAM. That would piss me off to no end as this site/community is the best on the internet for all your gaming needs.

Agreed I DLC sized mod that is done as well as the official I would not mind dropping $5 on I usually donate that if its really worth it anyway. But if every texture, weapon/armor and other mod costed $ my load order would probably cost over $500 which is insane.

[WightMage]

In response to post #24575704. #24576384, #24576499 are all replies on the same post.

TheSovietPenguin wrote:

Tantalus010 wrote: I mostly agree with your post. I think this system is a horrendously bad idea for modding in general - the only ones this will benefit in the end are Valve and Bethesda, because they're profiting off of someone else's work (i.e. skimming). Mod authors who choose to use it exclusively will likely find themselves not making much money out of it (I imagine most of us won't be willing to pay for mods if we are forced to - I sure won't), and users will find themselves deprived of outstanding work if they aren't willing to pay for it. There's no question in my mind that some mods are truly worthy of being monetarily rewarded for it, but requiring that reward leaves a really bad taste in my mouth - both as a user and someone who has created a few (simple) mods.

freedom613 wrote: Maybe but I am just a boring person, but I was quite disappointed when you didn't go deeper into the impact this had on modding culture.

I'm with freedom613, and I enjoyed your post and thoughts.

[fgambler]

In response to post #24576539.

WightMage wrote:

The problem is other people stealing their work. Take custom textures as example. Modders that make standalone followers hardly use vanilla textures or make their own.