Modding only for the rich in the future?

[Aegrus]

That's it, I can't take these comments any more. Pulling my mods from the internet now- among them, the only decent HD mod for Dragon Age 2. I am sick to death of selfish people insulting anyone who even thinks it's *okay* if someone charges. I wouldn't charge for a mod, but I can totally understand why a modder would, and after having so many negative personal attacks on any site where I talk about this, that's it, I'm out.

 

Modding is a hobby; so is carving sculptures, so is art. Both of those earn money. Not a lot in most cases, but some. Many hobbies are paid; saying that they aren't is ridiculous and untrue.

 

I actually heard one person say, "being a modder is like being a waiter, you get tips, but don't expect a paycheck." WTF? In every country I know of, waiters get a salary *and* tips.

 

And all the people acting like, just because they used a mod, modders owe them lifelong loyalty. Saw some people yesterday saying that they should be able to take *back* donations from mod authors if the authors do something they don't like. Brilliant idea. (facepalm)

 

Saw one guy say, "Chesko, you just lost my loyalty." Uh huh. What loyalty would that be, exactly? The "loyalty" to take free stuff from him forever? Since when does your loyalty pay bills?

 

Found another guy saying that mod authors do not create content, and that they are stealing from Bethesda if they charge for mods. I don't think I even need to explain everything wrong with that one.

 

And now I'm hearing people more and more that donations shouldn't be allowed on the Nexus.

 

I'm agreeing more and more with Garry Newman here. I'm not going to be a part of such a hostile community any longer, done with modding. I've been developing a game anyway, I'll just switch fully to that and release it through Steam.

 

Tidus44, thank you for not being insane, but I'm out.

[Cassie363]

That's it, I can't take these comments any more. Pulling my mods from the internet now- among them, the only decent HD mod for Dragon Age 2. I am sick to death of selfish people insulting anyone who even thinks it's *okay* if someone charges. I wouldn't charge for a mod, but I can totally understand why a modder would, and after having so many negative personal attacks on any site where I talk about this, that's it, I'm out.

 

Modding is a hobby; so is carving sculptures, so is art. Both of those earn money. Not a lot in most cases, but some. Many hobbies are paid; saying that they aren't is ridiculous and untrue.

 

I actually heard one person say, "being a modder is like being a waiter, you get tips, but don't expect a paycheck." WTF? In every country I know of, waiters get a salary *and* tips.

 

And all the people acting like, just because they used a mod, modders owe them lifelong loyalty. Saw some people yesterday saying that they should be able to take *back* donations from mod authors if the authors do something they don't like. Brilliant idea. (facepalm)

 

Saw one guy say, "Chesko, you just lost my loyalty." Uh huh. What loyalty would that be, exactly? The "loyalty" to take free stuff from him forever? Since when does your loyalty pay bills?

 

Found another guy saying that mod authors do not create content, and that they are stealing from Bethesda if they charge for mods. I don't think I even need to explain everything wrong with that one.

 

And now I'm hearing people more and more that donations shouldn't be allowed on the Nexus.

 

I'm agreeing more and more with Garry Newman here. I'm not going to be a part of such a hostile community any longer, done with modding. I've been developing a game anyway, I'll just switch fully to that and release it through Steam.

 

Tidus44, thank you for not being insane, but I'm out.

 

Donations aren't a problem. That's fine. It makes sense to support people who put out quality content. I think donation needs to be pushed a bit more, not so much to annoy people who download files, but enough to remind them that the option is there if they feel like dropping a few bucks.

 

Definitely, donations are a great thing and more people should be donating if they can, and the modders are good.

 

My issue is with putting mods behind a paywall. In a community that was built on goodwill and mutual love of the game, it was never about making money. It was about modding the game and having fun with it, because you could. I just think it's kind of betraying the community's trust. Selling out, in a way. It's not something I would do to others.

 

What makes mods so great is that they're free and available to anyone who wants to use them, without restrictions. For someone like me who can barely make rent, let alone afford new games, it's a lifesaver, because I'm able to do things with the game that I normally wouldn't be able to do. I want mods to be free so that other people can freely enjoy those experiences.

 

People's enjoyment may not pay rent, but it's a hell of a lot more fulfilling. At least to me, anyway. I put what I put into my mods because I know the end result of people having fun, telling their friends and sharing my creation is all I'll need.

 

If modders really want to sell their talents, why don't they just get into game development? A popular game mod looks good on a resume.

 

People are entitled to their opinions. If it bothers you that some people think this way, maybe you should get out of modding.

Edited April 27, 2015 by Cassie363

[Aegrus]

 

People are entitled to their opinions. If it bothers you that some people think this way, maybe you should get out of modding.

 

 

You have exactly one mod with a couple endorsements, I had around 8,000 endorsements between my collective of mods. And that was just on the nexus.

 

TO clarify, I may still mod for myself, as always. I am done *uploading* my mods for a community which is increasingly toxic to content creators. It's not worth it. I find it very telling that so many of the most popular modders and largest figures in the industry jumped ship and went to Steam. To a sane community that would cause introspection. What it *actually* caused was non-stop hate rants against mod creators and anyone in support (in some cases even hate rants against people relatively neutral, like Dark0ne, who I find as been very sensible about this whole issue and seriously deserves a freaking vacation)

 

What does it tell you if Garry Newman, Gave Newell, Chesko, want to change so much? What does it tell you that there's a thread on this very nexus dedicated to letting mod authors vent about the most terrible commentors on their mods? Modding communities have a serious problem, and as much as people try to deny there is one and insist that modders are just greedy, you can look at any comments section to find mind numbing arguments about why the modders providing people with largely free content, are the villains all of a sudden.

 

Fortunately that hasn't been the Nexus's official policy, like I said, I think Dark0ne has the right idea, but hosting my mods *anywhere* is just not worth the hate I've been getting for it.

Edited April 27, 2015 by Aegrus

[Cassie363]

Ha. Lol. That's not a mod as much as it was my first attempt to get familiar with the CS. It's actually kind of embarassing, and I should remove it. I generally don't share my stuff, since most of what I make is for friends and hardly worth sharing.

 

I do have two large projects for the Nexus that I'm putting a lot of time and effort into. They're unfinished, but I'm working away at a steady pace.

 

You want to brag about your endorsements like you're some kind of celebrity, whatever. That's your prerogative. I may be a nobody in your eyes, but I mod because I enjoy it, I do it for myself and I want other people to enjoy it. I don't care what I get in return, just as long as somebody enjoys my creation.

 

I don't consider this community toxic. There may be a couple comment trolls or entitled whiners here or there, but to label an entire community as toxic because of that, that's a massive sweeping generalization to make, and I think that's actually a pretty damn disrespectful thing to say, considering how many people have probably enjoyed, endorsed, and promoted your work.

[Metalwraith031]

 

 

You have exactly one mod with a couple endorsements, I had around 8,000 endorsements between my collective of mods. And that was just on the nexus.

 

Now replace the word endorsement with the word money. Because thats what going to happen and thats what turns a community toxic.

[KaiserDeathIV]

modding community toxic? pls what? it was never toxic. it began to become toxic when the paid mods nonsense started.

 

and you wanna tell me you agree with a guy (garry newman) who says the modding community is full of cunts?

[Rational314]

If you can not keep this topic civil, the thread will be closed.

[KaiserDeathIV]

If you can not keep this topic civil, the thread will be closed.

sry for this question, but where is this topic uncivil? my last response was not insulting anyone or such things.

[Fearlessjay]

Aegrus, I'm mainly posting for you and all the other great modders out there who have given so much over the years. I know it's easy to get disheartened, this was sprung out of nowhere and was quite frankly dispicable. I'm a pretty old gamer, started out on the Spectrum 48k, went on the Amiga, PC, etc, and as a result love playing old games. It's so amazing to be able to go back to Morrowind or Oblivion, and see all these amazing mods that have been worked on in the meantime. Baldur's Gate 2 is one of my all time favourite games so it's likely I have downloaded your mod for Dragon Age 2 at some stage. I spend way too much money on gaming, and would probably pay for mods like yours. But this is wrong. Bethseda are famous for suing Occulus Rift, Scrolls, closing down Interplay's Fallout online, making sure Obsidian didn't get the bonus as a result of 84% metacritic, trying to destroy Human Head and so many other things. I've upgraded to premium for the year even though I don't actually download a lot of mods, and I really hope this community pulls through. I won't be buying the new Fallout, which is a first for me. Still play Fallout 1 and 2, of course with mods crafted as a result of the love of the games, and this is my first post here sadly. Luckily I still have fully modded Oblivion, Morrowind and other classics, and I would have no problem giving something back. Hope the premium helps.

[Tidus44]

That's it, I can't take these comments any more. Pulling my mods from the internet now- among them, the only decent HD mod for Dragon Age 2. I am sick to death of selfish people insulting anyone who even thinks it's *okay* if someone charges. I wouldn't charge for a mod, but I can totally understand why a modder would, and after having so many negative personal attacks on any site where I talk about this, that's it, I'm out.

 

Modding is a hobby; so is carving sculptures, so is art. Both of those earn money. Not a lot in most cases, but some. Many hobbies are paid; saying that they aren't is ridiculous and untrue.

 

I actually heard one person say, "being a modder is like being a waiter, you get tips, but don't expect a paycheck." WTF? In every country I know of, waiters get a salary *and* tips.

 

And all the people acting like, just because they used a mod, modders owe them lifelong loyalty. Saw some people yesterday saying that they should be able to take *back* donations from mod authors if the authors do something they don't like. Brilliant idea. (facepalm)

 

Saw one guy say, "Chesko, you just lost my loyalty." Uh huh. What loyalty would that be, exactly? The "loyalty" to take free stuff from him forever? Since when does your loyalty pay bills?

 

Found another guy saying that mod authors do not create content, and that they are stealing from Bethesda if they charge for mods. I don't think I even need to explain everything wrong with that one.

 

And now I'm hearing people more and more that donations shouldn't be allowed on the Nexus.

 

I'm agreeing more and more with Garry Newman here. I'm not going to be a part of such a hostile community any longer, done with modding. I've been developing a game anyway, I'll just switch fully to that and release it through Steam.

 

Tidus44, thank you for not being insane, but I'm out.

 

I only ever made 11 mods for Oblivion, and pulled them from the Nexus some time ago because of exactly the points you have made.

 

So very few users appreciate mods or modders and too many are so self entitled it’s not even worth the effort to share mods. Modders themselves are not an innocent part of the equation and some are just as bad as the users (not accusing anyone here, but there are some really ignorant modders out there).

 

It is unfortunate that the antics of users have seen so many modders leave and go to other places or just leave all together. While the Nexus offers some protection, it still can be an absolutely horrendous experience to have made and shared a mod that was offered freely and in the spirit of enhancing the community.

 

I do laugh at the “appreciation” aspect that people bring up. That and $5.00 will get me a coffee at Starbucks.

One mod I had made had close to 10,000 downloads and a whopping 12 endorsements but better than 100 “How come you didn’t….” and “Why won’t you….” posts and PMs. I didn’t make the mod for anyone but me, but the overwhelming responses were not related to technical issues (the mod worked well and didn’t cause anyone any technical problems that I ever heard of), but the demands for changes and additions and modifications were numerous and demanding and some got very upset because I wouldn’t put their ideas into my mod.

The tiny bit of appreciation didn’t do much to offset the frustration and insults that the majority offered.

And it hasn’t gotten better, it’s gotten worse.

 

And when it comes right down to it the Nexus isn’t even special any more, it’s become just another website in a list of websites. The “community” that it used to be hasn’t existed for a long time and I doubt it will ever be a community ever again.

 

The bottom line is I guess I understand and can sympathize and support you in your decision. I have found modding for myself and for friends to be a much more pleasurable experience and a lot more fulfilling than sharing mods freely on a website.

 

Given the financial aspects I am tempted to begin modding Skyrim. You’d have to be awfully rich to ignore the opportunity to make a few dollars doing something as easy as making a mod and it seems there are plenty who are willing to buy.