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Free, scaled down versions of Mods on Nexus that point to Workshop


Calamachus

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Seems to me that explicitly stating "this is the free version!" is no different than asking for money...and isn't that still against Nexus' TOS?

 

I'm just curious how that will be handled and policed.

 

As a segment of the modding + Skyrim fandom community has decided to depart the community to become professional paid content providers this is going to be more of an issue. I have no interest in being sold content or pitched samples on the Nexus. While I'm confident that the Nexus will (as always) make a smart choice about how to handle an issue confronting this slice of the community I'd like to see it addressed fast and early so we don't have a shitstorm of modders feeling like 'well it was fine before why isn't it now' when their scaled down mod sample (or even better, their scaled down mod sample *with in game popup adds* ) is now being treated like the advertisement for their paid content that it is.

 

Seriously, the more I think about this the more I want a 'pay for early access' option. That creates a reasonable two-way basis for what is effectively a donate-to-support system. Donate a buck or two and get early access to updates and such. Have it good for a set timeframe then chip in again if you want to keep the early updates. This would let me continue to support in a mutually agreed upon manner modders who are creating content I want to support and is getting actively maintained. A donation system is unreliable and inherently unbalanced. How much is fair? Why this guy and not another? Do I donate and the modder quits tomorrow? My donation isn't tied to anything measurable or identifiable for it to be properly seen in the context of why I'm donating. A donation of $1.00 doesn't seem like much at all while paying $1.00 for 60 days early access that's good for the next 3/6/9 months of updates certainly does.

 

I agree, absolutely, that the prior system of expressing support (both in thanks and remuneration) for modders failed. Just went through it; of the 102 mods I had installed I hadn't even endorsed 18 of them because I'm an asshole. That's the bare minimum, the bare absolute minmum that should be done and there are plenty of them I'd love to pitch some money at to support but, what, a $1.00 donation? What if nobody else donates and the guy looks at his donations and sees $1.00 for the last year?

 

The solution is not treating mods like products to be sold. There is never going to be a point where me giving Bethesda $0.65 cents and Valve $0.10 for the opportunity to give $0.25 to support a modder is going to sit well with me. I'm also not keen on 'buying mods'. I don't hold mods to the same standards I hold a professional product to nor should I. If my cell phone quits working I expect to be able to call someone and have that fixed, right now. I'm paying for a product and I expect it to be supported. A modder is a fellow enthusiast like myself; a fan, we share a passion. He/she has the time, skills and energy to create something and share it with me and the community and that's f*#@ing amazing, I love it, it motivates me to enjoy our shared interest even more and I want to express my appreciation for that to them.

 

That is a completely, totally different feeling, experience and relationship than the one I have with the guy who sells me a coffee on the way to work. Those two need to not be mixed. I need better tools to express the former without it ever being anything like the later.

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I agree completly on this. I also have to ask how many unofficial DLC makers upgraded their licences? If you are using the free version of Maya, you are not allowed to sell your work on it. You need to fork out $1,470 a year now...

This is an interesting point. I wonder what the stance is from the student version of 3dsMax.

 

Same as for Maya; in fact, both Max and Maya are owned by the same company (Autodesk). The laws regarding profit apply to any and all student software from any company: if you have a student license, you may not (legally) make money from anything produced with it. And for the sort of work that modders often do, the price for commercial-grade software is set far too high, and unless they're generating massive profits from mod sales, I don't think that most mod-makers will be able to justify the expense.

 

As for the "Standard on Nexus/Premium on Workshop", I could see that model working, provided that the mod isn't too heavily cut down. The content released for free should still be worthwhile for the user to download.

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A mod is not unlike a DLC. It turns out that DLC was the developers who made and they have the right to charge. A mod was a fan who created as a hobby and it may or may not want to share. I have already created many mods, but I'm too lazy to share them. I made for myself. But of course there are people who take pleasure in seeing others praising his work, even not getting anything in return. The person feels talented and encourages to produce more.

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