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Steam and Bethesda remove paid modding from Skyrim Workshop


Dark0ne

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I don't understand why Bethesda and/or Valve had to do this at all really. They ALREADY benefit from modding. It is ONLY through these awesome mods the community has put together that Skyrim still thrives (Skyrim has been on the top 10 for ages now, can't say that about other games. They've quickly fallen off of that position).

 

They already get increased sales through modding. And they've admitted themselves that modding has been beneficial for TES games. And sometimes they even take ideas from popular mods.

 

Why, just why isn't this enough for them? Always trying to squeeze more money from consumers.

 

Sigh.

 

 

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I for one am thrilled at this turn of events. While Modders work hard I don't believe they should be paid for it in this way. A donate button, of which they can receive ALL of the proceeds instead of a meager 25% is a great solution. Those who can afford to donate will and those who cannot won't be punished for it by being denied the ability to further their gaming experience.

We paid for the game, we bought the DLC, must we be REQUIRED to pay for user-created content? Content we may not like and uninstall shortly after? Content that is not made with the backing of a whole team of professionals?

I would be happy to donate to a modder whose work I enjoy when I can afford to. I know many of us feel the same in that respect. Mods are a wonderful part of gaming, at least to me, and I thank the modders for helping to make my game extraordinary and perfectly mine. However there are too many problems that occur when mods - especially vital ones like SKYUI - disappear behind a paywall. In the case of the aforementioned mod the biggest issue stems from the dependent mods. Fully half of my modlist is dependent upon that mod. What happens when they get updated to depend on the paid version? I have to uninstall them all which will not only lessen my gaming experience but corrupt every one of my saves. Gamers shouldn't have to deal with that.

The mods behind the paywall aren't regulated for quality. What if I install a mod only to find that the voice acting is subpar, or it causes glitches, conflicts with another mod I have, or even something as simple as I don't like it. If I paid for that mod it would be very frustrating. It can be argued that the same issues might exist with a full purchased game. The difference is that before I purchase a game I can watch videos, read reviews, or even play a demo of it with some companies. With a full game I know that tons of people and lots of money went into the creation. I know that the creators are professionals. There is no such guarantee with mods.

 

In fact I've always gone into a mod's core files and looked over the coding before installing it. Most of the coding is quite frankly garbage in most mods. Oh it'll work but it's done inefficiently and sloppily. This is likely just due to lack of professional training or experience. I often correct the code and continue on with my enjoyment of the mod. Not everyone can do that...when they install that unprofessionally made mod that they paid for...well they're getting something that doesn't deserve to have been paid for in the first place. Would you buy a sandwich if the sub place just threw bread, meat, condiments, and veggies into a bag and chucked it at you? Technically it's all the pieces for a sandwich, it's the same thing and it could work but you're paying for a sandwich.

Then there's the idea of the community. Mods are made by and for that community. It's a kind of unity that unites us all. The moment a modder begins to charge for their work they are no longer part of that. They are above the community in their own mind and no longer have that connection. It seems a small thing but the difference is very tangible. The mod then is no longer about serving the community, giving your best to them just for the love of it. At that point it becomes about profit and nothing more. Those who asked to be paid may deny it all they want but it's true. They saw the opportunity to profit and they took it. To me that separates the true passionate modders who care from those who would turn at the first opportunity.

In the end the point is moot now. The right decision was made. I do hope in the future that more modders will consider a donate button and that more downloaders will be willing to donate. To me, this represents a great way for modders to be compensated for their hard work without taking from the community.

Edited by Namea
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In response to post #24748294. #24748909, #24748959, #24749014, #24749054, #24749074, #24749089, #24749114, #24749169, #24749269, #24749289, #24749409, #24749439, #24749529, #24749564, #24749574, #24749674, #24749709, #24749814, #24749884, #24749889, #24749954, #24750114, #24750204, #24750249, #24750254, #24750279, #24750544, #24750564, #24750709, #24750814, #24750904, #24751449, #24751489, #24751899, #24751974, #24752079, #24752334, #24752454, #24753799, #24754219, #24754259, #24754609, #24754739, #24754979, #24755419, #24755704, #24755774, #24755999, #24756039, #24756394, #24756489, #24756599, #24756669 are all replies on the same post.


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@ caffeinatedNetling

Account options > Download History, if you want to correct that. You can even endorse from there.
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A neutral post.

 

Personally I see a bit of self entitlement from both sides.

 

MODDERS: I too am a modder, I've created 5 skyrim mods(never released them, they're copies of some mods here) and participated in CIV4 fall from heaven 2.. for those of you that are familiar. As well as Vampire the Masquerade Redemption(not bloodlines) and Dominions 3. You see these communities are different from yours(I'm not much of a member of the elder scrolls community) we did it for the hell of it. Because we were getting tired of wanking our selves so we decided to mod these things out of boredom. The thought of getting payed was as distant as bethesdas afterthoughts. What I'm trying to say is, no one made you, me, or anyone, forced to do these things. You released it because why not? It sucks playing something alone, even though YOU DO play skyrim alone... Your ma and pa probably are working longer hours for less, youtubers are profiting from your work and your parents for much less effort and make thousands.

 

It's a bit your fault for expecting something in return, the endorsements themselves prove this in some ways. Endorsements are a currency and everyone wants it. It's your own expectations that betrayed you. It's a hobby whether you like it or not.

 

So without making this any longer... what's the solution? Don't create mods if you feel you need a pay. Go buy a cheap engine or learn DLL and create your own games for money. Check out Distant Worlds or Dominions series if you think that won't work. Mods won't get you food on a plate.

 

 

COMMUNITY(NON-MODDERS): The best advice to you guys I can give is LEARN how to mod. Most of you are young, don't need to work, and got time to learn a few languages before you arrive college. Use that time well and learn as much as possible, trust me. You've seen what just happened, and I bet most of you felt helpless.. that's how life is, so don't be helpless.

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Just sitting here thinking about all this and realised how much what I am emotionally engaged in and feel like I am a part of affects what I am willing to spend money on. I think this is being forgotten sometimes in society in general as we are all being exploited on varying degrees. It can sometimes hard to see through the noise and it can take the potential of losing something that makes you value it that much more.

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In response to post #24750659. #24751234, #24751479, #24751989, #24752184, #24752194, #24752214, #24752369, #24752499, #24752619, #24752624, #24752694, #24752819, #24752834, #24752854, #24752944, #24753079, #24753134, #24753249, #24755354, #24755649, #24755674, #24755734, #24755859, #24756679, #24756804 are all replies on the same post.


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You really have a critical thinking issue.Everyone involved was protesting the idea of the Way this went down Most of those protesting were/are fine with a donation system that is more prominent...Very few people are so tied to getting a 'FREE LUNCH" that they feel they should be entitled to it ad infinitum...SO, charging the entire community as you have done may not necessarily mean that you are an absolute IDIOT, you may simply have a LEARNING DISABILITY.
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In response to post #24750659. #24751234, #24751479, #24751989, #24752184, #24752194, #24752214, #24752369, #24752499, #24752619, #24752624, #24752694, #24752819, #24752834, #24752854, #24752944, #24753079, #24753134, #24753249, #24755354, #24755649, #24755674, #24755734, #24755859, #24756679, #24756804, #24757029 are all replies on the same post.


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@mljh11

"A) Modders have every right to ASK for compensation for their work as any other artist does."

ASK, ASK, ASK.

My original post was targeted towards the vitriolic and insane behavior of some very shitty people on here against modders asking for compensation for their work. SURE, they don't have legally and technically that right. But neither do Let's Players. It is a legally muddy place.

But they have the right to ASK as much as anyone else for it and NOT be bombarded by a bunch of insane maniacs with "FREEDOM!!!" badges.
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Hindsight is 20/20, but I think we can all agree that Skyrim wasn't the right game to try this experiment on. It already had a huge successful following in an open community with great mods still being made every day. To come in and SUDDENLY try to capitalize on that 4 years later, probably wasn't the best move by valve/Bethesda. Timing and transparency was their main mistakes. Don't get me wrong I love Bethesda. They make some of my absolute favorite games and they are a great company. I realize why they wanted to try it, and why some modders were excited to submit their work, it was a great opportunity and in the long run it may have even worked out for everyone the way that Beth/Valve described. However, now with them suddenly backtracking, what ended up happening is that modders are left disappointed with users and visa versa. Business formed a wedge of opinion and stuck it in the middle of a huge successful open community and then suddenly removed it again leaving a mess behind. We should all remember that 6 days ago Skyrim was free, and for the most part everyone was happy with that, and nobody complained. However, these events do bring to light some important issues:

 

1. Being a user is a privilege, nobody deserves to get mods for free and those who put their valuable time and effort into their creations deserve the full respect and appreciation of the community for sharing all that they do. Modders are the lifeblood of this community, so no one has the right to go around calling them names like traitors or greedy for wanting to sell their work, that's disrespectful and selfish. People who share their work for free deserve the utmost respect and appreciation.

 

2. Many users do really show appreciation and not just by donating money, but also in other smaller ways. By donating time, by helping on menial tasks like making lists, by helping modders maintain their mod pages or answering users questions who didn't read the desc. for the xteenth time, testing new mods for bugs and discussing and sharing excitement about new updates. Also showing support outside of the community by promoting mods to reviewers and submitting artwork and pictures, videos, endorsing, voting, etc... there's all kinds of ways that users can show their appreciation. So donating is not the only way to do this, but it is the best and most direct way to say thanks.

 

I think the bottom line here is the timing was bad, and maybe that in itself is a good enough argument for Skyrim to always remain free. So now we can all either choose to move on, or remain stuck in yesterday's arguments. Everyone on either side should now be thinking of the future. Curated modding is not gone forever, it's just been postponed for a different time. For some maybe this is something for to look forward to? For others maybe it's not.. Whatever the case, I think we can all agree that no matter which side your opinion falls on, being involved in this community means accepting others for who they are and showing them respect, because without respect there is no community.

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You guys do also realize that some modders use things like Maya, and 3ds max which costs $123 a month, right? You do realize that the modders who are disinclined to pay actually have overhead, right? Ontop of the time people invest in creating the mods, they also invest money.

Edited by Xenoshi
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Believe me guys i wouldn´t have been able to do any mods if not for the Nexus been free of charge,

 

I had some time to spare and wanted to take part in the creation..i love this game.

 

Dark One is the greatest guy when it comes to modding skyrim..so many mods so many authors you can learn from when it comes to modding all for free..also the possibility for placing your mods all free.This is what made me curious about the modding scene.

 

I think it´s ok for those modders to get their money if they wish, i know how much time it consumes..

 

When i did my first mod it took me 6 month to learn how to do it,it´s been a mesh i had to do so i had to learn about 3ds max and photoshop and all the tutorials on that matter..my second one took 6 month which was an enb..where i had to learn a lot to do it somehow right.. i had to learn about coding and all the stuff plus the testing ..my third one was just a texture replacer

and it didn´t took long because i´m pretty fast at it. yet still another one and a half month to make it look pretty.

 

So this is no huge overhaul i did, yet still something i did because i love this game and really was curious about how things are getting done..

 

Without free modding, i think a lot of good mods wouldn´t be there.

 

Personally i think people should know there is a lot of work and time spent on doing even the so called small mods (when you first start modding) and we really should be all grateful there is such a thing like the Nexus.

 

I never paid a cent for Nexus, but i delivered some content ppl can use, which is at least something i´ve done for this great modding community.

 

One thing to say if you got some money to spent and you are interested in mods and you want to have those mods for free, do support Nexus and do support the modders you like. Even a small donation if you can afford it is really helpful.

 

Big thanks to all the ppl who subscribe to Nexus and put some money in it..plus all the ppl who

don´t mind spending a dime for the mods they really like.

 

By the way i don´t accept payment ..it´s all free for you because it was all free for me.

 

LONG LIVE THE NEXUS COMMUNITY!!..modders and mod consumers belong together..don´t let anyone take us apart. Plz respect each other!

 

To all you modders: plz don´t be such a sissy when it comes to trolls.. there is no need to take down mods just because some trolls are in your way..simply ignore them. do not overreact.

 

Maybe someone should be doing some e-book..called "Deal with trolls the easy way" ???

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Foggypath/Enchibaer

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