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Steam and Bethesda remove paid modding from Skyrim Workshop

Dark0ne

By Dark0ne
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mljh11 Newbie

mljh11

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1. This shows, above all else, that customers (or people in general, really) value good communication. I really think that if Valve / Bethesda had announced the idea way, waaaay beforehand, and perhaps also allowed collaborating modders a platform to discuss their own projects instead of keeping them silenced under an NDA, people's reactions would've been much different.

 

2. I hope people aren't under the illusion that paid mods as a concept is dead and buried. I'm putting money on Valve trying it again in the future (I mean with IP that isn't their own but just sold through Steam)... Although it most definitely isn't gonna be tried with Skyrim anymore... And hopefully they'll put more thought going into it next time. The idea is out there now, and we can be sure some wise guy somewhere thinks he can solve any problems that has surfaced this time. We ought to brace ourselves for that future.

 

3. I couldn't help but think Bethesda's own blog sounded sheepish when they talked about the 25% split going to modders. Personally I have no doubt that Bethesda do love making their games and seeing how a community can spring up around their labor of love, but frankly taking such a big cut of any mod purchases just came off as greedy and opportunistic. 50% would've been much appropriate to me.

 

4. The worst offender (imho) was still Valve though. For a substantial cut of the revenue they couldn't even give their partnered modders proper legal advice? (See Chesko's fishing mod.) Seriously guys? Could you stop doing things so half-assed for once?

 

5. For the modders: I feel it's worth thinking about whether you could've made some better choices. I totally get that this was an exciting, perhaps once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. And I have absolutely no problem that you gave it a shot: I said elsewhere that people must remember that you were given a chance to turn something you loved doing into an income-earning opportunity. Such a thing is rare in the real world. But maybe some of you could've tried it with entirely new mods, instead of established mods that others might have even donated to you for previously. (And on a more sanguine level, maybe you could've considered working under a different pseudonymn, as I suspect some of the first paid modders on the Workshop might've done?)

 

6. I hope the rift that has come up between modders and mod-downloaders can heal in time. After having seen some of the more ridiculous stuff that has been written though, I think some wounds will always remain. If you're just a mod user instead of creator and you've poured any amount of hatred on any modder for even considering getting compensated for their time and effort, you should be ashamed.

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Aelquias Newbie

Aelquias

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If we had a world where mods cost money all the time what would happen?

 

Companies would rapidly spring up with the explicit purpose of just creating mods. They would research all the modifiable titles coming out in the near future and develop strategies to produce game ready assets for them.

 

The original developers being fully aware of this new miraculous resource would release game shells with little polish or heart.

 

Now this could go really poorly or it could slowly develop into a system people accepted. You can envision a time when players only played custom content from one or two of their favorite mod houses. ie: all the games in their libraries would have that specific flavour/quality.

 

However, the key component that attaches players to a title and encourages them to seek out mods and take the effort to install them would diminish and likely die away. Story, lore, background and characters, all connect us as players. If we are all filling in our own shells we will lose the community drive that pushes modders to do great things.

 

Games need to be great on their own. I worry under this paradigm there is a monetized incentive for investors to push developers to release games that require mods to be 'good', so they can invest in mod house to complete the experiences and nickle and dime consumers even more than they already do.

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TheSovietPenguin Rookie

TheSovietPenguin

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I'm not at all surprised that they pulled the plug.

 

The system relied on the community's goodwill for both supply and demand, and the community gave them neither. Mod authors who weren't part of the "debut pack" had no reason to monetize because they would just be harassed, and sales of the mods were stupendously low. So yeah, Valve's paid modding system was dead on arrival.

 

I can't deny that this riot has been damaging to the modding community, but with the system now gone, I hope we get back to the way things were. Hopefully the modders that released paid mods re-upload those mods for free, because I'd really hate to see good time and talent go to waste because of internet drama.

 

I also hope that Valve takes the hint that PR is actually important. Since Gabe himself was the first PR responder, he'll probably be bashing some heads in Valve HQ for not doing their homework. Maybe they'll finally improve their customer service...

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jfisha Explorer

jfisha

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In response to post #24738304. #24738404, #24738464, #24738479, #24738524, #24738604, #24738659, #24738679, #24738694, #24738739, #24738779, #24738799, #24738804, #24738919, #24738944, #24738974, #24739104, #24739184, #24739199, #24739204, #24739289, #24739329, #24739359, #24739394, #24739409, #24739474, #24739514, #24739544, #24739564, #24739609, #24739619, #24739639, #24739689, #24739759, #24739784, #24739884, #24739949, #24739999, #24740019, #24740029, #24740039, #24740124, #24740139, #24740174, #24740184, #24740199, #24740234, #24740349, #24740469, #24740494, #24740509, #24740569, #24740579, #24740584, #24740694, #24740734, #24740789, #24740809, #24740814, #24740834, #24740844, #24740859, #24740899, #24740939, #24740959, #24741039, #24741074, #24741079, #24741154, #24741159, #24741164, #24741289, #24741369, #24741419, #24741429, #24741444, #24741449, #24741529, #24741644, #24741674, #24741699, #24741714, #24741744, #24741754, #24741764, #24741784, #24741804, #24741884, #24741959, #24742024, #24742104, #24742119, #24742154, #24742169, #24742194, #24742314, #24742444, #24742464, #24742489, #24742509, #24742524, #24742564, #24742579, #24742634 are all replies on the same post.


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@foster xbl

I guess that's where we're getting off track then. You're allowed to profit with your mod, I don't care.

However, I think you're complaining about this on the wrong forum. Steam is where all the death threats and really bad vitriol was coming from. Sure, there's been some here but for the most part, it's been cordial. Hell, look at Chesko's Frostfall comments. It's an over whelming amount of support.

What's confusing me is why are you on a site that has repeatedly stated it will never charge for mods and is committed to making sure the mods here remain free, complaining about why you can't charge for mods? We're all friends here and all, but I just don't get it. Go after those little bastards on Steam
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esrafael Collaborator

esrafael

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It's really something they should have openly discussed with the modding communities first, on all the major modding sites. Bethesda's policy of silence just bit them in the rump again.

 

A little more transparency would go a long way, and just maybe we can steer them away from any more minefields like this one.

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Inky84 Apprentice

Inky84

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In response to post #24738304. #24738404, #24738464, #24738479, #24738524, #24738604, #24738659, #24738679, #24738694, #24738739, #24738779, #24738799, #24738804, #24738919, #24738944, #24738974, #24739104, #24739184, #24739199, #24739204, #24739289, #24739329, #24739359, #24739394, #24739409, #24739474, #24739514, #24739544, #24739564, #24739609, #24739619, #24739639, #24739689, #24739759, #24739784, #24739884, #24739949, #24739999, #24740019, #24740029, #24740039, #24740124, #24740139, #24740174, #24740184, #24740199, #24740234, #24740349, #24740469, #24740494, #24740509, #24740569, #24740579, #24740584, #24740694, #24740734, #24740789, #24740809, #24740814, #24740834, #24740844, #24740859, #24740899, #24740939, #24740959, #24741039, #24741074, #24741079, #24741154, #24741159, #24741164, #24741289, #24741369, #24741419, #24741429, #24741444, #24741449, #24741529, #24741644, #24741674, #24741699, #24741714, #24741744, #24741754, #24741764, #24741784, #24741804, #24741884, #24741959, #24742024, #24742104, #24742119, #24742154, #24742169, #24742194, #24742314, #24742444, #24742464, #24742489, #24742509, #24742524, #24742564, #24742579, #24742634, #24742744 are all replies on the same post.


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i dont know about the other people but jfisha is right.. i have no problem paying or donating to YOU but the way valve and beth set it up. you would prolly not see a dime. 25% is outrageous. plus the fact that your mods would just end up on pirates bay makes it more likely. i think that if nexus made a wallet similar to steam. (reason for this is cause i have a life too and i cant go to my paypal everytime and wonder/be worried if i can donate every time i like a mod.) that said.. i also think that donate button should also be in a better place both on nexus and steam. that way when they see it..it gives them a sense of morality.

just a thought =)
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sunshinenbrick Grand Master

sunshinenbrick

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In response to post #24738304. #24738404, #24738464, #24738479, #24738524, #24738604, #24738659, #24738679, #24738694, #24738739, #24738779, #24738799, #24738804, #24738919, #24738944, #24738974, #24739104, #24739184, #24739199, #24739204, #24739289, #24739329, #24739359, #24739394, #24739409, #24739474, #24739514, #24739544, #24739564, #24739609, #24739619, #24739639, #24739689, #24739759, #24739784, #24739884, #24739949, #24739999, #24740019, #24740029, #24740039, #24740124, #24740139, #24740174, #24740184, #24740199, #24740234, #24740349, #24740469, #24740494, #24740509, #24740569, #24740579, #24740584, #24740694, #24740734, #24740789, #24740809, #24740814, #24740834, #24740844, #24740859, #24740899, #24740939, #24740959, #24741039, #24741074, #24741079, #24741154, #24741159, #24741164, #24741289, #24741369, #24741419, #24741429, #24741444, #24741449, #24741529, #24741644, #24741674, #24741699, #24741714, #24741744, #24741754, #24741764, #24741784, #24741804, #24741884, #24741959, #24742024, #24742104, #24742119, #24742154, #24742169, #24742194, #24742314, #24742444, #24742464, #24742489, #24742509, #24742524, #24742564, #24742579, #24742634, #24742744, #24742799 are all replies on the same post.


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Developers will sell just the sdk on its own before long then say, make your your own goddam games! Ha :) Edited by sunshinenbrick
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popcorn71 Collaborator

popcorn71

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In response to post #24742594. #24742759, #24742924, #24742934, #24743009, #24743059 are all replies on the same post.


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If your complaining about the hate being spewed on steam then why post files to the steam workshop? If Valve will not moderate their comment section and you don't like what people are saying about your mod then just don't use the workshop. Not that I'm excusing the tolls, but why put your self in a possession where you are subjected to their hate in the first place?

=== Edit ===
To clarify, I have not read ANYTHING on steam for several day. I currently have steam offline and firewalled. This all just seems too convenient to me and I don't really trust Valve right now. Edited by popcorn71
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nbtc971 Contributor

nbtc971

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Gamers are tired of being nickel and dimed. If you feel betrayed by the community as a modder and want to be paid for your work, I'm sorry. If that zaps your drive and ambition to mod, I understand. As a consumer, I'm tried of gaming companies and publishers figuring out how to get every last bit of money out of my wallet. It's too bad that modders pay the price in this situation, but it's a lot easier to give up a mod than to give up a new game that has been marketed with millions of dollars, so the developers and publishers will continue to make their money. To be honest, the service they were offering was going to be a nightmare with no support, no way to guarantee if mods were going to work after game updates. No way to know if a mod will conflict with another mod, as they often do, etc. Come up with a better plan and I can back it. But the modder only get 25% of the profit on top of the other issues? Forget it.
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