Extending an olive branch re: Bethesda.net and console mods

[DocNewcenstein]

I would like to extend an offer to those mod makers who have no interest in hosting/posting their mods to Bethesda.net, for whatever reason you have for that decision.

 

Let me start by saying that mod availability for consoles is an epic moment in gaming history, and a massive undertaking, and yes, Bethesda has dropped the ball, the court, the team, and crashed the plane the coaches were on into the ship the players were on with the travesty known as Bethesda.net. The last time I saw such a poor excuse for a website, I built it, and then forgot where I left it, 20 years ago.

 

Despite Bethesda's best efforts to ruin something as simple as a website, that is the one place console players will be able to obtain mods. I know there has been no shortage of animosity and straight-out juvenile/childish/infantile behavior from some of them with regards to mods, and aimed at mod makers, some specific, some more generalized, but equally distasteful and regrettable. Rocks were thrown, windows were smashed, and I'm sure there are quite a few burned bridges and PC monitors with fist dents in them.

 

Life goes on.

 

What I would like to propose is the hosting and administration of the console versions of your mods, and only the console versions, and of course only those that are capable of running on consoles, on my account at Bethesda.net. I can understand if you despise the interface, functionality, and user-base of said site, and those influence your decision to avoid it.

I am offering to be your agent in that regard, for the sole purpose of sharing the joy of quality mods made by experienced authors with console users.

 

If you have a mod you wouldn't mind sharing with console players - assuming things were not already shot to hell - then please, grant me permission to host it on your behalf, with full credit to you as the author, of course. I can handle the pinheads and the stupid questions and the general d-baggery. I'm used to it.

 

I can obtain both consoles to fully test your mod, if you lack those electronic doorstops, and provide rational, easy-to-read feedback as to any bugs or general issues you might want to know regarding the functionality of said mod(s) on said console(s), and leave the tweaking of said mod(s) up to you, if you so desire.

 

Or if you simply decide that changing anything about the mod to make it function on a console would not be to your interest, and you'd rather it not be available, simply say so, and your wish will be honored.

 

I can also handle the Creation Kit side of things regarding packaging and uploading to Bethesda.net if you choose.

 

Again, I can handle the comments and general administration for you. I'll translate and pass along legitimate bug reports, if there are any, as well as positive feedback received. You don't even have to read the comments (it's probably better if you don't). If for any reason, at any time, you want me to pull the mod, ask and you shall receive.

 

I'll go one step better: contact me with regards to a PC mod you would consider sharing with console players and I will send you my Bethesda.net account login (I'm known as DrNewcenstein there - I was here, as well, till my cookie crumbled or somesuch) and you can add or delete the console version(s) your mod(s) at your own discretion, should you see fit to do so.

 

If you prefer, I can see about creating a second account not directly credited to me and pass that login information along to those authors who are interested in this proposal, and I will deal with the idiots so you don't have to. That way, those experienced authors of quality mods have a "general repository" where they can upload their "officially licensed" console versions and leave the administration of it up to me. Again, I pass along valid bug reports and positive remarks, and you don't have to suffer the morons or the site itself.

 

Again, full credit of authorship shall remain with you, the author; I will simply act as your agent for the console versions.

 

I'm not offering this so I can get some "internet kudos" or other ego-stroke B.S. off of your talents. I truly want console players to experience the best mods they can, from the best authors around.

 

 

[Calzien]

I appreciate the offer here but there's two flaws:

 

1.) Sharing an account I'm pretty sure is against the TOS.

 

2.) Giving mod authors unrestricted access to your account can lead to sabotage.

 

All-in-all the account sharing is a bad idea. However I commend you on the attempt to act as a mediator between. It's nice to see people who can request to host or offer to host instead of just taking.

[DocNewcenstein]

Sorry for the brick wall of text. I swear it didn't look like that when I typed it up.

 

And you're right, sharing accounts is both potentially hazardous to both/all parties involved, and most likely against the ToS for that reason, at least.

 

However, the offer still stands, and is open to discussion, via PMs if anyone prefers, to iron out the terms you wish to stipulate.

 

My thought was that I'd merely be the "ghost writer" of sorts, where the author(s) dictates how the mod(s) will be handled on their behalf. Your will, my hands, as the saying goes.

 

The offer of account access is a sign of good-faith and transparency on my part, so that if an author feels I've somehow misrepresented them or their work, they may tackle the issue directly.

 

If an author (or more) of some renown is involved, perhaps the admins at Bethesda.net may allow this "shared account with a 3rd party administrator" concept, based on the quality of work of said author(s). Such an arrangement could only benefit Bethesda, and may serve as a template for their admins to set up such services to "established" authors.

 

After all, there's no denying established authors who turn out consistently quality works positively affect sales. I was a console gamer for quite some time, until Skyrim's wondrous mods started appearing, inspiring me to build an entirely new gaming rig (which I hadn't done in 10 years).

I'm certainly not the only one, I'm sure.

 

Of course this concept is not my exclusive domain: if a group of said respected authors wishes to form a consortium and seek their own 3rd party admin of a shared account - someone mutually known amongst them (which would probably be the best route) - then that would also be a benefit to the community as a whole, which is my sole concern in all of this.

[IglooGreenHouse]

The problem is that most of the mods that you're going to want are simply not going to go along with your idea. Modders aren't keen to hand over their files and say "Here, you distribute this." Especially given the fact that console users steal their work on a daily basis on bethesda.net

[Deleted3507349User]

Mod authors are the ones waiting for the olive branch from Bethesdimax.

[DocNewcenstein]

The problem is that most of the mods that you're going to want are simply not going to go along with your idea. Modders aren't keen to hand over their files and say "Here, you distribute this." Especially given the fact that console users steal their work on a daily basis on bethesda.net

 

 

Perhaps this could be addressed by adding the "official" tag to the mod name?

 

And there's no "handing over" of any files - an author PMs me here and says "I'd like you to convert my xxyy mod (link) to console", and I DL it from Nexus, or wherever they have it linked. It would already include any loose files for PC distribution, just as any other PC-based mod. I bring it into the CK, export it for either/both consoles, the CK builds the archive, then I upload it with the author's permission statement, the "officially licensed" tag, and as much of the description as Bethesda's crapass website will allow, or link directly to a Forum post in the Mod discussion section that contains the description, or to the mod's description here, or some other location of the author's choosing (text file on their site, etc).

 

I do understand the disdain for Bethesda's uninspiring formatting and upload process - I've put up a couple of my own mods already, and fighting with their auto-censor is a royal pain (Fist is banned, but not "shtlist" or "douchebaggery").

 

Obviously there are certain mods that simply won't convert to console, and that's fine. But I'm not collecting mods from here and spamming authors with "is it ok if I put this on Methesda.net?"

If an author would like to take me up on this, the impetus is on them to contact me about it, I'm not going to badger anyone.

 

 

As for Bethesda extending anything, I would love to see that happen. Sadly, I doubt they will, because from a business standpoint, it's opening the door to negotiations they're not willing to engage in, whether it's regarding design/functionality of the site (which is optimized for mobile devices and short attention spans), or the swinging of the ban-hammer.

Edited June 7, 2016 by DocNewcenstein