Fixing the issue with mods being stolen on xbox and possibly PS4 soon

[AsmodesReynolds]

So I literally know next to nothing about programming but would it be possible (and maybe relatively simple?) for mod authors to write their mods in a way that requires some kind of "key" to unlock them otherwise a host of negative effects will happen to the system it is installed on or the mod simply wont work. Then work with nexus to hide the "mod unlock key" code/script or w/e in the nexus mod manager? It would be entirely up to the author if they want to write their mods this way and where they want to upload it but for those who want the added security this could be an idea. Maybe?

 

Again I know literally nothing about coding so feel free to flame me but its just a thought I guess.

Alexotero1219,

I personally have not worked with CK or any of the tools, beyond skimming the surface to fix bugs, with the mods I use. However, I have coded DRM for other software, as well as break DRM. So, whether it’s possible depends on what is available for us to manipulate within the on extended scripting engine. If there is enough call for it. I will start poking around…. I’ve never made a mod because I have absolutely no artistic ability… However, I would be willing to donate my scripting, to help the community out.

As far as actually creating DRM for mods. From what DDP83 said in his rants videos, it is possible to detect what platform your mod is running on. If it is also possible for mods with only the default scripting engine to detect some unique info on the mod uploader, or whether the mod in question was downloaded from bethesda.Toxicwaste. Then it’s definitely possible. Given that, It would be down to, cleverly hiding it so that is not easy to remove or bypass, which given that most mod thieves, do not have the game on PC, or programming knowledge. It would deter about 90- 98% of the theft, depending on how well the mod authors, Hide or integrate the DRM code into their mods.

As far as some key system, it’s definitely possible, but that would impact the end-user, and I personally am against any form of DRM, which impacts legitimate end-users and personally would not write such a system. If there is enough demand for it, I would be more than happy to write up some code, and make a tutorial on how to install it in any mods. This community has given me enough hours of enjoyment over the years. I don’t mind spending some of my hours, protecting it.

[filefangs]

they need to release the creationkit to the consoles so that the console users dont have to rely on pc users

[greywaste]

 

The issue is what of mod authors who choose not to/are not allowed to post files on the Nexus for what ever reason?

 

Nexus is probably the biggest mod hosting site but it is far from the only one, from more adult focused sites like Llab to places like Tesalliance or even foreign blog sites like fc2 like many of the Asian modding community seem to prefer.

I guess that's true, but the system I was thinking of didn't have to be direct to nexus, as long as there was some verification process that someone was a mod author and what they were posting is there's.

 

there has to be a simpler way then having to deal with DMCA take downs and people taking there own mods off-line because if someone has a copy of the mod, like pirated content they'll just keep reposting it and sooner or later we might end up seeing game mods on torrent sites...

 

Uuuugh, that just brings a cold shiver down my spine.

 

 

DMCA's are the reality that DAZ 3D and Renderosity content creators have had to live with for years now. The sad fact is that a lot of end users / modders will happily use and share stuff without permission if it's from outside their sandbox.

[RS13]

they need to release the creationkit to the consoles so that the console users dont have to rely on pc users

 

You've obviously never opened the creation kit. First off, it would be insanely time consuming to create even the most trivial mods. The creation kit is like a whole series of unintuitively arranged spreadsheets. Try editing that with a controller. Second, any mods that add anything new to the game requires additional tools. Bethesda's not being mean to console users--seriously they've clearly made you the priority--it just wouldn't work.

[Guest deleted10460550]

 

I play both xbox one and pc people don't like there mods being stolen I get it I don't condone it but lets get real pc people aka elitist didn't want console's to ever get mods anyway cause then people couldn't throw it in the console people face's about how much better it is on pc.I play on both vanilla on xbox and modded on pc to have differents experience.Xbox one was never going to get goods mods if they didn't

This is the wrong idea, and the core of the current problem. Any creator can choose what they do with their content. If you decide to mod only for the xbox, then that's your choice, if someone steals that and uploads it here, that's theft, not "elitism."

 

Right now Bethesda linking the steam account to the uploader and requiring the uploader to have purchased FO4 for the PC is a big step, if you steal your steam account gets blocked and you can't upload anymore, that's a good start. Beyond that, they need to hire people to check, verify that if the mod exists here it's the same author.

 

There's too many reasons for them not to, first off, the community here has a good reputation when it comes to support, when someone just steals you don't know what's what and what it's going to do to your game. As a PC user, I have learned over the years how to look for issues, what doesn't seem right and accepted that my downloads can sometimes come at a risk to my save games. But I have also had hours upon hours of added fun here, through Oblivion, F03, FONV, and Skyrim.

 

I don't want to see console users excluded, and I am sure a lot of authors here were fully ready to work with console users to get their creations on both, but with the theft, and worse the reaction from the console community (effectively spitting in mod authors faces) I am sure there's been a lot of change to that attitude. To be honest, while I am disgusted with the thieves, I am more disgusted with the reactions I have seen attacking content creators.

 

Bethesda needs to get a handle on this issue and fast, with PS4 getting mods soon and with the potential for a mod-compatible Skyrim reboot, this could effectively kill a community that I have watched, loved and respected for years.

 

 

couldnt word it better myself i love the nexus but hate seeing it divided like this. I hate the thought that this community could be torn apart at any moment by any choice beth/zenimax make like the paid modding storm that did irreversable damage.

[RS13]

 

couldnt word it better myself i love the nexus but hate seeing it divided like this. I hate the thought that this community could be torn apart at any moment by any choice beth/zenimax make like the paid modding storm that did irreversable damage.

 

 

Did it? Who's gone because of it? I think the community too often freaks out about what's gonna rip the community apart. Things are gonna be fine. Bethesda will sort it out, or modders will take steps to make their mods usable (or savegame destroying) on consoles.

[Guest deleted10460550]

 

 

couldnt word it better myself i love the nexus but hate seeing it divided like this. I hate the thought that this community could be torn apart at any moment by any choice beth/zenimax make like the paid modding storm that did irreversable damage.

 

 

Did it? Who's gone because of it? I think the community too often freaks out about what's gonna rip the community apart. Things are gonna be fine. Bethesda will sort it out, or modders will take steps to make their mods usable (or savegame destroying) on consoles.

 

 

i sure hope so. I reckon if some peaple made a forum topic that listed witch mods were stolen that it would help both console and pc as that would stop some peaple from downloading them as they tend to be poorly conveted. also making them require fo4se would work too.

remember the best tools are loot, skse(or fose) wrye bash and tesedit for making a load order. xbox has none of this and a 2g limit. to stop peaple from stealing mods however I would use skse or for a friendler approach make a forum that is updated constintly by modders that list the stolen mods names so console players can avoid them.

 

 

Edit: fo4 xbox one has just relesed an update that shows mod authors. Im not sure if its the real ones however as i dont know the stolen mods. I will try my best to help to find out about this update and try to help if I can.

Edited June 13, 2016 by looper8330

[bben46]

they need to release the creationkit to the consoles so that the console users dont have to rely on pc users

The CK will not work on consoles. It is just not compatible with a box created with the intent to make playing computer games simple for non computer people. The entire premise of Xbox was that you didn't have to do anything but put a disk in and it just works. That is exactly what many Xbox players want. On a PC you have to do various things to get the game to work. Most experienced PC users have no problem doing this. One thing a PC does is rum programs other than games. It is a general purpose device that can play games as well as many other things. Not everything that works on a PC is going to be able to work on an Xbox or other console type device. And not every mod made for PC will work properly on your console. Some will just not be able to be made compatible, others will need some work before they will work properly. Every mod must be converted using a PC running the CK before it can be used with a console. This has nothing to do with PC being better, it does have a lot to do with it being different. :thumbsup:

[AsmodesReynolds]

they need to release the creationkit to the consoles so that the console users dont have to rely on pc users

 

filefangs, Porting the creation kit to console would be an incredibly stupid idea.

They would have to do most if not all of the following:

• completely remove the render window (because it would literally melt your console) . I have a Titan x (primary monitor/graphics rendering) and a Titan z (physics processing, and secondary and tertiary monitors) in my machine, and the render window sometimes gives me problems when loading outdoor world space. To put it in perspective, individually my graphics cards have faster processors and more memory than your entire machine…………..

• Remove all ability to load custom sound, art assets, (because you need a computer to create those and there is no f*#@ing way Sony or Microsoft is going to allow people to load random files, to their system, if they did their networks would become virus central in approximately five days. I suspect even Bethesda, had trouble getting Microsoft or Sony to allow mods. That’s why you didn’t get them till now.

• Completely dumb down the UI of the kit so much that it would be more painful than it already is to use.

• Scripting would be come practically impossible ( I hate typing with a controller, being forced to cope with one would probably be a violation of the Geneva Convention )

the result would be a practically unusable , pointless piece of software

That would be limited to editing the stats pre-existing items in the game , or simply making slightly edited variants of items currently in the game, it wouldn’t be worth the development time.

If they did create something you would be a simple snap map, well works fine for a first-person shooter. It wouldn’t work very well for a game like fallout 4.

[twizzOr]

https://community.bethesda.net/thread/32339

 

Beth just implemented the PC version+steam account mod upload requirement.