gamenode Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 Way back in the day when web browsers were something new Microsoft began to give their web browser away with the purchase of their operating system. The result was a stifling of competition and some companies that sold web browsers went out of business. Eventually the Federal Government got involved and made them stop but the damage was already done. Now Internet Explorer is the most common web browser in the world (to my knowledge). Now, Besthesda is in cahoots with Steam to create a Steam Workshop which is essentially offering the same service that we are getting here at Skyrim Nexus. Only Steam will download and install any mod right onto your game. I'm wondering how this will affect this community? Will people jump ship? Will Steam Workshop be a flop? Will it start off slow but eventually and unstoppably grow in strength until operations like Nexus disappear? Will they start writing code that makes 3rd party software like Mod Manager incompatible? Will they lure us away from 3rd party sites like Nexus and get us hooked and then start charging us money? As for myself I cringe every time I see an advertisement for Steam Workshop. It's bundled with the creation kit and so everyone who makes a mod now will automatically download and install the workshop. I have a very uneasy feeling about all this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RitualBlack Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 I will only be using it for the CK. I don't like the idea of things installing my mods for me (sorry NMM, your a great tool but I like to do things myself :biggrin:). It is unlikely that it will damage the nexus because most of the people producing mods are active here. The idea of steam hosing such a service seems like it will cause them a lot of headache. There will be so many people newly introduced to mods and when there is a problem they will head over to steam support for the solution :tongue: . Of course, when mods conflict/break a re-install is often needed or all mods need to be removed and put back in. I suppose we will see just how well Skyrim works after the steam client installs 75+ mods on non-'mod users' game and a few of them don't get along :laugh: . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gahnzz Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 As a casual modder who only ever considered doing anything of scope with Skyrim, I must say I welcome the option. It's the closest thing we'll ever get to an "official" mod compilation and only grow the community that much more. Mods were always something I traditionally avoided because I thought they required a huge amount of technical knowledge, and many ideas I had just died on the vine. This looks to expand it. A lot of people are saying that integration of the Steam Workshop with the CK is going to kill free-modding, kill the Nexus, ad infinitum... I don't see it like that. There is a huge amount of work going on behind the scenes that we simply are not privy to - such as conflicting load order, out of date mods, etc... If Steam/Valve and Bethesda were going to go all in on this kind of thing - I certainly hope they've done testing... i.e. a tool that will detect out-of-sync or other conflicting mods and will either adapt of disable them automatically. If it was say.. EA or Activision getting into bed with Beth on this deal, I'd be more hesitant, but that's simply not the case. As far as the IE/Msoft debacle from years ago, there is a major difference. Msoft made IE the default browser in their PC's at point of sale and required you to use the "optional" software tool. Steam Workshop and the CK are about as Optional as you get... don't want it - don't use it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenHyuga Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 They just better give me the option to back up said mods I downloaded. I have loads of mods I have stored on an external and I keep them there just incase a mod is pulled and I can't get it again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ManleySteele Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 Your analogy to Windows/ IE reminds me that I don't have to be viewing this site on IE or even on Windows. I belong to several groups that write and support free page design and display software.. They haven't killed commercial web design and display products, but it would be inaccurate to say that such commercial tools are now sold to the normal users in the vast web community. I still own a very old copy of Frontpage. I haven't looked at it in ten years and this is my fourth computer on which it has never been installed. I own about six copies of Microsoft Word, two or three of Excel, a couple Microsoft Access, Etc. I won't disparage the massive undertaking that writing a game engine is, but the people who do it weren't born knowing the skills they have. Any skill can be learned and it is just a matter of time before there is a publicly owned and operated game engine community. For all I know, there may be one now. I keep putting off buying one of the game programming books on my local bookstore shelves, but maybe it's time I got with it. Maybe I'll start a game engine community, myself. lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gamenode Posted February 1, 2012 Author Share Posted February 1, 2012 As far as the IE/Msoft debacle from years ago, there is a major difference. Msoft made IE the default browser in their PC's at point of sale and required you to use the "optional" software tool. Steam Workshop and the CK are about as Optional as you get... don't want it - don't use it. What makes you think that won't happen here? Today they bundle Workshop with the construction kit, tomorrow it automatically loads your completed mod onto Workshop and the day after all mods made with the construction set become proprietary technology that can only be uploaded into Workshop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Handofbane Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 As far as the IE/Msoft debacle from years ago, there is a major difference. Msoft made IE the default browser in their PC's at point of sale and required you to use the "optional" software tool. Steam Workshop and the CK are about as Optional as you get... don't want it - don't use it. What makes you think that won't happen here? Today they bundle Workshop with the construction kit, tomorrow it automatically loads your completed mod onto Workshop and the day after all mods made with the construction set become proprietary technology that can only be uploaded into Workshop.Why won't that happen here? Because doing so would mean the end of modding for TES games. Whatever opinion folks may have one way or the other about Steam and Steam Workshop integration with the CK, I can guarantee very few modders would willingly make mods if they knew their time and effort would ONLY be spread through one resource, and especially become upset when that time and effort then becomes proprietary to that source alone without any choice in the matter. Whatever else they may be, modders are free-minded individuals with differing opinions on how and why they choose to make mods and share them - while some may not mind a few added restrictions, others would stop modding outright or move on to other games abandoning the game completely. As much as they may have their heads up their hindquarters on some things recently, even Bethesda can see that doing so would put a giant nail in the coffin of their PC market, considering just how many PC TES players are in it for the mods and not just the base game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kazakovich Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 I think the Workshop-thing won't be too bad. It will be an easy-to-access tool for people who can't install their way out of a paper bag. Just find the mod you want and steam will do it all for you, which will save us much trouble with the "omg how i inztall?!11"-people who can't open a readme. They'll get their mods served hot, and we won't have to attempt to teach them modding 101. But I think the larger mods will still remain on the nexus and the like, I doubt the workshop can really integrate those very well. Also, the nexus can be a good place to advertise your mods better, even if they are on workshop. So if I find a mod I find interesting, I can learn more about it in detail here. I think there is space for everyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nosisab Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 (edited) Just an apart about the browser history. Initially MS gave no browser at all, free or payed, for MS was trying hard to implement their MSN (No, not the loved instant messenger for MSN meant as still means MicroSoft Network) with which they expected to shadow the Internet, actually it did not even use the TCP/IP protocol but that thing they called Netbios and became the main security hole in the whole Windows for decades and decades till in XP became possible (although still not default) to shift to pure TCP/IP without that nefarious Netbios (Windows protocol to internet then was Netbios over TCP/IP of sad recalling). So, when they finally waked to it was not working at all for since those times Internet proved not ease to put down, they was way late and Netscape was already solidly established on the browser segment. Then they used the old "good" technique to give away their own browser you know which (again the old dream to get control of communication was greater than any possible profit from the browser, itself not great thing at all). But was not this the real problem, they not only did it as embedded the browser into the OS kernel making almost impossible to get rid of the thing, for until the version 5, IE was Horrible, worth the word in all capitals. Was over this the government intervened and charged MS for unfair commercial practices and the rest of the history is known. Still MS never really gave up the idea of dominating the mass communication, and just shifted the focus to get the "commodities" themselves proprietary, and still try even now, starting from the HTML undermining to new formats like .net for example. If wanting to learn more about this, be prepared for a bath after searching for you will be delving into too much dirty, be advised. That's all... somewhat off topic but since it is related to the title thread... Edited February 1, 2012 by nosisab Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luxwing0go Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 (edited) I think a lot of people are making the Steam Workshop look a hell of a lot worse than what it is. Honestly, isn't comparing it to IE a bit harsh? (haha, but seriously...) It's just an option. Use it or don't. It's not going to phase out modding sites any time soon. As far as everyone going "they make you pay for mods lol", they are basing that on a TOS that was used for something else. Everyone crapping themselves over something that probably doesn't even pertain to this. *sigh* Use the workshop or not - they are not forcing you to do so as far as I have seen *as of today*. Some people might actually find it useful, having all their mods downloaded for them. I personally prefer to download from sites like Nexus because I back-up all my mods. Personal preference. I think the workshop will get most of its use from first-time modders. Side note: I think Firefox might be the most common browser now. Don't quote me. Edited February 1, 2012 by luxwing0go Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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