How do you rate the success of your mods ?

[mkr1977]

If your mod does what it says in the description, then it is successful.

[Greslin]

If your mod does what it says in the description, then it is successful.

 

This.

 

There's something to be said for the adage that art isn't finished when you've run out of things to add, but rather, when you've run out of things to take away. I find that's true with a lot of things in life. At some point anything you create - mod, painting, story, whatever - finds its own equilibrium, its own center of gravity. When you find that, all you really can do is strip away what isn't that. Then it's done.

 

Years ago I read a book about the history of technology over the course of human civilization, and there was an early chapter about the most successful technologies ever created by man. What would you put on that list? The electric light? The jet engine? The wheel?

 

I mean, sure, the wheel. That's an easy answer. But the chapter talked about a different one: the hinge.

 

Here is an incredibly simple machine. It reached the apex of its development millennia ago. There hasn't been any real innovation in the hinge for most of history, but it's also been impervious to further improvements. It absolutely defies our progress-obsessed age. Tons of sci fi TV shows and movies have promised doors based on other technologies: sliding, expanding portal, etc. But still, the vast majority of our doors are designed with hinges. Why? Because the hinge reached its own point of equilibrium. They couldn't be made better without being made worse. They became about as perfect as is possible in the real world.

 

I kinda feel that way whenever I write a mod. It's why I think so many "overhauls" eventually go off the rails, and why I now practically beg new modders not to write them. Please stop adding stuff. Find the equilibrium and be willing to let the thing be DONE. Then move on and start something new.

 

If we really want to talk about "success" metrics on a mod, I think the only rational discussion is to consider at what point a mod is done. You can't control - or even influence - how or if it'll find a home, much less earn accolades. But you can get your own insights about when you should stop chasing it and just call the thing finished.

Edited April 16, 2017 by Greslin

[Slostenn]

I've only released three mods (and two were just simple plugins, whereas the third is almost entirely reliant on someone else's mod) so I don't even really think of myself as a legitimate "mod author," but from my perspective, if even just one person - including myself - enjoys using it and it doesn't break anyone's game, save file or other mods, I consider it a success. I enjoy high download numbers and endorsements as much as the next guy, but they aren't a metric for success to me; they're just a cherry on top. Honestly, anything I'm willing to upload to the Nexus is already a success, because I would not make it available for others to use if it wasn't. I've made a lot of mods for my own personal use, from things as small as plugins that only modify a single record to things as big as standalone weapons, but I didn't even consider uploading them because they are nowhere near the level of quality or completion that I would expect as a Nexus user considering installing a mod to their game.

 

In fact, taking that into consideration, I'm changing my answer. To me, a mod is a success if I'm even willing to consider uploading it. Now, that doesn't mean I would consider every file uploaded to the Nexus to be a success; not everyone's standards of quality will align with mine, and I still uphold the other criteria as well (at least one user has to enjoy using it, and it can't cause major, game breaking errors), but I think it's a good metric when asking yourself if your own mod is a success. If you're willing to share it with others, if you think it's good enough that you would download it if you weren't the creator - yes, I would consider it a success.

 

On the topic of endorsements, I want to just give a quick apology to any files I have downloaded and used extensively without endorsing. This isn't directed at anything or anyone in particular, it's more symbolic in nature, but bear with me. I know I'm not the only person guilty of this; all (or at least most) of us have, at some point, downloaded a mod that absolutely deserved our endorsement, and we just forgot to go back and leave it. I think the majority of discrepancies seen in endorsement to download ratios are because of that - it's not that most people don't think the file is worth endorsing, it's that most of them just forget. If you took forgetfulness out of the equation, I think the number of people that downloaded a file and didn't endorse it would actually be a very small fraction. Just keep this in mind next time you're looking at your endorsements.

Edited April 17, 2017 by Tukster

[chucksteel]

To add to Tukster's post,

 

If you choose to also upload to Bethesda.net just ignore the star ratting system! It's the biggest joke and full of exploits. I look at the number of favorites or people who have added the mod to their library.

 

It doesn't make a difference it they ever download it and only tells you that they are at least interested enough to follow and track your mod. Who knows they may just be waiting for a new game to try it later.

[AGreatWeight]

I'd have to agree with Chucksteel regarding Bethesda.net and the way they've implimented it.

Nexus may not be quite perfect, but it's light years ahead in comparision (though in my case, the one mod I've uploaded there falls fowl of Microsoft's imposed mod size limit, which has had the predicted effect of putting off a lot console users from using it, which is why it has more favourites than actual downloads)

[damanding]

There's also either individuals or more likely a bot on Bethesda.net that immediately down votes any mod uploaded for PC version, even if there is also a console version.

[Fkemman11]

There's also either individuals or more likely a bot on Bethesda.net that immediately down votes any mod uploaded for PC version, even if there is also a console version.

 

Conspiracy? No. Never. :tongue:

 

Though I am not an author, I can understand the frustration one might feel when they are under-appreciated for their (often) hard work. I tend to think that many want to download and use some mods- but, for whatever reason cannot. I, for instance, keep seeing good mods that will cause me to shuffle my long load order again. This is especially true for console users with very limited space to work with. So it actually comes down to which mods will give you the most for the space they will take up. I also think that many are kind of shy about commenting and maybe endorsing. I would agree that if you like what you are making- then that is all that matters. As others have said the rest is just icing on the cake.

 

Personally I try to endorse every mod I use and sometimes comment to show appreciation. Occasionally I also donate if the author is accepting. It is very akin to a fan base with regards to ppl. The more that know about you and your work- the more support and appreciation you should receive. :thumbsup:

[chucksteel]

There is a group of people on Beth.net that do down vote Demanding is correct. It's not a bot as far as I can tell, I'm not even saying it's all console players I think some of the PC people that feel mods should be PC only and exclusive are more at fault! They want to turn off the people who are willing to accept the new kids on the block and share with them.

 

I personally believe in mod equality a fracking gamer is a gamer no matter what platform they play on. I get script extender mods are outside of that box and some crafty scipters may need or want to use it. That's all good have fun!

[Greslin]

There is a group of people on Beth.net that do down vote Demanding is correct. It's not a bot as far as I can tell, I'm not even saying it's all console players I think some of the PC people that feel mods should be PC only and exclusive are more at fault! They want to turn off the people who are willing to accept the new kids on the block and share with them.

 

I personally believe in mod equality a fracking gamer is a gamer no matter what platform they play on. I get script extender mods are outside of that box and some crafty scipters may need or want to use it. That's all good have fun!

 

Meh. I mean, I respect you and your work, and I agree with you wholeheartedly on gamer equality and all, but still: meh.

 

My wife is pretty much a dedicated console girl. I don't knock her tastes, she doesn't knock mine, but we both know they aren't the same. But I can tell you for an absolute fact that console players and PC players are very, very different animals. Not saying that there isn't a certain degree of crossover between the worlds, of course.

 

I could care less about Beth.net. They lost me when they and Valve tried and failed to turn modding into a monetized social media platform, and if Nexus shut down tomorrow, I'd move on to modding a different game. I have no interest in jumping through the Beth (and MS, and Sony) hoops just to help Bethesda gain console market share. That's their problem.

 

Call that a separate but equal position if you want, but until console players have the same power to write and release their own mods without going through the PC platform first (basically defeating the whole purpose of console gaming), that's how it's going to play out.

[Zzyxzz]

When i started modding, "offcially", which means, actually releasing mods to the public, that was with the release of Fallout 4, before the creation kit was out. I didn't do it for the "fame" or such. I did it, because i was unhappy with the game itself and wanted make it BETTER! You'll never get happy, when you do it only for endorsements or donations. They are a nice side-effect but not something you should focus on.

 

When someone would ask me, how i would rate the success of my mod, i would say for me 9/10, as it makes me happy, what i've done, when i play / test new features that haven't been in the game and i always find things which i can improve. Its a real passion. I didn't care that my mods had little to no attention in the beginning, i just did what i love.

 

 

 

 

There is a group of people on Beth.net that do down vote Demanding is correct. It's not a bot as far as I can tell, I'm not even saying it's all console players I think some of the PC people that feel mods should be PC only and exclusive are more at fault! They want to turn off the people who are willing to accept the new kids on the block and share with them.

 

I personally believe in mod equality a fracking gamer is a gamer no matter what platform they play on. I get script extender mods are outside of that box and some crafty scipters may need or want to use it. That's all good have fun!

 

Meh. I mean, I respect you and your work, and I agree with you wholeheartedly on gamer equality and all, but still: meh.

 

My wife is pretty much a dedicated console girl. I don't knock her tastes, she doesn't knock mine, but we both know they aren't the same. But I can tell you for an absolute fact that console players and PC players are very, very different animals. Not saying that there isn't a certain degree of crossover between the worlds, of course.

 

I could care less about Beth.net. They lost me when they and Valve tried and failed to turn modding into a monetized social media platform, and if Nexus shut down tomorrow, I'd move on to modding a different game. I have no interest in jumping through the Beth (and MS, and Sony) hoops just to help Bethesda gain console market share. That's their problem.

 

Call that a separate but equal position if you want, but until console players have the same power to write and release their own mods without going through the PC platform first (basically defeating the whole purpose of console gaming), that's how it's going to play out.

 

 

Off topic + rant:

I played a lot with consoles. I grew up with them. Many console gamers unmatured. I really don't know why... there is a lot of hate to and also from PC gamers to console players. Its not possible, that there will be a creation kit for consoles. This will probably never happen. Yes, PC and Console gamers are very different indeed. Its for them acceptable to play Fallout with 15 FPS. For a gamer like me its unthinkable. I love to play with consoles, but the consoles nowadays suck, really hard. Many games can't even run at 30 FPS. Thats why i didnt buy an Xbox One or Playstation 4. I played at a friend of mine with his Playstation 4, Bloodborne. Really good game, BUT seriously... you fight a boss and you hit the 5 frames and die, because you cant do anything.

Fallout 4 runs really bad on consoles, it's really not a console game. Even without mods it struggles a lot. Bethesda screwed this up, big time.

It's the console gamers fault, that they get so shitty consoles, because they buy them. I would never support that. But i still have an Xbox One controller for windows, because they are awesome. I love to switch to my controller, when i start building in my settlement, as its very cool to play with controller.