Why Xbox 360 needs Skyrim mods... but will never get them

OXM UK explains why "you absolutely, flat-out need the capacity to play Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim mods on Xbox 360" but will "absolutely, flat-out never get your hands on the same."

[wwm0nkey]

Well Bethesda openly said they are looking into a system for mod support on consoles. Wont be on day one but they are talking to Sony and Microsoft on a system for distributing the mods (they have to make sure there are no game breaking mods)

[Mr_Lu_Kim]

I can't see them making up a whole new set of dev tools just for the console owners and then just giving it to them for free.

If you where to use some PC mods you could wind up frying your 360, things like texture mods and other would be disastrous.

There will not ever be any console mods for this game unless it comes as pre-made, paid DLC episodes or something like that

[Theo1130]

well my question is are they just going to pick the best pc mods and just transfer them over, or are they going to open up the tool set, and if so how?

theoretically, pc gamer could just alter the textures requiring higher spec so consoles can't even play them, just out of spite.

[wwm0nkey]

That is the thing, they know you can just transfer the mod over to consoles and it can work BUT they need to take into consideration things that can possibly break the game/console. So if this does hit 360 and PS3 there will be review processes before you can download it.

(Also to be honest there will still probably be high rez texture packs on each individual console knowing the community)

[Angrymorgan]

Yea and console owners should stop buying games so pc gaming would suck, without revenue from console versions of these games, pc versions wouldn't exist.

[BeastlyRig]

I think 360 will blow up if it tries to run a graphics mod..

[wwm0nkey]

Actually no, this can be good for the 360 version. Lets face it 7.6gigs just isn't a whole lot of space for a game anymore and due to size constraints textures had to be compressed and downsized.

Someone COULD release a mod with higher rez uncompressed textures and it would work just fine.

[Mr_Lu_Kim]

More like explode in flames.

[JOHN_DOH]

i think you need the game installed on a hard disk. Mods go in the oblivion/data folder.

[wwm0nkey]

Nope, you can search it up if you want but mods can be directly ported into jtaged 360's or modded PS3's very easily. The same process can be used legitly but they need to find a good way to distribute mods and ect for consoles.

[JOHN_DOH]

yeah I'm just used to how the pc does it. I guess if dlc works mods could also BUT would ms allow it? for free? probably not.

[wwm0nkey]

That is the thing, they need to find a way for MS and Sony to allow this since it runs the risk of breaking console (probobly not permanently mind you). I think something like XNA Creators Club or Rock Band Network would be perfect for something like Skyrim mods though on consoles.

[Angrymorgan]

Yea like Jon doe says, ms wouldn't allow it for free, probably be some sort of cost envolved

[Hifist1]

PC, it only does everything.

[Corrwin]

PS3 might see them, as it has seen player generated content with Little Big Planet 1 and 2, and Infamous 2. But SONY wouldn't allow it unless there was an in-game, easy to use editor, which the previous Elder Scrolls games have lacked (opting for a separate editor).

They'd also insist that Bethesda host the content (much how MM hosts LBP, and Sucker Punch hosts Infamous 2 content), so they don't have to pay the fees. this would also limit the complexity of mods.

Microsoft would only allow Gold subscribers to use mods, assuming they'd be happy to annoy smaller HDD users even more.

So seeing that only between 2/3 and 3/4 of its console audience would be able to use the mods, it probably isn't worth their time to develop the in-game editor.

Of course a simpler option would be to allow PC mod makers to submit their mods for console approval by Bethesda, then Bethesda add them o an in-game mod manager (like we've seen with Unreal Tournament 3 on PS3).

[Deeke]

100% agreed that we need Mods...yet mods are created by users most of the time, not by the company, so they'd have to optimize that for consoles.

I really think this would be fantastic though, imagine re-playing a new version of Skyrim every month with new items, characters, quests--you name it!