Lukewarm Mod Support for Fallout 4 PS4 Could Be Detrimental to Sony

Mods are one of the many charms of a Bethesda game; but PS4 owners are forced to compromise

[andrewsquall]

I guess when the guys behind the Farming Simulator games (not very technically demanding games or seem to be improving much over the years either) announce Mod support for the PS4 version of the new game due in another week or so, Bethesda had to get their heads out of their asses.

Lets wait and see if PS4 mod support on FS 17 is the exact same as the Xbone version i.e. each console's mod support is built from the ground up for that particular console and not Xbone first.

[Phoenix76]

Sony were the ones in the wrong here. They didn't want modifications which could "potentially be used to undermine" the OS and allow users to place in their own software on the ps4. Pissed me off as I'm one of those still waiting for mod support

[yomfweeee]

Explain to me how that is wrong that they don't want their OS compromised?

[rdgneoz3]

While I love the Macho Man and Thomas the Tank mods for Skryim, not wanting mods to compromise the OS is a fair reason for limiting what can be done. If mod support was dire for you, Skyrim has had it for a while on the PC and same with the Fallout series on the PC.

[_-EDMIX-_]

I would actually disagree I would say both in some aspect were in the wrong simply because Bethesda is the one that's making the game they are already clearly aware of Sony's policies on what they allow or don't allow on their platform considering they were working on Fallout 4 for a very very long time they should have never announced a feature coming to A system that they were already unaware of in the first place in regards to if they would work.

I understand it is Sony's platform but at the end of the day Fallout 4 is bethesda's game not Sony, Sony is not working on their game , they are! Sony clearly gave them the devkits to work on Fallout 4 they should have known a long time ago that Sony was not going to allow such a thing as I don't think it was hidden from them.

[Goldby]

@Pheonix

you are still getting mod support, just no macho man dragons, thomas the tank engine shouts and no iron man armors.

if its been in the game before, vanilla assets, you can mod it.

[BlackTar187]

You just said Sony is in the wrong for wanting to protect their OS from compromise? We live in a crazy world fellas.

[OMGitzThatGuy]

Luckily the X1 system OS is not connected directly to the game OS so mods wouldnt be able to get pass game level access.

[ONESHOTV2]

farming sim is not going to get the type of mods skyrim and fallout has so dont even compare them sony has drawn the short end of the stick and ps4 owners are going to feel it. this is why i have a rig i dont have to follow what sony thinks is best for me. you guys should do the same be smart consumers dont let sony control your life

[TacticAce]

Who even plays fallout 4 anymore?

[KingOfArcadia]

Anyone who thinks that evil mods are going to brick their PS4 obviously doesn't know anything about mods - the people who create them, how they are created, or how they work. The 'protect the OS' excuse is just that - a lame excuse.

[zivtheawesome]

that excuse is legitimate. there could always be people who just want to screw everyone up, makes a cool mod and then it destroyes the machine (happened in one of the GTA V mods on pc). what would Sony do then? they would need to pay a lot of money back to all those consumers. this is a very legitimate "excuse".
what sony could do (and i still don't understand why didn't they do it until now) is allowing only a small amount of verified modders to mod the game.

[KingOfArcadia]

First of all, many mods will break your game if they conflict with another mod or the base game. Some mods will cause your game to not even start if your hardware isn't up to it. Any poorly made mod can make a game unplayable. You take your chances with mods on PC and consoles.

Actually rendering your console inoperable by using a 'bad' FO4 mod just isn't possible - a mod is just a modification of the game's underlying engine, no matter how big or small the mod may be. In order to affect the operating system of the console, a FO4 mod would have to be able to both access it directly and make changes to it. The solution is already in place to stop that from happening on consoles - Bethesda doesn't allow FO4 console mods containing user-created scripts.

[badz149]

@Arcadia

So you have more understanding about the PS4 and its OS design than the engineers at Sony themselves?

You are the one who clearly don't know what you're talking about! Consoles and handhelds aren't designed to to work exactly like PC. Mods on PC is a simple copy and paste of files into the game folder but you can't explore game folders on consoles like you do on PC but in order to have mods working, Sony and MS have to allow some kind of backdoor access to the game folder.

Previously, modified game folders aren't going to work due to invalid keys prevented by the OS but with mods, the modification of this folder is now allowed and the OS will let it through. So, unrestricted contents can be used by hackers to compromise the system thus opening the door for system level hacks that can lead to running unsigned codes and when that happens, homebrew will follow suit and then the inevitable piracy!

It's not uncommon for a hack to purposely brick or crash the system in order to initiate running unsigned codes using modified game files or game saves. This can happen to the PS4 if external contents are allowed to access the system. Sony is fully in the right here. They don't even have to do it at all but still do although not without limit. Want to enjoy full freedom of mods and not just FO4 or Skyrim without anyone stopping you? Go to PC. Consoles can't give you THAT.

[KingOfArcadia]

When you mod for FO4, you mod with the Creation Kit provided by Bethesda. It doesn't contain a method to inject malicious code, it only allows you to make modifications to the game's engine. With Bethesda already blocking user-created scripts in all mods uploaded to Bethesda.net, which is where you download the mods from on console, how is a mod going to run this unsigned code, and how is it getting into the mod in the first place? Technically, it may be possible to create a mod that can override the game engine it runs in and infects the operating system on a PC, but I can't see how you'd do it on console for these Bethesda games.

[_-EDMIX-_]

No...

Mind you I would consider myself an absolutely huge Fallout fan, I have well over 160 hours in Fallout 4 and I've yet to do a single mission with the season pass...

Mods are fun to play with but I would never really say it's going to be detrimental to the company. That's an extreme exaggeration

[badz149]

Nicely said. FO4 is just another game on the system. With or without kods, it will only affect FO4 but nothing else. It's not like there are other games also having mods on consoles and Sony is blocking all of them.

[DragonKnight]

I maintain that both Sony and Bethesda should draft a separate EULA that states that the user agrees to take full responsibility for using mods and thus full responsibility for any consequences, and they further agree that neither Sony, nor Bethesda, can be held responsible for any damages any mods may cause to their games or console. That would take care of a lot.

[_-EDMIX-_]

No. At no point in time should people be purchasing games at arm's length or as "buyers beware" that's simply the stupidest thing I've ever read somebody propose a company do.

Regardless of what the fine print says it's going to ruin their Public Image that they essentially allowed people systems to be bricked only to fall back on this "you didn't read the fine print" attitude, do you seriously think people will never feel comfortable purchasing their systems knowing that they have to have some sort of law degree and read through an extensive EULA just to play a damn game? Do you not think that that's something their competitors will use directly against them?

This is one of those situations where you have to think very slowly and really understand what you're actually seriously proposing a company do.

[DragonKnight]

Every time you talk, a baby seal clubs itself to death. I swear you're only barely the second most smug, self-aggrandizing, verbose person on this site. I don't care who you are, who you think you can talk to like that, but you won't ever talk to me with such smug condescension unchallenged.

For starters, learn to read. Nowhere in my post did I suggest a buyer beware sentiment. Especially because mods are f***ing free to begin with. I suggest a "use at own risk" sentiment. Telling people that they need to understand what they are using is actually called being conscientious.

Secondly, in this situation both Bethesda and Sony's reputation is mud. The opinion is split down the middle as to who is ultimately to blame for the piss poor mod support, if you can even call it that, that is this situation. My solution would at least allow FULL mod support could be legally backed, keeping it an optional choice that people understand the risks of, while keeping both Bethesda and Sony safe from any possible negative outcome arising from the conscious decision of users who shouldn't be allowed to come after either company because said user decided they didn't need to be vigilant in what they put in their system. This is called common sense Your b*tching about my solution ignores the fact that PC has no one to attack when mods destroy games and all users can do is take the hit themselves.

You also again failed to read the fact that the EULA is for MOD SUPPORT! Where the hell did I say anything about agreeing to an EULA for playing the game? Hell, it doesn't even have to be an EULA, it could be just a standard warning. And since "fine print" is such a problem for you, then in big bold letters anywhere you want can read "USE MODS AT YOUR OWN RISK." But of course you're about to b*tch again.

If anyone needs to think, it's you. Firstly, think about who you decide to talk like an a$$ to. Second, think about actually reading something before you comment. Finally, in this situation, think about what consumers are more likely to want. Full mod support where they understand they are taking a risk, which they do on PC anyway, or this pitiful support meant to protect Sony from backlash they don't even deserve in the first place.

[_-EDMIX-_]

@drag - stopped reading after the first few words. You don't understand enough to prove your point (if you even have one)

[DragonKnight]

Don't kid yourself. You read the whole thing. You're just a child who doesn't like being called out on his B.S.

[NohansenBoy]

If Sony wants to protect their OS then, well, dig through my comments history to get my views on anything pro DRM. (Hint: I don't think DRM works for a few reasons)

I genuinely don't understand why people who bought the system don't outright demand more control over it. It's yours now, not Sony's. You should have every right to do whatever you want on it. What that is is up to you though... Just don't do anything illegal or regrettable.

[Goldby]

and you wont know if something is illegal or regrettable until you have already done it.

by keeping mods to vanilla assets only they are preventing not only copyright claims against sony/bethesda, helping protect the OS and in turn your own privacy. god for all we know (this is obviously a super exagerated case and highly unlikely ) there may be an iron man asset or macho man randy savage dragon assets that has some underlying scripts built into it that may steal info or anything.

[NohansenBoy]

I hope that doesn't imply you're ignorant of your local laws and fail to follow them just, because you don't know any of them...

Don't care. PCs have been around for a long time. If one's not responsible enough to secure ones own machine, then maybe technology isn't their thing and they should consider moving away from anything involving technology. I'm not going to support a closed ecosystem that protects the corporations best interests just because people are lazy.

[badz149]

@NohansenBoy

"Just don't do anything illegal or regrettable."

So...police aren't really needed where you live ha? People will all follow the rules and not trying to exploit anything or harm others? Where is this place anyway? Most definitely not earth because reality here is not that naive!

[NohansenBoy]

My suggestion was basically give consoles all the freedoms of PC though and how long have PCs been around?