90°

Even After The Skyrim Fiasco, Valve Is Still Interested In Paid Mods

Earlier this year, Valve sent the mod community into crisis mode with paid mods for Skyrim. It did not end well.

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steamed.kotaku.com
uth113115d ago

It's a screwed up world when we insist that modders aren't entitled to earn money from their hard work, yet we're perfectly OK with Youtubers making videos using these mods and bringing in large sums of cash. A good quality mod can be a lot more work.

Ashlen3115d ago (Edited 3115d ago )

Man people said similar types of things defending DLC and microtransaction. Things like "you don't have to buy it" ect. Now look how it is. Major sections and major characters and even endings are being sold as DLC and microtransactions are invading games with things like content you basically can't beat unless you have P2W gear.

Change isn't always good.

If a person wants to make money off their work that's fine but modding is something you do because you want to. It's like a hobby or such. As soon as you charge and change the dynamic it's changed forever and when the change involves money it's rarely for the better.

And on top of that it wasn't even the modders that wanted it as much as Valve and Bethesda who were in reality making the lion's share of the money with both parties making a larger percent than the actual mod creator.

As well as the fact it was a mess to organize as many mods used parts of other mods or were developed by more than one person and it made claiming the rights a huge mess.

It's just a bad idea and that's why it failed.

While I steadfastly think that charging for mods is ABSOLUTELY the wrong way to go I am fine with a donation system.

uth113115d ago (Edited 3115d ago )

A collaborative effort is a different beast, someone of course shouldn't be allowed to charge for someone else's work without their consent. The Open Source community has dealt with this issue long ago and has a number of code licenses that stipulate what you can do with derivative works. Modding would have to adopt something like that.

As a coder myself, I resent the idea that people think I must work for nothing and contribute my code out of goodwill or beg for donations at best, just because a bunch of non-coders demand it.

Remember there are two sides to every transaction. The seller can ask for money, but isn't guaranteed a sale. The buyers determine if it is worth the asking price or any price at all. If the mod has value, it will sell. If it doesn't it won't.

Ashlen3115d ago (Edited 3115d ago )

No one is forcing you to make a mod.

Just because you feel like you personally need to get paid there are plenty of people who are perfectly fine giving back to people for free. Look how much great freeware software there is out there. (7-zip Open Office VLC Linux ect.)

That and the fact that modding has been around for 30+ years and up till now no one had a problem with it being free.

I don't even really know what to say about that coder non-coder comment except to say no one is demanding that you do anything. For a lot of people it's enough just to know people are enjoying their work.

Edited to add: I don't think the modding community will be better off when you need to get lawyers involved to determine who gets paid for what...

Ogygian3114d ago (Edited 3114d ago )

The problem is that the product you are buying might have bugs, be unfinished, or underwhelming. Furthermore, it might stop getting updated at some point. As you've paid money for this, it becomes very grey in terms of legality.

The best compromise, as I see it, is simply having an approved mods system for large expansion or total conversion-type mods like Enderal, or Falskar. Teams can send out proposals to Bethesda, who will accept or reject the scope of the mod. Then if teams complete the mod, they will be able to put it up for sale as unofficial DLC. This retains quality, incentivises good content, but also prevents the creation of a very negative atmosphere surrounding mods.

SunnyZ3114d ago (Edited 3114d ago )

I'm all for a donation based system.
Pay if you want.

I know A LOT of mods and modders would do quite well with this as there are lots of people who would LOVE to support mods and their creators.

But forcing you to pay with this all or nothing system?

NO THANKS!

jimmywolf3114d ago

everyone love bring up the past an say it great the way it is since...it...free.

an disappointed that their having pay for what other use to do for free.

yes their will be those that milk dlc for easy money but their will also be others that use too too push things forward.

everything cost $$$, paid mods can help modders make a career out of it an teach them financially responsibility. how greedy do you have to be too assumes that you are entitled too anything free, just cause it was before.

why pay for tv? watch it free online. why pay for movie? watch it free online. why pay for a book? free online. why pay someone for work he did? you can find it free online.....

TLDR

am 100% for paying people for their hard work, even if they don't mind working for free. the world need too learn too help each other, not themselves an we all need $$$.

Doodleburger3114d ago

Duh, that was clearly their beta run. They were never going to completely stop.

Perjoss3114d ago

Go home Valve, you're drunk.

90°

Team Fortress: Source 2 and Portal 64 Fan Projects Shut Down by Valve Takedowns

Fan projects Team Fortress: Source 2 and Portal 64 have shut down after Valve intervened in their development.

-Foxtrot107d ago

First they open Steam up to more AI, now they are shutting down fan projects when at one time they used to support or even give the fans jobs.

Wonder what's going on with Valve at the minute.

rlow1107d ago

@Foxtrot
It’s called money plain and simple.

JEECE106d ago

I mean, that might explain the Team Fortress 2 thing, because Valve might bring that to Source 2 (though I'm not sure I'd bet on that), but I can't see how Portal 64 hurts them. If anything, it's more attention to the Portal and therefore Valve/Steam.

Giblet_Head106d ago (Edited 106d ago )

There's potential that Valve had already planned to bring Source 2 to TF2 officially after Counter Strike 2. It's been getting some renewed attention lately.

Inverno106d ago

You got Nintendo to thank for Portal64 being taken down. As for TF2, most likely it's due to the probability of Valve working on a source 2 port themselves. It's sucks but Nintendo are the biggest pricks in the business and not letting this drag out into a huge court drama is the best decision.

100°

Valve Opens the Floodgates to Allow More AI Based Games on Steam

Valve has updated its stance on AI games on the Steam storefront, allowing creators to publish AI-created games.

Droppedez106d ago

AI is just another form of slavery for our computer brethren.

Barlos106d ago (Edited 106d ago )

Hell no. I want games that have been made by creative minds who have a passion for their craft, not a bot with a penchant for plagiarism.

BrainSyphoned106d ago (Edited 106d ago )

So instead of paying for an engine and assets to create a game they are paying for an engine and assets to create a game.

290°

Valve Tells Players To Stop Inhaling Steam Deck Vent Fumes

Valve has officially warned against inhaling the Steam Deck vent fumes in an official response due to potential health hazards.

gold_drake132d ago

my god, people are so dumb these days.

shinoff2183132d ago

I read the headline to my girl and she even reacted wtf is wrong with people. People wild

Notellin130d ago

I feel bad for her that she can't read and needs you to do it for her. Keep your head up!

shinoff2183130d ago

Notellin, I've been teaching her 😘

Jin_Sakai131d ago (Edited 131d ago )

This generation is about dumb as it gets.

frostypants131d ago

Huffing things isn't new to be fair.

SavageFlamingo130d ago

This has nothing to do with generations. It’s not a stupid challenge or anything. People just happened to smell it while they were playing. The steam deck exhaust is easy to smell without even trying. Just playing it you’ll smell it in the air around you.

Felix_Argyle_Catbro130d ago

"tHiS gEErAtIoN"
It's every generation, today you just see it more clearly thanks to internet.

k2d130d ago

To be fair, I loved the smell of glue, gas and certain plastics as a kid (new disc cartridges/new hardware, anyone?)

Si-Fly130d ago

Instruction manuals for me, best smell ever 😂

crazyCoconuts130d ago

I actually take a whiff of it once in a while, it's funny that it smells so good lol

DarXyde130d ago

Tide pod fiasco all over again

Felix_Argyle_Catbro130d ago

"tHeSe DaYs"
People have been just as dumb in the past, you just see it clearly now thanks to the internet.

gold_drake130d ago

thanks for that .. insight. ha.

rlow1130d ago

Well good thing about dumb people, they play an important part in human history. How else do we know which plants, animals and foods ar dangerous? Dumb people! They pay the price so the rest of us don’t have to. Lol

FinalFantasyFanatic130d ago

Honestly, I'm not even surprised considering some of the people I come across these days, inhaling fumes would explain a lot of things.

+ Show (5) more repliesLast reply 130d ago
Knightofelemia132d ago (Edited 132d ago )

Wow people will huff anything nowadays some people just have way too much time on their hands.

Abnor_Mal131d ago (Edited 131d ago )

Another reason to love the PlayStation Portal, no chance of breathing in noxious vapors.

Get a Steam Deck they said, to which I reply, what are you high?

KwietStorm_BLM131d ago

Were you high when you typed this?

Abnor_Mal131d ago

Sorry bud no Steam Deck here.

130d ago
FinalFantasyFanatic130d ago (Edited 130d ago )

Even the Steam Deck does streaming better than the Portal (they portal is capped for streaming for some reason, whereas the Steam Deck isn't).

Neonridr130d ago

imagine pretending a glorified streaming device is better than a stand alone unit that can also, stream.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 130d ago
Eonjay131d ago

Stand by for the 'gaming kills' articles.
Que Halloween movie theme.

Nucleux131d ago

What does it smell/taste like?

Barlos131d ago

Better than the Switch cartridges is my guess.

Just to be clear, I've never licked a Switch cartridge, nor have I inhaled my deck's fumes.

Profchaos131d ago

Same never licked a switch cart I've always been worried more about where it's been than the taste but

Fluke_Skywalker131d ago

It smells good, that's the problem lol. When I first turned mine on I noticed it 😅
Better stop sniffing it then.

Barlos130d ago

I've had my deck for over a year, I've never been compelled to put my nose near the vent for a good lungful 😂

crazyCoconuts130d ago

I can't explain it... It smells...new

SavageFlamingo130d ago (Edited 130d ago )

Kind of like cheap bacon cooking. Even cheap bacon smells good.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 130d ago
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