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0 pointsddtaylor9mo ago0 comments

Workshop has taken off a bit here and there, but it's worth remembering that basically when Steam Workshop was primed to take off was when Skyrim modding was becoming mainstream. I don't know the specifics of it, but I think the Steam Workshop had some "paid mods" and that rubbed everyone the wrong way during a time when modding was not monetized.

There is a bigger question that is unsolved, both ethically and legally. If someone makes a Skyrim mod: (a) should the creator of the mod be allowed compensation and (b) should the game developer be entitled to garnish some amount?

I have my own opinions, but I think the community doesn't really trust that a mod put on Steam will be available tomorrow for the price and under the conditions the mod creator envisioned.

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xnorswap9mo ago

Paid mods are problematic because what happens if a game update breaks the API the mod uses? This frequently occurs in many games. Suddenly you've got an unhappy customer, and with money comes liability.

I doubt any game developer would want the burden of being liable to maintain backward compatibility for old mod APIs to support third party mods, but if they take a cut of any money then they ought to be responsible for maintaining that.

Part of the reason KSP has ironically had a modding renaissance is because the community knows that there won't be any updates which could break some of the more ambitious mods being made.

subscribed9mo ago

a) yes if they sell it

b) no, why? does the carmaker get a cut from the unbranded accessories? If anything, it should be the other way round as the Oblivion reboot proves.

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