Steam Workshop allowing creators to charge for mods

DaleTheWhale · 28 Apr 2015 at 12:07

agnes said:
I've not got time to read through the pages, but has this now been cancelled? Has Steam realised the stupidity of their actions and listened to the community?

Apparently so.

yet72 · 28 Apr 2015 at 12:39

You would have thought they would have done some sort of trial run before trying this to gauge the publics reaction.

Vulcan · 28 Apr 2015 at 12:49

yet72 said:
You would have thought they would have done some sort of trial run before trying this to gauge the publics reaction.

Well they partly have by trying it with 1 game.

There would be no other way than to do it the way they have. Inviting a small amount of people would create a privilege bias that wouldn't really reflect the opinions of the community.

spoffle · 28 Apr 2015 at 12:59

TheSwede said:
The author for SkyUI version 4.1 hasn't updated it for about 2 years (from the SkyUI Nexus page: Current Version: 4.1 LAST UPDATE ON JUNE 24th 2013), was something about it was to complex to sort out the Alchemy/Smithing menu's (can't recall exactly and can't seem to find it at Nexus again). Then this "pay for mod" come on workshop and suddenly there is a SkyUI 5.0 coming up in the matter of a couple months. Seemed that they also got contacted by Valve about this but didn't put up their mod from the start.

Would be intersting to see if SkyUI 5.0 will be uploaded to Nexus now or not though. Although 4.1 works just fine and the Alchemy/Smithing menus is not that troublesome..

Thanks for the run through

snips86x · 28 Apr 2015 at 13:17

Confirmed

Angry gamers have forced Valve to end a system that let people who make modifications or "mods" for games get paid for their work.
The paid-mod system was only switched on four days ago.
The game-maker had been heavily criticised on its own forums and in social media for the way the payment system was set up and being run.
Valve said it took the decision because of the "dump truck" of feedback it received from players and mod-makers.
The cancellation will involve Valve refunding any payments gamers made to buy mods.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-32493895

Bloomfield · 28 Apr 2015 at 13:18

We know, they confirmed it last night

.

TheSwede · 28 Apr 2015 at 13:29

spoffle said:
Thanks for the run through

You welcome. :cool:

Schlong&Stable · 28 Apr 2015 at 13:53

Random Guy said:
Oh my - a massive BRAVO to Valve for doing right by the community and taking the considered approach.

My thoughts on the issue are contained in this post: http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showpost.php?p=27965644&postcount=277

I am utterly gobsmacked actually, that they have the integrity to reverse their decision - once again proving why they have their reputation in the first place.

Integrity? Their reputation was being hammered. It doesn't take much integrity to undo a decision which was not a big money maker anyway.

ChrisJSY · 28 Apr 2015 at 14:17

Don't celebrate too fast, they'll probably tack it on to Bethesda's next game because it's not something that's been around for "x" years already.

Pixel · 28 Apr 2015 at 14:40

ChrisJSY said:
Don't celebrate too fast, they'll probably tack it on to Bethesda's next game because it's not something that's been around for "x" years already.

This is what I fear also. As a result I'm going to hold off buying Bethesda's next game until I can see the direction it is headed.

I have a feeling this will go the same way as US politics, where they get massive opposition for some freedom-breaking law they want to introduce, backpedal on it, then sneak it through congress a year later when everyone's forgotten about it. We'll see.

Xordium · 28 Apr 2015 at 15:06

So we all will congratulate Valve when they implement only half of what they suggested in the very near future conveniently forgetting that they've implemented half more than we found acceptable prior. So Valve get what they probably wanted anyway and also get a load more fanbois claiming how they listen to the community.

Joop · 28 Apr 2015 at 15:29

All they need to do is add a donation button and process it, non of this paid only etc

arknor · 28 Apr 2015 at 16:10

Xordium said:
Glad they've had a rethink here. Whilst it may have had some merits the implementation was shockingly poor.

Says the bloke who seems unable to use capital letters and fullstops appropriately.

he probably thinks he can make some money out of modding but the truth is there are studios in china that already do a lot of artwork and assets for the big gaming developers, these companies will totally dominate the paid modding scene it won't be your regular gamers like it is now.

Like
http://www.exigent3d.com/en/ (china and india studios)
http://www.virtuosgames.com/en/company (look at the games these have worked on )

Virtuos CEO Gilles Langourieux, who's been operating his firm in Shanghai since the end of 2004. He has a team of around 110 people, working on both art outsourcing and game porting for major publishers including EA, Microsoft, Vivendi, THQ, Atari, and Ubisoft.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtuos
It's not like there even small companies
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/resources/directory/company/virtuos

Virtuos is one of the largest providers of outsourced production services to the game and movie industries. Founded by one of the most experienced teams of game production specialists in China, Virtuos delivers high-quality digital entertainment production including graphic design, programming, level design and QA. Our clients are leading game and movie companies seeking to increase their production capacity, while keeping costs under control.They include 15 of the top 20 game companies in the world.

Article about the west outsourcing game work to china etc
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/101187/Special_Inside_Chinas_Game_Outsourcing_Biz.php

all the modders that do it now and get donations are going to wish the paywall never appeared they won't be able to compete with these companies and they are crazy if they think they can

StriderX · 28 Apr 2015 at 17:37

I have nothing wrong with Chinese developers, their artwork seems comparable .

But i agree.

Surfer · 28 Apr 2015 at 17:44

Haggisman said:
There's also absolutely nothing preventing "professional" modders from setting up their own "shop" and charging for their mods if they a) feel that they want (and that their work deserves) payment, and b) they are willing to make that commitment to their customers. If someone is capable of creating a mod, I'm pretty sure they're capable of building a basic website with Paypal or Google checkout functionality.

The fact that this doesn't really happen is surely an indication that paid mods aren't really something that anyone actually wants?

Yep, happy for them to do that. I'm not against modders receiving payment just the way it was done was almost the worst possible.

Well they partly have by trying it with 1 game.

There would be no other way than to do it the way they have. Inviting a small amount of people would create a privilege bias that wouldn't really reflect the opinions of the community.

Can you imagine the merry hell if they had done it with all the moddable games on the steam workshop

Random Guy said:
Good points. Valid points too. Can't say much more

Glad we are in agreement. The internet can resume operations now!

Xordium · 28 Apr 2015 at 18:57

The problem more is the way Steam is going it's just a mess of half finished early access games, indie games that look like something I would have played on my Amiga, and sales that don't seem to actually have anything on sale these days. And then Valve keep coming out with the community will sort it out line. Err no.

rids57 · 28 Apr 2015 at 19:22

TheSwede said:
The author for SkyUI version 4.1 hasn't updated it for about 2 years (from the SkyUI Nexus page: Current Version: 4.1 LAST UPDATE ON JUNE 24th 2013), was something about it was to complex to sort out the Alchemy/Smithing menu's (can't recall exactly and can't seem to find it at Nexus again). Then this "pay for mod" come on workshop and suddenly there is a SkyUI 5.0 coming up in the matter of a couple months. Seemed that they also got contacted by Valve about this but didn't put up their mod from the start.

Would be intersting to see if SkyUI 5.0 will be uploaded to Nexus now or not though. Although 4.1 works just fine and the Alchemy/Smithing menus is not that troublesome..

From Schlangster today:

I'll probably upload the new version some time after the next SKSE release is ready when I have the time, because the work is already done anyway.

SPG · 28 Apr 2015 at 19:39

Valve have done more damage to the brand then they know.

Greed was the only motivation for this move, nothing to do with best intentions.

The only thing steam is good for now is sales. There once hallowed system is starting to crack. Half finished games, early access that never finish.

Wonder how many are thinking to buy a extra hard disk and download there library and run offline.

TheSwede · 28 Apr 2015 at 20:18

rids57 said:
From Schlangster today:

I'll probably upload the new version some time after the next SKSE release is ready when I have the time, because the work is already done anyway.

Click to expand...

Thank you, appreciate the post. =) Guess just got to keep an eye out for it later then, since me mention both "probably", "some time after" and "when I have time", who knows when it actually will be uploaded then.

Blackjack Davy · 28 Apr 2015 at 20:20

TheSwede said:
The author for SkyUI version 4.1 hasn't updated it for about 2 years (from the SkyUI Nexus page: Current Version: 4.1 LAST UPDATE ON JUNE 24th 2013), was something about it was to complex to sort out the Alchemy/Smithing menu's (can't recall exactly and can't seem to find it at Nexus again). Then this "pay for mod" come on workshop and suddenly there is a SkyUI 5.0 coming up in the matter of a couple months. Seemed that they also got contacted by Valve about this but didn't put up their mod from the start.

Would be intersting to see if SkyUI 5.0 will be uploaded to Nexus now or not though. Although 4.1 works just fine and the Alchemy/Smithing menus is not that troublesome..

Well the story is there was some issue with it he couldn't sort out so with the money from payment he could employ a professional programmer to fix it, at least thats what he claimed.

Haggisman said:
There's also absolutely nothing preventing "professional" modders from setting up their own "shop" and charging for their mods if they a) feel that they want (and that their work deserves) payment, and b) they are willing to make that commitment to their customers. If someone is capable of creating a mod, I'm pretty sure they're capable of building a basic website with Paypal or Google checkout functionality.

The fact that this doesn't really happen is surely an indication that paid mods aren't really something that anyone actually wants?

Erm, if you're referring to Skyrim modding and just about any title by Bethesda as I'm aware... its in the EULA that you cannot sell mods for profit, period, unless its via Steam workshop. I'm guessing that would apply to other Steam exclusive titles too.

I feel sorry for the mod authors who did sign up to this Valve secretly contacted them a month and half ago saying basically "psst... we're setting up a paywall system for mods.. wanna sign up? You can't breathe a word of it to anyone though". Then through all the ****storm they're telling them "it'll be fine, it'll blow over, stick to your guns..." and then literally an hour or so later after that announce publically that it's all over. No word, no apology, nothing. Valve suckered them in and then hung them out to dry afterward. Pretty disgusting honestly.