Thoughts on mod monetisation on Steam?

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Should Steam allow modders to monetise for their work?

  • Yes, it's their work so they should be rewarded

    Votes: 2 28.6%
  • No, free access to mods is a key part of the PC gaming community

    Votes: 3 42.9%
  • I'm on the fence

    Votes: 2 28.6%

  • Total voters
    7

AS88

Well-Known Member
Staff member
Hey everyone, you've probably seen the hot topic all over PC gaming circles at the minute - that Steam are allowing modders to charge gamers to use their work. Do you think it's a good thing that will encourage more advanced work, or is it the beginning of the end?

Steam have implied that they will allow modders to use a drop-down box for payment amount, ranging from zero to up to $100.

Let's have an old-fashioned SkyrimForums discussion :p
 

Sah

Well-Known Member

There are now well over 24,000 free mods available for Skyrim via the Steam Workshop, adding everything fromnew sound scapes to epic multi-hour quests, to tweaks that perfect the reflections on water. With the launch of paid mods in Skyrim, you can now support mod authors that are creating top quality items and amazing new experiences for your game. STEAM

24.000 free MODS..................WOW:confused:...............this one can imagine Steam boardroom meeting, ........:sleepyface:

CEO:cool: we need more...... $$$$


Low Life Steam Executive:cool:....we have 24,000 MODS lets sell themo_O......make it look like its all for the MODERS:eek:....bla bla bla .....support mod authors;) ....bla bla bla ....top quality:)....bla bla bla......amazing new experiences for your game:D.....they believe anything! :cool:

CEO:cool:....thinking .....$$$$$$$$$$$........$1 a MOD each time its sold = $24,000 x ?= plopsloads :D.........time for a Pay Rise:cool:


Sah says NO to the Money Order Dropbox
 

Bruynzeel

*ー* SHEW *ー*
having worked with a few people on some mods, graphics and voice overs I think that large mods should indeed have the ability to be compensated for their effort. But there is trash out there as well. Copies of others work, poorly done graphics or programmed with major bugs. And the current model would support more trash as well.
 
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JoeReese

Well-Known Member
I think this is a complicated issue, and that people are upset over various aspects of it, such as the amount the modder actually gets, vs the amount kept by either Steam or Bethesda, or whoever.
I can see the point of people who don't want to pay for trash mods, as well, but I also see a lot of complaints that mods should only always be free. These complaints usually contain spectacular displays of ignorance as to just how much work and time people put into mods, especially the big ones. It concerns me just how many people have decided they are entitled the fruit of others' labor, without any regard to the feelings of the laborer in question.

This, IMO, is a very simple concept. If a modder wants to charge for his/her work, then it is the choice of the mod user whether or not to buy it. No one is going to come around and force people to use mods, and I'm certain there will continue to be free mods out there. I've bought the DLC. I didn't expect them to put hours and money into creating something just for me to demand it for free. Likewise, I'd consider buying a mod, if I thought it was worth the money. Simple business transaction. If someone wants to give me a mod, that's great too, but I can't imagine demanding that they sink their time and effort into it just because I say so.

As far as the 75/25 split, the modder has the same choice as the mod user. Is this worth it? As no one is being forced to use mods, no one is being forced to create them either. Simple choices.

The concept of paying for a mod that conflicts, or is shoddy, is another matter and adds another layer of complication. It certainly warrants discussion, however that's what there are endorsements and comments for. Paying for a mod doesn't absolve us of taking the responsibility to determine whether what we're buying will fit our needs, any more than paying for an appliance, which may or may not work, at Walmart. I don't know what steps they've taken for refund in the case of defect, but with the right approach, it can be rendered no more or less risky than any other purchase.

Bottom line? This is America. Don't like the price? Don't buy it. Just don't expect someone to give it to you, just because.
 

Dabiene Caristiana

Your friendly neighborhood weirdo
Here are some youtubers who have talked about it recently:

MMOxReview:

Gopher:

Brodual:

Brodual, Gabe Newell's response video:


-------------------------------------------------

You can see a few of them on the fence but others don't like it. There are other youtubers out there going on about this, but they talk about it in a 50+ minute vlog and I doubt you wanna listen to something that long lol

I'm on the fence myself, and agree with some if not all points that they make. This can go either terribly wrong, or this whole thing could pay off in the end ('scuse pun).

Hopefully this doesn't backfire and blast a huge whole in the modding community. :/ Some fantastic modders out there and it would a shame if this all came crumbling down. Though a part of me thinks it won't go that far, Valve needs to keep a close eye on this.
 

Sah

Well-Known Member
Welcome to the application of the Butterfly Affect......a butterfly flapped its wings on STEAM......and a category 5 cyclone is brewing in all Skyrim Community's.

Whats wrong?.....the norm has been broken......suddenly today the people who play Skyrim have woken up to a new reality, that higher forces can intervene in the community's way of life and change it. Suddenly people who like to make MODS, for whatever reason that may be are now dragged into the boxing ring, and what they do next is under extreme scrutiny by every one.


A crack has appeared and through it all the unpleasantry's our world will invade the Skyrim Community's, anger, contempt, bitching, backstabbing ext........the division has started, just look at how this thread starts, not with the post it self but with a POLE ......ironically everyone who will post on this thread will firstly pick a side & then like my self try to justifies that choice.

I'm not a MODER, just a USER of MODS, over the years have downloaded over 250 MODS all Endorsed, this one uses MODS in her videos, never showcases MODS but takes the time and effort to write every single MODDER for there consent, in the exchange of emails have discovered that MODDERS are very laid back people, friendly & show the interest of how you use there MOD in your work. have made some good friends........and have discovers that they are addicts just like us, this is how they express there love for the game, they delve into the guts of it and change it.... just like our addiction of Role Playing....and that's where you start to see that every thing is connected, its all about this game.

A lot of RP use MODS........heck even if your not and you have a PC, you do what every one else is doing and instal a MOD....THAT WAS THE NORM

QUESTION; Would you pay to Role Play?..........well if you want the best MODS then you have just paid to RP too!


this can of worms has been opened....it stinks!....black clouds are descending on all Forums.....the storm is coming!


The problem is not the MOD or the MODDER them selves and should be left out of this,

the real PROBLEM here is one of respect, and it feels like someone just went & took that away.... 25%......... why have you forsaken me"?

Welcome to the REAL SKYRIM CIVIL WAR!


NO to the Money Order Dropbox
 
Last edited:

Dabiene Caristiana

Your friendly neighborhood weirdo
AlphaOmegaSin also made a video a few days ago on it. Warning, he tends to swear a lot... Not for kiddies lol.

 

AS88

Well-Known Member
Staff member

Dabiene Caristiana

Your friendly neighborhood weirdo
So,

http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2015/...ales-feature-from-steam-after-only-four-days/

"[Valve] officially changed course on Monday and removed pricing from its Steam Workshop pages, all while admitting "it's clear we didn't understand exactly what we were doing."

It seems the people have spoken :p

I have a feeling "Gaben" or Valve as a whole didn't know what they were doing to begin with. Otherwise, this may have turned out differently. Or they wouldn't have done it to begin with. Or perhaps have a different system in place. Either way, they should have known better. Anyone with a half brain should have expected this outlash/outcry. :p
 
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Mighty Pecan Pie

The secret American
I think a donation option would be way better, some people really put a lot of work into a really big and improving mod, that kind of stuff is to be rewarded.

Or, if Valve really wants a hand in the cookie jar, because I guess there is a market: Make an x-amount of mods a "Valve selection". So when you pay for a mod, it's already tested and proven the worth. I've seen people joke about a 30 dollar mod that added 1 apple in an Inn. That stuff is toxic to a gaming community.

Or even a cross between donating and making money, let's say 5 percent of the donated money goes to Valve. Valve keeps modding available, so the modders can mod. And if they make a good mod, then Valve and the modder will earn money Even the gamer will profit from it, because if good mod would probably be improving the gameplay.

Win-win-win situation in my book.

All in all, I think the majority of mods should just stay free with an option to donate. Most of them are just for the lolz of it. (Thomas the train for a dragon)
 

Sah

Well-Known Member
*scratching head looking at 10,000 T-shirts*o_O..........what is this one going to do with these:confused:

get your free...........NO to the Money Order Dropbox T-shirts :sadface:

 

Samu Zadori

New Member
They didn't know what they were doing, but to be fair, they openly admitted it now! Maybe if they put the system in place for an upcoming game instead of an already established one, people would have seen it differently. But now I think it'll be years before Valve tries anything "revolutionary" again.
 

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