InsaneJ
25th April 2015, 11:40
As some of you may have heard Steam now allows for paid mods in their workshop (http://steamcommunity.com/workshop/aboutpaidcontent/?snr=1_41_4__42). This is a bad idea for the following reasons:
Mod authors can no longer use each others assets in creating and improving their mods.
The marketplace is going to get flooded with crappy mods because people want to make a quick buck. (See the giant horse genitals mod for example which was made to illustrate this point.)
The marketplace is getting flooded with mods that were stolen and put there by people wanting to make easy money.
Having 100 mods installed on Skyrim is not uncommon. Even at $1 per mod, that is something not many people can do. (HappyDiggers AMP would be impossible if Mojang would do something similar.)
Once you pay for a mod, you will expect support for it. Most mod authors will not be able to provide this. Not on the same level as companies that have hired people just for this purpose.
Steam support sucks. If a mod sucks or doesn't work and you want a refund, good luck.
Steam is using a hands off approach to filter stolen mods. They expect the community to identify people stealing mods. If Steam charges money for wares in their store, they should make sure they have the right to sell them in the first place.
Mods will likely get centralized on Steam since mod authors can make money there, thus destroying a lot of communities. Steam does not allow external links.
Game companies dictate their cut from mods. Mod authors get 25% out of Skyrim mods. The rest goes to Bethesda and Steam.
A donate button is no longer allowed. It's either free or paid.
Mods are not DLC.
If you can think of more reasons why paid mods are a bad idea, please post them below.
This is the Internet, so that means there is a petition for this thing. If you'd like to sign it this is the link: https://www.change.org/p/valve-remove-the-paid-content-of-the-steam-workshop
Mod authors can no longer use each others assets in creating and improving their mods.
The marketplace is going to get flooded with crappy mods because people want to make a quick buck. (See the giant horse genitals mod for example which was made to illustrate this point.)
The marketplace is getting flooded with mods that were stolen and put there by people wanting to make easy money.
Having 100 mods installed on Skyrim is not uncommon. Even at $1 per mod, that is something not many people can do. (HappyDiggers AMP would be impossible if Mojang would do something similar.)
Once you pay for a mod, you will expect support for it. Most mod authors will not be able to provide this. Not on the same level as companies that have hired people just for this purpose.
Steam support sucks. If a mod sucks or doesn't work and you want a refund, good luck.
Steam is using a hands off approach to filter stolen mods. They expect the community to identify people stealing mods. If Steam charges money for wares in their store, they should make sure they have the right to sell them in the first place.
Mods will likely get centralized on Steam since mod authors can make money there, thus destroying a lot of communities. Steam does not allow external links.
Game companies dictate their cut from mods. Mod authors get 25% out of Skyrim mods. The rest goes to Bethesda and Steam.
A donate button is no longer allowed. It's either free or paid.
Mods are not DLC.
If you can think of more reasons why paid mods are a bad idea, please post them below.
This is the Internet, so that means there is a petition for this thing. If you'd like to sign it this is the link: https://www.change.org/p/valve-remove-the-paid-content-of-the-steam-workshop