Bethesda's Paid Mods That Aren't Paid Mods But Are Paid Mods

[Guest]

#NSFW - language

[TechAngel85]

Thank you. That was quite entertaining. Haha!

[Guest]

Has your opinion changed about this Tech? I know you were optimistic, but I really lost my optimism after thinking about it.

 

This guy complains a lot so I only see what he is up to around once a month, but he always makes good points. What they launched with seems to be beyond awful. I was expecting something at least along the lines of unique dungeons, homes and hideouts (AT LEAST like Oblivion's smaller DLC).

[GrantSP]

Yeah, he didn't exactly phrase it in the same way I would but... totally agree with him. I hadn't even realised about the buying of "credits" to purchase these things, that's a big enough turn off for me right there. I mean what exactly is wrong with traditional currency anyway?

 

Oh and my new favourite word: Bethetic. Classic, let's make sure it's included in the next edition of whatever is your dictionary of choice.

 

Edit:

Gopher raises the very important point about HOW Bethesda is rolling out the files in the Creation Club, and it is very disturbing. Everything is downloaded to your machine and awaits activation on purchase. And I do mean "everything".

 

Check out his video.

[baronaatista]

Yeah I had a degree of optimism when it was first announced...

 

I'm also typically... maybe not a Bethesda 'supporter', but I tend not to agree with the derision they get in the community, even when making decisions I don't agree with (ie. Fallout 4, lol)

 

However the roll-out of CC so far is honestly insulting, and I find myself hoping that it either fails or generates enough backlash from the community to get them to re-think the whole project... again.

 

I mean, in what universe is a new set of Power Armor worth $4-5?  How can they possibly think that's acceptable?  The Nuka-World DLC was what 10, 15?  It came with new PA, weapons, NPC's, quests, a new worldspace and an alternative settlement style (just off the top of my head, I'm sure there's more).

 

I would happily pay for mods... I mean I would sink probably... I don't even know if there's a limit to the additional money I would pay for mods to expand my game, provided I felt like I was actually getting value for my money.  

[baronaatista]

I mean the Power-Horse-Armor thing ... I know it's intended as a joke, but it's legitimately insulting.

 

This CC roll-out is exactly what Horse Armor was for Oblivion.  It's mostly cosmetic, over-priced, and lacking in content.

[TechAngel85]

Yes, my opinions have changed. If this is what the Creation Club is going to be, calling it a joke is an understatement. I don't think they're really gearing it towards PC users after seeing this. I also agree with Gopher too, it's likely going to fail unless something changes.

[Guest]

It downloads everything regardless of ownership? Incredible! Hahaha! No really... Just wow! Mind you, would anyone even consider stealing this content? Who really would want any of that when there are better (free) alternatives?

 

I personally think giving money to modders should be done without the Bethesda receiving a penny baron, as that is what they have always peddled. They should have monetised their tools or created a storefront at the very start if their plan was to take a share. They are now totally disrespectful with their community, a community that has given them a steady stream of income and kept their games breathing.

 

Honestly, it just leaves a bad taste in your mouth regardless. 500 credits for horse power armour though!

[baronaatista]

Yeah I try to donate to the authors whose mods I use.  Strikes me I've never donated to you, Sparrow... does the Nexus work for that?

 

Gophers latest video on the subject;

Edited September 2, 2017 by baronaatista

[Guest]

In my experience of having a donation option for a year, in your money it would have been like $160 max? I personally only did it because people asked me, but I guess that is peanuts to most folks. One problem for me was accepting anything (just me personally), so while there was appreciation, there was also a feeling of guilt. The main problem for people not donating is that they feel they shouldn't have to. Period. That sounds a bit too much of a simple explanation, but it's certainly a true one. Free is free. 

 

For the 'would-be' donaters, I guess one problem is that it's not anonymous to either party -- and I don't blame people who are concerned about that. Something like Bitcoin can be traced to origin if someone clever was to go searching, but it's more private on the surface. I'd certainly be donating more if there were such an option (not really using many mods if I play is probably the bigger issue though, hehe). 

 

I'll check the video out soon! Gopher needs to up his thumnail game though. Heh!

[GSDFan]

I believe that this is all in preparation for the next big release from Beth, which will have all this from the get go. If this is so, I will not be giving them any more of my money.

[CovertSlinky]

I believe that this is all in preparation for the next big release from Beth, which will have all this from the get go. If this is so, I will not be giving them any more of my money.

That is EXACTLY there intention. This isn't the first of this type of micro-transaction to hit a game with a prosperous and abundant modding community, think Minecraft, thank you Microsoft. The funny thing is that, I too believed that this would fail and so would Microsoft's Minecraft vision. But it hasn't, there are plenty of people in the world that don't mind paying. My guess is that this affecting the ignorant, i.e parents who (for all and any reasons I won't get into) buy or allow their children to buy. Parents who work all day and probably only play games on their phones tablets and whatnot and perhaps occasionally a game console. Those people would be mostly oblivious to the free alternative that exists mostly and more abundantly on the PC. I honestly do not believe this will fail. And I really do not see Bethesda backing down unless modders boycott it. This fails if they do not get enough people join the "Club". Microsoft hasn't given one **** about all the people against their controlled modding scene. Which is EXACTLY what this is about. It is a way to bring a so called DRM if you will, to the modding scene, all the while making bank. But at the same time, I am torn about this, I do not know which way I lean. I mean I do understand their concept and their desire, justification, ehhh...... that's the dilemma. They do own IP of this content, so they have the "right", at least legally. It's hard for me, cause modding isn't this new idea, My roots of modding go all the way back to the original DOOM. Modding is an idea that holds a strong, Free, and maybe that's a bias? But then modders getting paid, that's a doozy as well, I personally believe they should if they feel it's warranted. It has been a heavy debate through ages, and right now both sides hold equal ground. But at the end of the day, regardless of my or anyone else's opinion for that matter, Bethesda will do whatever it wants, just like all before and after it.

[Greg]

Yeah, he didn't exactly phrase it in the same way I would but... totally agree with him. I hadn't even realised about the buying of "credits" to purchase these things, that's a big enough turn off for me right there. I mean what exactly is wrong with traditional currency anyway?

Credits have a financial incentive to companies in much the same way as gift cards. Customers purchase gift cards or credits so the company receives immediate cash in the bank, but the company isn't required to put this money on the books until the customer actually purchases something with the gift card or credit. Companies love gift cards because a significant percentage of purchased gift cards are never redeemed.

 

Credits are also often used to obfuscate the true price of a product and is often used in an attempt to disassociate real currency from the equation. What I mean by this is that the company wants users to think in terms of credits instead of cash because buying low-quality armor texture for 10 credits  may not seem so bad whereas buying a low-quality armor texture for $2.75 may seem ridiculous.

 

There are also two end-games with credits that companies like: 1) users don't use all credits for in-game purchases so it's essentially free money in company pockets; or 2) users end up with 7 credits remaining and are forced to purchase another 500 credits to get that one low-quality texture for 10 credits. Either way, the money is in the bank well before it must be reported on the books and unused credits are typically not refundable.