Should Modders Have New Pack Game Files In Advance?

lousha_love

With new expansion packs, game packs, and other updates, we know some mods will break. With a NDA in place between EA/Maxis and Modders, do you think modders should have the new game pack, game files before the new pack is released? This will allow some of our favorite mods to be updated and ready the same day we purchase and start playing the new pack.

bandit5

yes

but ea not care about Modders just the game itself.

lousha_love

bandit5 wrote: »

but ea not care about Modders just the game itself.

I know, but EA is about Money... I'm not talking about the gurus... Maybe if EA can find a way to make enough profit, seeing that they are pushing everyone to the EA App in the long run, where downloading mods and cc is "easier and more convenient"... Of course, they will split the profit with Modders and cc creators, who also should be compensated for their genius and making the game worth playing in all these years... As we have seen over the years, EA work with modders and cc creators, so is this such a bad idea? Can this work?

bandit5

yes

depending on how bad mc mod break a fix could be in a few days so it will have the new life stage and the new age increases so that everything works right.

Babykittyjade

No

Nope not in my opinion. I'm a mod user myself so I get the desire for quick mod updates but it's better to just be patient.

WildIrishBanshee

yes

Yes, but I wouldn't say ALL of them. More like the must haves like MCCC/UI Cheats/etc, then maybe certain ones after that. Otherwise, who would pay for the game?

HavenRose

No

The idea sounds convenient, but it could start all sorts of problems. How would they pick which modders get early access - does there need to be proof of a certain number of users? What would happen if a modder with access decided they wanted to branch out into mods that don't mesh with the current rating? Some modders currently offer early access with delayed public release on Patreon - would they have to stop that since they're being compensated with early access? What happens to a modder if life happens and they can't update by the release but already have the game? There seem to be a lot ways it could get ugly very quickly despite being well intentioned for the convenience of players.

Personally, I'd rather have EA dedicate their labor hours to developing the product rather than take on the additional layers of community management this would require. Mods generally get updated fast enough after a big update/launch that it's not like the players who delay for mod updates are at risk of losing out on the preorder bonus content if they wait to purchase.

RapidRabidRabbit

No

While a good idea in theory, it’d probably just overly complicate things. The comment above me already addressed most of it, but also, the early access given to Game Changers isn’t even the final version of the pack. My guess is even up until the end, they’re still working on the pack, so it’d be kind of impossible to give out early versions to modders.

Besides, mods and CC are not EA’s obligation to maintain.

Future

yes

Sure. Now let me create a Patreon and become a “new modder” so I can sign up to get future packs for free.

lisamwitt

No

Embracing modders and those who use mods is enough, and not something we really had before. They've certainly always been aware of modders and CC makers, but they never went so far as to have checkboxes in the game menu, have a file set aside for mods, or make a forum for them.

But going from embracing to endorsing puts them at risk of liability. What if whoever they tasked with checking mods before they go into the game didn't catch something they needed to? There'd be some parent out there whose 13 year old used an adult oriented mod accidentally endorsed by EA and they'd sue. Or players would be up in arms when something they endorsed made games unplayable. It's much safer for EA to just say, use mods at your own risk and not be directly involved.