(general concept from other threads) - Are modders accountable to users?

[MeiguoJinjang]

Are modders accountable to users? Particularly, in regards to features and style. As a software developer for bugs, I would say "yes", as for me they are like a pebble in my shoe. Hard to tolerate.

On one hand modders work for free to achieve some vision they hold and kindly share their work ("free" because asking for money is not the same as requiring payment). Thus, have they already gone above and beyond? I write tons of code for games, and only a few percent has ever been offered to others as fixes and enhancements to games.

But then on the other hand, unlike myself, they are putting it out in the public domain in a very clear act of community versus just emailing to a few friends.

I am curious what people think?

Myself, I am always polite to game devs even if I paid for a product. Little is to be gained by a sharp tongue.

But when it comes to modders, I believe in always being gracious, because whether I like their work or not ... they have often put in hours in excess of the actual paid development team ... and you are getting practically a new title for nothing more than disk storage.

I remember the pre-mod days of games (even pre-patch days) ... granted some dev studios are exploiting modders and other players to fix bugs, add features, and write/record documentation ... but 2022 is a far richer world for PC gamers than 1992 was. And if I had to cite one of the key differences; it would be modders. Even the towering YouTubers with great content and 1M subscribers would lack much content in a world absent of mods.

Thank you, Mr and Ms Modder!

[bismarck 1899]

Are modders accountable to users? Particularly, in regards to features and style. As a software developer for bugs, I would say "yes", as for me they are like a pebble in my shoe. Hard to tolerate.

On one hand modders work for free to achieve some vision they hold and kindly share their work ("free" because asking for money is not the same as requiring payment). Thus, have they already gone above and beyond? I write tons of code for games, and only a few percent has ever been offered to others as fixes and enhancements to games.

But then on the other hand, unlike myself, they are putting it out in the public domain in a very clear act of community versus just emailing to a few friends.

I am curious what people think?

Myself, I am always polite to game devs even if I paid for a product. Little is to be gained by a sharp tongue.

But when it comes to modders, I believe in always being gracious, because whether I like their work or not ... they have often put in hours in excess of the actual paid development team ... and you are getting practically a new title for nothing more than disk storage.

I remember the pre-mod days of games (even pre-patch days) ... granted some dev studios are exploiting modders and other players to fix bugs, add features, and write/record documentation ... but 2022 is a far richer world for PC gamers than 1992 was. And if I had to cite one of the key differences; it would be modders. Even the towering YouTubers with great content and 1M subscribers would lack much content in a world absent of mods.

Thank you, Mr and Ms Modder!

No, people do this as a hobby. If you like what they made, good for you. They can listen to the players, not listen to the players or whatever.

[Hirtius]

Since they're doing it for free, I don't think modders are accountable to users in any way. The good thing is that it's a labor of love, and modders will try to make their work to the best of their abilities regardless.

EB2 is in my opinion a work of art. The devs can take suggestions, but it's ultimately their artwork and their vision. While there are things everyone might do differently, I think the EB team's work is quite well thought out and the results (minus the homicidal AI of this patch) speak for themselves.

[Dooz]

If politicians aren't accountable to citizens, I think we can let modders slide

[MeiguoJinjang]

If politicians aren't accountable to citizens, I think we can let modders slide

We have every possible career background elected to public office. On principle, I would vote for modders who are well versed in the history of the ancient world. It could not be worse than what we have today.

[Dooz]

They could mod society, but there would inevitably eventually be disagreements and backlash and ultimately, civil war and collapse. Those who are learned in history, doomed to repeat it. Why bother

[blackbirdgriffin]

No they are not, especially since the quickest way to have a patch or something u don't like fixed is, well .... to do it yourself,
most, if not all, of the softwares used are free.

[MeiguoJinjang]

What skills do modders/historians have which are needed by our current world (Gudea feel free to jump in)?

First, they recognize patterns which have led the world amuck in previous times like:

* The heavy investment of arms while praising peaces ... seems a path to war.

* The forcing of blocs and alliances rather than the search for neutrality and coexistence.

The above has occurred before in history, and the end result was not healthy.

Historians are more likely to see the patterns as opposed to utter, but "this time is different". Also, historians are more likely to get that different world views and cultures exist and cannot be dictated by the few he claim to speak for the many.

Modders having to work in the constraints of parameters defined by others having experienced structuring systematic solutions over the period of 1/2 to 10 years. Much of the political leadership find the most complex problem they have ever managed is soliciting contributions and their campaigns. They really lack the organizational skills needed for complex projects; and the negotiation skills for team work.

Finally, what else do ancient historians bring to the table? An understanding that many of the civilizations they are well familiar with collapsed. They may have collapsed due to war, internal social strife, degradation of the environment, lack of critical resources like water, disease, failure to adapt to a changing world.

So, if just handed a resume for government in the West, I am more likely to chose a historian/modder than an attorney.

I say that with all seriousness seeing how those of the legal profession have served their constituents; or more correctly themselves.

I am intentionally being vague as these are social and systemic problems, and not a party or single nation.

Gudea had asked in a video 'Is the study of history of real value?'. I think the answer is yes.

[Dooz]

Livy didn't prevent the fall of the republic, neither will the EB2 team