Content Release For Dead Mods

**ccllnply** · July 20, 2008, 08:36 AM

Now, I thought this was a good idea but its up to the modding community to decide if I was right.

Well I, like many people, have got very disappionted when a mod I was following becomes domant and work stops on it. If anyone knows about Middle-earth Total War, Burns, the mod leader, stopped work on that a while ago but a content release with all the finished work in it. With this fans of the mod could download it and play custom battles and such and could do whatever they wanted to do with the content. Also, other modders took an interest in the mod and they could mess around with the files without the stress and responsiblity of joining a team. So even though the mod is "dead" work is still being done on it.

So I think that maybe it would be a good policy for TW modders to release the content of their mods if they decide they aren't going to continue with it. This would give fans some compensation if the work is stopped and would also mean that as long as other modders are interested the mod still has a chance of being finished. Thoughts please?

**Aradan** · July 20, 2008, 08:47 AM

This has been already discussed in the CB, but setting a "rule" is not easy, because after all a mod's work belongs to the team and individuals who made it, so they can't be forced to share. It would be good if modders and teams took that initiative on their own though. We will try to find a way to embed this into the general reforms taking place in the modding section of the site, perhaps as a "guideline" or a "default, non-binding policy".

**ccllnply** · July 20, 2008, 08:58 AM

Well making it a rule probably wouldn't work. Although, I don't see any reason why they wouldn't release the content. I know they don't have to release it but if they are announce it on the internet and say they are going to release their mod I think releasing the content would be far better then leaving the files there doing nothing and the fans with nothing to be excited about anymore

**Halie Satanus** · July 20, 2008, 01:22 PM

The simple answer is because even when a mod is declared 'dead' and the forum moved to the morgue some team members will refuse to let their work go in the hope of a revival. Some dead mods have released work, 'Byzantium TW' for example released all their units in two packs.

The fact is that many mods die because there really isn't much actual completed content, just lots of waffle and hot air.

**The Count(er)** · July 20, 2008, 11:53 PM

yeah a dead mod would require a bit of work to actually make a downloadable version and would likely require a collaboration of the team which would probably be pretty broken up and be hard to be grouped together and do more work for something they probably don't want to do although when possible and delusions of revival(of course some mods are revived but it's unlikely) are not present then chances are they'll do it if it occurs to them

**TWoxy** · July 24, 2008, 06:20 AM

Originally Posted by Halie Satanus

The fact is that many mods die because there really isn't much actual completed content, just lots of waffle and hot air.

You've hit the nail on the head there, Halie. Most mods that fail are started from a team of researchers with absolutely no modding experience or ability, who think that by drawing maps and writing paragraphs of concept they are bringing the mod nearer to completion. I wouldn't award a forum to anyone who hasn't already made a new map, skins, models, etc. Reams and reams of text is not evidence of progress, in my opinion.

**EpicJon** · July 24, 2008, 03:40 PM

I agree with you. I've seen many of those in my short time here. Thats why its best not to post a thread until you at least have some eyecandy to go along with it. Posting giant walls of paragraphs, and including the progress pictures in page 9 and page 13, isn't going to help people at all.

But replying to the TC, why would you want to have a half-baked mod? I can see if someone else wanted to pick up the torch and keep moving, but just to use units, or weapons, is a pretty dumb thing to do imo.

-EJon

**Aradan** · July 25, 2008, 01:29 PM

Ideas in the modding world are usually recycled more or less. Mods get started that have elemnts in common with older mods that didn't make it. So, being able to use already-done stuff will be quite an aid for a new team and cut shorter the development time of a mod. Plus, it's a pity to see all the work and effort of modders not being utilised and be left unused. Imho. And given that 9.5/10 mods that get started, fail, that's a lot of effort. Granted, few of them ever really create something of worth, but even reserach can be useful. At any rate, making dead mod content a "free modding resource" can't hurt anybody, if the original creator is credited.