A look at the ethical relationship between modders and game publishers

[quagm1r3]

Hey guys,

This survey concerns an idea I pitched for a writing class. Basically we were told to pick an open source program from source forge and add some sort of functionality to it that would improve the program. Guess which program I chose! :D

Anyway, filling out this survey would help me understand what the modding community thinks about a compensation system that incentivises modding by rewarding the modder (perhaps by allowing modders to sell their mod for a chosen price, while the game publisher gets a royalty of some kind). I'd really appreciate if anyone, regardless of modding or video game playing experience, would take this survey. Your identity would remain anonymous, of course.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/J68DBK6

Thank you! :D

[Felix-The-Ghost]

I've already made some published and non-published improvements to the mapping side of AC. Where is my money >:(

[Ronald_Reagan]

3. If you have modded a game before, do you think it's fair that the game publisher holds all rights to your modded content?

I feel it isn't fair to allow the game publisher some rights, but not all. Also, only maps use materials provided by AC to make the mod.

[quagm1r3]

This would seem to support the idea that skins are even more the product of the user and less the makers of AC. Here's a question I've been thinking about:

Does the fact that AC is free disqualify any ethical issues? The makers of AC have nothing to gain, right? It's not like Half-life, where consumers bought the game for the Counter-strike mod.

[Bukz]

Disqualify and any are pretty strong words to use, but yes, the developers of the game choose what direction the game takes.

Ethics may be put aside for the sake of the greater good of the game at times.

[Ronald_Reagan]

A lot of mods can be used for other purposes, rather than AC.

It is a little known fact (afaik), that the player model was originally a mod to Quake(?). With a couple changes to it.

[Orynge]

Compensation system? What is this, TF2?

[Edward]

(perhaps by allowing modders to sell their mod for a chosen price, while the game publisher gets a royalty of some kind)

Who will pay? You? I have made the same answer for all your questions : This game is free ! Did not read it !

[V-Man]

As far as I can tell, people make mods because it's fun. For there to be any more to it than that would make the relationship spurious. Paying them to have fun would be oh-so-redundant. It would also throw a money-grubbing spirit into the community that is highly inappropriate.

This game is free, and it should stay that way forever. Nobody should have to pay money just to play the way they want to.

Though, I wouldn't hesitate to buy an AC hoodie.

[MorganKell]

AC HOODIE?!?!?! OMG I SWEAR IF ONE IS EVER MADE I AM BUYING BILLIONS!!!!!!!!! I'm already trying to get CheapWay to get me one, and McDons will definitely do it.

[ExodusS]

Free2Play is the best way to destroy a game community, nobody should get pay especially for AssaultCube, everyone is here to learn and all they want is to be known by everyone.
I won the mapping contest to own Halo, not to get paid from him.

[Alien]

I don't believe in your interest about mods, advertising http://www.surveymonkey.com is your real interest, am i right ? ;)

[jamz]

Cynic.

[Cleaner]

I sussed the prank from the start me :p