Modding Community Rules/Guidelines [Updated Feb 24 2015]

Discussion in 'Starbound Modding' started by mollygos, Dec 24, 2013.

  1. ohgoditburns

    ohgoditburns Void-Bound Voyager

    Yeah but it's way inconvenient for users.

    Hmm, could I download one curated race-pack to extend my options? Or could I download one that has a config to make them play nice and then 50 individual extra files.
     
    Magmarashi likes this.
  2. Black--snow

    Black--snow Cosmic Narwhal

    I see your point, though it's more than likely an "Addonpack" would be created to make the purpose easier.

    Either way, the 50 individual files will be better.... If each one has the Snow Pirate source and you tried to install two you'd screw up the game. If the source wasn't used you could install the base mod + 6 different addons without breaking anything.
     
  3. BRAWW

    BRAWW Vice-President of the Red Gang

    There's already that kind of rule, what with this at the bottom of the OP.

     
  4. Silent Strider

    Silent Strider Pangalactic Porcupine

    This is for the author to decide. It's his mod, his rules. If the author wants to "harm" the spread of his mods to have more control over it, it's his call to make; if you don't like the author's choices, just ignore him and his mods. You can always duplicate his mods - without using the original mod's assets, of course, and preferably in as clean room environment as you can manage - and publish your duplicate with the rules you want, after all.
     
  5. Chalky

    Chalky Void-Bound Voyager

    Yeah, the rules are fine pretty much everyone. There's a checkbox that pretty much says "please duplicate this mod" and people who check the option think it means they're going to get more credit for their work. I guess what you're saying is that we should spend less time trying to reason with them and more time duping mods and let them come to the realisation themselves, and I suppose you're probably right.
     
  6. Black--snow

    Black--snow Cosmic Narwhal

    Duplicating assets is also against copy-write... People aren't THAT dumb, especially once you realize there's no evidence it was made by you rather than just copied.

    Also, that's borderline black-mail, though not with threats.
     
  7. Chalky

    Chalky Void-Bound Voyager

    Duplicating a mod = recreating original assets to create something functionally similar. All you need is to be a competent pixel artist. Obviously this is easier said than done for some types of mod - race mods for example are almost entirely art assets so "duplicating" them is pointless, you just choose a difference race or make a new one - it's not like you'll have trouble finding alternative race mods to include and anyone making a race mod is going to have enough trouble getting people to choose it over all the others that putting restrictions on its use will just make it an automatic underdog.

    The idea becomes more obvious when you have a mod that introduces new mechanics or overhauls existing ones. It may have some art assets, but the majority of modifications can be adapted on a conceptual level to make a functionally similar mod, leaving the old one in the dust. These are the really good mods, too. The sorts that the developers are introducing into the core game because of their quality and uniqueness. Obviously, all the mods that are getting included in the core game don't have a no modpacks restrictions since they're being included in the biggest modpack of them all (the core game!) - but if you were to release something like the rails mod with a "no modpacks" clause then you're kidding yourself if you think someone isn't going to just take one look at it and go "neat idea, here's one without the shitty restrictions".

    So those really are your choices. Either you're making something like a race mod that's already going to have to fight for attention amongst all the other race mods, so putting big restrictions on it's use is going to hurt you pretty bad - or you're making something new and exciting on a mechanical level in which case banning modpacks will just make someone "re-invent" it and put it up with a less restrictive license, automatically taking over as the go-to choice.

    If you are indeed planning on using a no modpacks restriction because you think it's going to increase the audience of your mod, I hope you're not too upset when you realise the opposite happens. This is why I'm talking about this, because it's probably better for you to know it's coming than to regret picking the unreasonable option out of some mistaken belief that it'll enhance your status.
     
  8. Black--snow

    Black--snow Cosmic Narwhal

    Something only has to fight competitors if it's boring and has no interesting features. A race mod that introduced a race with guns rather than swords to craft is a lot more entertaining than a human re-skin with nothing special.
     
  9. Chalky

    Chalky Void-Bound Voyager

    And how long do you think it will take someone to add that mechanic to another race if they want it in their modpack?

    That's the point. The stuff that's really interesting and unique is usually new or altered mechanics - and that's the stuff where you have a clear option to re-create it if the license is restrictive.

    This sort of thing may well happen regardless of license anyway, but it's far worse with a no modpacks restriction. If there's a dull race that has an interesting mechanic, it's likely that someone will include that mechanic elsewhere. The license restriction simply means that no matter how great your race is people will take the mechanics from it instead of using it whole (because they can't!)
     
  10. FoggyPaws

    FoggyPaws Subatomic Cosmonaut

    So I don't know who's in charge here, but I figure a thread with staff in it would be a decent place to start as any. I was wondering if a screenshot requirement could/would be imposed. I mean, it's kind of annoying going to download a mod that includes a great amount of graphical changes or customization, but seeing not a single screenshot.

    I mean, would it be that much trouble to post a screenshot of the mod before posting it on the forums or mod database?
     
  11. Black--snow

    Black--snow Cosmic Narwhal

    If it doesn't appeal to you don't download it.

    If the author hasn't bothered then don't give him/her your time, there's no need to put a requirement on that could be just frustrating for some types of mods.
     
    NerArth likes this.
  12. FoggyPaws

    FoggyPaws Subatomic Cosmonaut

    Obviously mods that only have sound changes/additions, or mods that re-balance the game in different ways, like slower sword swings, you can't take screenshots of as easily, I'm talking about mods that add things such as dungeons and graphics, like races or a new ship, or biomes.
    PLUS there's a little bit more security in downloading a mod from a source with a screenshot, some kind of proof that the mod is going to do what it says it will do.

    There are plenty of mods that I see that WOULD appeal to me if I could see what it looks like before I try it. Any other modding community would agree. *cough minecraft community being the largest cough*
     
  13. BRAWW

    BRAWW Vice-President of the Red Gang

    Any step away from that is a step in the good direction. Most bigger mods already do have screenshots, and it's pretty common/logical to put a screenshot in your mods description. No real need to enforce that as a rule.
     
    NerArth and Silent Strider like this.
  14. Ramones_fan

    Ramones_fan Pangalactic Porcupine


    Would a notification sent to you work to know when your mods were added to a mod pack? as to 'all files unchanged', compatibility issues, in my opinion the main reason for mod packs, require minor changes to fix compatibility, otherwise there wouldn't be issues.
     
  15. BRAWW

    BRAWW Vice-President of the Red Gang

    It's already kind of addressed in the OP,

    "Credit to original mod authors is a requirement. Use the @ function to tag the author in the compilation's credit section (i.e- @BRAWW ) so the author can be notified".
     
    The | Suit likes this.
  16. FoggyPaws

    FoggyPaws Subatomic Cosmonaut

    That's a matter of opinion, I'm only suggesting something that's convenient to the player intending to download a mod, and not belittling something for the sake of being edgy.
     
  17. jam4thepro

    jam4thepro Scruffy Nerf-Herder

    i was wondering if someone can make a darker then mod i would be vey grate full
    :)
     
  18. Ovyerus

    Ovyerus Cosmic Narwhal

    I know that what i am about to post is off-topic(?) but I just had to, so...
    [​IMG]
    I'm so sorry.

    If you're a mod, feel free to remove this if it is too inappropriate.
     
    Thundercraft and Kawa like this.
  19. TheBillyGoat

    TheBillyGoat Void-Bound Voyager

    Does anyone know where I can find and up-to-date (pleased giraffe) guide on how to mod?
     
  20. goldenminer118

    goldenminer118 Space Hobo

    I downloaded race mods and character menu mods but the races won't work. Someone plz help
     

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