As a console gamer, the concept of mods sound very interesting. It would be nice if I could make my own mods on my low-tec laptop, and then download them unto my 360, of course that would depend on the requirements to handle the creation kit.

Good, although the Console companies will never allow it.

But the key phrase in that quote was "many of the best." Specifically, many of the mods that add cool new features require the script extender to do things that simply can't be done with the CS alone. I'm not saying that there aren't tons of mods that could probably run fine on consoles. But if this somehow does manifest in actual modding capabilities for the consoles, don't be too disappointed to see a large number of great mods that simply won't work except on PC.

Not neccesarily.

Is a modder going to want to go to the effort of making two versions of his or her mod? Not to mention, if you had to pay some sort of fee to download them so MS and Sony could recoup bandwith costs of whatever and the modders didn't get a penny, they'd be even less inclined to do a console compatible version.


Also bear in mind that console compatible would mean mods being scaled back to the smaller (And less detailed) texture sizes used on the consoles. There's a lot of modders who really go to town on the detail and general clutter. I had my PC chugg to single frames occsionally with highly detailed mods, again I can't see a lot of modders wanting to reduce the detail in their work like that.

Yeah, some mods like Better Cities can bring even some of the best 5 year old PC hardware down to a slide show. Not to mention mods that actually increase texture sizes or add high poly meshes.

No, no it's not. You can't charge for things that you haven't made, thus if they want to charge for Mods, they'll have to get permission to do so, and if they get permission to do so, they'll make it better. And they'll only get the good ones, making the good ones better.
Or what's likely to happen really, which is;
a) Nothing
B) Something like what Halo has

Mods don't use third party applications for fun, they do so because there are limitations that cannot be overcome without them.


As for the topic itself, just because todd says he'd like it to happen doesn't change *anything* - it's still technically impossible to achieve anywhere near the same level of alteration as on PC, and it's still politically impossible to get a complex modding platform onto either console. Perhaps the PS3, at a stretch, but certainly not the 360, which doesn't allow free content from the *developer*, never mind open free content from players. It'd be nice, but it's not happening - modding is, and likely always will be, PC based for a very good reason. That being that the only reason 6 year old hardware can even play the games is because it's a fixed platform developers can push to just below the limit - there isn't any room for more content. It's not a thing that can be done without sacrificing parts of the vanilla game.

They aren't giving console users the construction set, they are giving you access to mods made by modders like those on TESnexus. The mod making is still only for those on the PC.

Mods would have to be approved for the consoles individually, I'm sure, and they'd be created on the PC. The only real question is how it would work financially. I rather hope they'd remain free, but if Sony and/or MS have to approve mods, or otherwise put any effort into their support, they'll want to see some kind of financial return (because companies that large are invariably dull and greedy). Hmm...



Heh, that's a great anology.

I don't think they would actually need to make two versions. You just start with making everything that is compatible, and then put that version out for consoles, and then continue with the stuff that is requires a pc and then put that version out for PC. Modders already don't get any money, they will get more recognition though, as more people will experience their work, of course if they also got % of that money, there will really be an incentive to make console mods, but I don't think actual pay is a realistic expectation.

Yes I'm aware, but i just think modders will sometimes (now way more often than before at least) limit themselves to make a quality mod that's console compatible, kinda like how Bethesda is limiting themselves to make Skyrim look the same on all platforms.

^of course this is only if consoles actually do get mods.

I dunno.... I'm pretty sure that if you make a mod with their tools... Its round-about-sorta-kinda 'work for hire', and your pay is the tool use itself.

Unless they say otherwise, I do believe that what you make (with their tool) belongs to them; and by that I mean that I'm pretty sure they are within their rights to use any mod on the web as their own ~commercially if they wished to.

(The exception being original art, and anything not directly fashioned in the GECK or CS.)

I don't think it's a good idea to start talking as if this is already confirmed. It is highly likely that mods will only be available for the PC version, and all that's been said so far is some uncertain speculation by Todd.


I'm really not seeing this as a good thing... Modders will decide not to push the limits of what's possible, just so more people can get their mod? I think it's a lot more likely that the modders (the overwhelming majority of whom will be pc players) will want to see what is possible on their own preferred system.

Lets say from experience this is not going to end the way we want it to. My thought is the the final thing we end up with would have to be a forge type area,it would also not include anything not already on the disc,since you NEED to pass certification from Microsoft every time you want big changes that might break the game or just something on the market place,that certification costs $$$. The exception is though that this might still work since this talk is with MS and Sony is just a big negotiation. This implementation might be half way done on the game side,but they still need a to get that content on PSN and XBLM. Certification it seems can be bypassed with a contract and lots of green backs, probably why FNV was even allowed to be released when less buggy arcade games fail certification more then once for lame reasons. If this works out though I would be very impressed.

In many cases it's a pretty clear cut difference between "Can do what I want" and "Can't do what I want". Script extenders don't make mods better, they make mods *possible*.

I have the 240 gb Halo Reach 360. I was just clarifying ^_^

And I agree with many that the console manufacturers are the real issue. Microsoft would probably require modders to sell their content for a low price, but not free

Don't get me wrong, I think a majority of the good mods will be only PC, and the modders will continue to push the limits on that platform. I just think when/if consoles get mods, there will be MORE mods with that limitation, so just because there aren't many really good mods for oblivion that might have been console compatible it won't necessarily be like that for Skyrim (if this goes through). I think that some good modders will want to make mods that are compatible with consoles... but i bet the most overzealous and/or serious modder will stay PC only.

but yeah, this is all just a guess.

I don't see it ever happening so don't worry too much it just plain doesn't make sense that a modder would limit themselves for the sake of consoles.

It makes sense if you don't think about it though.(shamelessly stolen quote from a verizon commercial )

Except it has already been confirmed that console users won't be getting a construction set :bonk:



It's made on freeware, thus bound to no one but the creator. Besides, it's the modders intellectual property regardless if it requires the creation engine to run it, so they would need permission from the modders to charge for the mod or if they do charge for the mod, then the modder is entitled to royalties.

To the people saying that the consoles would be not able to use custom meshes and textures, due to them possibly being too much for the system, why would that restrict the whole idea of it? I mean you get PCs that can't run certain meshes/textures because they aren't powerful enough, but do they then stop those PCs from being able to use custom meshes and textures? No. The people TRY to use them, see it lag/crash, and realise that they can't run it, and deactivate the mod. Same could apply to consoles.

Why should a pc gamer be opposed to another player using their mods? I'm sure people would still play on the pc, even if consoles got mods (they will always have a graphics advantage). That's not "THE ONLY WAY THIS WILL WORK." They could just create a console ck.
Like you said, console mods would mostly be more content (same graphic quality of vanilla Skyrim), and I'm totally excited by the idea. I don't care about graphics nearly as much as content. I doubt they'll work it out by release... but if they do, boy, will I be a happy camper!

Well may be Bethesda could allow only very good mods to be downloaded after a previous screening test made by them , and eventually allow us to gain a few coins for them when downloaded .... That would rock and I woudl make mod after mod of 11/10 quality for them loool ^^ ....

I’m still deciding on what platform I will buy my skyrim copy. Unless it’s 100% confirmed that consoles will get mods, free of charge (as howard proposed); I will buy my copy on PC.

Unless I overlooked something, I see it happening though:

Skyrim’s market share is devided by 3 players: PS3, Xbox and PC. Both Xbox and PC are MS, PS3 is Sony.

Sony(*) can increase its market share by accepting what Howard proposed(PC users to PS3). Xbox will have to go along to counter the strategy.

I’m probably not the only who is thinking about choosing a PC version just to get mods(**). So there might be a market trend where console users shift to PC; thus increasing MS’s market share.

Given the assumption about the market trend from console to PC is correct, It might not be a bad idea for Sony to try and make this work.

(*) Xbox has no reason to accept, as it doesn't matter for MS's marketshare if a consumer plays on windows or on Xbox
(**) especially if you know there are organisations out there like SureAI who make great total conversions of TES games. You basically get 2 games for the price of one.

Just a little issue with what you've said. Microsoft only has control of content on the Xbox. It has no control over the content on PC, they have real no way of enforcing control using Windows. That's the kind of naughtyness thats got them in trouble before.

Come on man no need to be jealous,if consoles are 90% of the market why not? I'd pay for it.
I have said all along how much consoles contribute to sales.Yeah it's still not going to be like is on PC probably,but it's a step in the right direction. Also ,those that do create these mods,will get more appreciation for it,and maybe money. Why make it a bad thing. Why do "some" ( not all ) PC users hate consoles. Times are changing.I would have predicted this for the next gen of consoles not this,but if it does happen,it's a bonus for us....why leave us out if it's possible?