Modders: What are we modding for?

[SurverX]

Subtitle: "Fishing for Compliments"

 

(Do not take this too seriously)

After half a year of being a proud modder at LoversLab i did some statistics and had some thoughts...

I made a small and simple "niche mod" with 52000 views, 5300 downloads 109 follower and 14 likes. And i am very proud of my humbl success (i count every single download :-)).

But when you look at it in more detail... what are your input and what is your output for your efforts?

 

Lets see.

Creating and puplishing a mod is not done at one evening (at least not for me). There are quite a lot of stuff to do:

• figuring out how to post a mod on LoversLab (i am not too smart :-))

• Creating a"nice" description of your mod (as a non english nativ speaker...)

  • what does it do

  • how to install

  • requirements...

• making some nice sreenshots and demo videos

• helping the people to fix issues installing your mod

• for each version you have to...

  • test the new functions (you always oversee at least one issue)

  • create a version log (what is new in this version)

  • upload the new version to LL

 

Wait, do i forgot something?

Oh yes:

• creating your mod (i already forgot how many weeks i needed to setp up the Creation Kit correctly and to compile one single test-script)

 

So you now can try to write a number of hours/days behind each of this tasks.

 

So what is it that the user "pays" for your efforts?

Let us see:

• moving the mouse over the tiny little "like icon" at the button of your mod page and pressing the left mouse button

 

Well, we do this voluntary, so it is fair (some how).

What freaks me out is the following:

For my mod every 10^th user that viewed my mod downloaded it. And every 370^th of the users that downloaded my mod gave me a like. That is like: 370 say "this mod looks quite good, i download it and will test it". But only ONE of these guys out of 370 is willing to press the left mouse button over the the "like-icon". The other 369 are thinking "No, i do not like it." or "Not bad, but i will not press the like button because it is too much effort for me." (* i know that this statistic is not complete, because many user download you mod more than one time, but you get the idea)

 

?

 

After all... does it worth it? Well, i am still here and you are still creating mods.

For all of you that uses our mods: Give us modders from time to time a small prais because we like and we need that sooo much ?

 

Thank you VERY much to the 14 people that showed me that they apprechiate my work!

 

Have a nice day, have fun working on your mods and have fun using our mods

Surver X

[donttouchmethere]

Post some screenshots of naked Skyrim girlies with big titties - in 4k-8k resolution and add some ENB with crazy settings - on your Mod Main Page.

They don't need to have anything to do with your mod.

Result => insta likes!

 

 

[SurverX]

4 minutes ago, donttouchmethere said:

Post some screenshots of naked Skyrim girlies with big titties - in 4k-8k resolution and add some ENB with crazy settings - on your Mod Main Page.

They don't need to have anything to do with your mod.

Result => insta likes!

 

 

Okey dokey! ... I am still learning ?

[27X]

26 minutes ago, donttouchmethere said:

Post some screenshots of naked Skyrim girlies with big titties - in 4k-8k resolution and add some ENB with crazy settings - on your Mod Main Page.

They don't need to have anything to do with your mod.

Result => insta likes!

 

 

Make sure to have the latest patreon asset theft pack.

[SurverX]

10 minutes ago, 27X said:

Make sure to have the latest patreon asset theft pack.

Ha!

I am sitting in front of the monitor and just note down all the brilliant hints ?

[Guest]

I was gonna say....

To open up a Patreon and make (not-so) Big Bank off other people's work.

 

But I think "asset theft pack" covers it.

[DocClox]

These days, if I mod, it's to make something that supports my play-style. The stuff that works, I publish here in case someone else finds it useful.

 

Likes are nice, but they're not why I do this.

[mrrrori]

As a maker of mods of rather dubious quality, I don't care about likes alot - but I do notice some weird things about it.

 

You never know what will hook the user up the most.

You put quite an effort to make some funny things for broad audience - you get 3k views/2 years, 275 downloads and 3 (three!) likes. Despite the topic the mod being dedicated to is perma-hot (and unmodified game does not offer any similar paintings, limiting roleplay).

But hey! You rip off 1 (one!) texture from one mod and make a stand-alone mod with it - and, all of a sudden, it's 14k views/2 years, 1k downloads / 18 likes correspondingly.

(the secret's in the boobs probably)

And the most endorsed mod I uploaded to Nexus - textures mish-mash, literally nothing special - netted 22k views/3 years, 800 downloads and goddam' 32 likes.

That's for Nexus though - it started pestering its users with 'Don't you like it dammit? So go like it!' pop-ups and stuff more often.

 

For LL...

The thing with most downloads I published netted

~35k views

~5k downloads (each 7th)

5 (five) likes (each 1000th)

to date - and I don't think it's bad or good or something.

LL doesn't pester end users with 'like or bust' stuff at all and I don't do anything to maintain its visibility either.

 

If I'd have to start grinding for likes, I'd probably had to:

1. End up with an idea of a mod which can be expanded without too much of an effort (clothes pack?) or requires a compatibility update every once a while (F76 mods?) AND, updating it every so often SHOULD be DOABLE. IE not too much effort.

2. Make a catchy thumbnail + mod images to attract the user.

3. Make a really slim description which consists of most direly needed intel only - with current update's desctiption always on top. Expands the funnel a bit more: less reading - more downloading due to less chances to mind changing.

4. THINK ABOUT FILTHY CASULS! For unprepared user, Surverx's mod theme may lead to severe psychical strain (if not trauma right away). Prepare'em. Remember, some time ago you were not aware of dickgirls. Think about onboarding the unprepared, use your experience (unless it was something you may deem traumatizing). They'll remember you when this theme will finally catch their attention - and eventually, any topic will catch any end user's attention...

5. Unload thy update! LL consists of mods which are... addictive. And here's the catch:
- as your mod receives updates often, it's on top of updated chart often, more chance to be seen

- end users return for more often - and they'll see you and your catchy thumbnail

- as you carefully onboarded'em they will remember 'Hey! That's that guy who made me acquainted with joy of futanaries! And it's updated, more cool stuff! He totally deserves a like!"

- ???

- LIKE!

 

Not 100% but at least it increases chances of being LIke'd - and does not offend anyone while updates you make do not consist of updated readme file and 'Improvement: we improved an improvement' changelog.

 

(I have a funny feeling that I started something inappropriate - or assisted with something inappropriate - but hey, I'm a third-generation seller and THAT's how sellers would likely do it!)

[SurverX]

1 hour ago, mrrrori said:

...

4. THINK ABOUT FILTHY CASULS! For unprepared user, Surverx's mod theme may lead to severe psychical strain (if not trauma right away). Prepare'em. Remember, some time ago you were not aware of dickgirls. Think about onboarding the unprepared, use your experience (unless it was something you may deem traumatizing).

...

???

 

... and BTW, on Nexus i really got the posts of these traumatized users (it made me feeling bad). ?

[SurverX]

52 minutes ago, DocClox said:

 

"Likes are nice, but they're not why I do this."

I tried, but I couldn't. ?

[DocClox]

1 hour ago, mrrrori said:

That's for Nexus though - it started pestering its users with 'Don't you like it dammit? So go like it!' pop-ups and stuff more often.

Oh, I hated that!

 

I remember getting into an argument with some utter nincompoop who was arguing, po faced, that we had a moral responsibility to "like" each and every mod we used. I did try and point out that a channel that only carries one signal carries no information at all and is therefore useless, but he wasn't having it. Apparently we have to like everything because DON'T YOU WANT TO SHOW MODDERS SOME APPRECIATION FOR THEIR HARD WORK? IT's TANTAMOUNT TO STEALING IF YOU DON'T SEND A LIKE!!!  ?

 

It seems the socially acceptable way to register less than total enthusiasm for a mod is to break out the Tarot cards, determine if you're you're going to like a mod or not, and if you aren't going to like it, don't go downloading it in the first place. That will provide adequate feedback to the mod creator without bruising anyone's feelings of self worth...

[Arizona_Steve]

I mod for myself ultimately, and upload them if they get to the point that they're reasonably polished. Don't care about number of downloads. Don't care about how many likes I get. Negative comments are a plus, I've gotten a good laugh out of some of them.

[Tyrant99]

For me, it was mostly experience and experimentation.

 

Working out how to create diverse types of projects and seeing how people respond to the different content. Stuff that didn't perform well or was too much of a PITA to deal with for one reason or another got scrapped and other ideas pushed forward.

 

I'm not too interested in playing games or using Mods, my main interest is just making stuff.

 

LL has been kind of a 'lab' for me to see what works, and what doesn't.

[SurverX]

1 hour ago, Arizona_Steve said:

I mod for myself ultimately, and upload them if they get to the point that they're reasonably polished. Don't care about number of downloads. Don't care about how many likes I get. Negative comments are a plus, I've gotten a good laugh out of some of them.

Wow. Not bad, it would be nice to be that self-confident even if people trying to pull you down.

Not easy...

 

But i definitely use my own mods!

[SurverX]

26 minutes ago, Tyrant99 said:

For me, it was mostly experience and experimentation.

Working out how to create diverse types of projects and seeing how people respond to the different content. Stuff that didn't perform well or was too much of a PITA to deal with for one reason or another got scrapped and other ideas pushed forward.

I'm not too interested in playing games or using Mods, my main interest is just making stuff.

LL has been kind of a 'lab' for me to see what works, and what doesn't.

That is interesting, i read that before that modder create mods without being a really gamer themself. ?

I see the point, but i am the complete opposite. To be honest I am one of the perverts that uses my mod (Dancing Penis) all the time. ?

[Tyrant99]

14 minutes ago, Surverx said:

That is interesting, i read that before that modder create mods without being a really gamer themself. ?

I see the point, but i am the complete opposite. To be honest I am one of the perverts that uses my mod (Dancing Penis) all the time. ?

I used to be a gamer once upon a time, but once I started creating things, I realized that I was more interested in making games than playing them.

[RitualClarity]

16 minutes ago, Surverx said:

 

I wouldn't suggest that you get too up in the likes. There are people that will give likes just to be polite. Some that will give likes to all their favorite or most often used mods. However, there are the majority of people that don't give likes even if this ends up being one of there "go to" and "can't live without" mods.  If you recall, or use Vortex or any Nexus product/site they prompt you from time to time for a reminder to like those mods you think are good.  This is because most people forget, or just don't put in the added effort. This isn't a reflection of your work. It is only a reflection of them.

 

Since you have a lot of downloads and a few likes and hopefully few complaints if any then you are good to go. You are doing an excellent job and should pat yourself on the back.

 

 

[RitualClarity]

You know after thinking of it, I went to take a good look at the mod. I don't have it installed as I don't h ave a Skyrim (either setup) but looked over the presentation. There is lots of details and info an instructions, Very nicely setup and informative.  I decided to give likes to both just based on the dedication and effort that this mod must have needed to be done along with all the work to setup the download thread. 

 

I am like others here on this site (and to some degree other sites ) that enjoy watching someone new entering the modding community and develop something that is challenging. (not a simple reskin however, nothing wrong with that )  and want to encourage them further. TBH, I haven't heard of you @Surverx before today, but hope to see more of your work and post in the future. Keep up the great (often times thankless) work.

[SurverX]

39 minutes ago, RitualClarity said:

You know after thinking of it, I went to take a good look at the mod. I don't have it installed as I don't h ave a Skyrim (either setup) but looked over the presentation. There is lots of details and info an instructions, Very nicely setup and informative.  I decided to give likes to both just based on the dedication and effort that this mod must have needed to be done along with all the work to setup the download thread. 

 

I am like others here on this site (and to some degree other sites ) that enjoy watching someone new entering the modding community and develop something that is challenging. (not a simple reskin however, nothing wrong with that )  and want to encourage them further. TBH, I haven't heard of you @Surverx before today, but hope to see more of your work and post in the future. Keep up the great (often times thankless) work.

Thank you very much!

I only made some smaller (but a lot :-) mods for Enlit3d's Heroine Rescue Team (i needed Futas...).

The Dancing Penis mod was more like a "lucky punch". It was something that was just missing between this wonderful existing big mods (SoS, SexLab, Cumshot...).

So, if your mod isnt't that great at least you can make a nice presentation... Ha,ha.

[RitualClarity]

9 minutes ago, Surverx said:

Thank you very much!

I only made some smaller (but a lot :-) mods for Enlit3d's Heroine Rescue Team (i needed Futas...).

The Dancing Penis mod was more like a "lucky punch". It was something that was just missing between this wonderful existing big mods (SoS, SexLab, Cumshot...).

So, if your mod isnt't that great at least you can make a nice presentation... Ha,ha.

Great mods are often "something that was just missing between" mods.    It might seem trivial about the support / mod thread post and the info but as someone that has helped with support for many of the "big mods" I can tell you it is anything but trivial   Based on the "nice presentation" and attention to detail and your earnest desire to create a great mod, I am confident that you have such a mod. So do as some others have suggested and relax and understand that likes aren't the main criteria that should be watched closely in regards to mod quality or desirability. I know of some mods that only a few people use but, I can tell you they greatly appreciate the efforts put in to fill in those missing parts that other big mods have left out

 

Also if possible, post those smaller mods as well (didn't see it on your list)  I am sure there is a group of member her that would greatly enjoy added materials.

[SpinX]

I make the mods I like for myself and if it's good enough i'll upload it.

Sometimes I make a garbage quality outfit or edit or fix but it works for me. Sometimes I put effort because i'm trying to learn something and I make something that's good enough to upload.

 

I once made a stupid shirt because I was experimenting with blender cloth sim. It took an hour from modeling to texturing to getting it in game and it gets 6k download.

Also made a simple world edit that took a day at most and it got over 11k download.

Then I made a full fledged outfit mod that took over 2 months to finish and it barely got 3k download and people didn't like it.

 

That mod that took 2 months is my favorite and I don't play the game without it while I uninstalled the other two and no longer even have the source files.

 

I no longer care if people like it or not. If I enjoy doing it, That's enough for me.

[SurverX]

25 minutes ago, RitualClarity said:

"...Also if possible, post those smaller mods as well (didn't see it on your list)  I am sure there is a group of member her that would greatly enjoy added materials...."

Hm, it never came into my mind because Enlit3d's "Heroine Rescue Team" is just a small H-game.

... but maybe that is not a bad idea ? (i like the game a lot).

[Swanky]

To quote Kasumi Goto: "I do what I do for the love of it."

[steelpanther24]

10 hours ago, donttouchmethere said:

Post some screenshots of naked Skyrim girlies with big titties - in 4k-8k resolution and add some ENB with crazy settings - on your Mod Main Page.

They don't need to have anything to do with your mod.

Result => insta likes!

 

 

That is called, people notice your mod for the cover, they keep the mod because of the content.    I had a screen shot of one of my avatars, but switched it over to an album cover and ended up getting more views.    I am only on month 5 of it being up and have only gotten 4812 d/ls, 36k views and 209 likes (it is over at that "other" site, nexus).  The key thing that I got as reward was.....the comments.   

 

One thing you didn't mention though, and it depends on the kind of mod you write, is finding good voice talent and musicians who are willing to lend their work to a mod.   Then after that , you have to somehow keep them (which I couldn't) so.........no future  update for that mod unless I get the DJ to engage again.  Working with a group of people who are volunteers adds a bit more stress as well, especially when I am asking a woman to make the commercial sound "sexy" (as saying "ooze sexiness" might have sounded creepy).    

 

So to your question, we mod for our (i would say biological) need to create, to build something new or maybe just build a  copy of something we like.  Others mod to fill in the gaps that they see in the story to make their own game better (and then opt to share that with the rest of us.)  

 

WRT your mod, it isn't my cup of tea, but your stats are better than mine, so keep putting out quality mods! 

 

 

[RitualClarity]

1 hour ago, Surverx said:

Hm, it never came into my mind because Enlit3d's "Heroine Rescue Team" is just a small H-game.

... but maybe that is not a bad idea ? (i like the game a lot).

If there is somewhere the mods can be uploaded and people enjoy the game, why not? I am sure there are going to be some that enjoy it. Provided of course the site doesn't mind that type of materials.  If so, perhaps it could be posted here. I don't know that game personally myself.