I think this phrase:

"I asked Valve specifically about content that requires other content, and was told that if the download was separate and free, it was fair game."

Taken from this article:

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2015-04-24-a-paid-skyrim-steam-workshop-mod-has-already-been-pulled

Already said everything it need to be said. The flame war has just began, bull**** to whatever said "it's a choice and it will not impact the free modding community"

Yeah right

I lost my hope, really.

It didn;t work out with DLC, because dumb masses were buying that shit like mad. It didn't work with early access, people are still buying into that criminal scheme of charging for unfinished products (that are actually implementing paid mods already, WHAT THE FUCK?)

The only thing for me left, is to wait for the next 1983 crisis, or try to run from this plague. Until, eventually, I end up with gaming off-line, in my basement, playing games from circa 2000. In 2050.

I think people agreeing with this are else blinded by "omygod, Gaben wants works with me", or are drooling idiots, unable to see the drastical consequences of trying to replace modding scene with said poorly paid 3rd party DLC development strategy.
I'm not expert on medical sciences to even try to characterize normal consumers who defend this. After all, they believe "mods are something that deserve to be paid for" fallacy.

A motorcycle fan doesn't deserve payment from people who watch his work during conventions or while he's on the road. The said motorcycle fan would probably beat someone to death hearing from some kind of hippie "here, you deserve paycheck for what's your hobby, my dear brother of nature", or some similiar BS.

I've a disturbing vibe, that this kind of people are people who buy a new car/phone every few years for full price, because they're easly manipulated by car/phone salesmen. You know - idiots that are really easy to milk out of their money.

same here but that doesn't stop me from voting with my wallet. I'll never cave to the dark side ;)

Yeah, ads and donations, nothing that really intrudes to what modders do.
And yeah, I upload to those sites as well. I don't like the idea that steam is getting more and more dominant so much so that ppl are actually saying that you need steam workshop to actually get mods. And Gaben will not get a single cent for anything I have created or will create in future.

One reason is good enough reason to dislike or hate them. And there's like several. Yeah, it's always the industry standard or capitalism practises or something like that. I don't really care if it's the standard or capitalism, doesn't make it any less bad. They did something I find offensive and I'll hate them for life unless they reverse it. Same deal with EA and those other publishers. Just a personal opinion.

if that really is true, it turns this whole thing from a really bad idea to an outright scam.

"Please start selling in our workshop. No, it doesn't matter if you are the sole owner of it. Obviously you carry any legal risk and any policing of abuse is obviously also something the community has to handle. We are just sitting here, collecting our 75% cut."

i wonder, what happens to the money that is spend on mods, that are later pulled because of some DMCA takedown thingie. Will Valve go after the uploader to get the money back? Will Bethesda give their cut back?
Valve might give you a refund ... into you steam wallet ... so you can spend it again on steam.

It's not, that article is giving a a skewed view of most of what the guy said. This is what they actually said: Basically, 'We asked our lawyer and he thinks you're probably fine but if you have doubts you should look into it (recommending a lawyer)'

That's hardly giving them carte blanche. They gave advice and that's it.

They don't?

He doesn't? I think you need to define the fallacy here, because I'm at a loss. I don't agree with how Valve is handling things, but ... huh?

You and me both.

Well you have a lot of hate to give out :-P In principle I agree, but I really don't think option for moders to monetize their mods is devil's work in any way, and neither is taking a cut from doing so, as long as both Valve and Bethesda are upfront about it.

Maybe slightly too big hyperbole?

Yeah, Bethesda has placed bullshit %'s on their game (and steam as usual, fucks up on release of new feature).
I would also prefer if the % were more reasonable and there would be a completely free pricing (as in you could place items as "Oh I made a mod, it's free but you can donate" and then steam&publisher would take a combined 50% or something).

That could be nice.

Unfortunately steam also will be shit at handling all the fraudulent mod stealing and such (because they are shit at even handling fraudulent early access games, I have even less trust in them moderating mods), it'll be a disaster.

Well not yet but there has been a steady decline in people preordering games which will continue to happen because of the constant new methods figured out by big publishers for exploiting consumers.

Most people are fed up with microtransactions for games they having already spent $60 dollars on as you can observe from the continued backlash against games that introduce microtransactions no matter if they negatively affect normal game progress or not. So slowly and steadily this in the long run could have a larger impact where people stop buying AAA games with microtrasactions altogether or only buy them at a significantly reduced price on sale.

well, that is at least slightly better.
It is still a horrible advise though. If your work is based on somebody else's work, the first assumption should be that you are probably not fine. Check with the other author first.

I don't think the conversation had anything to do with mods which incorporate another's work. They are instead talking about a mod "dependancy." Meaning, to use my mod you have to also have installed. x mod.

Off Topic parenthesis.

For carmageddon reasons (because carmageddon), I logged on my steam account (I have a steam account and i am not ashamed because carmageddon). And then, next to carmageddon (because I have carmageddon), I notice a button suggesting me to install skyrim. I don't think I have ever bought skyrim (but i did buy carmageddon).

So, I suppose it's a promo thing related to the buy-our-mods-too strategy, but I am confused. What does it mean. They are giving out skyrim for free (why not carmageddon instead) this weekend ? Or is it a one day-long demo ? You are suppose to download and install the whole of skyrim and be allowed to play it for 24h before it erases itself ?

Can any steam-savvy person who ise used to steam trickery clarify this to be ? Steam is a bit ambiguous on that.

To everyone thinking it's not a big deal, or even worse: it's a good thing.

http://www.gamespot.com/articles/oblivion-horse-armor-now-available/1100-6147013/

Well, it was for the whole weekend but yeah that's basically it. This weekend you get to download/play it for free till 1PM Pacific Time. Not for the people with weak internet lines obviously :)