http://www.bethblog.com/index.php/2011/12/01/skyrim-what-were-working-on/

The Skyrim mod tools are out in January, and Bethesda just announced that they'll be setting up Steam Workshop integration for mods. Basically, modders can upload their completed mod to Steam, where it gets added to a library. The end user can then browse mods and flag what they want from their browser, and Steam will automatically install the mods when it starts up next.

Better yet, if you prefer a more hands on approach, the traditional method of installing Elder Scrolls mods will be intact.

See, this is the kind of thing more games should be doing in terms of Steam intergration. If you're going to force a user to install a client, then make sure to use said client to give the game better features. DRM wouldn't be as obnoxious if more games tried to insert awesome features like this.

I've very excited about the possibilities.

that is awesome..

sounds like a very nice feature

Sounds like a great idea. I wonder what the people, who think Steam is the embodiment of all evil will say.

Nothing. I want it Steam-free, I can install mods without Steam client.

Not much to say when you don't own the game. Still waiting on GoG to get it ;) (I have a couple thousand mods in Morrowind and Oblivion to keep me busy while I wait)

That they don't give a shit about mod managing of a game they probably won't get in the first place because it comes witth steam tacked on ?

It certainly challenges my thought process about how Steam is useless for singleplayer. This will be a very nice feature to have, for sure.

sounds briliant!

>.>

... just like how Gary's mod isn't free anymore.

They're not going to start charging for it.

It's a great feature to have. What's the really good part is the recognition for the makers, sine they have a global platform to make their name. In return we get the awesome mods for nothing. It's a win win situation.

This'll definitely stimulate modding for the game, provide competition for the modders and even put a focus on modding itself.

And the Trailer has been released :)

http://youtu.be/EU4oAKZE1VI

Steam stating, that it will be released quite soon

Well forcing a customer to use only one digital download service and its DRM software was a bad idea .

I still don't see what's the advantage of Steam integration for mods over just installing them by hand on a Steam-free product. The so-called Steam integration for Civ5 mods was rather disastrous ...

In general, the existing modding sites (CivFanatics for Civ, TesNexus / PES for Elder Scrolls) are much better places to get, discuss, and develop mods.

I think what they are trying to do here is get all the mods in one place where people can rate them etc, similar to the way Team Fortress 2 does.

You open up the workshop, browse the mods and just tick off the ones you want and they get downloaded automatically and installed ready for when you next play the game.

I dont know why there is so much hatred for Steam, its a great platform that has evolved loads over the past few years. Nearly all the games in their catalogue once installed and run for the first time can be played with the Steam client in offline mode. Looking at it that way it is similar to the games explorer built into Vista and Windows 7.

All your games are in 1 place and ready to launch, you can even add non Steam games to the client. I have added shortcuts to Steam for my GOG games and some of my older titles. Just click play and away I go.