Why aren't mods on a github?

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psi29a
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Re: Why aren't mods on a github?

Post by psi29a »

Tinker wrote:Generally devs here have stayed away from content as much as possible, the OpenMW team provide the engine and tools modders provide the content.

If their intention is to continue this way, which seems to work, then mods would come under a separate organisation.

I can foresee some problems, like modders who want to keep their stuff on their own sites and modders who have moved on and abandoned their mods but the idea of a central repository for OpenMW mods does sound appealing.
You're right, we devs usually keep away from content mixing in with OpenMW as a project. We however do know that Zini has his own pet Ultima project and I've been working on something else, so the line is blended. I do not believe that OpenMW itself will ever deal with mods directly.

We can though offer suggestions for people who want to start something up themselves. I'm the owner of the OpenMW github organization, so I can say with some authority that it is trivial to start up an organization and create teams to handle different repos/mods.

That being said, the real problem comes with people curating the mods... that takes time and patience. :)

I'm still hopeful that places like nexusmods will add OpenMW to their list. :)
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Okulo
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Re: Why aren't mods on a github?

Post by Okulo »

psi29a wrote:I'm still hopeful that places like nexusmods will add OpenMW to their list. :)
When I suggested this in the IRC channel, the point was made that OpenMW is not a game, so any mods that are ostensibly for OpenMW would not be for OpenMW, but for the game that is created using the OpenMW-CS.
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sjek
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Re: Why aren't mods on a github?

Post by sjek »

then if goes in own weight community wise it goes to morrowind section with mention of only openmw engine ;)
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Okulo
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Re: Why aren't mods on a github?

Post by Okulo »

Okay, so I did some more checking on this:
Okulo wrote:Come and think of it, doesn't OpenTTD do something like that?
OpenTTD has something integrated into their game called BaNaNaS. In their main menu they have a "Check Online Content" button which downloads a list of mods on their servers and users can just tick what they want. This is what it looks like. BaNaNaS website here.

I couldn't find much information on their official forums about how BaNaNaS exactly works, though, but you guys know way more about this stuff than I do. How difficult would it be to implement a system like that? (Not in-game, obviously, but perhaps in the launcher or something.) OpenMW doesn't even need to host the files themselves - just let the user add repositories from which the mods can be downloaded a la APT and PPAs.
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sjek
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Re: Why aren't mods on a github?

Post by sjek »

sim city at super nintendo comes to mind :D

how about if some kind of peer2peer network in conjuction to handle the graffic althought that would go to copyright proplems kinda fast from organisation side would imagine. woulnd't need to worry so much from authentication keys thought

nexus, GHF, wolflores and other sites would still keep the bulk for individual downloads

planetelderscrolls was good althought there's kinda critique modders crushing for hall of fame type mods
anahuj
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Re: Why aren't mods on a github?

Post by anahuj »

Separate distribution of mods would be better. Well, we should start compiling a list of best Morrowind mods, contact their authors, and ask permission to redistribute them and to modify them - if they need an update. It would be nice that players, who find Morrowind through OpenMW, don't have to search and download graphics updates, game play improvements etc from old and forgotten sites.

I have played Morrowind, Oblivion, Fallout 3, and Skyrim without any mods. Because I don't want the download and install hell. Would like to buy some kind of modded Skyrim directly via Steam!
Tinker
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Re: Why aren't mods on a github?

Post by Tinker »

Ahha, a whole new can of worms 'the best Morrowind mods.'

Just what constitutes a good mod is as varied as the players themselves, the only reasonable definition I have found for good is works as intended. The mod staus wiki page uses the working with OpenMW status as the main criteria ans links to a working d/l site.

In testing some of the mods I have needed to contact the mod creators on several occasions. Many are no longer active and have changed contact details, some are of the opinion that they wrote it for vanilla they are not interested in correcting script errors to run in OpenMW, some even refuse permission to create an omwaddon that will work let alone host the fill antwhere other than their server. Some are open to suggestions and improvements and see the benefit of updating to OpenMW standards as the mod may work better in vanilla as well.

With post 1.0 changes that are planned mods other than mesh/texture replacers may well be OpenMW only mods and not usable in vanilla. These mods can be hosted on Nexus, for example, as omwaddon's and the description can say 'for OpenMW Morrowind only.'
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Okulo
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Re: Why aren't mods on a github?

Post by Okulo »

I don't think the issue is with fixing mods, though. I mean, even the original creator doesn't give permission, just replicate it by building your own mod. As for "the best mods", that should probably be "the most popular mods". There are certain mods that keep coming back in every mod list (eg. one of the various DB Attacks Delayed mods).

The issue we're discussing here is a distribution model, right? I'd still kinda like to know the answer to that question I asked earlier.
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