http://www.moddb.com/groups/desura/news/introducing-desura
http://www.moddb.com/groups/desura/news/desura-facts-questions-and-answers
http://www.desura.com/
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Hey guys, anyone here participating in the private beta? I read about Desura days ago, I'm not participating but maybe I will try. I found it a nice subject to discuss since mods always were something, let's say, separate from the real market, from the spotlight.
Overall, what do you guys think about this move from moddb, and the possible monetization of mods (possible futurely)?
How it will work best, being a client-based service (which it will be, promoting only the best mods, skins, etc.) or do you prefer everything through a website?

there was something like this called vapour a while back, they got eated by xfire. :(

Hummm, Do I want to push a button and download my mods free like I do now or . . . sign up with a service which collects and sells my info so I can pay them for the mods I once got for free.
I'm thinking, I'm thinking . . . . free or pay . . .free or pay . . .
Edit : A mod forum here on GOG would be nice. Maybe a mod link page where the posts would be sorted by game and post date. Many of these games have great mods available . . . free.

i know we'd get better quality mods, and even customer support to get them working right
but i feel like mods have been like... the wild west of pc gaming. they're unique to our platform, eccentric and often we have to spend hours messing around to get them working but it's always worth it, even if they suck.

Yes, this whole "only the best" concept feels like it could potentially do to the mod scene what the major publishers have already done to the mainstream games: dumbing down, catering to the lowest common denominator, etc. It could mean a great reduction in creativity, because people will try to make something that "fits in", rather than making something truly unique based on a crazy idea they've had. At any rate, any kind of filtering of content can only mean less content, which is completely ridiculous when it's free.

If ModDB were even close to the best place to look for mods, this would be a really cool thing, but that site seems to have more pages of unfinished and/or abandoned projects than actual mods on it. I've always found FileFront and its individual game pages to be a much better source for all my modding needs.
I'm not sure if they are still doing it, but early on, the GOG guys used to post a sticky in the individual game forums that listed a selection of recommended mods that the GOG guys had tested and approved of. People were invited to add their own recommendations to the list as well.

Thanks, I will look for that, got most that I need just haven't noticed a central collection of mod info. . .=)

Stuff, You're already paying for mods, and some with a lot of praise nowadays. But of course they cost money for polishing and testing to become more than simple mods.
What do you prefer? Counter-Strike for a fixed $5 or $20 on steam? Portal for a fixed $5 or $20? TF1 that was free, and now you pay $20 for TF2? Oh ok, you've never paid for mods.
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I'm not into paying for EVERY SINGLE mod out there, just to make it clear. But I would pay $5 to keep funding the constant development in the model of TF2, with weekly/monthly updates. I would pay $5 for TC Mods, not for unfinished ones, not skins and not maps.
Like Wishbone said, one problem is the reduction of creativity and the free expression that mods always were. And turning the mods into a confusing market like indie games, where now you're finding games called "indie" selling for $40; just as an example one indie rts game that was posted in the deals thread.
Remember that filefront was going down, right? Maybe moddb is facing the same problem for 1,2 years and now they're reacting/expanding for survival (moddb said that they'll keep the site online as a db for all mods, and the client software only for already released mods). Or this move is just greed. Who knows, really, it's just the beta now.

Where did you guys get the idea Desura would start charging for mods or allow mod devs to charge for them? All I've picked up is that it sells games and distributes free mods...
Anyway, I'm not sure what to think of this service. If games will be client-free after being installed, I'm really supportive. But I don't like the sound of another achievement API, and the fact they're building their own "Steamworks" makes it sound like their games will require the client... Let's hope for the best for now?

They will start with a client-based service (like steam, but only with free mods, the client is required just to download and update, not for playing).
And then, there is the speculation part, if in the future they will monetize the best mods or what.

...i should remind you all that on the subject of mod money, it is illegal. And for good reason. If EPIC lets community do certain stuff for as long as there's no profit messing with IP, all is as usual. If all of the sudden you get people using game engines, and possibly some assets of comercial games (some naive mod makers), then you're in for some legal trouble. Sure EPIC releases the UDK or whatever for free now, but then again, that's for the *current* engine tech. A little like iD releasing Rage then saying its ok for people to mod it AND make money with that. Completely against what has always been the mod tradition on PC (and in legal affairs as well).
So, i don't even think moddb, being the mod supporters they are for so long, won't even DARE thinking in such a thing. Also, the mere concept anihilates the whole purpose of most mod team's endeavor: to make a free product serving as demo to show to proper studios (not all mods are done for this reason, of course, but you get the idea).
And another thing: mods are acceptable by community even if they're dodgy. As soon as you make a mod into a comercial paid game, you'll get flack about the quality. Rare exceptions include VALVe's treatment: pick the mod up and polish it 'in-house'. But you just look and Eternal Damnation or whatever, or that other zombie mod for UT3 gone retail. Lots of examples all this could go horribly wrong.
And no one likes to pay for a mod. Its kinda against the whole mod state of mind thing...

I agree completely with your entire post and especially the last sentence. To me, mods were made to put your office in the game . . . if someone else liked it . . . give em a copy, it was always the fun of doing it that made it work.
Edit: really miss those IPX lan parties at the office . . . in the office . . .=)

Yes zM, you're right about the legal aspects and all. Thanks for your time participating too, sometimes I type too fast here that I don't even think about all the other aspects around the subject.
Sure, the good thing about mods, is that they were always for free and for fun, and made BY and FOR people who really like gaming. No denial on this.

And what if someone goes and kills Valve, steals their licenses, takes over Steam, and jacks up the prices?
Seriously, can we please not judge something based upon what we think the worst "What If?" scenario is?

ok ok. I've stopped it, now. I just love mods and was worried, that's it. :)
Thanks everyone who got the interest to visit the moddb site and get informed, and let's look forward to use it, for getting quality mods for free.