Skyrim modding

Skyrim modding is the process of creating or using downloadable, community-made modifications for the 2011 fantasy role-playing video game The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. One of the most modded games of all time, Skyrim has over 60,000 mod submissions on Nexus Mods and 28,000 in the Steam Workshop. Many of these mods were created to ensure a more stable game experience, such as patching numerous bugs left in the game by Bethesda Softworks, while others tweak aspects of the game considered lackluster or poor, such as the game's UI and character movement.[1] Some mods also add additional content, such as new quests and characters, or improve and modernize the game's graphics, animation and other features beyond what was originally intended. The game has a large adult modding scene.[2] It is commonplace for players to mod Skyrim prior to playing, with "playing the vanilla game" described as "a little subversive" due to the game's outdated mechanics.[3]

The release of Skyrim Special Edition brought user-created mods to the console platforms Xbox One and PlayStation 4 as well.[4] Despite the game's Nintendo Switch version not supporting mods, fans also created an unofficial Switch modding scene.[5]

Skyrim mods are largely free to download. An attempt by Valve Corporation to add paid mods to Skyrim and other games brought about significant controversy due to the traditional notion of mods as fan labor, with Valve walking back the changes.[6]

Types of mods

Utility mods

Some of the most basic and commonly used mods are the Unofficial Skyrim Patches, which simply address "a huge amount of bugs the official patches don't". One exists for both the main game and the official High Resolution textures patch. SkyUI, which completely redesigns the game's menu screen to make it easier to use, is also a popular and highly recommended mod.[1] Other "essential" mods include A Quality World Map, which makes the game's map screen higher-resolution or enables replacement with a paper map, and Realistic Humanoid Movement Speed, which adjusts the player's movement speed to make walking faster and running slower.[1]

Additional content

Many Skyrim mods add new content to the game. The Falskaar mod contains a DLC-length adventure with 26 new quests in a new continent, and was created as a job application; its creator was later hired by Bungie.[7][8] Enderal, a sequel to the Oblivion mod Nehrim: At Fate's Edge, goes further and remakes the entire game as a total conversion. It contains a darker story than Skyrim, and was positively received by fans.[9]

Adult mods

Skyrim is noted to have an active adult modding scene centered around the website LoversLab, a 1.5 million member "massive sex mod community". Its owner, Ashal, created a mod template for the game known as SexLabs that enabled the creation of adult-themed mods by providing a "foundation of thousands of animations and basic game functions".[2] While largely within the bounds of typical erotica, the mods also include numerous kinks, such as BDSM, with some containing a "meaningful story". Many of these modders remain anonymous due to "expressing sexuality in public or in the media beyond holding hands and kisses" remaining largely taboo. The site's "loose" policies also allow controversial and disturbing content, although mods containing pedophilia are strictly banned.[2]

Controversy

In 2015, Valve Corporation announced a paid mods feature for Steam, with particular emphasis being placed on Skyrim mods. This led to a "huge backlash", as well as a petition that gained more than 130,000 signatures. Parodic Skyrim mods were even created to protest the decision, such as "'Beth the Beggar,' a character that will sit around your game and ask for money 'for no reason'". A week later, Valve reversed the decision, stating that "stepping into an established, years old modding community in Skyrim was probably not the right place to start iterating".[10]

See also

References
  1. Livingston, Christopher; Hatfield, Tom; Papiz, Diana; Macgregor, Jody (August 12, 2019). "The best Skyrim mods". PC Gamer. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
  2. Messner, Steven (May 8, 2017). "Inside the Skyrim sex modding community where almost no taboo is off limits". PC Gamer. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
  3. Franey, Joel (May 6, 2020). "Why Does Skyrim Feel So Strangely Old These Days?". USgamer. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
  4. USgamer Team (July 25, 2017). "The Best Skyrim Mods". USgamer. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
  5. Wales, Matt (October 8, 2018). "Skyrim fans have started a Switch modding scene to do what Bethesda won't". Eurogamer. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
  6. Campbell, Colin (April 27, 2015). "Facing extreme abuse, Skyrim modders defend paid work". Polygon. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
  7. Tach, Dave (July 17, 2013). "19-year-old creates Skyrim mod as a job application". Polygon. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
  8. Campbell, Colin (November 26, 2013). "Skyrim modder lands dream job ... on Destiny". Polygon. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
  9. Delahunty-Light, Zoe (February 22, 2019). ""A better Skyrim than Skyrim. For free": Steam reviews are going nuts over this free mod for Skyrim that turns it into a completely new open world RPG". gamesradar. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
  10. Moore, Bo (April 27, 2015). "Valve Nixes Paid Skyrim Mods After Huge Backlash". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Retrieved November 18, 2020.

Further reading
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.