Thank U Mods People -- Read what I've sent to Firaxis

[USAFireFly]

I want your company at the technical, marketing, sales, and development departments to hear me in this response:

You better think again about, “we can not offer any support for MODs,” and frankly, you never answered my questions and I bought your brand new product.

As a purchaser of Civ IV products the last year I’ll tell you without the people who have built MODS and SCENARIOS my purchasing would have STOPPED! This game would be SITTING ON THE SHELF a long time ago!!!

Because of the MODs and SCENARIOS it’s the only reason you have my financial support. Realize there would NOT be CIV Fanatics and Forums or much of anything really without these MODs and Scenarios and the people who ENJOY them.

It’s these people’s creativity and hard work that keeps your game on the market or it would be in the $9.99 section of stores! I am an 'end user' not a MODs developer.

Think about it and reconsider what you want in the future, including Civ V.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,
####
Phone: ###

P.S. Copies sent to every department at 2K Games & Firaxis (2 I could find)

[wodan11]

What's the context of this?

[USAFireFly]

Tech support -- I have asked company to look at this whole issue of non support of MODs and to consider this and people building them for Civ V. Really this is the future of a company that wants to be the best and keep customers coming in.

[wodan11]

I'm still not sure I understand. You called tech support and ask for Firaxis to support Mods (rather than let the community support them, as is done in Civ 4). What do you mean by support... you want them to somehow sanction community developed Mods, and for Firaxis to give customer support on those community developed Mods?

And they gave you the runaround. Is that right?

I can believe the latter happened but I'm still not sure I understand what you're asking for.

[Hauptman]

They can't support the mods because... THEY DIDNT MAKE THEM.

A mod, by design, changes the game script. It can be added incorrectly, or even contain viruses. Firaxis has no control over this and cannot help you with the product any longer. Period.

[USAFireFly]

I'm an END USER, not a MODs developer. I want to ENJOY what you all have come up with! There does need to be support for Civ IV and V from the 'end user's' point of view. It's discouraging, frustrating, and makes one down right angry at times spending the TIME and the MODs not working or the wrong version and lack of information to get things right...come on! It's a strength and a weakness of Civilization, the TIME it takes and I asked Firaxis to offer support for YOU and ME! Let's see what Firaxis will do for all of us -- we might all be pleasantly surprised!

[USAFireFly]

No, they said they are going to discuss this!

Not to infringe on our 'rights' and they don't want to be involved with Copyright laws and etc. But, I'm an END USER, not a MODs developer. I want to ENJOY what you all have come up with! There does need to be support for Civ IV and V from the 'end user's' point of view. It's discouraging, frustrating, and makes one down right angry at times spending the TIME and the MODs not working or the wrong version and lack of information to get things right...come on! It's a strength and a weakness of Civilization, the TIME it takes and I asked Firaxis to offer support for YOU and ME! Let's see what Firaxis will do for all of us -- we might all be pleasantly surprised!

[wodan11]

Some ideas:
-- a Firaxis-managed Modder's Quality Control team
-- stipends / cash prizes for Mods that pass the QC standards
-- the QC team would maintain and update the QC standards document (the first draft/version would be written by Firaxis)

Is that what you had in mind?

[USAFireFly]

Yes, Yes, & yes! If Firaxis thinks about this and starts doing this, rewarding the MODs builder everyone wins. If Civilization is smart, you will win all the way around!

[wodan11]

Ah, ok then. Maybe you should try presenting a concern, and then making constructive (and realistically feasible) suggestions like that.

The way you went about it just sounded like semi-baseless griping and I don't doubt that the people in customer service discounted your objections, realized that your situation was nothing actually wrong with your purchase, and simply looked for a way to get rid of you. Rather than that you actually had a good point which should be given to the design team.

(ps: customer service is probably the worst and least successful way to give feedback / suggestions to the design team. That's not their purpose.)

[Cort Haus]

Ranting & raving incoherently while frothing at the mouth is a sure way of getting ignored.

Anyone who continually SHOUTS during electronic communication will, not unreasonably, be considered a fruit-loop.

[Ming]

Yes, Yes, & yes! If Firaxis thinks about this and starts doing this, rewarding the MODs builder everyone wins. If Civilization is smart, you will win all the way around!

And what are you willing to pay for this?
Are you going to pay for each "supported" mod... Are you willing to pay a monthly subscription fee to keep a service like this alive?
Would you pay two to three times the cost of the original game so that you could get this kind of support in the future?

All these things you want cost money. And as much as we love Civ, Firaxis is a BUSINESS, and it's goal is to make money. If people were willing to pay, then they would be more than willing to support it.
But you can't expect them to do it for FREE! You can't ask them to lose money and go out of business... then who would produce Civ VI