Dear Giants,

[chedly_farms]

Yes I see your point and it would be great if there was more mods with a US theme but it wouldn't really be fair to other modders who have already released a lot of mods on modhub if Giants were to do as you ask. That's my tuppence worth anyway haha.

I mean, that’s a fair point, Guil. All I’m offering is suggestions. And I dont’t want to see modders feel slighted. After all I do appreciate all the British Isles mods that have come out. I have decided to revisit Meadow Grove of late, and what 4D and others have done, is awesome. So I’d hate for them to get “stepped over” if you see what I’m saying.

Good conversation everyone. I do appreciate it.

[humbe]

I agree with the Giants dude that modders are likely motivated by what they know and want to use themselves. That means modders are players and that maybe the issue is just that theres few US players?

Instead of thinking motivation to make US stuff what about rather motivating more people to create mods which would cause more us players too to start modding?

- Better in game functionality in game for managing mods
- Try to improve tools for creating mods that make make meeting console demands less of an extra effort.
- Split modhub in two to have a part for mods anyone is free to copy parts of and reuse for their own variants. Much easier to get going modifying existing stuff than starting from blank.
- Try to make new game releases compatible with mods for older games or have an almost automatic conversion tool so peoples effort isnt lost as soon as a new game comes.

Modders can probably make a better list

[this_is_gav]

Because Giants and their game have huge growth potential in North America. Which I'm guessing they already know as they've decided to open a Chicago office. Having North American mods in the modhub helps NA players have a more authentic experience. They can more easily relate their experience to their own farms or the ones they grew up on.

Their North American office won't entice modders. It's a marketing office, designed to liaise with brands in North and South America and help set up events. It's got nothing to do with assisting modders.

[Reed Engineering]

Speaking as a modder myself I can understand your frustration as player and I do feel sorry for the console players that they can’t get the mods that are available on pc. But there is as has been said two sides to a coin. The American mod scene is extremely different from the European one. They tend to split off in to splinter groups and only mod for that group. You will also find as I have on my travels actually have a distaste for console players to the point where I have seen with my own eyes that a console player will be bullied behond believe. To the stage that loads of us reported the group and those involved to Facebook and the police. This is absolutely disgusting behaviour from anyone but it goes on and on. And that is one of your problems right there. They don’t like console players so they won’t mod for you guys it’s as simple as that. Now of course I do not put all US modders in that group of nastys. Do to do would be dishonest of me. But the numbers speak for them selfs. I mean how many of you have been attacked in Facebook groups? And of course I’m aware that this disgusting behaviour goes on in uk and European groups as well. Something I will not put up in my group. Any form of bullying is an instant life time ban. But anyway I digress. You need to find the modders that do make the stuff you guys want and enjoy and work with them. I know through people I speak to on a daily basis there are some fantastic USA modders out there but are not well k own so don’t have the support. I can tell you from my own experiences that having the support of you guys means the world and makes you want to be better at what you do.

Now to the part about showing some incentives. As others have said they are all ready there. You get money for mods and yes you get rich but that is not the point. Giants pay you for your work and that good for everyone not just a select group (admittedly there does seem to be favourites but I won’t go into that one today). It’s not down to giants to make special things to get what you want. As it is and please nobody take this the wrong way but a vast number of the community has seen nothing but what seems to be a huge focus on the US players. We had a John Deere game. We’ve had at least two dlc amid at the US market and it’s making lots of people feel a bit annoyed to be honest. Giants cannot simply start making special rules for one group over another because we won’t stand for it. If they get it so should we. Equal rights for all of us is the only fair way to do it. As has been said modders first and foremost mod for them selfs and unfortunately most modders are EU based so we tend to mod for the farming we know and love. Like for me Im from England so I tend to mod for English farming as I don’t much have an interest for other farming. But that does not mean I never would make something or a map for another part of the world and no incentive from giants would change that for me. As for the constant “is this coming to console” thing yes it’s a pain and it is infuriating but it’s sorted with a ban in my group. I always say what a mod is for if someone is to lazy to read it then that’s their problem not mine. And it’s wide range of people not just the US that does it. For me at least I tend to find the US player base a bit more friendly but maybe that’s just me.

Now I think the best way to go about getting what you want is to create your own mod group from the ones of you that really want the stuff. Now many of you are more then skilled in doing so. None of us where born with modding in the blood. We learnt it. And you can join many groups and discord servers where we are more then happy to help as long as you are willing to learn and not expect an easy option. I’m still learning loads my self and it’s only down to the awesome people in these community’s that help me that I’m getting better all the time.

The other thing you can all help us with is asking giants why we have no decent exporter for blender because the one we have now had to be made by a mod team based of a broken one giants did almost 3 years ago and it’s never been good from day one. If you really want to help us then show us the support and fight with us and get giants to listen because we can’t do it alone. You may well find if you stand with us we are more willing to give you stuff and work with you. But at the moment we are on our own and giants won’t listen.

There is so much more I could say but I will stop here as I’ve waffled on for long enough. Also please do not read any of this as a personal attack on anyone or that any malice is here because it’s not and I really hope that nobody takes it that way. These are my own opinions and experience and I speak for myself only (apart from the blender exporter I speak for all modders on that one). I hope you are keeping safe at this awful time.

[Mwal]

Chedly has said it few times already though and everyone kinda glosses over it that it doesn’t solely have to be an incentive to North American Style modders. It could be some sort of rotating system changing continents or some other regional way to decide it. Plus it could also be pretty interesting to see stuff from other places as well and actually know where exactly some things come from. On another note it would be neat to see who was making the mods on the testing list if the modders were ok with it just to give the lesser known modders some publicity if they have page or a site or something. It’s fun to watch the list but it’s neat to watch what modders are making as well before they make the testing phase.

[j_maybury]

Maybe instead of the main title saying "Dear Giants" It probably would have been better to have called it "American Model Makers please read this and comment" as we seam none the wiser why they won't submit their mods to the Modhub.

[Guil]

One other point I forgot to mention, there is a huge amount of mods that are a huge filesize for no reason at all, tractors over 100mb for example probably have a massive number of polygons which means it won't pass for console.

Thats an extreme example but a common one across various mod sites. Some people may say it's the quality of the mod but I don't agree at all, there is some fantastic mods on modhub and on console that are a fraction of the size.

[1992Tadej1992]

Dear Giants,

I would consider myself a rather patient fellow. I mean for the most part, I have no choice. And I have enjoyed the latest game immensely. Albeit with the new graphics finding maps that look natural to me is an uphill battle. But when you find them, they are brilliant. (Cough cough, Osina, Marwell, Charwell, cough cough). And knowing that the game takes time for modders to do their thing, I have been enjoying those European maps, with an awesome plethora of Euro spec machinery. I have well over a thousand hours so far.

And here is why I wrote this post. And I’m sure to some posters it will be like beating a dead horse, and will receive the “just be patient” posts. <-bring it. I can take it! Anyways, I feel like you need to implement some type of reward system to get modders to focus a little more attention on American modders, or understand that the American console market “needs” a little more attention than it is getting a year and a half after release. To date, out of four US/Canada themed maps, three of them seen a prior console release on 17, and the other is rather unfinished. I don’t want the world here. After all I think asides from a gravity wagon, North American players have all the equipment we could ask for. But using maps that I have played before makes gameplay rather stale pretty quickly. Maybe just maybe you guys can work with modders a little better, or at least at this time make it a little more of a priority to entice American modders or Modders in general to focus on NA players. Like a mod contest or more recognition. Or something. Just my 2 cents.

Brilliant maps? They are average at best.

[eric21]

Average meaning you can build anything, its not my type of map, roads to small, fields too big, it's not in my country, this is wrong, slot counts.. anything else?

[wombles]

Maybe Giants should start treating modders a lot better than they do, especially map makers, lets face it's the map makers that gives life too this game. What does Giants do only **** them about no end, past them from pillar to post, i'm actually surprised that they actually keep trying. In all honesty they deserve utmost respect for putting up with Giants c r a p.

[eric21]

With what?? What a the problem?

[j_maybury]

One other point I forgot to mention, there is a huge amount of mods that are a huge filesize for no reason at all, tractors over 100mb for example probably have a massive number of polygons which means it won't pass for console.

Thats an extreme example but a common one across various mod sites. Some people may say it's the quality of the mod but I don't agree at all, there is some fantastic mods on modhub and on console that are a fraction of the size.

In the game Trainz you had to make three models one for close up (large polygon count) one for mid distance (medium polygon count) and one for long distance (small polygon count). I am sure that would help with consoles and the slot system. Plus you could still see vehicles much further away than you can do at present.

[Thedebe48]

Because Giants and their game have huge growth potential in North America. Which I'm guessing they already know as they've decided to open a Chicago office. Having North American mods in the modhub helps NA players have a more authentic experience. They can more easily relate their experience to their own farms or the ones they grew up on.

Their North American office won't entice modders. It's a marketing office, designed to liaise with brands in North and South America and help set up events. It's got nothing to do with assisting modders.

I don't think my comment said that opening that office had anything to do with modders. I said they have decided to open a Chicago office because they know they have huge growth potential in North America. And that growth potential is the same reason they should try and motivate North American modders.

[Garion]

A lot of the American tractors and implements that you see all over the web are actually edits of existing public mods already made. In order to upload to modhub you have to be the original creator or have permission from the original creator to upload said mod and most (sad to say but true) don't have permission to even do and release the edit.

[burnsdg]

Maybe instead of the main title saying "Dear Giants"

Plus the whole thread is misplaced. It's asking for "more mods" and not even in the Mods section of the forums.