A respectful while pointed message to Giants software and FS community.

[JTA91]

Today, on Christmas Eve, with no warning, the largest group of modders on this platform for American style mods such as Siid, Custom Modding, Steenkamp and NEFG modding were banned from uploading any further mods to modhub for apparent illegal use of 3d tracks from a dlc, along with having multiple mods removed from the modhub with these tracks. This is what I can gather so far. I do not have all facts, but I do know we have effectively lost a huge portion of the most admired modders in this community.

As an avid Farm Simulator player, on console, I want to take the time to state how I, and a vast majority of your, Giants Software's console player base, a huge market of your game sales, and diehard fans of the game are absolutely aghast at your decision to ban these groups, months after these mods were submitted, tested, and approved by you, Giants Software, on Christmas Eve of all times, immediately with absolutely no heads up that there was an issue again for months. These mods have made farm simulator popularity soar and made the game a blast to play. I fully understand, that if these modders did take advantage of the companies property, whether intentionally or accidentally, you as a company response is understandably your right and you have to protect your property, but frankly this reaction is nothing short of appaling and uncalled for especially under the circumstances, after everything these modders have done for the game and community, and surely could be addressed differently. This could have been rectified by working with and communicating with modders earlier right from the start with 3D tracks or anything else.

I would like to remind you that these groups of modders are responsible for making numerous American mods that are sorely lacking from the game, and are what the console community relies on to improve our gameplay experience and quite frankly these modders are the reason we buy your game in the first place. American farming is vastly different from Europe and the rest of the world and we too share the love of Agriculture, unfortuately we are left behind when it comes to mods for us 20 to 1 from Giants. I understand this as you are based in Europe, but that still leaves a huge group of us unserved in the mod hub.

So please, I sincerely ask of you Giants, as a company, to communicate with, and work with these modders, to rectify any transgressions, to work together to strengthen this community, and to bring us back together, because as of today, whether in the right or wrong, these bans have the community completly fractured and moral is shattered.

These modders have worked tirelesly to improve the communitys experience in Farming Simulator, they are why I bought the game and the season pass, as an investment to what would come. 2020 has already been a rough enough year, demolishing hopes of your community at the very end of it like this is unappreciated and frankly hurts terribly. We depend on this game every day to escape the world and just go farm in peace.

In closing, i will not resort to anger, name calling or wish of ill will towards anyone modder or company. I will however honestly state if this situation cannot be resolved and rectified with the return of these groups, and a clear and transparent communication cannot be established to keep it from happening again, I am afraid Farm Simulator 19 will be the last Giants Software game I purchase, and i assure you, I will not be the only one. We in the US are die hard farming fans, so please, give this more consideration. We just want to farm with the equipment we grew up with or still do.

I thank you, Giants, for your time, for your consideration and for your work to bring us this amazing game, and for building this community.

I thank you, to all modders, whether American or not for what you do for the game and for making it as wonderful as it is. Your work is immensely appreciated, and we love you guys and gals.

At the end of the day all of us just love tractors, growing plants and raising animals. Being vocal and passionate about your feelings is important especially in this situation, but as tensions are now running higher than ever, I ask everyone to remember that nobody deserves experiencing vitriol and hateful comments being hurled. This solves nothing and is not how things get resolved. Respect has always been a two way street, and is a requirement for moving forward in anything.

Thankyou for your time, happy farming, and heres to the hopeful return of our favorite modders.


Sincerely, JTA91

[vondeylenfarms]

You assume that they're going to read this and even care? I'm sure the moderators will but they're not who we want to see it. Very good letter though... I hope I'm wrong and they read it

[lawm]

Great post! To the point without letting emotions take over. Sign my name to no new FS games if they cannot work this out. I hope they can and likewise hope someone sees this.

[baltic1284]

Many from what i have read have had multiple infractions of it dont get me wrong it is a sad day for it but they not too so they do deserve what they get im not suprised they been trying to push American stuff out of the game when there is a DLC it is more European than American.

[Bryan83]

I think going forward what Giants needs to do is to figure a way to encrypt the files (xml's, LUA scripting, etc) to where it can only be opened/modified with Giants Editor so that way if anyone cracks a DLC again, it attaches a "fingerprint" so they can figure out who did it and not have to blanket ban modders again.

[Ripgiants]

Oh dear if you guys dont sort this out i defo will not be buying fs21/22 its not like you will add a new game engine to it anyway or the 3d terrain we have all wanted since 15 or actually add any american equipment like these fantastic modders do.

The way this has been dealt with is seriously unacceptable should have warned the modders not just straight out banned them

[Alagos]

Want to point out, again, that theye weren't banned on Christmas Eve, they were banned at the start of this week. These 'nice' modders just kept it from the community until now.

[elmike]

Hello,

so they quite clearly broke the rules by using an asset from a cracked DLC and are facing the consequences now.

And you think doing something illegal (as cracking the DLC is) is ok, as long as nice mods are created from it?

Elmike

[FarmBoss]

Want to point out, again, that theye weren't banned on Christmas Eve, they were banned at the start of this week. These 'nice' modders just kept it from the community until now.

Perhaps the 'nice' modders wanted to let people know what was going on, because Giants, who also had all week to announce it, didn't.

[eric21]

But why did the modders wait until Xmas eve? They had all week? Giants don't have to announce everything every day

[blue_painted]

Want to point out, again, that theye weren't banned on Christmas Eve, they were banned at the start of this week. These 'nice' modders just kept it from the community until now.

Perhaps the 'nice' modders wanted to let people know what was going on, because Giants, who also had all week to announce it, didn't.

I don't remember GIANTS commenting on matters between them and any modders.

[this_is_gav]

Hello,

so they quite clearly broke the rules by using an asset from a cracked DLC and are facing the consequences now.

And you think doing something illegal (as cracking the DLC is) is ok, as long as nice mods are created from it?

Elmike

This.

This place is full of self-entitled players who feel all is good with the world so long as they get their treasured mods, irrespective of quality or, apparently in this case, legality.

It may just be the case that GIANTS have become aware of this issue recently and have suspended the mods until they can discuss it after the holidays.

Remember, you will only ever see one side of the story, as GIANTS won't openly discuss such matters and quite rightly too.

I love the outrage though. A handful of American players refusing to buy FS2x if a few modders are banned is laughable - assuming all disappointed players refuse to buy future releases that's going to cost GIANTS what, a few hundred pounds? A thousand or two at most?

Consider encouraging your beloved modders to move to the other recently released game and see how long it lasts.

[eric21]

American mods will still come, that 80% is a silly claim by siid modding, I think he did that to get support and the community worked up. Refusing to buy the next series over mods is quite sad tbh

[MrSquealypig]

Kind of off-topic, but if you ONLY use American equipment and maps, you're ignorant.

There are so many cool brands from around the world and beautiful locations.

That's like paying for a full racing game with hundreds of cars but only using the one you own in real life.

[BreadedVirus]

Want to point out, again, that theye weren't banned on Christmas Eve, they were banned at the start of this week. These 'nice' modders just kept it from the community until now.

Ah I never knew the full story. I retract my earlier post. If you could delete it, It’ll be appreciated.