Modders Need Love

[Deadpangod3]

I agree with op, as a modmaker (ish) sometimes it feels like your just being ignored.

[Deltac]

Here's what I'm going to add into this: If I don't like a mod, or don't feel like using it, I won't post in the associated thread.

[Talisar]

Here's what I'm going to add into this: If I don't like a mod, or don't feel like using it, I won't post in the associated thread.

That's fair. If it's a mod who's concept you simply aren't interested in, and you will never use it, then quite frankly your input would be at best useless and at worst critical for no reason. For example, you'll likely never see a post from me in the MechJeb thread. While it seems to be an extremely well done mod and very popular, since I don't use it I have no basis upon which to make judgements either way.

However, if you don't like a mod for a specific reason that could possibly be adjusted (texturing, specific design functionality, etc), and if changed would make you more amenable to using the mod, then telling the modder that specific thing could be of great help to him/her. Even if they don't change that particular item, maybe in future builds they'll take your ideas into account (or if your idea is popular enough, make another similar item that incorporates your ideas). At the very least you could start a discussion that would indicate why the modder went in that particular direction.

[Arrowstar]

Hi everyone,

I'm the author of the KSP Trajectory Optimization Tool. I found this thread yesterday when someone sent me some rep with a link to the first post.

I wholeheartedly agree with Geschosskopf's thoughts here. I've sunk hundreds of hours into writing KSPTOT and making it the best analysis code in the KSP community. However, I rarely get feedback on my work even though I know people use the software. Sending rep is a really nice way to say "thank you" for all of my volunteered time on this project. While simply posting "thanks!" on my thread is fine, sending rep is a bit like sending a greeting card to say congratulations to a friend. You could have just said it in person, but the fact that you took time to write a card is very meaningful. Same with rep: the fact that people take a few moments to push a button and write a little note is something I really appreciate.

So if you like or appreciate a mod (or external tool like mine!), send some rep. We'd really appreciate it.

[Greys]

If you really want to show your respect for what a modder has produced, just be more thoughtful. Many modders ignore a lot of their userbase because in many ways they're effectively spam. If you like it, say so, but while thats nice to hear it doesnt mean much. If you have a problem, look around for other prople having similar problems and contribute to their report with useful things like pictures, logs, craft files, and so on. Spend time in the thread helping other people with issues. If you're into any sort of production make a thing about it, whether it's youtube or a drawing or fanfic. And if you don't feel thats enough a lot of mods have donation buttons, or you could message them a gift code for something to make it easier for them to dedicate time to the mod; coffee is a common programmer fuel, Majiir runs entirely on korean souvoniers and Girls Generation* videos.

Rep isnt bad, but of all the ways to show your appreciation it's one of the most with-out-value. This is in particular coming from someone who had a release out for months with a bug that made a third of the pack unuseable and nobody told me.

Edited May 3, 2014 by Greys

[Majiir]

If you really want to show your respect for what a modder has produced, just be more thoughtful.

Things I like:

• 소녀시대
  
• Coffee
  
• High download counts
  
• Someone else answering stupid common questions in my mod threads
  
• Pictures of awesome Kethane contraptions
  
• Cool mods using the Kethane API

Things I don't care about:

• "omg great mod!"
  
• Reputation points (it was nice when I was unique in having two bars, but now every General Discussion spammer has nine bars and it's meaningless)

So here's an idea...

If you want to do more for modders, ask us what we want. We all like different things.

[Arrowstar]

Interesting points all. I definitely agree that the thing I love the most is feedback from my users. Like something? Tell me! Don't like something? Tell me! Confused? Tell me! The best thing users can do for me is let me know what they think of my work.

That said, if you're not feeling verbose, I do like rep too.

[Rosco P. Coltrane]

I also noted that some mods have a donate link. If you could spend a little... Granted, we normally use a ton of mods so donating to each one of them might get out of hands, or rather budget, quite fast.

Also, it's Paypal, which I know can't be used from some countries... but hey. I'll start "rep'ing" now.

[sumghai]

Not to sound particularly dour here, but here are my pet peeves when it comes to add-on authoring and interacting with the community:

- Certain individuals who constantly make posts such as "plz update", "i liek dis mod, i wish th3r3 w4s an update", "hurry up and release" or "why are you ignoring me", with no regard for the fact I live in a different time zone and have to balance my life around work and non-computer stuff too

- People who accuse me of "jacking up", "ruining" or "********** them over" whenever I make some significant changes to the add-on to support often-requested features / lessen the impact of craft/save breaking

- People with problems that expect others helping them to magically read their minds and figure out what's wrong based on inadequate bug reports

- People who don't read the FAQ and ask questions that have already been answered ad nauseum

As long as these needs are met, I'll be a happy camper.