I hope this isn't considered spam, as it's a real question I have and would like to get some feedback as to whether people expect or would like to get something back for making mods.

We released a site a couple of weeks ago which enables anyone to receive voluntary payments - it's sort of like patronage which consists of micropayments - from people who like their work. As of next week we'll be able to accept payments using mobiles and lots of other gateways. And we don't take a cut. It's currently aimed at musicians and bloggers but I would like to think it could help modders - if they're interested.

So this is what I'm asking - do you think users of your mods would support you in any way. And would you like to get something back?

The site's at karmafan.com. Would be great to know whether modders would care about something like this, as I insisted that we mention them on the front page.

Thanks for reading.
Dave
The Karmafan Team

1.) I'd consider that spamming but it's up to moderators to decide that.

2.) so modders could sell their mods? isn't that kinda like www.turbosquid.com? except for mods.

correct me if I'm wrong

Sorry if it seems like spamming. I'd remove the link but then I'd have to explain so much in the post it would be a few pages long.

I wouldn't think of it as selling. More like patronage. If you've put a lot of effort into something - whether it's music, blogging, drawing a webcomic, modding - and someone feels like giving you something as a gesture of their appreciation, then I was thinking that it would be ok to make it easy for them to send you something.

Definitely not selling. My original idea was just a way for people to show support - even if it's with small amounts.

so its more of a "give and get appreciation" kind of format?

That's it, I guess. You make mods without much expectation of getting anything back, but sometimes a person playing the mod must think that they'd like to give something back - even if it's just a message of thanks and a few cents.

I know that you can send someone money through PayPal, but unless it's more than a couple of dollars it gets eaten up by fees. We're trying to get together as many different gateways as possible so that there aren't any barriers to someone giving someone a token of support.

The principle of giving freely and accepting whatever people think your work is worth is at the heart of it. We're not taking any percentage - if someone feels like it they can give us something. Hopefully we can exist in the same way that we hope anyone who creates can get support.

Does it seem like something modders in general would care about?

Thanks for your comments, by the way.

it's an ok idea, not the best, but ok. I do alot of weapon modding myself, but I also make alot of prefabs. got anything for that?

Depends on how you distribute. If you just release them freely you could include a text file with a link to your site (and put a widget or even just a support badge) or Karmafan profile and just let people give something if they find them useful.

The idea should be applicable to anything anyone creates. Being able to just text you whatever amount you suggest might make someone think they may as well support your work.

So I'm getting the impression from your replies that getting something back isn't very important to anyone who is into modding. Is that the case, do you think?

I mod because I like seeing the finished product and knowing that I made it. I like that people like the mod and I like getting props for it because it makes me feel like I have done a good job and that people really do enjoy playing my maps or using my mods.

I wouldn't shrug off donations as I'm trying to save up for a new vid card, but I don't expect people to pay me money for my work unless a company wants to buy it and what little talent I have. That would be my dream job.

Good idea, borderline spam, but I doubt anyone would actually donate anything unless your mod/map is just amazing and game changing.

I think those are the best reasons to do anything - make music, paint, write, mod - but sometimes you're playing a map and it seems like you could give something back. I'm not talking a lot of money here. Maybe just twenty cents.

It may not make a huge difference to the creator of the map - maybe the amount given by all the fans of the map would only be enough to pay for a beer - but it could be enough to do something like buy a new card if enough people like it (I'd love a new card, too - need a whole new machine really: couldn't even try Bioshock and STALKER really stuttered when too much was happening. Crysis may make me take the plunge).

I guess what I'm thinking is that we could have a slightly different alternative economy in a small way - based on a direct connection between those who create and those who enjoy. Maybe Manhunt could have been released for free online if they could have just accepted whatever gamers wanted to give them for it.

When do you feel more like giving a developer something? When they give away their stuff for free and tell you to give whatever you want - or when they put nag screens into their software or prevent you from even trying the product before you hand over cash? At least mods are distributed freely. Why not let people give something small if they enjoy it? I agree that they might not give much, but it's nothing to give 10 cents just after you've played a new map, or maybe 50 cents if you've played it repeatedly. It all adds up for the creator.

Thanks for commenting. It's good to hear back from people. Hard to reach anyone because everything does seem like spam these days. I hope this hasn't been too intrusive.

There are really only three reasons to mod...

1) Please others
2) Brag about how many downloads you get
3) Self satisfaction and get a job in the industry