Question in regard to mod removal

[Itzz Sh0wt1m3]

Hi all, specifically
@DavyDavy

I've been forwarded to here by the support team on this matter:


ORIGINAL POST:

Hi there,
I have a request for information in regard to a Surviving Mars mod called: TA mod - Unlock all achievements.
I've contributed to the creation of this mod, aimed to help achievement hunters like myself unlocking all of the achievements. In the past week, we've seen close to 10,000 downloads on our mod, allowing 8000+ Xbox one users and 3250+ Windows 10 users to complete the game, 1600 and 500 of which completing the entire game including the DLC. Besides a massive attention to your game, this has generated a lot of revenues for you, since 2100+ season passes in a week is not your average season pass sales. However, the mod has been taken down a couple of times now without a proper notification as to why it is taken down. Until now we have merely assumed it is because there is a hardcore group of gamers that don't like people unlocking achievements in a different way than intended kept reporting the mod, until the number of reports is reached that automatically takes down a mod. It is really easy for someone who doesn't have the game to create one or more paradox accounts and report the mod. Yes, it is insane what people are capable of to prevent others from earning achievements.

I'd like to request an update on why the mod is taken down, and if there is a possibility that the mod can be edited so that it is not taken down. As mentioned above, the mod has generated a lot of revenue and attention to the game, so as a developer and publisher point of view I do not see why you want to get rid of that. Also, other Paradox published games automatically disable mods so I also don't see why the fact that the mod unlocks achievements is an issue.

Any statement/additional information would be much appreciated.
Thanks in advance on behalf of myself, mod uploader debroin and the rest of the achievement community.
)



Thanks in advance,
Chris

 

[Itzz Sh0wt1m3]

I haven't made 5 posts yet, hence I couldn't add 2 URL's showing a video of youtube seen by 31,000+ people and a link to trueachievements showing the interest the game/mod received in the past week. Original support ID: #193891

 

[nuttynutnut]

Any news on this please?

 

[Itzz Sh0wt1m3]

@DavyDavy Any update/statement?

 

[sozishere]

Any news guys?

 

[Chaotic Nexus]

@DavyDavy is there an update we can hope for, I would like to see this mod as they stated thousands of people have purchased DLC because of it in which you benefit from. I myself am looking to purchase because of it. Will we ever get to see this mod again stay put and not be taken down.

 

[SciKo]

If you're playing THAT hand I can add that I am one of all people who was planning to but have chosen not to buy the game at all because I'm an achievement hunter and the value of the achievements on a site like TrueAchievements has absolutely tanked because of the aforementioned mod. The achievements in Surviving Mars has been effectively nullified and made obsolete thanks to this mod, don't kid yourself otherwise.

The fact that it continuously gets taken down and you reuploading it with some random name to avoid suspicion oughtta be enough hint that it is a mod that does not belong. If you want to make a mod, make one that improves the gameplay experience - not one that ends it.

 

[DudS WbR]

I've checked you on TA, @SciKo, you have impressively double your gamescore in ta score, kudos for that, but I seem to miss your point. You don't want ppl to get achievements? Or is it that you don't like games with achievements that are easy to obtain? I doubt it is the latter, I've seen you played Tacoma and The Gardens Between. So what's your problem besides some selfish reason that it lowered your ta score? The mods are attracting ppl towards playing the game and it's DLCs. I think that what does not belong is your kind of attitude here...

 

[SciKo]

I've checked you on TA, @SciKo, you have impressively double your gamescore in ta score, kudos for that, but I seem to miss your point. You don't want ppl to get achievements? Or is it that you don't like games with achievements that are easy to obtain? I doubt it is the latter, I've seen you played Tacoma and The Gardens Between. So what's your problem besides some selfish reason that it lowered your ta score? The mods are attracting ppl towards playing the game and it's DLCs. I think that what does not belong is your kind of attitude here...

I humbly thank you for the recognition. Before answering your question I must ask one of my own - are you aware of what this mod actually does?
If not let me enlighten you (in pseudo):

for (achievement : AllAchievements)
{
achievement.Unlock();
}

If that code snippet doesn't do the trick for you don't worry - what happens is that the mod automatically unlocks every achievement in the game in an instant. The mod is not attracting people to play the game, it's attracting people who effectively wants to buy Gamerscore (or TA Score).

To answer your questions I'm part of TA partly because I love the community trying to help eachother unlock achievements but what I don't like is that this way of unlocking (this mod's way) does not scale - meaning if all games had this mod TA would have no purpose and become obsolete. Any pride you'd have over achieving a difficult achievement would no longer be visible as TA intended and in fact you wouldn't even be able to tell if it was considered a difficult achievement anymore because the ratio at TA which usually tells that story would be saying otherwise if people just used an unlock button instead.

I generally am very open to how people choose to play and unlock their achievements and the fact is this is the first time in history I've opposed someone trying to help others on TA because the help itself is damaging the site and will definitely keep developers from offering us enabled achievements when using other mods. I applaud the intent but not the recklessness in lack of a better word. Rich (creator of TA) did himself order nothing of this sort to be highlighted on TA after a wild discussion about this mod stretching the TA rules thin.

So think of me what you will, I wish everybody the best, I just don't think this mod is what is best for anyone and I don't speak out of personal concern. If anything I wish more people join the TA community and help us thrive. It's such a great community with so many helpful player all around the world.

Stay safe

 

[rhaak]

@DavyDavy is there an update we can hope for, I would like to see this mod as they stated thousands of people have purchased DLC because of it in which you benefit from. I myself am looking to purchase because of it. Will we ever get to see this mod again stay put and not be taken down.

Really ? Thousands of people purchased DLC because of this mod ? Somehow I don't believe it....