Terraria State of the Game - October 2022

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Why don't they add tmodloader for consoles??
The main reason is that Sony etc. don't want player-made content being passed around due to security concerns (viruses etc.).

What I'd love to see is an official tModLoader game on console, with official ports of the various mods being sold/downloaded as DLC content. This way, the modders would get something back for all their hard work, Sony etc. would get their cut, and Re-Logic would get a percentage for allowing the use of the IP.
 
The main reason is that Sony etc. don't want player-made content being passed around due to security concerns (viruses etc.).

What I'd love to see is an official tModLoader game on console, with official ports of the various mods being sold/downloaded as DLC content. This way, the modders would get something back for all their hard work, Sony etc. would get their cut, and Re-Logic would get a percentage for allowing the use of the IP.

That would also come with the expectations of support and standards (both pre and post release) that first parties demand. A lot of modders (not saying all) might be less than desirous to take that on.

That’s just one of several issues with an idea that might seem plausible in theory but starts to crack when you play it out.

I think we would all love to see some form of mods on console and mobile, but it’s a very very high mountain to climb.
 
I hadn't thought of that. Maybe it's something DR would theoretically want to take on, once 1.4.5 is done. Unless 1.4.6 is a thing.

DR wouldn’t be taking on the development of mods, I don’t see any way that would work for a ton of reasons.

Unless I misunderstand ?
 
Since the update to Terraria JP on the Switch doesn't seem to happen any time soon (it's been 2-3 weeks now?), I decided to install my GOG's account copy on my daughter's computer while I use the Steam version on my machine. To my surprise, there's no Japanese language support on PC?! I don't want to go through the hassle of installing mods. I really don't know what is going on here. Are Japanese publishers so obsess on protecting their console releases to avoid cannibalizing sales by the PC market? I have some friends who would be more than happy to translate and publish your game here in Japan, professionals who have been working in the industry for many years.
 
Since the update to Terraria JP on the Switch doesn't seem to happen any time soon (it's been 2-3 weeks now?), I decided to install my GOG's account copy on my daughter's computer while I use the Steam version on my machine. To my surprise, there's no Japanese language support on PC?! I don't want to go through the hassle of installing mods. I really don't know what is going on here. Are Japanese publishers so obsess on protecting their console releases to avoid cannibalizing sales by the PC market? I have some friends who would be more than happy to translate and publish your game here in Japan, professionals who have been working in the industry for many years.

It is something we are looking into next year. We are certainly not trying to protect anything, just haven’t gotten around to it (Korean is on the list to look into as well).

There is a language pack on the workshop that you can use for now if you want:


I have no way to vouch for its accuracy, but it’s very highly rated by the community. :)
 
Thanks for the link. I knew about the mod. The problem is it's not kids friendly. It uses kanji that kids didn't learn yet. The Switch translation has less kanji so kids can read it easily.
I guess I have no other choice. I know GOG doesn't have workshop support but it seems Terraria has a Resource Packs in the menu so I will try that.
Hopefully you can manage to add Japanese and Korean to the game next year!
 
Hey Lori I love ur game terraria but when are u gonna make a new game? Love game tho, can u help me with something can u make terraria work on chrome book if u downloaded on playstore? ( just make the ui look like PC)
 
This way, the modders would get something back for all their hard work
This would be a gigantic can of worms. Here's a few examples of pitfalls that await paid mods:
  • Attribution. Usually, mods are made by teams. And "team" can be a pretty informal thing. If someone makes a suggestion and that suggestion is adopted, is that person a team member? If someone donated to the project lead's Patreon to get a dedicated item that they designed, is that person a team member? If someone made some assets (sprites, songs, AI code, whatever) that was later replaced or removed and none of their work remains in the current version of the mod, is that person a team member?
  • Contact. Of of the team members who provided assets has "gone AWOL" for a while and since all the remaining people knew about them was a forum or discord nickname and that they have no way to contact them, how do you handle it? Keep their remuneration in escrow in case they eventually show up? Just not pay them since they're not there at the time of the deal?
  • Due diligence. If it turns out some of the assets included in the mods have been plagiarized/ripped from somewhere else. Well, for a free mod, it's not too much of a problem. InnerSloth is not gonna send you a C&D because you've put a Crewmate vanity set in your Terraria mod. But if you're talking paid content, stuff that is providing you with income, then it becomes very important to have good accountability of every resource you've used and guaranties that any involved rightholder is okay with the use in the mod.
 
DR wouldn’t be taking on the development of mods, I don’t see any way that would work for a ton of reasons.

Unless I misunderstand ?
I just meant that they could make an official port of tModLoader and certain content (like Calamity etc.), which could be opened in the official, approved-by-Sony, console tModLoader. The mods wouldn't be mods on console, but "packs" to be downloaded as DLC.

Maybe console players could vote to see which content would be next to be developed by DR.
This would be a gigantic can of worms. Here's a few examples of pitfalls that await paid mods:
  • Attribution. Usually, mods are made by teams. And "team" can be a pretty informal thing. If someone makes a suggestion and that suggestion is adopted, is that person a team member? If someone donated to the project lead's Patreon to get a dedicated item that they designed, is that person a team member? If someone made some assets (sprites, songs, AI code, whatever) that was later replaced or removed and none of their work remains in the current version of the mod, is that person a team member?
  • Contact. Of of the team members who provided assets has "gone AWOL" for a while and since all the remaining people knew about them was a forum or discord nickname and that they have no way to contact them, how do you handle it? Keep their remuneration in escrow in case they eventually show up? Just not pay them since they're not there at the time of the deal?
  • Due diligence. If it turns out some of the assets included in the mods have been plagiarized/ripped from somewhere else. Well, for a free mod, it's not too much of a problem. InnerSloth is not gonna send you a C&D because you've put a Crewmate vanity set in your Terraria mod. But if you're talking paid content, stuff that is providing you with income, then it becomes very important to have good accountability of every resource you've used and guaranties that any involved rightholder is okay with the use in the mod.
All good points, but it wouldn't be every mod ever, otherwise DR wouldn't get anything else done. They'd have to cherry-pick titles and content based on everything you mentioned and more.
 
I just meant that they could make an official port of tModLoader and certain content (like Calamity etc.), which could be opened in the official, approved-by-Sony, console tModLoader. The mods wouldn't be mods on console, but "packs" to be downloaded as DLC.

Maybe console players could vote to see which content would be next to be developed by DR.

All good points, but it wouldn't be every mod ever, otherwise DR wouldn't get anything else done. They'd have to cherry-pick titles and content based on everything you mentioned and more.

All of this would still require DR to take ownership and responsibility for TML, each mod added, etc. First party rules would still apply.

I mean, I think we would all love to see it... and it all sounds fantastic in theory, but when you get under the hood, its a nightmarish maze of legal, IP, political, and technical issues.

I'll never say never, but its a very very long shot.
 
All of this would still require DR to take ownership and responsibility for TML, each mod added, etc. First party rules would still apply.

I mean, I think we would all love to see it... and it all sounds fantastic in theory, but when you get under the hood, its a nightmarish maze of legal, IP, political, and technical issues.

I'll never say never, but its a very very long shot.
Would they need to take ownership? I was thinking more along the lines of a partnership with the modders; modders approach DR with their IP - including legal confirmation that it's 100% theirs - and DR develop it for a share of the sales.
 
Would they need to take ownership? I was thinking more along the lines of a partnership with the modders; modders approach DR with their IP - including legal confirmation that it's 100% theirs - and DR develop it for a share of the sales.

Of whatever code DR had to include to make it work? Absolutely.

The layers of complexity on strictly the legal side alone are intense... and that is probably the easiest barrier to overcome.
 
Of whatever code DR had to include to make it work? Absolutely.

The layers of complexity on strictly the legal side alone are intense... and that is probably the easiest barrier to overcome.
I'm sure, I was just thinking out load really, so to speak. I only play on console in mutlplayer now anyway as TEdit is only on PC.

Now THAT would be something worth looking into...
 
I just meant that they could make an official port of tModLoader and certain content (like Calamity etc.), which could be opened in the official, approved-by-Sony, console tModLoader. The mods wouldn't be mods on console, but "packs" to be downloaded as DLC.

Maybe console players could vote to see which content would be next to be developed by DR.

All good points, but it wouldn't be every mod ever, otherwise DR wouldn't get anything else done. They'd have to cherry-pick titles and content based on everything you mentioned and more.

Its just not nearly as simple as you are describing. To even attempt a mod-by-mod "officialized" content adaptation, by DR or ReLogic, for the purposes of making it on to every platform would both be a tremendous amount of legal and contractual effort (which would require ALL contributors for those mods to agree to), but also a monumental time investment task of doing the port work.

I'd also say that charging for these mods opens up so many more cans of worms its not even funny, between making mods something that can be paid for under Terraria's IP, as well as distributing that income between DR and the mod makers (who decides which members of the mod team make money? What about people who stepped down???).

Its a logistical, legal, time-intensive, and perhaps outright impossible nightmare to even approach.
 
If mods ever do come to consoles, I would much rather they be free in the first place. I mean, Bethesda tried charging for mods and look how  that turned out.

To add onto leinfors' point about paid mods opening "many more cans of worms", I don't think marvel cares that thorium has the infinity gauntlet. I don't think Konami cares about... The entire existence of calamity. I could go on and on. Add financial impact into the situation, and that will suddenly change.

As for how Bethesda gets away with having a mod that changes Skyrim dragons to Thomas the tank engine, I'm not sure. Maybe there's something in the tos that says Bethesda isn't responsible for copyrighted material in player created additions or something
 
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