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Sega to upgrade Megadrive / Genesis Steam game hub. Adds Mod Support!

dity

Member
Well, it's practically impossible for a service provider to vet the authorship of something; it'd take either an immense amount of manpower or an overly enthusiastic content matching system that's largely more harmful than useful (hello, YouTube). Leaving the vetting of paid mods up to the community isn't perfect, but such an approach is arguably the best one to take and demonstrably works quite well as people have been caught with their hand in the proverbial cookie jar before making a cent.
But it's not actually a part of the process, well it hasn't in the past with Skyrim. It has to have a big stink made for Valve or whatever to even give a damn.

A possible solution is a community approval queue. But we're dealing with a niche interest on only a specific platform. It's probably ripe for abuse as well (unpopular people never getting approved for example).

Mods are cool and are happening. Paid mods? Likely not.

yes, there will be some slight abuse, just like there is with youtube. Oh well. That is tolerable, just like it is with youtube, and much preferable to the system where absolutely nobody makes money off of their work.

I'll say it again - your argument is "the perfect is the enemy of the good."

So you alternate between "it was only taken down because people got mad" and "the people had no power at all."


And in doing so, you completely ignore what I'm saying - emulate the community vetting process that RBN uses. How this is so hard for you I can't comprehend. Let the people who noticed and got upset issue strikes against the user, and when he gets enough strikes take down his content.

This is precisely how RBN worked.

Banging my head against the wall because you're arguing against what you think I'm arguing and not what I'm actually arguing.
 

Krejlooc

Banned
I'll add that someone making money off of someone else's content, even temporarily, is hardly the worst thing in the world, and it's essentially impossible to guard against in any industry. Remember when people discovered the Metal Gear Solid theme song was stolen from another artist?

It happens. What are the people who say "youtube's model is flawed!" even arguing? Would they suggest that people shouldn't be allowed to monetize their money on youtube at all? Because that is essentially what they are proposing here - that no paid mods at all are better than a flawed system where, occasionally, the wrong person might get paid from time to time until they are caught.
 
You can do this now. Adding games to to the Steam Genesis emulator in their special container format and they run like on any Genesis emulator.

For example



However this would be the first time it's actually legalized sorta, so I am totally all for this as this increases more means to push more Genesis games for people to enjoy them. Although its debatable if 3rd party titles would be included.

Still if this leads to the possibility of legal versions of games like Monster World 4 or even Castlevania: Bloodlines without fan made hacks, I'm all for it.

Holy crap, thanks for this. Just tried it out on my own and it worked perfectly.

76lTISA.png
 

Remfin

Member
Making a few bucks off a YouTube video is a radically different thing than making (potentially) $100ks off of stealing a mod (and poisoning the market for the actual author after the fallout). Plus it's a lot easier to prove ownership of the material that would get uploaded on something like YouTube, meaning eventual redistribution of any revenue isn't an insane legal mess.

BTW, why does anyone assume those "bad" actors didn't get paid from those stories? Valve didn't even take action in those cases, the authors did, there's no reason they wouldn't pay out...

Oh, and RBN was not the Wild West. Among many other things, stuff had to be vetted before a real release.
 

megalowho

Member
Awesome news, hub looks great. Cool at least a corner of Sega still cares about legacy stuff like this, hopefully they can keep building on it from here.

This is pretty massive. I picked them all up for something like 5 or 7.50 from Amazon awhile ago.
Same. That was a goddamn good sale
 

Krejlooc

Banned
Making a few bucks off a YouTube video is a radically different thing than making (potentially) $100ks off of stealing a mod (and poisoning the market for the actual author after the fallout).

what ridiculous framing. I could just as well say "making $100k of of a youtube video is radically different than making (potentially) a few bucks off of stealing a mod"

And in fact, that would be more accurate, because I doubt the market for paid sega genesis rom hacks is a $100k market, where youtube is actually a multi-million dollar market.

Plus it's a lot easier to prove ownership of the material that would get uploaded on something like YouTube, meaning eventual redistribution of any revenue isn't an insane legal mess.

It doesn't have to be. Youtube uses broad strokes - you don't even have to prove ownership to take stuff down from youtube. They take a "better safe than sorry" approach. I would advocate something like this taking a similar approach.

BTW, why does anyone assume those "bad" actors didn't get paid from those stories? Valve didn't even take action in those cases, the authors did, there's no reason they wouldn't pay out...

Because the systems in question weren't up long enough before they got caught for them to get paid.

Oh, and RBN was not the Wild West. Among many other things, stuff had to be vetted before a real release.

The "many other things" is actually just one other thing - you had to join the content creators club, which cost a few bucks. Steam, assuming you'd sell something, would have a similar process.

and, presumably, there would be a light cert process for paid mods as well. The entire reason we are talking about a crowdsourced vetting process is because people said a light cert process couldn't catch everyone.
 

JaseC

gave away the keys to the kingdom.
But it's not actually a part of the process, well it hasn't in the past with Skyrim.

Sure, and while a Greenlightesque approval queue, complete with some sort of associated fee, would definitely be the safest route to take (as Krejlooc said, this is essentially how RBN functions), I wouldn't say the paid mods system as it currently exists is unfit for purpose; abusers have been caught before they saw a cent. That, to me, says the system works, as odd as said system may seem. I'd go so far as to say that a queue should only be implemented if there comes a time that someone was finally paid for something that isn't entirely (or rather, given we're talking about mods, "entirely") theirs.
 

dity

Member
Sure, and while a Greenlightesque approval queue, complete with some sort of associated fee, would definitely be the safest route to take (as Krejlooc said, this is essentially how RBN functions), I wouldn't say the paid mods system as it currently exists is unfit for purpose; abusers have been caught before they saw a cent. That, to me, says the system works, as odd as said system may seem. I'd go so far as to say that a queue should only be implemented if there comes a time that someone was finally paid for something that isn't entirely (or rather, given we're talking about mods, "entirely") theirs.

I see it in my head as a system that will get easily exhausted. Eventually people are bound to tucker themselves out if there's nothing official in place. They'll get sick of needing to kick up a fuss to get something done. Community vetting only really works as long as there's someone who cares enough to do the vetting, and without anything in place making the vetting essential... well you can probably see where I'm going with that.
 

Krejlooc

Banned
I see it in my head as a system that will get easily exhausted. Eventually people are bound to tucker themselves out if there's nothing official in place. They'll get sick of needing to kick up a fuss to get something done. Community vetting only really works as long as there's someone who cares enough to do the vetting, and without anything in place making the vetting essential... well you can probably see where I'm going with that.

you think nerds on the internet won't argue about frivolities till they are blue in the face? You don't know the internet.
 

Storm360

Member
The "many other things" is actually just one other thing - you had to join the content creators club, which cost a few bucks. Steam, assuming you'd sell something, would have a similar process.

and, presumably, there would be a light cert process for paid mods as well. The entire reason we are talking about a crowdsourced vetting process is because people said a light cert process couldn't catch everyone.

Not true, you needed master tracks (almost impossible to get unless provided by the band/ record company) along with correct charts for every instrument on every difficulty (1 for vocals, 4 for guitar, 4 for bass, 4 for drums, 8 for keys) etc, not as easy as just uploading a sonic ROM.
 

Krejlooc

Banned
Not true, you needed master tracks (almost impossible to get unless provided by the band/ record company) along with correct charts for every instrument on every difficulty (1 for vocals, 4 for guitar, 4 for bass, 4 for drums, 8 for keys) etc, not as easy as just uploading a sonic ROM.

again, what ridiculous framing. You describe in intricate detail the work that goes into creating a rockband track, then equate a mod to "just uploading a sonic rom."

Well, what if the process of patching your mod isn't "just uploading a sonic rom"? What if it's also involved, like, say, submitting an assembly source for your mod and letting the workshop themselves generate an IPS patch? Something that isn't really possible for people just pulling hacks off the internet?
 

OmegaDL50

Member
How do you do this? Couldn't find anything after a quick Google.

It's in the Steam community FAQ, refer to section III - https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=398334923

Here you go.

Make sure you copy the .pak file you plan to replace for safe keeping in case you want to return it to normal. I don't have a way to get back the game I replaced with Puyo.

You can get around this by renaming the replaced rom to a completely different name, as long as the naming structure is the same as (series of numbers.pak extension).

Also the the numbers of the game dictates their order shown in the emulator itself. You can for example rename every single game so their order would list them in alphabetical order, unlike the random jumble the games are as default.
 
I love the Genesis Collection on Steam! I know many people hate the filters, but I actually love the TV filter, it looks very good when I connect my notebook to my TV. The only thing that bothered me was the interface, but now it's solved. The Genesis Collection is my most played Steam game.

I didn't know I could add my own roms to it, I'll try later. Anyway, I legally own all games released officially by Sega and will gladly send them even more money if they release more games.
 
I'm hoping the emulation is vastly improved. Whenever I had VSync on, I noticed serious input lag.

Mod support, however, really shows that Sega is attempting to compete with free emulators to (hopefully) offer a better service.

I do still have a few wishes for what Sega should do:
  • Bring modern console ports & remasters of their other games to Steam.
  • Start selling MAME, Master System, 32X, Sega CD roms(I'm looking at you, Golden Axe: Revenge of Death Adder!)
  • Release Steam versions of Sega 3D Classics, if possible.
  • More Japanese exclusives(Shining Force III & Dragon Force II! NOW!)
 

Azcyatl

Member
Sounds good, but i came expecting some add on support for online multiplayer and finished a little disappointed from the omission. Still it's strange that the versions for PS3 and 360 have it from day one, even if the netcode seems bad most of the time
 

JaseC

gave away the keys to the kingdom.
I see it in my head as a system that will get easily exhausted. Eventually people are bound to tucker themselves out if there's nothing official in place. They'll get sick of needing to kick up a fuss to get something done. Community vetting only really works as long as there's someone who cares enough to do the vetting, and without anything in place making the vetting essential... well you can probably see where I'm going with that.

I wouldn't be so sure. There are fewer things people hate than someone earning money they're not entitled to or otherwise don't deserve. But, hey, you may be right and that's one of the reasons why an approval-based system would be the safer option.
 

Krejlooc

Banned
I honeetly dont know if krejlooc is serious or not

Of course I am serious. Steam workshop evolving as a way to sell mods is inevitable, and putting rom hacks up in this new mod workshop for genesis games seems like such an obvious thing to do. Why not put one and one together?
 

Tizoc

Member
Of course I am serious. Steam workshop evolving as a way to sell mods is inevitable, and putting rom hacks up in this new mod workshop for genesis games seems like such an obvious thing to do. Why not put one and one together?
I am interested in these paid mods tha t you are talking about
Cuz the last time vslve tried to monetize it the idea was dropped 2 weeks later
 
SEGAAAAAAAAA this is awesome , would have been perfect if they added the extras that the 360 and ps3 had like those pics and videos and achievements.
some of the psn games also have drop in online co - op
 

iavi

Member
To this day, Sega occasionally pulls moves like this that remind me of why I loved them. Nobody would have cared of this never happened, but it did, and it's awesome.
 
Best of all - Mod Support! As far as it sounds, things like Sonic 2 XL can actually be added to Steam under "Sonic 2 mods". Which is kind of insane and awesome. How far does it go? Not sure yet - guess we'll know next week!

What the fuck with that mod?

How did this thread go by for 4 pages without anyone commenting on this?
 

Kent

Member
You know... I wonder how difficult it would be to gather the distribution rights for the entire 32X library. I know there are a few licensed games that might be difficult.

I'm really hoping they do 32X and Sega CD, eventually, just so you can have your customizable Tower of Sega next to that little CRT.

And the veritable fire hazard of connecting them all to an outlet.
 
I'm amazed that a company as well-known and with such a big legacy like SEGA is doing something like this. Very forward-thinking move.

Romhacking was one of my hobbies when I was a teen. It eventually led me to making mods for full PC games, which then led to my first job in the game industry. So to see them legitimizing romhacking makes me very happy.
 

gelf

Member
Since Sega are embracing emulation here I'd love the next step on from this to be a Sega Arcade hub. They could have a virtual Sega World arcade and keep adding games from thier vast library. Now that MAME is available for commercial use many of them could be emulated without too much effort. If it was up to me I'd start off with the obvious choices with the likes of Outrun, Space Harrier and Afterburner and then just keep adding more machines leading to the dream situation of games that never made it out of arcades like Revenge of Death Adder finally being made available officially.
 

Tizoc

Member
Since Sega are embracing emulation here I'd love the next step on from this to be a Sega Arcade hub. They could have a virtual Sega World arcade and keep adding games from thier vast library. Now that MAME is available for commercial use many of them could be emulated without too much effort. If it was up to me I'd start off with the obvious choices with the likes of Outrun, Space Harrier and Afterburner and then just keep adding more machines leading to the dream situation of games that never made it out of arcades like Revenge of Death Adder finally being made available officially.
Any of their arcade titles that used licensed property or references may be difficult to get them on steam
 

gelf

Member
Any of their arcade titles that used licensed property or references may be difficult to get them on steam

In that case maybe they could mod them to strip out any infringing content(and then modders could always add it right back again unofficially). There is past history of this as for example the version of Outrun playable in Shenmue 2 changed the car to a more generic model.

Edit: Anyway a lot of the classics have been put out on and are currently being sold on the 3DS so I see no reason why they can't have PC releases too at the very least.
 
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