Official Statement: Regarding Mod Usage and Culture

[Astronis]

That's about as reasonable, clear, and permissive a stance as he could take, honestly. 'Keep it to yourself and shut up about it...and if you don't, we have lawyers.' Completely fair.

[Alice_Rivers]

Perhaps the best way to handle the modding situation is to embrace it rather than simply turn a blind eye. They could set up an official mod repo where people could submit their mods for review and hosting, this would also allow SE to extend an option to non-modders to view people's modded glams if they wish, the logical extension of such a policy is that any mod that isn't signed off by SE and therefore available in the repo is "illegal" and can be policed aggressively. Having an official mod repo would also facilitate SE implementing QoL mods directly into the vanilla game if they reach a given usage threshold.

[Themarvin]

From what I understand, there were Mare alternatives before Mare went down. I don't think SE cares much and I suspect nothing will be done. Yoshi P's own letter does not make any sense given how long Mare functioned.

There is some reason they took down Mare, its highly doubtful its contained in that letter.

It makes sense in the way, because it goes from personal to server or group wide with a slash of a button and too easy as well.

You need to look really hard onto the personal experience.

[brinn12]

I don't understand how seeing other people wearing Ultimate or Mogstation glamour in-game through mods would reflect the sentiment Yoshi-P is describing. For that to happen, the observer would have to have those mods themselves. It makes more sense from the perspective of someone who doesn't use any mods: seeing people with modded gear outside the game might make them feel like they're missing out on something. That sentiment, however, shouldn't exist inside FFXIV itself. So just don't share modded screenshots.

I do appreciate the vision that if players keep it to themselves and don't disturb normal gameplay, mods are fine. It's a much better stance than "everything is illegal", and then we proceed to see people streaming with ACT and SE doing nothing about it. It never made sense.

[Oizen]

From what I understand, there were Mare alternatives before Mare went down. I don't think SE cares much and I suspect nothing will be done. Yoshi P's own letter does not make any sense given how long Mare functioned.

There is some reason they took down Mare, its highly doubtful its contained in that letter.

Likely because the creator was not smart and just had his public info plastered all over github and patreon

[Fawkes]

From what I understand, there were Mare alternatives before Mare went down. I don't think SE cares much and I suspect nothing will be done. Yoshi P's own letter does not make any sense given how long Mare functioned.

There is some reason they took down Mare, its highly doubtful its contained in that letter.

Most likely there was a beach party or some other such thing that had enough social media activity around it to warrant a response.

[Veritas-Ancora]

Bravo, Yoshi P.

Well said.
Well worded.
Everything was crystal clear.

[Kaurhz]

It's sensible, as a gamer.

But IMO, it's not really something that's tenable unless you're happy repeating the same same cycle over, and over.

Another issue I took with it, is that for the rationales that they highlighted, I don't actually think their actions were enough. e.g., if they are actually concerned with law and regulation, then they need to go after other mods as well, seeing as nothing outside of the sync plugin has actually been actioned. e.g., there's nothing that stops someone advertising an 18+ venue, and then someone not of age going to it, and getting exposed to stuff that is just as bad, if not worse than the things you may spot on the sync plugin, same with being exposed to potentially inappropriate material via Twitter.

I understand their point on it, I just simply don't think they are doing enough for it. They'll be fighting the exact same fight in a couple months time, back to square one.

Putting aside word salad, if we take this stance at face value (I don't think it is), it just felt like they targeted a low hanging fruit, and not really completely adhering to their own rationalization, as there is absolutely no action done that would actually stop or prevent someone being able to do half of what they've seemingly tried to prevent/stop.

I guess you could say that to a point they are simply hoping people will be responsible about it, but I think they and everyone knows that this demonstrably won't happen, and until they actually properly or consistently enforce their own ToS, then it's going to be a perpetual battle..

[DPZ2]

I was thinking exactly this. SE had to spend 0 dollars to have it taken down. All they had to do is have one of their lawyers send a routine cease and desist.

If true it makes the letter actually quite manipulative, giving the impression SE cares about in game accomplishments and protecting minors. That is just objectively not true.

Where did you get that impression? You read a cease-and-desist letter? A legal filing? Or are you referring to the linked statement, which is a reiteration of a viewpoint as old as the game?

[DivineP]

I made a post in someones topic a few days ago how Yoshi is not adressing the issue formally and splitting the mod and none mod communities. Its somewhere around here. Guess I was right.

On topic: It's about time Yoshi made an official statement that is written about mods. Everyone with a brain could see where it was heading with all the screenshots of Gposes flying around the Internet of suggestible content making FF14 look suspect.

It's nice to see the community has read and understood Yoshis message even though I saw this coming a mile off.

Looks like he caught it just in time.

First rule of fight club is?