Mod DB: Difference between revisions

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{{short description|Video game modding website}}

{{Primary sources|date=July 2022}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}

{{Infobox website

| name = Mod DB

| logo = Mod DB logo.png

| logo_size = 250px

| url = {{URL|http://www.moddb.com/}}

| commercial = Yes

| type = [[Mod (video games)|Game modifications]], [[indie game]]s

| registration = Free

| owner = [httphttps://www.dbolical.com/ DBolical Pty Ltd.]

| author = Scott "INtense!" Reismanis

| launch_date = {{start date and age|df=yes|2002|6|8}}

| current_status = Active

| revenue =

| programming_language = [[PHP]]

}}

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==History==

Scott Reismanis, a website developer from [[Melbourne]], Australia, first pursued web development as a hobby, creating two websites dedicated to video games. Afterwards, he purchased the ChaosRealm.com ___domain and formed the Realm Network. The network comprised over twenty websites, one of which was Mod DB's predecessor, ModRealm. Launched in 1998, ModRealm was initially dedicated to ''[[Counter-Strike (video game)|Counter-Strike]]'' [[cheat code]]s before becoming a modding website. The website became defunct on 17in December 2001, when its network was shut down after its hosting service, Playnet, filed for bankruptcy.<ref name=History>{{cite web|url=https://www.moddb.com/about|title=About Us|publisher=Mod DB|access-date=4 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211004144452/https://www.moddb.com/about|archive-date=4 October 2021|url-status=live}}<br />{{cite web|url=https://www.moddb.com/news/a-10-year-history-of-moddb|title=A 10 year history of ModDB|author=Henley|publisher=Mod DB|date=29 July 2012|access-date=4 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211004165204/https://www.moddb.com/news/a-10-year-history-of-moddb|archive-date=4 October 2021|url-status=live}}<br />{{cite news|title=DesuraNET's quest to make a better indie community|last=Moss|first=Richard|work=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]]|date=18 December 2012}}</ref>

Reismanis was motivated to start a new website by the difficulty of searching for mods on the then-dominant search engine, [[AltaVista]], much less mods released to the public. He began Mod DB's development on 11in January 2002, following [[IMDb]]'s structure in the process. The website was launched as Mod Database on 8in June 2002. It differed from his earlier websites in that its articles were managed by the community, not only the website's founder. Mod DB rapidly expanded its viewership and database size. In 2006, the Mod DB team launched Addon DB, whose aim was to list additional content for games not applicable under the category of game modifications. This includes models, skins and maps. Just one year into service, it was merged into Mod DB.<ref name=History/>

Reismanis was an information technology consultant at [[Accenture]] and intended to keep Mod DB his hobby, but he left the firm to found DesuraNET as the website's hosting company, citing the expense of running the website and his recollection of [[IGN]]'s 2006 attempt to acquire it.<ref name=History/> Mod DB was integrated into DesuraNET's [[Desura]], which was a [[digital distribution]] service that focused on [[indie game]]s. The service opened in April 2010 as a competitor to [[Valve Corporation|Valve]]'s [[Steam (service)|Steam]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/desura-moddb-takes-on-steam|title=Desura: ModDB Takes On Steam|last=Denby|first=Leeis|work=[[Rock Paper Shotgun]]|date=8 March 2010|access-date=4 October 2021}}</ref>

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==Mod of the Year==

Mod DB's Mod of the Year competition, the ''Golden Spanner'' awards, aim to set the industry standard in awarding inventive and high-quality mods. Mods are chosen via a community vote and are then reviewed by staff to produce the final list of winners. The competition aims to encourage all fields of modding, with different categories such as [[Computer graphics|graphics]] and [[gameplay]], as well as a traditional '"best mod'" winner. Notable winners include ''[[Garry's Mod]]'' for ''[[Half-Life 2]]'' in 2005,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/half-life-2/704142p2.html|title=Modify - Issue 18: Extending the Life of Half-Life 2|last=Mahood|first=Andy|work=[[GameSpy]]|date=1 May 2006|access-date=3 October 2021|page=2|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211003125520/http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/half-life-2/704142p2.html|archive-date=3 October 2021|url-status=live}}</ref> ''[[Insurgency: Modern Infantry Combat]]'' for ''Half-Life 2'' in 2007,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.polygon.com/2013/6/1/4382524/insurgency-interview-new-world-interactive-mod-early-access|title=From mod to game: Insurgency devs turn pro, but maintain community origins|last=Sarkar|first=Samit|work=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]]|date=1 June 2013|access-date=3 October 2021}}</ref> ''[[Black Mesa (video game)|Black Mesa]]'' for ''[[Half-Life (video game)|Half-Life]]'' in 2012,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.polygon.com/2012/12/27/3807656/half-lifes-black-mesa-project-leads-moddbs-favorite-mods-of-2012|title=Half-Life's Black Mesa project leads ModDB's favorite mods of 2012|last=Corriea|first=Alexa Ray|work=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]]|date=27 December 2012|access-date=3 October 2021}}</ref> and ''[[Brutal Doom]]'' for ''[[Doom (1993 video game)|Doom]]'' in 2017.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pcgamer.com/moddb-names-brutal-doom-mod-of-the-year-2017-skyblivion-as-best-upcoming-mod/|title=ModDB names Brutal Doom Mod of the Year 2017, Skyblivion as Best Upcoming Mod|last=Donnelly|first=Joe|work=[[PC Gamer]]|date=3 January 2018|access-date=3 October 2021}}</ref> Similarly, Mod DB's Mod Hall of Fame retrospectively reviews mods and inducts what it judges to be the greatest mods of the year of their release. Inductees include ''[[PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds|PlayerUnknown's Battle Royale]]'' for ''[[ARMA 3]]'' in 2014.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pcgamer.com/the-mod-responsible-for-playerunknowns-battlegrounds-has-been-inducted-into-the-mod-hall-of-fame/|title=The mod responsible for Playerunknown's Battlegrounds gets inducted into Mod Hall of Fame|last=Donnelly|first=Joe|work=[[PC Gamer]]|date=19 May 2017|access-date=3 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211003132339/https://www.pcgamer.com/the-mod-responsible-for-playerunknowns-battlegrounds-has-been-inducted-into-the-mod-hall-of-fame/|archive-date=3 October 2021|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Indie DB===