Mod DB: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 15:03, 3 October 2021

Revision as of 19:24, 4 October 2021

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{{primary sources|date=September 2017}}

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

{{Infobox website

| name = Mod DB

| logo = [[File:Mod DB logo.png|300px]]

|logo_size=250px

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

| commercial = Yes

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

| registration = Free

| owner = [http://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 =

}}

'''Mod DB''' is a [[website]] that focuses on general [[Mod (video gaming)|video game modding]]. It was founded in 2002 by Scott "INtense!" Reismanis.<ref name="ModDB_about">{{cite web | url = http://www.moddb.com/about | title = About Us | access-date = 23 May 2010 | work = Mod DB | publisher = DBolical Pty Ltd.}}</ref> As of September 2015, the Mod DB site has received over 604 million views, has more than 12,500 modifications registered,<ref>http://www.moddb.com/mods Accessed 18 January 2014</ref> and has hosted more than 108 million downloads.<ref>http://www.moddb.com/downloads Accessed 18 January 2014</ref> A spin-off website, '''Indie DB''', was launched in 2010 and focuses on [[indie game]]s and news.

==Purpose==

The purpose of Mod DB is to list the mods, files, tutorials and information of any games that are capable of being modded with user-made content. Community involvement is strongly encouraged, and any game mod with a website is allowed to post a screenshot gallery, news, and requests for help. Scott's intentions, from the beginning, were to get the community heavily involved in the creation and development of the website. To this end, the most active members were chosen as [[Forum moderator|moderators]] and [[Forum administrator|administrators]]. The core staff generally remain the same, while lower positions are heavily rotated among trainee moderators, and administrator candidates. The site's staff mostly act as chaperones or librarians, keeping appropriate content available to the public and featuring the more exceptional content.

==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 17 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 11 January 2002, following [[IMDb]]'s structure in the process. The website was launched as Mod Database on 8 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/>

Scott Reismanis stated in an interview, "My first site was Gamerzoned, which became Gaminzone, then Chaosrealm and Modrealm".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://timothycourtney.io/interview/game-talk/moddb-and-indiedb-creator-scott-reismanis-interview-with-timothy-courtney.php |title=Game Talk: ModDB and IndieDB founder Scott INtense Reismanis Interview with Timothy Courtney |website=timothycourtney.io |access-date=9 July 2016 |date=4 March 2016 |first=Timothy |last=Courtney}}</ref> ModRealm was refactored and improved upon to include more developer tools. After months of additional development, it was rebranded as ModDB. Reismanis coded the site engine himself, which would cover all of the mod-related subjects. ModDB 1.0 debuted in June 2002. It quickly gained a group of core members who became the basis for the active community which the site has today. In 2004, the second version of the site was released, and many new features were implemented along with a complete site redesign. Version three followed in December 2005, once again redesigning the site's organisation and aesthetics.

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>

On 6 October 2006, [http://www.addondb.com/ Addon DB] another website by the Mod DB team opened up a public beta for registered members of Mod DB. Addon DB's aim is to list additional content for game not applicable under the category of game modifications. This includes models, skins and maps. Following the creation of Addon DB, Scott Reismanis founded DBolical Pty Ltd. (formally DesuraNET), which subsequently acquired ownership of both Addon DB and Mod DB.

==Features==

In September 2007 Mod DB changed and was overhauled to bring it up to version 4. This included integrating Addon DB into Mod DB. There were major enhancements like the ability to register a game rather than a mod as well as a better private messaging system.

The purpose of Mod DB is to list the mods, files, tutorials and information of any games that are capable of being modded with user-made content. Community involvement is strongly encouraged, and any game mod with a website is allowed to post a screenshot gallery, news, and requests for help. Scott's intentions, from the beginning, were to get the community heavily involved in the creation and development of the website. To this end, the most active members were chosen as [[Forum moderator|moderators]] and [[Forum administrator|administrators]]. The core staff generally remain the same, while lower positions are heavily rotated among trainee moderators, and administrator candidates. The site's staff mostly act as chaperones or librarians, keeping appropriate content available to the public and featuring the more exceptional content.

InMod 2011DB has a permissive approach to what content is allowed on the website, but the types of content forbidden by its terms of use include pornographic, defamatory, and obscene content, as well as material that incites crime or hatred, violates intellectual property law under the terms of the copyright law of Australia and the [[Digital Millennium Copyright Act]], or otherwise "brings [the website] into disrepute."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.moddb.com/terms-of-use|title=Terms of Use|publisher=Mod DB|date=25 May 2018|access-date=4 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211004134959/https://www.moddb.com/terms-of-use|archive-date=4 October 2021|url-status=live}}</ref> Nevertheless, the website received mainstream media attention when in early 2011 it removedhosted ''[[School Shooter: North American Tour 2012]]'', aftera "receiving''[[Half-Life quite2]]'' amod bitin which the player assumes the role of threateninga mailschool student with the goal of murdering as many people believeas wepossible arebefore thebeing creators,stopped supportersby police and makersSWAT members. The mod's premise led to a spate of thismail contentaccusing the website of being involved in the project, prompting the website to shut it down in March."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.escapistmagazine.com/inside-the-sick-mind-of-a-school-shooter-mod/|title=Inside the Sick Mind of a ''School Shooter'' Mod|last=Tito|first=Greg|work=[[The Escapist]]|date=28 February 2011|access-date=4 October 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://kotaku.com/5785053/hyper-violent-school-shooter-mod-pulled-from-moddb | title = Hyper Violent School Shooter Mod Yanked From Mod Hosting Site | publisher = [[Kotaku]] |date=23 March 2011 |first=Michael |last=McWhertor}}</ref>

==Mod of the Year==

Mod DB's [https://web.archive.org/web/20061011203953/http://goldenspanner.moddb.com/ 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>

===IndieDBIndie DB===

'''Indie DB''' is an offshoot of Mod DB launched in June 2010. It is dedicated to [[indie game|indie gaming]] and serves as a repository for those games.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.destructoid.com/so-much-indie-moddbs-latest-creation-indiedb/|title=So much indie: ModDB’s latest creation, IndieDB|last=Devore|first=Jordan|work=[[Destructoid]]|date=21 June 2021|access-date=3 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211003135011/https://www.destructoid.com/so-much-indie-moddbs-latest-creation-indiedb/|archive-date=3 October 2021|url-status=live}}</ref> Like Mod DB, the website hosts an annual competition for the best indie game of the year, with the games being voted on in categories and overall. Also like Mod DB, the nominees are selected by the site's editors and voted on by its readers. Winners of the Indie of the Year Awards include ''[[Minecraft]]'' by [[Mojang]] in 2010,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.destructoid.com/and-the-best-indie-games-of-2010-are/|title=And the best indie games of 2010 are….|last=Tan|first=Maurice|work=[[Destructoid]]|date=26 December 2010|access-date=3 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211003141143/https://www.destructoid.com/and-the-best-indie-games-of-2010-are/|archive-date=3 October 2021|url-status=live}}</ref> and ''[[RimWorld]]'' by Ludeon Studios in 2016.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pcgamer.com/stalker-call-of-chernobyl-wins-moddbs-mod-of-the-year-rimworld-grabs-indiedbs-top-prize-equivalent/|title=STALKER: Call of Chernobyl wins ModDB's Mod of the Year, Rimworld grabs IndieDB's top prize equivalent|last=Donnelly|first=Joe|work=[[PC Gamer]]|date=30 December 2016|access-date=3 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211003144413/https://www.pcgamer.com/stalker-call-of-chernobyl-wins-moddbs-mod-of-the-year-rimworld-grabs-indiedbs-top-prize-equivalent/|archive-date=3 October 2021|url-status=live}}</ref>

==References==

{{reflist}}

==External links==

* [http://www.moddb.com/ The Mod DB website]

* [http://www.indiedb.com/ The Indie DB website]

* [http://www.dbolical.com/ DBolical]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mod Db}}

[[Category:Australian entertainment websites]]

[[Category:Internet properties established in 2002]]

[[Category:Online game databases]]