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One of the most unique features of PC gaming is the freedom it provides for its community. I speak, of course, of mod tools, content creation programs such as the Neverwinter Nights Toolset, the Fallout G.E.C.K. and The Elder Scrolls Construction Set. That last, in particular, is a noteworthy example, as Bethesda’s upcoming RPG epic, Skyrim, is slated to include a set of tools on the PC for content modification and creation. According to Bethesda VP of PR and Marketing Pete Hines, this may not always be a PC exclusive feature. In a recent interview, Hines stated that the issue isn’t a matter of compatibility. Mods that work on a PC can be made to work on a console. The issue, according to Hines, is two-fold. One part is the console manufacturers, who have very strict controls over what content appears on their platforms, when it gets there, how rigorously it was tested, etc. User-made mods take away a lot of that control. The other part is more a question of how to deal with potentially data-destroying issues. “For example,” said Hines, “what if someone messes up their game? How do they recover their saved file?” 
By Shelby Reiches |