Recent backlash in response to QOL mods for Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake has highlighted a fundamental difference in how mods are viewed in Japan vs in the West.
Using established characters in your own works has long been accepted in Japan, especially for smaller doujin works, and that’s awesome. But the analogy between that and modding just isn’t the same.
If we apply the ‘modding’ analogy to manga, that would basically be taking someone else’s published work, applying white-out on half the frames, drawing in partial new contents of your own, and then republishing it. That would be incredibly disrespectful of the author to use not only their character, but their exact art in such a way. Very different from creating a whole new derivative work.
I’m personally very in-favour of modding, but I can understand why the Japanese in particular, when seen through that lens, do not like it.
Not all modding goes that far, but I do think you put well how many see it. I should also note that things like ALTTPR do not make money and are free for any to download and use with their own ROM (i.e. require that you own the game yourself). The are simply meant to add replayability and variety.
Re-arranging the items, varying the power/defense of enemies, etc. doesn’t seem to fit that case very well to me. There are, of course, mods that do a lot more than those are definitely more akin to what you wrote.
As someone who loves mods, I’m totally I’m agreement.
Mods vary greatly, from ones that add tiny quality of life improvements, such as a ‘sort’ button on your inventory, right through to huge visual overhauls and new characters and mechanics changes.
Personally I like to always play games in a fairly vanilla way first with QOL changes only, and then when I’ve played it through once, the mods can keep things interesting.
That’s why mods are great, because they give you, the user, the choice.
Using established characters in your own works has long been accepted in Japan, especially for smaller doujin works, and that’s awesome. But the analogy between that and modding just isn’t the same.
If we apply the ‘modding’ analogy to manga, that would basically be taking someone else’s published work, applying white-out on half the frames, drawing in partial new contents of your own, and then republishing it. That would be incredibly disrespectful of the author to use not only their character, but their exact art in such a way. Very different from creating a whole new derivative work.
I’m personally very in-favour of modding, but I can understand why the Japanese in particular, when seen through that lens, do not like it.
Not all modding goes that far, but I do think you put well how many see it. I should also note that things like ALTTPR do not make money and are free for any to download and use with their own ROM (i.e. require that you own the game yourself). The are simply meant to add replayability and variety.
Re-arranging the items, varying the power/defense of enemies, etc. doesn’t seem to fit that case very well to me. There are, of course, mods that do a lot more than those are definitely more akin to what you wrote.
As someone who loves mods, I’m totally I’m agreement.
Mods vary greatly, from ones that add tiny quality of life improvements, such as a ‘sort’ button on your inventory, right through to huge visual overhauls and new characters and mechanics changes.
Personally I like to always play games in a fairly vanilla way first with QOL changes only, and then when I’ve played it through once, the mods can keep things interesting.
That’s why mods are great, because they give you, the user, the choice.
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