On a positive note, I want to give a few examples of how members of the modding community worked together to improve both car and track mods, and everyone benefited from it, including the modders that originally released them. These mods were improved without having to hack or decrypt them. These are just a few of many examples...
1. On this forum, I posted about how Aosta could really use an update. Within the next couple of days, members of this forum developed new config files, skins, and more. It went from an "outdated" mod to one of the best looking mods available.
2. Valerbanen became a hot topic recently. Originally re-released and improved by Legion, a few members applied their different touches and improvements. Now it's an even better track mod.
3. Rudskogen, the current version originally from a drift group, has been improved by members of this forum, and will possibly be improved even more over the next few weeks. It might even be improved more with lidar data.
4. Many car mods needed some tweaking and adjustment. Several notable members pitched in to adjust driver placement, fix shifting animations, remove driver heads (that affect VR users), adjust gauge displays, adjust shaders, and several other things. In some cases, the original modder consolidated all of the revisions and re-released the mod.
Now, briefly, on a negative note, there have been a few mods that badly needed these tweaks and adjustments from other helpful members of the community. However, they couldn't do anything, and the mod often remained in its' "broken" and "unfinished" form. What's worse, when the original modder was contacted about making the changes, they often either ignored the requests, or worse, argued about making the updates, or it was "their way, or the highway." I even read a long statement from one modder not wanting to provide standard previews of his mods, but instead, audacious, busy previews featuring a variety of showrooms--and he insulted those who didn't want that. Of course, these are the worst examples.
To end on a positive note, the best mods are either improved by the original modder that listens to feedback and appreciates it, makes the improvements himself, and re-released the mod, -OR- the mod is improved with the contribution of many.
THIS is what the modding community is about. Whether mods are encrypted or not, the positive examples above are what will improve and sustain this community over time.
