Prevent the workshop from updating mods?

mimizukari Nov 12, 2020 @ 5:32pm

No, it's not possible to stop workshop mods from updating, they update separately from the game itself.

(and even with games it's not possible to stop them from updating 'cause they'll update when you try to run them.)

Last edited by mimizukari; Nov 12, 2020 @ 5:33pm

#1

Dr.Shadowds 🐉 Nov 12, 2020 @ 7:17pm

Nexus mod has subscription service, as they're already limiting your download speeds greatly. Where Moddb is just the better choice for 3rd party download compare to Nexus mod.

OP there no option to stop receiving updates on workshop as that was the design since day one to auto update just like games do when a dev push new game version update. Its not end of the world, but can be annoying when modder pushes update for no reasons, unless it's a game update that the dev made that broke the mod which the modder trying to fix by providing you latest version. The same can be said when getting mods from 3rd party that breaks when dev pushes new update.

Depending on the mod, can be from X KB to X MB download size again depends on the mods.

If you're dead set on stoping mod updates, then I suggest sticking to outsource 3rd party sites to download mods from. As well if this is a single player game, not multiplayer, then you can edit game .acf file to tell Steam client that it's the latest version which isn't while not having to update it.

#2

Praytock Sep 16, 2021 @ 7:30pm

YES YOU CAN PREVENT UPDATES
... simply play steam offline.

No Updates.
Just beware that if you ever run steam online again, your games and mods may update.
I simply keep steam offline until I feel I am done playing a game for a long time. Then I after a few weeks or whatever... I will log back in when its doesn't matter anymore.

#3

Edifier Sep 16, 2021 @ 11:35pm

Originally posted by Toby:
This is why Steam has the worse modding support in the industry. Valve literally does not understand how modding actually works, if they did they would not force updates of games and would not force updates of mods.

Overall, it is best to ignore workshop as much as possible, use it only as the last resort because the mod you want is only on Steam workshop. There are other options to download mods from workshop so you do not have to worry about auto updating, this would be the second to the last resort:

{LINK REMOVED}https://steamworkshopdownloader.io/

{LINK REMOVED}http://steamworkshop.download/

Steam was made with auto update in mind and they haven't changed their mind.

Modding support came in much later and then the mods released for Steam games have to adapt that games are being updated.

If they let people decide whether to update or not it'd just lead to a ton of mods being spread out on a lot of different versions with no plan to update them to the later version. This could be seen with Minecraft where a lot of mods are split on every version and won't work on later versions.

Sooner or later a game will stop getting updates from the developers and then mods will not have to worry about patches.

#4

Edifier Sep 17, 2021 @ 9:36am

Originally posted by Toby:
Not saying that different versions of mods need to be distributed. What I am saying is that I want what is installed on my PC to be left alone, to not be forced to be updated. That's it. A simple option of "do not update" is all I want.

Before Steam when users had to look for updates most people did not update their games and ended up reporting a lot of bugs to Valve about their games, but the thing was, most of them where already fixed and patched. So a lot of the time for Support was just replying back with "You have to get this patch to fix the issue" and it was such an issue that Auto update on games was a backbone feature in Steam.

This is the problem that showed up when people got to choose when to update their games.
The very same thing will happen again if they are given that feature but this time with a million more users complaining about bugs that have been fixed.

In other games like MP games, people stuck to the base patch version like in COD4 but the latest version had more content but less players.

Originally posted by Toby:
People having an option to have the files on their own PC absolutely left alone and not forced to be updated will not cause thing whatever that you are claiming about Minecraft modding. Again, it is not about having different versions being in distribution, but rather individual people choosing to simply have what is installed on their own PC to be left alone.

The thing that happened with Minecraft will happen here as well. Because the mod creator will be happy to stay on his version because it works there.
That is why I use minecraft as an example because it's a good example.

Originally posted by Toby:
Mods still get patched even after a game is no longer being patched, and updating a mod can have a cascading negative effect on a persons installed game and installed mods, so this is why it is better for individual users to have the choice to have the files installed on their own PC to be updated or not.

Mods destroying other mods is the life of a modder. Same goes for when a patch destroys some mods. Been through plenty of those while modding games.

While I get that you don't want updates there is a large part of Steam userbase that would just opt out of patches and then start complaining about bugs that have been fixed.
You'd have to start with asking the topic creator if he has stayed on an older patch every time there is an issue posted.

It's just not worth the hassle.

#5

Edifier Sep 17, 2021 @ 2:01pm

Originally posted by Toby:
There are other stores that give the choice to the users like Oculus, GOG, Epic, itch, Humble DRM Free. Guess what practically never happens as evidenced by years of Forums, Discord, Reddit, Twitter use? Seeing people making complaints about stuff already fixed. So this issue you are talking about is so extremely rare that is practically doesn't happen. MP Games are the only games that it makes sense to force updates.

Oculus is a VR headset what I know of. Which forced people into signing up for Facebook or they'd lose access to all of their games. They also planned to make the headset obsolete this year according to some articles because they have new headsets in the making.

How does that prove anything for you?

As for the other clients, well Valve generally got those through their support channels. So it isn't really discussed about normally.

Beside Steam has a much larger community with active forums and it'd show up. All of those other clients don't really have a popular forum like Steam community. Epic doesn't have any to begin with.

Originally posted by Toby:
This makes absolutely no sense in any form at all. Users deciding to keep their files on their own PC left alone has absolutely no effect on anybody else, has no effect on the mod maker who can still choose to update his mods and have that update being distributed, mod makers can also choose to stop supporting their mods.

It makes sense. Mod maker likes a certain version and sticks to it. Due to no forced update he has no need to update his mod.

In minecraft people could choose the version they wanted and just stuck with like 1.6, 1.7 or 1.9.
No incentive to update.

Originally posted by Toby:
So there is no justification for force updating mods, it'll cause more problems, more confusing problems than what it can possibly fix.

So now that every single one of your points have been shown to not be good points at all, what I said still stands.

Yeah um no. You fail to get the minecraft part. You bring up Occulus that will quite literally make VR headset oboslete, to the point where a lawsuit was involved.

Auto update is though up to each developer to use or not. I believe nearly everyone uses it. Maybe they do it for a reason you know.

#6

Yasahi Sep 17, 2021 @ 3:10pm

Originally posted by Toby:
Discords and reddits tend to have far bigger communities than the Steam ones for individual games. So if someone was complaining about bugs that were already fixed, then it would show up on the reddits and discords. Especially Discord since that is where the bulk of tech support tends to happen and where developers want them to be posted. So the fact that it is so extremely rare that it practically doesn't happen of people complaining about bugs already fixed.

Discord and Reddit were not around when manual updating was causing issues on a large scale. You don't see such complaints today because auto-updates are so common for the majority. By the time Reddit launched Valve had been doing it with Steam for a couple of years already and the Discord-generation for the most part have never even experienced a time when you had to manually look for updates to all your software. They're used to their phones, operating systems and launchers serving everything to them automatically with no user input needed.

#7

Nx Machina Sep 17, 2021 @ 4:07pm

Originally posted by Toby:
You are another gamer that is against gamers and don't feel that gamers should have options to determine what is installed on their own PCs

You do not own any piece of software nor the operating system you use (Windows), all are licenced to you including Steam and you are free to uninstall everything and walk away as no data is yours unless you actually created it.

As for 3rd party mods they are not part of official updates and the game developers do not need to concern whether those mods function or not. Mods NEED to be compatible with the game version NOT vice versa.

Secondly Valve do not force developer updates on you because Valve did not create those updates and those developers who did create them want you to update otherwise they would offer version choice via branches which stops auto-updating and you are VERY AWARE of this.

Why then have the expectation that anyone needs to side with you or be concerned, when you slate others gamers who do not side with you whenever you can as can be seen in the quote above and the link below, Eisberg.

https://steamcommunity.com/discussions/forum/0/3105768154699630174/#c3105768154699983201

Skyrim, Fallout 3, Fallout 4 - did they need patching? Yes and those games are updated and modded on my PC with no issues.

As for the workshop (that is supposedly flawed) i have Skyrim SE modded and the game is up to date with no issues. I also have other games fully updated and using workshop mods with no issues.

Last edited by Nx Machina; Sep 18, 2021 @ 4:46am

#8

76561198407601200 Sep 17, 2021 @ 5:25pm

Originally posted by Toby:
Originally posted by Edifier:

Steam was made with auto update in mind and they haven't changed their mind.

Modding support came in much later and then the mods released for Steam games have to adapt that games are being updated.

If they let people decide whether to update or not it'd just lead to a ton of mods being spread out on a lot of different versions with no plan to update them to the later version. This could be seen with Minecraft where a lot of mods are split on every version and won't work on later versions.

Sooner or later a game will stop getting updates from the developers and then mods will not have to worry about patches.

Not saying that different versions of mods need to be distributed. What I am saying is that I want what is installed on my PC to be left alone, to not be forced to be updated. That's it. A simple option of "do not update" is all I want. People having an option to have the files on their own PC absolutely left alone and not forced to be updated will not cause thing whatever that you are claiming about Minecraft modding. Again, it is not about having different versions being in distribution, but rather individual people choosing to simply have what is installed on their own PC to be left alone.

Mods still get patched even after a game is no longer being patched, and updating a mod can have a cascading negative effect on a persons installed game and installed mods, so this is why it is better for individual users to have the choice to have the files installed on their own PC to be updated or not.

You aren't "forced" to update as per the ssa you agreed to:

https://store.steampowered.com/subscriber_agreement/

2. LICENSES ⏶

A. General Content and Services License

Steam and your Subscription(s) require the download and installation of Content and Services onto your computer. Valve hereby grants, and you accept, a non-exclusive license and right, to use the Content and Services for your personal, non-commercial use (except where commercial use is expressly allowed herein or in the applicable Subscription Terms). This license ends upon termination of (a) this Agreement or (b) a Subscription that includes the license. The Content and Services are licensed, not sold. Your license confers no title or ownership in the Content and Services. To make use of the Content and Services, you must have a Steam Account and you may be required to be running the Steam client and maintaining a connection to the Internet.

For reasons that include, without limitation, system security, stability, and multiplayer interoperability, Steam may need to automatically update, pre-load, create new versions of or otherwise enhance the Content and Services and accordingly, the system requirements to use the Content and Services may change over time. You consent to such automatic updating. You understand that this Agreement (including applicable Subscription Terms) does not entitle you to future updates, new versions or other enhancements of the Content and Services associated with a particular Subscription, although Valve may choose to provide such updates, etc. in its sole discretion.

#9

76561198407601200 Sep 17, 2021 @ 9:21pm

Originally posted by Toby:
Why am I not surprised there are gamers that are against gamers having choices, there are always gamers that are against options. If Valve actively prevented the ability to mod any game, you people would defend that as well.

Im not against gamers having choices, in fact they had a choice when creating their account. There are other platforms beyond steam that may work how you want, perhaps venture to those parts.

#10

76561198407601200 Sep 17, 2021 @ 11:22pm

Originally posted by Toby:
Originally posted by The Living Tribunal:
Im not against gamers having choices, in fact they had a choice when creating their account. There are other platforms beyond steam that may work how you want, perhaps venture to those parts.

If you are not against players having choices about what is installed on their own PCs, then you would not be against players having choices on Steam to determine if they want games/mods to be updated.

Again, it is what you agreed to and again there are other platforms.

#11

Yasahi Sep 18, 2021 @ 5:01am

Originally posted by Toby:
There are stores right now, that have existed for years, which I already listed, that give users the choice on if they want to update or not. And after all these years, it is extremely rare, to the point that is practically doesn't exist. The past is the past, I'm talking about right now.

You are another gamer that is against gamers and don't feel that gamers should have options to determine what is installed on their own PCs

Which still have launchers that do the updating. They also sell plenty of games with integrated launchers. For MP games auto-updates is the norm and they're the biggest sellers for many of those stores. Again, the whole ecosystem of gaming has changed to include various ways of auto-updates and the vast majority of users use them.

I have no problem with people modding games. I'm even now playing several games with mods even though they receive updates at quite a steady pace. MB: Bannerlord for example is still in early access and the base updates can break saves and have broken both saves and mods countless times. The developer does in this case offer a beta branch which means that If I wanted to, I could stay at a certain version of the game without issues. That same mechanism is available to all developers. Most don't see the need for that and it's fine too. The game is theirs to update.

Originally posted by Toby:
Why am I not surprised there are gamers that are against gamers having choices, there are always gamers that are against options. If Valve actively prevented the ability to mod any game, you people would defend that as well.

They already do. Try and mod CS:GO extensively and then join a VAC secured server. You'll either get a VAC Error and can't play or you'll end up getting banned depending on what you did. Or run a modified lobby in CoD. Plenty of MP games will ban you for modifications or they prevent you from playing until you've fixed the situation.

#12

Junior Sep 18, 2021 @ 5:16am

I dont see the problem of letting user not update game or mods, all that should be done is a warning that outdated software games dont have support if user have a problem.

(sorry for necro did not see date)

Last edited by Junior; Sep 18, 2021 @ 5:23am

#13

Dr.Shadowds 🐉 Sep 18, 2021 @ 5:18am

Let end this already geez. Do I think Steam should just allow option to not just update playing said version, yes, but trade off one can not really ask for help if one stay behind certain version if everyone else moved to later version. When comes to modders they have to stay up to date, or not at all that their problem it's not the store, nor developer / publisher concern what modders do period as they do not work for them, and same vice versa.

But here the problem, Steam can't just offer multi version download you want without permission from developer / publisher, that the problem, this goes agasint the developer / publisher that want to push update which why Steam can't flat out offer you version download page, BUT Steam does offer developer / publisher beta branches which does do exactly what you're looking for, giving you choice to stay on said version, as well download a said version. Example 7 days to die. https://imgur.com/cgqxtzC

Steam does not stop anyone from using beta branches period, they allow developer / publisher to use them for testing, or they can use it to store older version of the game anytime they wish, the REAL issue is that most developer / publisher don't want to use it, or don't care about it that is the problem, they don't want to make said efforts of allowing you to have this choice.

Which actually having this multi branche download option makes it the best thing to have if developer / publisher support it, giving you WAY more control.

Last edited by Dr.Shadowds 🐉; Sep 18, 2021 @ 5:21am

#14

Nx Machina Sep 18, 2021 @ 5:24am

Originally posted by Toby:
The other launchers do not force updating like Steam does, they give the users options to not update and still be able to play the games unlike Steam.

Edited for corrections and additional info.

INCORRECT - Steam does NOT force updates the developers do because AGAIN they CAN enable "version choice via branches" to stop automatic updates AND you are FULLY AWARE of this as you have been told this numerous times before including on this thread.

Examples:

Dead Cells - Motion Twin - https://ibb.co/hMW7MPN

Paradox - Heart of Iron IV - https://ibb.co/mGc5SqM

Battlenet - Uplay Connect - Rockstar Launcher - ALL have automatic updates - no way to turn them off.

GOG Galaxy, Origin and Epic are all DEFAULTED to automatic updates and if you are unaware of that as a NEW user then games automatically updating will be the norm.

And finally - this is not about automatic updating but MODS as always Eisberg, be truthful.

Last edited by Nx Machina; Sep 18, 2021 @ 6:30am

#15

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