#3766:
running multiple incompatible versions of the same program is quite a miserable experience.
Ah, so having a modding API is much better for storage space than needing to install multiple forks with duplicate code. I hadn't thought about that. So what's to stop the forks from collaborating so as to separate some of that duplicate code into a separate library that both the forks use?
(And on the topic of unneeded extra files, modding APIs arguably have their own issue with the fact that often, a mod can only add things to the game, not replace or remove things.)
having your favorite mods not interoperate is an unfortunate experience.
Well, i can see how a modding API would help with code interoperability, but what about gameplay interoperability? What benefit is there to playing with two different mods if they don't work well with each other? And if there is collaboration between the devs of the mods to make the gameplay of the mods work together…well, they'd probably end up with code interoperability anyways. (Though i suppose one could argue that, if the modding API's promise of code interoperability didn't exist, nobody would even try to play with both of the mods at the same time, but i think that even if that wasn't there the desire for the mods to interoperate would still exist.)
as for submitting patches to the main game, this is not applicable for certain mods. many of my favorite video game mods definitely would not ever belong in the main game.
Would they work as forks of the original game?