discovery, especially of emergent mechanics, is a major part of what can make a game fun and enduring.

If the desire is for emergent mechanics, what's the point in piling more and more completely new and non-emergent mechanics on top of the game through mods? Why not instead tweak and change the original game so as to allow for those emergent properties?

people would be overwhelmed with loads of competing forks? i shall actually prove you wrong by sending you to a link to a completely unrelated legal document about the legal nuances of forks!!

Did you read the page? And there's no need to be mocking.