Modding could work for LFS! (idea for distant future)

[col]

Had some interesting thoughts that were sparked off by reading some other discussion that mentioned rFactor...

First of all, I am not asking for modding in LFS - it's not time yet (if ever). However, I want to air these thoughts before they fade into oblivion (where they probably belong)

#1 One of the most often requested features for LFS over the years is for modding of cars and tracks to be supported. Scawen suggested back in the dim and distant past that when the final stage of LFS was released they would probably release some design tools to the community so that we could develop our own content.

#2 There are well known and significant negative side-effects that come with opening a sim to modders: controlling quality of content; fracturing of the community; huge complexity for users

#3 Probably the best thing about LFS is the innovation. Stuff like 'instant' online racing, unique features of the physiscs engine and the amazing concept of LFSWorld.
It seems like Scavier are not happy to just do their version of whats already been done. They first analyse existing concepts and then try to find solutions for existing problems.

Putting these things all together got me wondering how Scavier might add modding to LFS and avoid the problems.

I imagine some sort of central mod database and a requirement that all mods must be 'registered'.
For on-line play, LFS would only allow registered mods to be loaded - the master server would be contacted for validation every time a client or server tried to run a modded online game. This would mean only registered mod content could be used. If a mod had been locked of banned, the master server would close or refuse to accept a server trying to use it.
We cannot expect the devs to test and rate every mod, but there would be rules about download availability and some sort of reporting mechanism so that bad mods can be reported and locked/removed.
A user rating system would also be useful - a mod with enough votes and a low rating might cause a warning to be displayed to the user.

What about dealing with the complexity?
A centralized system like this makes it possible to turn the end user nightmare of setting up a massively modded game into a walk in the park!
The ingame server lists could have mod related filtering
Mods would be required to maintain a working download link in the central database or risk being automatically 'locked' (as soon as any players' LFS client fails to download a mod, it can be auto-locked to ensure that it can only be used if everyone has access).
When a player tries to join a server that requires a mod they don't have, or a more recent version than they have, LFS would tell them about the mod/update, with a description, some other info (maybe some sort of user rating) and a file size. Then ask if they want to download the required components.
Streamlining the installation process in this way would make modding way more accessible. It would also help to prevent all the issues of everyone having different versions of a mod, or not being able to find a download.

Sure there are problems with these ideas: potential security issues with third party download links; problems with arbitration for 'unfairly' locked mods.. and others that I've not considered, but it seems like it should be possible to add modding to LFS in the future without all the huge problems that it has caused for other games.

So what are the other problems, and what other features would a central mod server make possible?

(apologies in advance if these ideas already exist in some other game and I'm just an ignorant fool :))

cheers

Col

[MAGGOT]

In addition, mods uploaded to the database should be 'offline only' until they have been downloaded and rated high enough by enough people. That will help to ensure only mods that can cut the mustard even make it to the world of online-age.

I'm one of those few in favour of modding; in the future, if done right. I don't want an rF situation, I love this sim too much.

[EDIT] Oh yes, and of course only available to users holding the newest licenses. The devs do need to pay for the bandwidth of the database, after all.

[Gil07]

To cover for the bandwith, maybe some sort of system like the high-res skins... Anyway, this is probably a very loooooooooooong way off still :tilt:

[col]

The bandwidth should be very low, the database would only hold stuff like info text and a download URL. The actual download would be from some external server not owned by Scavier - it would be up to the mod maintainer to ensure that the download was always available. If it became unavailable, the mod would be auto-locked.

If mods involved some sort of pay-per-view thing like the hi-res skins do, then there would be the risk of fracturing the community, so IMO that would be a no-no.

[spanks]

what you describe col is like a pure system, with white list and black list

Pure mode in the server would be official content only, loading from encrypted unmodified files that remain unmolested even if you install 1000 mods. The white list allows certain mods in some servers, while black listing can block all the rest.

Say you want your drag server to have the smoke mod, but not allow slick mod, you white list smoke mod, but black list slick mod, or you turn on pure mode and play it how the devs made it.

I animate for other fps games, as well as model a bit. I would LOVE to see custom content in lfs beyond skins

[Primoz]

THe problem is, if the devs had anything to do with it (and they approved the mods), car companies could demand payment from them. Just because of the involment. And paying for the downloads sucks - what about those of us that don't have a credit card and can't pay for the skins (sent the money via post for S1/S2)? We have the lower res skins. But what witht he mods then? Invisible cars beating us?

[Dygear]

sv_downloadurl (http://collective.valve-erc.com/index.php?news=1078093753-84291500)

[duke_toaster]

Primoz has it right regarding licencing. So, here's my idea


People can make FANTASY cars and tracks for LFS. They send them to a member of a panel of respected community members. They would use normal formats, not LFS's encrypted ones. No specific modding tools.
This group of community members vets the content every month. They will either flatly reject it, say "looks good - but it isn't ready yet. Come back next month" or accept it. They should be very tough on stuff, no fixed numbers but it should be of current quality or higher. These panel would have watermarked (so the person that leaks it can be promptly lynched) and separatly unlockable (so they can be stopped working, and would need internets activation every time they are used) copies of LFS able to try these things.
Accepted stuff would be sent to the devs for another quick look and in most cases inclusion.
The content gets included with normal patches.


It's got the advantages that the turd will be sent back but the cream will get put in. It also won't facture the community as it will be included in regular patches.

[XCNuse]

I still say not thanks for any modding in LFS, I know it would turn out bad, and the physics engine would be run to bits because it probably wouldn't be set up right and we'd have all these cars driving around like space ships (or boats).

Even if the physics are kept intact, just quality control wise, I know very little would be correct, it would take professional game modders to make something that is close to realistic, but even then it's just as realistic as the cars are in LFS.

-1 always and forever.
sorry :shrug: to many issues

[MAGGOT]

I still say not thanks for any modding in LFS, I know it would turn out bad, and the physics engine would be run to bits because it probably wouldn't be set up right and we'd have all these cars driving around like space ships (or boats).

That's why we are talking about possible routes for quality control.

...it would take professional game modders to make something that is close to realistic, but even then it's just as realistic as the cars are in LFS.

What are you on about? Most games that have become massively moddable have mods much more realistic than any other game.. aside from LFS, which is the trump card so far. If LFS became moddable in some way, you can bet the cream would rise to the top and the great stuff would be very realistic; and that cream is the stuff that we will accept for inclusion in the game.


My biggest (and really only) problem with LFS right now is lack of content. Don't give me that multiple routes for tracks BS, or the 'its about the competition on the track' BS. I want more, different tracks. IE. NOT more routes at existing locations. I want something different. I also want more cars. I want a couple prototypes, some faster GT cars, some touring cars, rally cars and so on.

Eric has a lot on his plate, we all know that. Having proper mod tools will help us get the content we want without forcing Eric into slave labor :razz:

We're also not talking about now, we're talking about closer to the end of development.

[Dajmin]

Right, here's the main issues:

If you use a non-LFS server you have the same problems you have in countless other places - out of date versions. That means you find and install v1.0.4.7a only to find that the server is running v1.0.4.7b. No auto-downloads in-game lessen the server load, but cause issues with external hosts and the risk of viruses.

The other problem is quality. You let people have free reign over what gets released and you end up with 4000 versions of Nordschleife and 20000 M3s. But which is the good one? Do you have to try them all to find out? Then hope a server is running it. Then hope you have the right version. Bleh.

I don't think the licensing issue is real though. Mods are free, so you're not selling a copyrighted piece of material. If that was the case, tons of other games would be in big legal trouble through modding. But they're not.

I still think that in terms of tracks, my old idea for a detailed track creation tool is the most useful idea, at least from a user's point of view. No downloads, just on-the-fly creation of parts. I can't remember where the original post was, but Scawen is welcome to hear my idea by email or PM if he wants all the details. Could work either in-game or as a seperate application to minimise the game download.

Cars are another matter, but you could get a basic one working using the same idea as Tweaker. You could set up specific car details - engine type and position, weight, gear ratios, wheelbase, whatever you need to create a working physics model, then upload the bodywork template. The only thing that would need stored is the body template, the rest would be generated by LFS when you log in to match the server car settings. The body download would be fairly small and could be stored on the server itself. There wouldn't be a great damage model, but it would be a start.

[BlakjeKaas]

-1, modding won't work for LFS...

the good thing about LFS is the limited choice of cars, you are guaranteed to find a full server where you can race with people..

What does it matter if you have 12 HP less or more, why do you want to have a different looking car..?

Modding would ruin LFS. Don't do it.

[Osco]

Primoz has it right regarding licencing. So, here's my idea

People can make FANTASY cars and tracks for LFS. They send them to a member of a panel of respected community members. They would use normal formats, not LFS's encrypted ones. No specific modding tools.
This group of community members vets the content every month. They will either flatly reject it, say "looks good - but it isn't ready yet. Come back next month" or accept it. They should be very tough on stuff, no fixed numbers but it should be of current quality or higher. These panel would have watermarked (so the person that leaks it can be promptly lynched) and separatly unlockable (so they can be stopped working, and would need internets activation every time they are used) copies of LFS able to try these things.
Accepted stuff would be sent to the devs for another quick look and in most cases inclusion.
The content gets included with normal patches.
It's got the advantages that the turd will be sent back but the cream will get put in. It also won't facture the community as it will be included in regular patches.

when are you considered a respected community member..?:shrug:

[MAGGOT]

-1, modding won't work for LFS...

the good thing about LFS is the limited choice of cars, you are guaranteed to find a full server where you can race with people..

No you aren't. Most servers run the same damned combos.

[jendan]

Yes I totally agree. What about Nurburgring with Porche Porsche 2.7 RS?!

[joen]

I still feel that any modding should go through the devs in the end. Of course we can't bother them with tons and tons, probably mostly useless mods, it would just take too much time.
I think any mod should be allowed to be released for offline use only. Then there could a periodical community voting held on the forum where users can nominate and rate mods on several predefined criteria. Of those elected most worthy by the community, the top n will undergo final testing and evaluation by the devs. Those that pass their likely high standards would be made available for online use by "flipping a switch" on the master server.
This thorough offline testing by the community will be a tool for the mod-developers to iron out bugs and implement improvements before they are made available online, (hopefully) ensuring that no big problems will occur.
In order to prevent an rFactor-ish version hell mod updates can only be released on set intervals, once again making sure mod devs only release updates when they have undergone serious testing.

disclaimer: The above is by no means a waterproof system and it is not thoroughly thought out, but in general something like this would be the sort of path it would need to go imo, and this of course needs the devs to be willing to take this upon them.

[Primoz]

Well if modding would be very very VERY hard that only the bravest would attempt, only the most persistent and skilled would prevail and we'd have only good stuff. Kinda like RBR is at the moment.

[col]

THe problem is, if the devs had anything to do with it (and they approved the mods), car companies could demand payment from them. Just because of the involment. And paying for the downloads sucks - what about those of us that don't have a credit card and can't pay for the skins (sent the money via post for S1/S2)? We have the lower res skins. But what witht he mods then? Invisible cars beating us?

If the system I suggested in my first post was used, then the devs would NOT be liable!
Are microsoft liable if someone uses windows for illegal purposes?
is an ISP liable if a customer downloads mp3s without a licence?
do youtube.com get sued every time some kid posts copyright material without permission?

If no actual mod data is stored on the central server and the devs don't actively support any mods, then they are not liable - in fact the opposite is true... because they have control of the usable mods, any licence holder that feels strongly enough that a mod is abusing their intellectual property, they can email the devs and have the mod locked or removed... kinda like how things work with youtube. This is something that the IP holders would see as a positive advantage over the likes of rFactors modding setup...

[JTbo]

Ah, if it isn't infamous modding discussion that rises it's head again. I still find nothing more to that what I have said in older threads, I believe I have said something along lines of OP there too at some stage :tilt:

[duke_toaster]

is an ISP liable if a customer downloads mp3s without a licence?

They were until the DMCA was passed in the US, no-one has tried in the UK tho ...

do youtube.com get sued every time some kid posts copyright material without permission?

Not every time but the Pr£mi£r$hip have sued Youtube. So have viacom and many other groups.

I wouldn't call my system modding as it would be highly regulated, more like "community content integration".

[col]

Right, here's the main issues:

If you use a non-LFS server you have the same problems you have in countless other places - out of date versions. That means you find and install v1.0.4.7a only to find that the server is running v1.0.4.7b. No auto-downloads in-game lessen the server load, but cause issues with external hosts and the risk of viruses.

This is one of the issues that my idea is specifically designed to avoid! Did you read my original post ?


The other problem is quality. You let people have free reign over what gets released and you end up with 4000 versions of Nordschleife and 20000 M3s. But which is the good one? Do you have to try them all to find out? Then hope a server is running it. Then hope you have the right version. Bleh.

The idea is that you don't worry about if there is a sever running the mods you have... you look for a busy server and click join. If it's using a mod that you don't have, LFS can automatically download and setup the mod for you - correct version, correct settings.
You never have to worry about getting all the latest mods, you just do what you always did - click on a populated server and let the system do the rest.

If a mod is rubbish, it wont last - people will soon leave the server to find a better one and it will quickly die a natural death.

-------------------------------

I'm personally not that bothered either way about having new content - I don't play LFS 24/7, and theres still plenty of combos that I haven't explored to anything like their full potential.

However, I am interested in this from a systems point of view.
I think the only valid negative issue that has been highlighted so far is related to IP rights.
The problem is that if IP owners can have mods locked and removed by e-mailing the devs, then we may not be able to have community built versions of real cars and tracks - because they will be quickly removed from the system. I guess that's just a wait and see what happens kind of thing - maybe IP holders won't have an issue with it because there's no money money in it for the lawyers. I'm sure if they really were that concerned, then there would have been a load of cease and desist letters sent to modders in the rFactor community? Is that something that has happened?

[duke_toaster]

I'm sure if they really were that concerned, then there would have been a load of cease and desist letters sent to modders in the rFactor community? Is that something that has happened?

IIRC when someone tried to make a BTCC mod for something someone sent out a cease and desist ...

[MAGGOT]

IIRC when someone tried to make a BTCC mod for something someone sent out a cease and desist ...


Happened with A1GP, too. Also, Tommy Bahama doesn't like having its logos used in games unofficially, either.

[col]

Primoz has it right regarding licencing. So, here's my idea
People can make FANTASY cars and tracks for LFS. They send them to a member of a panel of respected community members. They would use normal formats, not LFS's encrypted ones. No specific modding tools.
This group of community members vets the content every month. They will either flatly reject it, say "looks good - but it isn't ready yet. Come back next month" or accept it. They should be very tough on stuff, no fixed numbers but it should be of current quality or higher. These panel would have watermarked (so the person that leaks it can be promptly lynched) and separatly unlockable (so they can be stopped working, and would need internets activation every time they are used) copies of LFS able to try these things.
Accepted stuff would be sent to the devs for another quick look and in most cases inclusion.
The content gets included with normal patches.It's got the advantages that the turd will be sent back but the cream will get put in. It also won't facture the community as it will be included in regular patches.

Having an almighty panel of 'respected' members would cause more trouble than it would solve - if there's one sure fire way to cause splits in a community it's giving that level of power to some members and not others. There's too much room for personal agendas and grudges... how do you choose the panel? a vote? lol

If you can ensure that the installation of mod content can be transparent and robust, and you can include some sort of user rating system, then the cream of the crop would float to the top, and poor mods would soon vanish into the mire - no need for a panel of selectors.

Having selectors also makes the legal position more difficult to manage - are the panel sanctioned by the devs?
If they're not then how can the panel be justified as a mechanism thats part of the official LFS system.
If they are officially sanctioned, then mods they accept are, by association, also officially sanctioned and the devs become liable for IP infringements.

The only way I see a panel of members being a viable option is if the mod system is not part of the official LFS software, and that leaves us with basiacally the same mod 'system' that rFactor has - which is something that the majority here do not want(at least that's my understanding)

[duke_toaster]

Having an almighty panel of 'respected' members would cause more trouble than it would solve - if there's one sure fire way to cause splits in a community it's giving that level of power to some members and not others. There's too much room for personal agendas and grudges... how do you choose the panel? a vote? lol

I suggest that those persons are kept anonymous, then.

Having selectors also makes the legal position more difficult to manage - are the panel sanctioned by the devs?
If they're not then how can the panel be justified as a mechanism thats part of the official LFS system.
If they are officially sanctioned, then mods they accept are, by association, also officially sanctioned and the devs become liable for IP infringements.

What IP infringements?

People can make FANTASY cars and tracks for LFS. They send them to a member of a panel of respected community members.

[col]

I suggest that those persons are kept anonymous, then.


I'm not convinced by that at all!
If they are to be anonymous, who chooses them?
by what criteria are they chosen ?
who decides which users are 'respected'?
who must they be respected by?
Whats going to stop anonymous persons form exercising petty personal grudges and agendas? Its even more difficult to hold them to account if we don't know who they are!


What IP infringements?

The majority of community mods are likely to include some unlicenced IP. If they are to be officially sanctioned (by association), how will this be prevented?
Do the panel have to refuse every mod that has unlicenced IP?
If the mod provider states they have a licence, who is going to pay for lawyers to check the legality?
Do you expect the devs to trust anonymous 'respected' volunteers possibly with no legal expertise with their livelyhood?
What if some unlicenced IP slips through because one of the volunteer 'respected' persons messes up - who is going to pay the damages after the lawsuit?

If you don't have a panel and do things in a similar way to youtube , having no selection process, instead using user ratings and content reporting mechanisms, you can sidestep all those issues. Additionally we might get some un-licenced 'real' content that doesn't get locked because the IP owner doesn't see any advantage in preventing its use. Sure some mods using unlicenced content will be removed, but many will not, and doing things this way, the devs are not in such a legally vulnerable position.

How many of the custom 'user' skins in the database have corporate IP all over them and yet have no permission? yep, plenty of them, and yet in practice, there have been no issues. If those skins were officially sanctioned, you can bet that there would be major legal problems. There is nothing significantly different in the case of mods - at least from a legal standpoint - other than that the unlicenced content wouldn't even be stored on official servers.

[sam93]

allowing modding in lfs could ruin it, the reason I say this is because if people start making mods like cars and tracks may make it become not so much of a realistic sim, at the moment we deal with what it has to offer, and lfs has a lot to offer and is pretty realistic, well nearly every sim I have played is no where near as realistic as lfs, well I haven't played a game what is as realistic as lfs. So letting people to add cars and tracks could make the physics of member created cars not as good as the ones created by the devs.

So my opinion is don't allow modding on lfs and leave it to the devs who create cars with very good physics. Also allowing people to create their own cars and tracks means that we could end up with some stupid looking cars and tracks what are rubbish, basically fantasy cars and tracks. We are already able to create tracks to a certain extent, as we have autocross what is enough, and we are able to create our own car skins what is decent, we don't want to turn this sim into something like Rfactor do we?

[KanseiDneova]

Don't think it would work. Me votes No

[Dajmin]

This is one of the issues that my idea is specifically designed to avoid! Did you read my original post?
Just to clarify. Yes I read your original post, but having everything go through the Master Server like that would use more bandwidth than I could possibly imagine. It'd cost a fortune in hosting. Money best spent elsewhere.

Add to that the risk of a virus getting passed from the hosting server to the Master Server, to every game host, to every client host and you should start to see why it's not practical.

I'm not against LFS modding in a hardcore way, but I think it should be relatively self-contained. This is why I keep pimping my own ideas to minimize strain on the Master Server and lessen the downloads that everyone would need to get.
If you can join a server with no extra downloads required, download only a selection of car and setup parameters, and a single car body .cmx file to wrap it in, that would be nothing at all.

[col]

Just to clarify. Yes I read your original post, but having everything go through the Master Server like that would use more bandwidth than I could possibly imagine. It'd cost a fortune in hosting. Money best spent elsewhere.

Maybe you read it too quickly ;)
All I'm suggesting would go through the master server would be some sort of encrypted key, and on the occasion that a client doesn't have the required mod, a _short_ test description and a LINK to an EXTERNAL download.
If that would use more bandwidth than you can possibly imagine, then you don't have much of an imagination ;)
( On average, we're talking orders of magnitude less than a single skin download !)
Add to that the fact that most of the activity will be when a new mod version is released or when a new LFS version is released and lots of new users join (and mods need to be updated), and you can see that bandwidth is a non-issue in this system.


Add to that the risk of a virus getting passed from the hosting server to the Master Server, to every game host, to every client host and you should start to see why it's not practical.

Nonsense - there is no more danger in my suggestion than there would be with any 3rd party modding solution. In fact it is more secure, because as soon as any mod is found to contain malware of some kind, it can be banned and action can be taken - in which case far fewer end users will suffer!


I'm not against LFS modding in a hardcore way, but I think it should be relatively self-contained. This is why I keep pimping my own ideas to minimize strain on the Master Server and lessen the downloads that everyone would need to get.

having modding 'hardcore' and 'self-contained' is exactly what causes fracturing of the community in other games.... modding becomes a cliqué activity - it tends to be regular experienced users that use the mods/ These are the same people who set up servers and populate them... this causes barriers to new and/or inexperienced users.... exactly what we want to avoid.
(just to clarify, when I talk of modding I mean adding new tracks and cars - not hacking the physics to allow ridiculous horse power or extreme setup options)


If you can join a server with no extra downloads required, download only a selection of car and setup parameters, and a single car body .cmx file to wrap it in, that would be nothing at all.

Even that would be a much heavier load on the master server than my suggestion - remember a new car is not going to be just a .cmx file - it will also have to contain a whole bunch of data related to physics components like suspension parts, collision data etc. That is always going to be much larger than an encrypted handshake and a link to an external download site.
What about tracks - how are you going to factor those into it?
My understanding is that new tracks are at least as much in demand as cars, and that modders are at least as desperate to be able to work on tracks as on cars.

[Dajmin]

If it was just an external link there'd be no point having it go through the master server at all. That just makes it exactly the same as any other system - "go to our website, get the new version of the mod, hope we don't release a new one any time soon". Using the MS as a link generating program is a serious waste of resources.

My track creation idea, in a nutshell:
You choose a setting, using a background from one of the existing tracks. Then, like the autocross tool you select a piece of road you want to place. There are a range of options with each piece - things like starting/end width, start/end height, camber, etc. and you place it down. Select another piece and continue. On top of that you get to place features, like potholes and kerbs which have features like width, height, length.
If LFS had this as an option, you would need absolutely no downloads when you joined a server running a custom track - it would just use the same parameters to recreate that track using the features it was set up with.

The same is more or less possible with cars. LFS already has settings for multiple engines, drivetrains, etc so all you need to do to create a new car is fill in those fields - the basics to make it function are already there (as evidenced by the tweaker). Add to that things like wheelbase, tyre size/width and the like and you totally negate any downloads. Then if the server hosted a .cmx file with the car body, that could be downloaded like the skins are now, meaning an entire new car for only a kb 3d model download.

This system would take an absolute assload of work and it would take a long time to set up new tracks and cars, but the modders are already prepared to do this, and if the results could be saved to a file and distributed among server ops, you could have them added to current server rounds and loaded the same as a track does now.

[AstroBoy]

Thats an esitimet of what might happen chances are if there was a custom track already using the LFS features we would all still have to download it as that we didnt already have it even if its using the same things its still new therefore not there, same with cars its new that not everyone will have therefore making more download time to get all the right blah blah blah. ect.

-1 If Scarwen Victor and Eric wanted us to have new things they will give them to us in time. Thats all there is to it.

[Dajmin]

My suggestion wouldn't be a download any more than autocross layouts are now. Autocross placements go "put object 1 at position x,y". Just like it applies user's car settings to each vehicle when you join a server.
My idea goes a bit further with "place track piece 1 at position x, y with parameter a set to 5, b set to 12, c set to 4.7" etc.

[col]

My suggestion wouldn't be a download any more than autocross layouts are now. Autocross placements go "put object 1 at position x,y". Just like it applies user's car settings to each vehicle when you join a server.
My idea goes a bit further with "place track piece 1 at position x, y with parameter a set to 5, b set to 12, c set to 4.7" etc.

And unfortunately, it doesn't offer real 'modders' anything like they would want or need.
It would not be possible to create truly original content, therefor it would be kinda pointless to spend a lot of time developing what would be quite a complex management system.


If it was just an external link there'd be no point having it go through the master server at all. That just makes it exactly the same as any other system - "go to our website, get the new version of the mod, hope we don't release a new one any time soon". Using the MS as a link generating program is a serious waste of resources.

Hmm, it seems there's another part of my original suggestion that I will have to explain again - maybe there is a lack of willingness to understand the implications of the suggestion?

The idea is that a future moddable LFS version would have some mechanism by which installation of mods is handled automatically. The only user intervention required would be to click 'OK' or 'cancel'
heres the scenario: When a user tries to join a server that is running a mod, the master server can interrogate the users install to see if they have the correct version of the correct mod for the server they are trying to join. If they don't have *exactly* the correct version, the database WILL have a working link to a VALID download stored on an external server (maintained by the mod provider - not by the LFS team... If at any point anyone tries and fails to download via the link in the database, that mod will be locked until the maintainer sorts the problem).

Heres another scenario - this time from the perspective of setting up a server.
When a user tries to create a server, the master server can interrogate their LFS version and check to see that the mods they are running are registered on the database and are up-to-date. If any of the mods are either not registered, locked, or out of date, the user will be given a message explaining the problem. If it was just an out of date problem, they will be asked if they want to download and install the latest version of the mod (or an updater?).

If you think about this carefully, you will see that it would mean everyone would always be using the 'correct' version of a mod, and that it would be simple to join a server using a mod you don't have.
No going to external websites, no searching for the correct version, no worries or hassles for the end user.
There are no 'external links' visible to the user. What there are are links to external resources that are all managed behind the scenes automatically by the software.
Look at what happens when you use the LFS auto updater - you see a list of mirror servers and choose one - most folks are not downloading the updates from the servers owned by Scavier. It would be a similar process for the mods except that if each mod was only on one server, there would be no mirror list required (might be good to have a choice for pooular mods though)...

The only way you could run a banned, locked, unregistered or out of date mod would be in single player mode or on a LAN.

To suggest that this is 'exactly the same' as saying "go to our website, get the new version of the mod, hope we don't release a new one any time soon" is to miss the point entirely.

cheers

Col