I'm the only sane one here...

I think this may be the game that will get me modding again.

When? At release (as most late date to release it). You will be loved for it.

Frogboy i just saw that you use *.png for the cloth map icons. can your team please switch ro *.dds with mipmaps or else those symbols will flicker when zooming in/out on the cloth map?

It's not like we're waiting for the tool release to start modding anyway. The only difference is that we're introducing MORE bugs with our mods currently, because we're doing it the old fashioned way.

 Edit: And be careful, tornado alerts in your area, Brad.

Let em have it! Let it all burn...

If you're the base line for sane we're in trouble.

Gonna wait til release before I start making space for FE mods. The potential for a scenario based storyline intrigues me more than the usual Tweaking and modding that I know I'll do to FE.

As to the issue of people creating their own issues.. its something that every mod friendly game has to deal with. Just make it apparent that issues that pop up using modded copies won't be supported. If people have an issue while running a mod.. they need to bug the modder about it. If the mod maker cares he'll take the time to reproduce the problem in vanilla if its possible. (something I constantly do for my mods on other games)

One thing modders often do is create situations that are rare in base game.. but common in the mods.  Sniffing out issues that can often be much harder to track down in the course of a normal game. Once they notice that when X and Y happens it causes Issue Z its much easier for them to recreate the issue in the base game.

P.S. So glad there is no GD python to deal with.

The only thing more brilliant that your modding tool are the modders who are going to use it. 

As to timing, you guys probably know best, but I would say around the time the first patch comes out for the 3rd beta (i.e. the second version of beta 3). 

Right now I think the most valuable use of beta testers time is to improve the basic game, and potential modders are often your sharpest eyes.

But I would not leave it until release - there may well turn out to be some problems encountered by the modding community which should be addressed if possible before gold.

Awesome!   Despite my own efforts of creating a quest editor.  I am so (!!!) glad they are going to release one with the game.   Hopefully we'll get it sooner rather than later, but I understand the concern.  Perhaps they can flag crash reports if they happen while a mod is in use.  that way they don't chase phantom bugs.   

I guess they could ask modders to not release mods for a while, but give us the tools to start working on the mods.   

The problem is that some people might think that they have reproduced a bug in vanilla, but are actually still playing with some chocolate. Human error is likely, but easily checked. I would still prefer we do it after I get my hands on the new build. I will be too distracted with quests otherwise. I have somewhere around 300 quests to add.

What makes you draw that conclusion? Enthusiasm for modding a game is not something you can bottle up and then use when the devs feel like it. Me personally, I'm doing mods now because the main game is lacking. As the game improves, so will my desire to mod it decrease. That's my reasoning, I can't speak for any other.

Imho, the only reason not to release the tools like the Workshop and the spreadsheet in OP would be because they're not ready and filled with bugs.