Be Careful Discussing Awesomemod!

[JamesNine]

So, a few minutes ago on modthesims.com I recommended Awesomemod to someone who asked where to find something that would allow him to run the game without a DVD. I was awarded FIVE warning points for...

You have asked for help with stealing intellectual property, have provided information on it to others, or have admitted to having pirated/cracked/stolen intellectual property or software yourself. This includes asking for or providing links, files, or serial numbers which are illegal and/or warez software, including cracks for commercial programs.

They must be regarding Awesomemod as an illegal crack because of the no-cd hack. I wasn't aware that Awesomemod is illegal or warez and will continue to refuse to believe that. I admit, maybe it wasn't smart to respond to a no-cd question but still...

Anyways, this ISN'T the first time I've had problems with Mod The Sims regarding Awesomemod. A month or so ago someone asked how to get the CAS screen ingame after they created their sim. I suggested using Awesomemod or twallan's Super Computer and promptly received a warning. Since then I think I've gotten on mangaroo's shitlist or something.

Anyways, the moral of the story is that be careful what you say online...

[nanacake]

MTS has been known to have silly rules, that doesn't stay consistent with their moderators all the time either. You should be careful what you say online, but I don't see how this is one. They have their own rules, just don't post there anymore if it bothers. Also why did you even post this in AM section?

[JamesNine]

Because this is the SECOND time I've been punished for posting things related to Awesomemod. People need to be made aware of the hatred towards Awesomemod!

MTS is becoming a pain, tbh...

Also, brings variety to all the "Awesomemod doesnt work" threads

Edit: Disregard, I went into this simply with the perspective of Awesomemod as a single entity rather then looking at the big picture. I'm sure, in their eyes, Awesomemod is guilty by association so I was wrong to bring it up.

Mods, you can lock or delete this thread if you'd like.

[Simsample]

Modthesims is and always has been against game pirating. This means that, by extension, no discussion of No-CD mods is allowed, or links to No-CD mods. As Awesomemod has a built in No-CD mod, then it is against the rules of the forum. That's why you were warned.

[purplehaze]

I am a Mod at MTS. That post was in reply to a question on how to play the game without the disk. AM is discussed everywhere on our forums. We just do not like to call attention to the fact that it has a no CD crack.  If you search for awesome mod at our site, you will find thousands of hits.  We do not discourage it's use. In fact, we often refer folks to it for solving game problems.

Now, if I could just get the darned thing working in my WA game, I'd be golden.

[kuronue]

But... playing without a disk != pirating. I can understand not handing out where to get a torrented copy but sheesh. I like virtual disks and no-CD cracks because I don't have to carry around a case full of disks when I bring my laptop on vacation. That seems a little excessive.

[Drakron]

There are two checks, one with the Launcher and one with the core rules.

There does not seem to be a build-in CD check on the game executable so AM is hardly a "no-CD crack" since its not "cracking", it simply disables a flag on the core rules that goes looking for the disk.

[JamesNine]

There are two checks, one with the Launcher and one with the core rules.

There does not seem to be a build-in CD check on the game executable so AM is hardly a "no-CD crack" since its not "cracking", it simply disables a flag on the core rules that goes looking for the disk.

This was my initial reaction, I just couldn't consider Awesomemod a crack, piracy, or an intellectual property violation. If that was the case then twallan's mods would be subject to the same thing because hes got a no-cd mod in his forums. As far as I'm concerned, those are the two major Sims 3 mods atm. All I did was give a link to a mod... this mod, which has been done many times before by others with apparently no consequence.

But back to my initial post, this site has some other things which, I assume, is why I got the warning. If that's not the case then I suppose I won't understand it.

I am a Mod at MTS. That post was in reply to a question on how to play the game without the disk. AM is discussed everywhere on our forums. We just do not like to call attention to the fact that it has a no CD crack.  If you search for awesome mod at our site, you will find thousands of hits.  We do not discourage it's use. In fact, we often refer folks to it for solving game problems.

Now, if I could just get the darned thing working in my WA game, I'd be golden.

From my perspective the problem is that this is the second time I was warned with regards to Awesomemod. The first time was something about "We don't support third party material" in reference to "How do I get to CAS ingame". It was just a warning but still, you sure you guys don't have Awesomemod on a DNP list?

Regardless, after reflection I probably should have even posted in the first place. I feel like I was baited and then punished for trying to help, lol.

[GnatGoSplat]

They do have at least a couple nitpicky mods and very strict rules there.  They typically don't like any discussion about anything relating to piracy, no matter how distant or remote.  It's true a No-CD hack would be useful for even a legitimate game owner who hates having to insert the disc every time (which I would think is everyone).  However, all pirated copies must have a No-CD hack, so therein lies that connection to piracy that they would object to at MTS.  Anything that even has a distant relation to piracy is not allowed there.  Back in the end of May when pirated copies of Sims 3 were leaked, you weren't allowed to discuss anything you knew about the leaked copies because that knowledge would have had to come from either pirating the game, knowing someone that had pirated the game, or having read about the pirated game.

Unrelated to the piracy issue, I've even had posts deleted for simply disagreeing with a mod's advice and having a different opinion.

I wouldn't take it personally.  They just run a really (excessively) tight ship.

[jolrei]

However, all pirated copies must have a No-CD hack, so therein lies that connection to piracy that they would object to at MTS. 

Very logical.  All pirates have boats; therefore, all discussion of seafaring, navigation, and even wind speeds is encouragement of piracy.

[kuronue]

^ On a site called "Transportation Discussions", no less.

Seriously, the site is about modding the game. No-CD cracks are a type of game mod, and not an illegal one.

[Mootilda]

The rules at MTS say that you can't discuss no-cd.  You were answering a post asking about where to find a no-cd.  You likely mentioned that AwesomeMod includes a no-cd and included a link.  It makes sense to me that you would be warned.  I've never had any problems posting about AwesomeMod or answering questions about it at MTS, but I avoid talking about its no-cd ability at that site.

If MTS said that I wasn't allowed to discuss purple on their site, I'd avoid discussing purple there.  It doesn't really matter whether the rules make sense, just whether I want to get into trouble.  I have no desire to be banned, so I try to follow the rules.

The other warning that you got probably had nothing specific to do with AwesomeMod.  MTS says that they can't provide support for 3rd-party mods.  Pescado says the same thing here.  It makes sense to ask for support from the person who wrote the mod.  I'm not sure why you'd get an official warning for that, but the policy makes some sense.

[JamesNine]

I cleared it up with them. It was the no-CD question itself and not Awesomemod that was the problem.

No, Awesomemod is too awesome to shun just because it also happens to be a no-cd crack. However, (per the site rules) no one is allowed to request a no-cd crack or recommend Awesomemod specifically for that purpose.

I just wasn't thinking and was jumping to conlcusions.

Anyways, its one of those guilty by association things (no-CD = pirate!) and strict rules. Of which, I violated by responding. Woops...

[J. M. Pescado]

It's not even a no CD crack. A crack would imply that the executable was altered to prevent it. All AwesomeMod is changing is some gamescripting. Besides, if you're a launcher tard, it won't even function as that.

[phnxflyng]

Besides, if you're a launcher tard, it won't even function as that.

I don't understand. I was a launcher tard for a while (I think--if I understand correctly that what you mean by that is "tard who starts the game using the launcher") before folks here showed me the error of my ways, and I always played without the cd.

[ladycoelura]

I was also suspended on The sims 3 site for suggesting the FPS Limiter too.

[Grimma]

Besides, if you're a launcher tard, it won't even function as that.

I don't understand. I was a launcher tard for a while (I think--if I understand correctly that what you mean by that is "tard who starts the game using the launcher") before folks here showed me the error of my ways, and I always played without the cd.

Did you have the "original" that you bought installed, or a pirated version?

[J. M. Pescado]

I was also suspended on The sims 3 site for suggesting the FPS Limiter too.

Buh? Why would they suspend someone with that? Unless they are part of some nefarious video card manufacturers' cabal, that want you to fry your video cards so you have to buy new ones.

[GnatGoSplat]

I was also suspended on The sims 3 site for suggesting the FPS Limiter too.

Buh? Why would they suspend someone with that? Unless they are part of some nefarious video card manufacturers' cabal, that want you to fry your video cards so you have to buy new ones.

It doesn't surprise me.  There is one mod that has a big stick up her butt that doesn't take kindly to anyone disagreeing with her.  I imagine she didn't think the FPS Limiter was a suitable solution for whatever problem someone was having.

I seem to recall that same mod getting pretty irritated when you mentioned the FPS Limiter several months ago as well, Pes.

[phnxflyng]

Did you have the "original" that you bought installed, or a pirated version?

Original.

[MaryH]

No-CD cracks are a type of game mod, and not an illegal one.

There are a lot of sites that consider a No-CD crack to be the illegal way around having the CD in the computer, and it is assumed beforehand that you have a version of a game that was not legitimately bought and paid for. It might be the wrong assumption, but that's the breaks.
That's why the rule for not posting about a  No-CD crack is there.
It's a gray area which many sites just don't want to wander into. So they just ban all discussion of it.

[J. M. Pescado]

I seem to recall that same mod getting pretty irritated when you mentioned the FPS Limiter several months ago as well, Pes.

Seems unlikely, since I've never actually posted on the Sims 3 site as I don't have a disposable registration key to do so with. Not that I'd really want to.

[brownlustgirl]

I was also suspended on The sims 3 site for suggesting the FPS Limiter too.

Buh? Why would they suspend someone with that? Unless they are part of some nefarious video card manufacturers' cabal, that want you to fry your video cards so you have to buy new ones.

I am suspicious of that very thing, especially if the EA techs answer to problems with the patch is buying a $300- $500 video card. Sounds like some type of business arrangement, at least to me. *always have my tin-foil hat*

[Drakron]

There are a lot of sites that consider a No-CD crack to be the illegal way around having the CD in the computer, and it is assumed beforehand that you have a version of a game that was not legitimately bought and paid for.

Let me put this way, a No-CD crack IS illegal as the EULA is very CLEAR about modifications to the program.

However the difference is the one I stated, most CD checks are done when running the executable and are set in the executable and that is why they are called "No-CD cracks", it requires to crack the executable and disable the check.

However TS3 lacks the check on the  executable, its  set on the Launcher executable and then on the core rules (that even if strictly speaking its "illegal" but so is Framework and pretty much all TS3 custom content not originated from the TS3 Store) so its not a "crack" as the program executable remains unaltered.
 
Also is Awesome Mod is "illegal" because of the no-CD check then what about Framework that is a CRACK that disables the digital signature of TS3? Of course we need Framework in order to use .package files (and so mods) but if you are going to take a moral stand at least dont be a hypocrite about it as allowing one thing but not the other.

That means I fully understand not allowing the discussion of pirated games but assuming asking a no-CD "crack" with having a pirated copy and then  punish everyone that speaks of the no-CD "crack" when THEMSELVES have on their very servers something that cracks the protection system is ... well there is a thing called "context" and as I fully understand closing/deleting the tread I do not punish people from mention suck no-CD "crack" exists.

[J. M. Pescado]

I don't really think arguing about this serves any useful purpose here. Over HERE, we simply don't care about such matters...nor do we care about what other sites think. There is nothing to be gained by debating the matter with the choir.