CONFESS! How many of you pay for downloads?

[gali]

Why do I have to confess? Have I sinned?...

I am member of 2-3 pay sites, and several donation sites. I find there special downloads, which I can't find in "free" sites. Plus, I think that the quality of the items made by the creators of the pay sites is higher than this in free sites. Sometimes it's worth to spend 2-3$, and get *just* what you were looking for, and not downloading many items that are *near*.

I like to replace the hot tubs each 8-10 days. No one of the free sites I looked posted the "right" design of the hot tubs - only pay sites, and donations sites.

I am glad that I can help these creators, who are our fellow simmers....

[ZephyrZodiac]

Gali, at last a few words of common sense!  I agree with you, they are our fellow simmers, and some sites are just so popular that they must use an incredible amount of bandwidth just for their freebies - so buying a sub or a donation set helps everyone, and shows your appreciation too.  Some sites, like Around the Sims, it's a one off payment forever!  - which is pretty good value, in my book!

[Ellatrue]

Only the sin of stupidity Gali! I think it is silly to pay a subscription fee for something that is just content for a game, and for items that people make as a hobby. I refuse! While I understand having a few donation gifts to help with bandwidth, subscription fees are just ridiculous. And of all the worthwile donations you could give, like donations to starving ethiopians, etc, I think it is a waste of money. Don't encourage them!

Except MATY, of course. What would I do without MATY?

[ZephyrZodiac]

Well, we're all entitled to our own opinions on this, but at least if you've paid for something, and it doesn't work as stated, you can complain - if it's free, then all you can do is inform the creator that there's a problem.

[Brynne]

Oh, you can still complain even if it's free. You'll just get smacked upside the head in return, most likely.

[ZephyrZodiac]

I should have said, you have the RIGHT to complain if you've paid for something, you don't have that RIGHT if it's free!

[Verona]

Why do I have to confess? Have I sinned?...

I am glad that I can help these creators, who are our fellow simmers....

I think Gali said it best.

I do buy donation sets when I want to and, will join a site for one month and download like crazy. This is my hobby and I see no reason not to indulge myself if I want something.

[BlueSoup]

I do the same as Verona.  Really, I spend the majority of my free time playing the Sims.  So why not spend some extra money on it if I really want to, and I can get some extra enjoyment out of it?  I still spend more money on other things.

I will donate for sets that I really like, and I do suscribe to sites for a month to get everything I want.

My biggest problem is that I have to remember that my loading times and game lag, viewing pleasure, etc. is all perfectly fine when I don't have a ginormous Downloads folder.  So I won't be getting a new computer as long as that's the case, only culling the downloads to keep it to a level I'm comfortable with.

[ZephyrZodiac]

Well, whether you pay for your downloads, or get them free, the size of your downloads folder is due to downloading more than your PC can handle, and independent of the TYPE of download!  In fact, the sub-for-a-month and download everything is bad from that point of view, but donations and so forth don't make you download more!

And just because you've downloaded it, you don't HAVE to put it in your game!

[PattyB]

I have on several occasions. I use to keep a subscription up at TSR and other various sites. Not now though.

I'm thinking about doing a one month at a couple of other sites that have some items I'd love to have.

[ZephyrZodiac]

Have to admit, I've given up on TSR now, it's too much hassle to sort the good stuff from the bad!

[BlueSoup]

And just because you've downloaded it, you don't HAVE to put it in your game!

Oh, I know.    I have lots of stuff that I downloaded but don't have in the game (at least, not yet).

Two days ago, I deleted everything in my Downloads folder except for hair (all properly categorised, I just would have been pissed off at myself if I deleted it) after my Downloads folder got to two gigs.  I didn't do it because I had decided to play without CC, but because I was having I couldn't look at anything in the catalogue and think I was never going to use it.  I started downloading again, but this time I started with the stuff that I had donated/paid for, and free stuff after that.  I also am trying to be more realistic about my game habits, which is why I am not getting quite as many clothes as I used to have (or at least, not installing as many clothes as I used to have).

I'm finding it a lot easier to look at something on the site, especially something I had in the game previously, and remember that I never once used it and probably wouldn't.  TSR I've been saving for last because I have a few creators there that I absolutely love (and subsequently they probably get paid a fortune  ) and I hate that we have to rate every single thing now.

But if someone wants to pay for Downloads, I have nothing against that.

I even cough up the $40/month on this site!

[ZephyrZodiac]

Who wouldn't!

But I found the foolproof way to keep within 2GBs without sacrificing my downloads!  I run themed games, so far I have two plus the basic game folder, and I'm working on a third theme now.

[Jysudo]

I just did my maths. Assuming that I subscribed to different sites on rotation basis, by the end of base game + 7 EPs and 3 years later,
the cost of paying for these downloads would be almost the same cost as paying for the game +7 EPs.

And I don't believe that free stuff are not good ...look at mts2 - there are awesome stuff there!

But at the same time, good stuff with quality are almost always not free. We don't get to eat a free lunch and as a life stimulator, our sims don't to live a free lunch too...its just so sad 

But you have to agree that some sites are out to make a profit its not for maintaining the site. I mean US$9.95 a month! what kind of awesome site you need to maintain?
Its not even more awesome than this site! and I cough up a bloody US$40 here a month! 

[ZephyrZodiac]

Obviously some site owners are out to make a profit.  Making good new meshes can be time-consuming and arduous, and if a person has no other source of earned income, why not turn their abilities to make a profit - people do it in other spheres on the Internet, after all!  Whether you decide to buy or not is up to the individual, it's all a matter of choice. 

But I will say this in favour of pay-sites in general - they don't usually upload stuff that they haven't thoroughly tested. The same cannot always be said for free downloads.

[kewian]

Confess???            NEVER!!!    Torture me do youre worst!!!...YOu will never get a confession out of me!!!

[podgeybean]

Confess???            NEVER!!!    Torture me do youre worst!!!...YOu will never get a confession out of me!!!

Oh really?  * Produces very sharp, pointy, poking stick, and begins to jab viciously at kewain*

Yes, back on topic. I don't subscribe to any sites. I have no money, I'm a student! I do get very tempted to donate sometimes, but I never get around to it in the end, especially at Peggy Sims, I love there stuff but never have enough money. I did have a subscription at TSR for the sims one, but it ran out years ago. Meh, oh well.

I do think it is fair though, that some sites are pay etc. These people obviously try their best to make stuff for the sims! ( Unless of course its just some scam, and is a website with utter rubbish) I do think it fair to charge for objects, if the standard is high!

[BlueSoup]

There are some sites that I will never suscribe to, because I think they charge too much.  One particular site I'm thinking of is Peggy Sims.  There's not enough content on it to justify that much money.  I don't mind paying for something like TSR, because you can find a lot of nice stuff on it, and it's cheaper than Peggy Sims too.

[podgeybean]

I suppose it really depends on the individual spending the money then! I myself, love Peggy Sims stuff, and have noticed the price. Perhaps thats why I havent actually signed up, I was subconciously beating myself with my empty wallet.

[BlueSoup]

Yeah, I think my tastes have changed a lot too, over the past months.  I used to love pretty much everything at sunair sims, now I don't like or want any of it.  Just happens, I s'pose.

[ZiggyDoodle]

Why not if its good

There is no download worth paying for.

Except for MATY, that is.....

[SirLance]

I myself will not pay for downloads (except here at MATY  ) because I am a college student and don't have a lot of extra money to spend, in addition to the initial purchase of the game. Also, I don't think that it is worth paying for downloads when I can get similar items for free, but I don't think it's wrong for people to charge, especially if the money if going towards the overhead cost of making the items available, i.e. costs of bandwidth, maintaining the website, paying the ISP.

[akatonbo]

*shrugs* I have acquaintances who've spent hundreds of dollars on ball-jointed dolls from Asia and then go spending more money on wigs, new eyes, clothes, etc. for them. My graphics card is pretty decent, so my Sims are just as pretty and much cheaper even if I occasionally pick up a month at a pay site.

[ZephyrZodiac]

Anyone know of any hobby that doesn't ultimately cost money?  Except maybe reading, if you limit yourself to the Public Library!

[Renatus]

I don't see how this is anything to 'confess' to, but I don't pay for stuff for the game (yes, yes, except for here), as I resent it when I have bought a game and have to continue to pay for it. It's for this reason that I don't play online-only games with subscription fees like WoW either. I do have a lot of other leisure-activity items to spend my money on though, like books and art supplies.

I think it may be a bit fishy to require people to pay for custom content due tot he EULA of the game, but if EA isn't going to enforce it, well, what the hell. I only really mind it when a creator gets all "OMG don't alter my stuff in any way shape or form for any reason!!!111" - for gods' sakes, people, there's a little thing called Fair Use in copyright law and how are you going to enforce someone changing something for personal use, anyhow? I'm especially unimpressed by people who act like that regarding the content they make when they make clothing with photographs - I wonder if they have any clue how ridiculous that is?