Rant - The ways in which the sims community is completely insane.

[kewian]

If Im not mistaken most of these "creations" (im not talking about the awesome hacks and fixes at Maty-) are based on maxis objects etc.  so technically arent they also stealing as well??

[J. M. Pescado]

I hate paysites.

PAYSITES MUST BE DESTROYED!
Except us, of course.
YARRRRRR!

[rohina]

Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum.

[Emma]

Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum.

* Emma steals rohina's rum and puts it up on the exchange

[kacidama]

*Why rum gone?*

[Paperbladder]

You know where EA got the idea for Stuff Packs?  Paysites.  Yep, because you thought it was OK to give random people your money for objects you now pay EA for objects which should have came in an expansion.

Bah, there's nothing worth downloading on Paysites anyway.  Besides, there's a way to get into TSR and MTS2 using a free service that is used to bypass New York Times Registration.

[rohina]

But isn't the NYTimes free? My brain hurts.

[liegenschonheit]

No, you shouldn't. Thats why everyone's games are bloated, instead of being able to just use and share the same custom content across the board, everyone has to make their own so as not to step on anyone's toes. Do you know how many different black eyeliners I had that looked exactly the same? At least six. I'm pretty sure all that the people did was copy someone else's alpha and recreate it in bodyshop because they didn't want to have to deal with credit and asking permission.

Get over it already. If someone is that hellbent on recognition, just stick your username somewhere in the filename or tag the texture somewhere or something. There is one creator, who shall remain nameless, who really pushes all my buttons. He makes fairly decent hair meshes, then if anyone dares to recolour them he throws a little bitch fit and pulls the mesh from his site. He tries to rationalize it by saying that his meshes are free for everyone to use, but no one can use his textures or his alphas, ever. So what? If I want the same hair in blue, I have to make a new alpha totally from scratch? That is just stupid. He's even had temper tantrums seeing his hair modified in screenshots, where someone altered it for use in their own game.

What a whiny little bitch.

[ZiggyDoodle]

Those end-user agreements may or may not stand up in court in the U.S.

http://laws.lp.findlaw.com/7th/961139.html

This case is often cited in support of the enforceability of EULAs.

Regardless, if you don't want to share it, don't put it on the internet.  Sell it as a "stuff CD."

[Paperbladder]

If Maxis was as secretive of their content as that guy, then we'd have TS1's Hacker Witch Hunt again.  People then complain when something can't be altered, and the fact that they should alter it.

I highly doubt his hairs were made from scratch either, they probably had a Maxian base of some sort.  Of course they EA take any action against this thievery, since the community would think they are "evil" and would stop buying their games.

[theisz]

I thank you from the bottom of my heart for this post!  I have always thought this and I am glad that it was brought up.

I get so tired of reading about creators getting all pissy and then taking their creations offline because they had a tantrum.  If they are that uptight, self centered and selfish then I think they should permanently take their stuff down and go away.  My husband was a mesh creator for the original Sims game and he was very happy when someone would take what he did and make it their own and change it or make it better.  He felt that if they used his stuff it must be worth using.  He didn't have an ego over it and start screaming and stomping his feet and threaten to take his stuff down.  That's just crazy talk.

I appreciate all the work that creators and modders do, don't get me wrong.  I can't do it and I mostly definitely am glad that they can.  But when they come across as egotistical asses I could care less how good their stuff is.  I can do without it.

[tIIsuggas]

I totally agree with Ziggydoodle

If they don't want to share, they should sell it as a "stuff CD"

[Jysudo]

The Sims community is indeed insane. Name one other game community where people are expected to pay for user created downloads.

Oblivion.
The official site offers plug ins at $3 and the fan sites also offer $10 mods.

The Oblivion forums have a new thread everyday debating over these paid stuff. But apparently, people are still buying them.

And what is the free way to bypass NY times, MTS2 and TSR registration? Care to share? I need that. I keep forgetting my NY times user id/ password. I must have registered at least 5x and have run out of email accounts for that.

[J. M. Pescado]

http://www.bugmenot.com/

[jrd]

The Sims community is indeed insane. Name one other game community where people are expected to pay for user created downloads.

Oblivion.
The official site offers plug ins at $3 and the fan sites also offer $10 mods.

The Oblivion forums have a new thread everyday debating over these paid stuff. But apparently, people are still buying them.

Oh yeah, heard of that. Madness... obviously inspired by Maxis/EA Games.

$3 per download? I recall getting entire adventures of 10+ hours for free with Arcanum for example....

[rohina]

Oblivion has a FANTASTIC scam where you pay the $3, and the downloads don't work, and when you contact customer support they tell you to F off. Of course, it only works once per customer, unless you're a real idiot.

[laeshanin]

I have been considering a coup d'etat of sorts, to oppugn this ridiculousness. ... I think it would be kinda funny if all of us that make stuff (not that I make a lot) started posting our creations to some of these sims2 warehouses. The caveat however, is that we want our stuff to be distributed, cloned, edited, torn apart, recolored and uploaded everywhere including and especially the exchange.

This sounds like a very good idea as reverse psychology has a confounding effect on people generally. I know the suggestion was tongue-in-cheek, but still... (I don't create, don't have time and am far too lazy.)

The interesting point liegenschonheit raised at the start of the rant about how a well-known publication got rants from some little worms in the modding community because they had the temerity to give information stunned me. As someone who has aspirations (writing), any notice taken of my feeble efforts would be well received. What's wrong with these people? Are they insane? It's a worry, eh?

[Jysudo]

Oblivion has a FANTASTIC scam where you pay the $3, and the downloads don't work, and when you contact customer support they tell you to F off. Of course, it only works once per customer, unless you're a real idiot.

Don't tell me you pay $3 

Thanks JM for the link.

[jrd]

I have been considering a coup d'etat of sorts, to oppugn this ridiculousness. While the idea of posting anything I make on a site I dont control unnerves me because of all the sheer stupidity out there, I think it would be kinda funny if all of us that make stuff (not that I make a lot) started posting our creations to some of these sims2 warehouses. The caveat however, is that we want our stuff to be distributed, cloned, edited, torn apart, recolored and uploaded everywhere including and especially the exchange.

Not that I create much content, but what I do have I have licensed under a Creative Commons license which encourages sharing it and using it for whatever you like as a base -- with attribution.
I highly encourage this type of license to anyone.

[cwykes]

[And what is the free way to bypass NY times, MTS2 and TSR registration? Care to share? I need that. I keep forgetting my NY times user id/ password. I must have registered at least 5x and have run out of email accounts for that.

Apart from write it down, save the confirmation e-mail or set the PC to remember it, the answer with TSR is just keep checking the free stuff cos what you want will come up eventually.  Or put something up there and wait.  If it's halfway decent you'll have a free day of downloading reasonably soon.  I've got 5 days owing for my willow walk lots and they're nice as a set but not special.

[Orikes]

Oh yeah, heard of that. Madness... obviously inspired by Maxis/EA Games.

Actually, I would suspect the Ebay phenomenon of the MMORPGs to be more behind Oblivion's scheme than anything done by Maxis. People are willing to buy play money with real cash. They'll buy anything at that point.

In general, I agree with the ludicrous nature behind the way some modders 'protect' their creations, but I do take issue with the 'if you put it on the Internet, expect it to get stolen' comment. To a certain degree, that's true, but it doesn't make it right. I've spent a good amount of time in some artist communities, where copyright violation is a very real issue, especially considering many of these folks earn a living from selling character artwork and other such stuff online.

I'm picking nits here, since it's honestly not the same issue as with modding stuff for games owned by other companies. It was just something that jumped out at me.

[liegenschonheit]

I don't condone the theft, believe me. However, it is a reality on the internet. Stuff will get stolen, copyrights get infringed. It is the nature of the beast. It's why so many writers only publish portions of their work on the net, and why artists are forced to watermark their art. It sucks, but the people who do it aren't going to stop.

[Orikes]

There are artists/creators who are rabid idjits about the whole thing, and there are thieves/hacks who are rabid idjits about the whole thing. Stuff is going to get 'borrowed' and used in other ways, most definitely. I think it's worthwhile to educate people on ... the etiquette I guess. IF you borrow something, or use something in your creation, credit where you got it. And the folks putting stuff on the net need to chill a little more. It's a middle of the road thing.

[Po]

I take issue with this whole credit mania personally. Get over yourself already, so you made a mesh, or a recolor, a mod - wooo you are special. It saddens me to see some of who I thought were really respectable modders/creators doing this. Without the game you dont have jack so get over it. And if you dont want anyone to play with your toys then dont share them, simple as that.

Hoho that was funny.  But it took me a bit to know what Maty meant.   And I just now noticed the "thanks" button on every post. 

Have you noticed that most of the time the creator's possessiveness is inversely related to their talent?

[starrling]

....  And I just now noticed the "thanks" button on every post. 

Yes, but did you press the button ?