CONFESS! How many of you pay for downloads?

[Paperbladder]

It affects us all in the end.  Without these subscription sites, we probably wouldn't have these "Fun" packs.  There weren't very many objects in OFB that weren't business related thanks to these "Fun" packs.

[BlueSoup]

I really don't think my spending habits affect what Maxis does, sorry.  All the people that filled out that survey on the official site saying they'd love to spend even more of their money on a shopping pack full of crap objects did that.

And I wasn't one of them.

Seriously, if you don't like the idea of paysites, then don't you suscribe.  But don't try to dictate what I can do with the money I work for.

[Paperbladder]

Where did they get the idea about charging people for "donated" objects?  People like you that are willing to pay for their custom content.

Why the heck do you want to pay someone that's good at photoshop a few bucks a month when there's someone out there that might be working even harder that asks no money for their stuff?  Heck, the stuff from those paysites aren't flawless.  I've heard hair meshes from PeggySims have the exact same problems that free ones do but some people that get subscription fees don't even bother to address these issues.   Yet people prefer them to someone who creates free content and fixes everything they start.

However, go ahead and spend your money on that stuff if you're so inclined.  I doubt that anyone could convince someone set on paying those people to do so otherwise.

[BlueSoup]

Those paysites and sites asking for donations existed long before I was willing to throw a few bucks at them for stuff I wanted.  I'm very happy with the quality of stuff I get for what I pay for - and I've never donated to any site for hair as you're completely right about that, there is no way to tell what kind of quality it is.

As to whether I prefer it to free content?  Meh, I don't concern myself too much with that specifically - I like the sites, the end.  Holy Simoly has the best site for object meshes around, in my opinion, and it's largely free.  They have a donation pack too - why shouldn't I donate for it if I really want the content?

Convincing me to do otherwise?  Probably as likely as my trying to convince you otherwise.  So let's just leave it at that.

Oh, and by the way?  Arrrr...

[staroverthebay]

Seems to me that many of the paysites are really just trying to cover the cost of the bandwidth. Like it or not, bandwidth = money to a server. And donation drives only go so far. Forcing people to shell out a couple of bucks to download more interesting stuff is a way of supplying the people with content, while not going broke yourself trying to provide freebies.

[J. M. Pescado]

Seems to me that many of the paysites are really just trying to cover the cost of the bandwidth. Like it or not, bandwidth = money to a server. And donation drives only go so far.

You're kidding, right? MTS2 turns a profit on voluntary donations. TSR is a multi-million dollar business by our accounting. Cover the cost of bandwidth my ass.

[liegenschonheit]

I pay for Peggy's hair, though it took me a long time to get to the point where I was willing to do so. Yes, some of the meshes have a few problems, but I am largely very happy with them. Hers are some of the lovliest hair I have in game, and she updates with new content quite often. Yes, I would be happier if she would bin them, but I can, and have, done that myself and "spread the joy".

Star is right, some sites offer limited pay content so they don't go broke paying for bandwidth. Some of them, like Sussi, for example, probably don't even break even. Some, like Peggy, make a profit.

The paysite thing is a touchy topic. I don't like paying for any of this, especially as someone who offers everything I make for free. However, it comes down to what people are willing to pay for, and just how much people are willing to do for free. I don't think that the solution is to rag on the people who pay for content, or treating the people who sell it like evil profiteers. For those people willing to pay a few extra dollars to make their game prettier, that is their choice. For those that refuse to do so, there is a lot of really nice free content and people willing to share.

I really don't think that the ammount of people willing to pay for custom content has had much of an impact on EA though, because those people are the minority in the community, and by and large they will only pay for things of better quality. I think EA is counting on people who will buy anything with a maxis logo to shell out cash for their fun packs.

[J. M. Pescado]

I loathe them more when they make up excuses for their evil profiteering. If they flat out said it was evil profiteering, at least I could respect their honesty about their greed. Lies and excuses about how it's to "pay for bandwidth" and other such nonsense makes me sneer and spit at them.

[nikita]

The bandwidth excuse is bull when many of the creators at TSR, SimChic and other major sites are paid "salaries" for their work.  MTS2 is one of the largest sites around and is free and as far as I know, the owner doesn't pay a dime.  The only donation gift you get there is that icon next to your name.

If site owners wanted to, they could find alternative methods of hosting a site and/or uploading content without having to charge people for money.  In the end, they do it because they can and there are people out there, lots of them, who are willing to pay.  Most people, if given the chance to make money off something they enjoy doing would jump at the chance.

[ZephyrZodiac]

Well, why not?  People are free to choose whether to pay or not to pay, to sell or not to sell.  There are far more corrupt profiteers out in the Real World - perhaps some of your anger would be better vented against the multi-nationals that pay third world workers peanuts and sell the things they make at vast profits, the drug-dealers who target children, the evil men who export young women from Eastern Europe and force them to work in brothels!

As far as I'm aware, there is no exploitation in offering something for sale at a reasonable price, and leaving it entirely up to the visitor to the site whether they buy or not - no-one charges them for looking!

[J. M. Pescado]

Well, why not?  People are free to choose whether to pay or not to pay, to sell or not to sell.  There are far more corrupt profiteers out in the Real World - perhaps some of your anger would be better vented against the multi-nationals that pay third world workers peanuts and sell the things they make at vast profits, the drug-dealers who target children, the evil men who export young women from Eastern Europe and force them to work in brothels!

Yes, but those people are evil in a cool way. Note how they abuse and cause alleged misery. Besides, what ELSE do you do with third world workers? It's not like they're good for anything ELSE. Do you even think about these things?

As far as I'm aware, there is no exploitation in offering something for sale at a reasonable price, and leaving it entirely up to the visitor to the site whether they buy or not - no-one charges them for looking!

Mostly, because I dislike their shady half-assed reasoning. Maybe if they were more openly honest about their shameless profiteering, it'd at least be something respectable. And abused someone. There needs to be some proper OPPRESSION here. It's just not cool to profiteer without oppression.

[ZephyrZodiac]

Do you know, this is the first time I've laughed in WEEKS!

[RainbowTigress]

This is why dead threads should be left alone to RIP.

[ZephyrZodiac]

I don't think this one ever really died, just went into suspended animation for a while.

[ElfPuddle]

This is a ZOMBIE thread?

[ZephyrZodiac]

Or an interstellar space-traveller thread - take your pick!

[RainbowTigress]

Two months, from March 22 to May 22, resurrected by our dear friend SimplyTwo. 

[ElfPuddle]

Please tell me that "our dear friend" is meant as a euphemism? Pretty please?

[ZephyrZodiac]

Well, maybe new members should be given a rule book or something?  (I did notice it was two months, but other threads have been dead that long without comment, and much shorter threads get locked for no apparent reason, so how is anyone to know when to post on a topic more than a few days old?

I presume that our "dear friend" has since stirred up revived more trouble?

[RainbowTigress]

Please tell me that "our dear friend" is meant as a euphemism? Pretty please?

Of course.  SimplyTwo is the one who helped ElfPuddle earn her title!

As for what is considered a dead thread, I have heard that after a month, it is usually bad form to resurrect a thread unless you have a darn good reason.  Usually posts like this are rewarded by JM saying, "Necromancy is bad, m'kay?" 

I think support threads such as those for certain hacks in the Firing Range, etc., are the exception, since these threads stay open for people to post questions or comments on specific hacks. 

The question of when a thread should be replied to and when a new topic should be started has been the topic of much debate, and different forums have different rules.  Of course, MATY has very few rules.  This article should be interesting, however:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bump_%28internet%29

[ZephyrZodiac]

Well, it's just interesting that instead of the usual necromancy comment from JM, he stirred things up a bit instead.....obviously something he feels strongly about.

[RainbowTigress]

Yes, I found that interesting as well.

[ElfPuddle]

Of course.  SimplyTwo is the one who helped ElfPuddle earn her title!

Well, SimplyTwo is certainly MY dear friend, and I thank her/him nightly in my bedtime prayers, but given the other comments on that thread, I assumed I was the only one. I guess I assumed wrong. You are a very welcoming person, rainbow. On SimplyTwo's behalf, let me say, "Thanks!"

Yes, that article was interesting. Dry, but interesting.

[RainbowTigress]

Of course.  SimplyTwo is the one who helped ElfPuddle earn her title!

Well, SimplyTwo is certainly MY dear friend, and I thank her/him nightly in my bedtime prayers, but given the other comments on that thread, I assumed I was the only one. I guess I assumed wrong. You are a very welcoming person, rainbow. On SimplyTwo's behalf, let me say, "Thanks!"

(Did you ever notice how hard it is to talk when you have your tongue in cheek??)

[ZephyrZodiac]

Maybe it's time this thread moved house?  As it is, I can't honestly see why it's here - nothing is broken that I can see....