CONFESS! How many of you pay for downloads?

[Renatus]

Well, sure it took hours, and meshing might take a week, but if you ask me, it still isn't something worth paying for. This is still something that people are doing in their free time, as a hobby. I mean, if I spend 4 days making a house, I don't have the arrogance to assume that it was enough to justify asking someone to pay for it, since I do it for fun, and because I want to share something with other players. As far as I'm concerned, charging for custom content outside of trying to cover the cost of bandwidth is just greed.

Hmm.

I do art in my free time, as a hobby - and you'd better damn well believe I charge people if they want custom art or a print. So that argument doesn't wash with me.

I'm not interested in paying for custom content myself for various reasons and I find some practices of some creators suspect, but I'm not going to tell anyone that they are greedy because they ask for compensation for their time. Whether or not they created an item for fun or not is entirely beside the point.

[ZephyrZodiac]

I have a friend who's partner at one time was a championship bridge player and in his spare time ran a bridge magazine, and also at least once a year ran a course on board a cruise ship.  My friend used to go too, and obviously when the ship was in port, they were free to sight-see etc., so in effect, for indulging their hobby they got a free holiday.  I see nothing wrong in that, and the principle is the same - they gave up time and energy to help other people learn to do something they were good at, and the cruise company recompensed them with free board and lodging which happened to involve cruising the Mediterranean or the Caribbean!

Likewise, my sister's hobby is making dolls, from actually making the heads and legs etc., making the body, painting the face, then making the clothes.  she gets a lot of pleasure from this, but if someone asks her to make them a doll, then it's only right she should get paid for the time and effort involved!

[BlueSoup]

Well, if you create enough high-quality items and catch the eye of and impress the right person, you could be hired for EA.  Look at HappyMoonBelly.

[Zeljka]

I don't see why this discussion had to turn into something ugly.

As many have mentioned, what we choose to spend our money on is up to us. Calling people stupid or insinuating they are ridiculous in some way for paying to download game enhancements is silly. Plenty of people spend money at bars, concerts, frequent eating out or other things I don't do,  how is it stupider to spend it extending the entertainment value of a game that would be otherwise shelved?

That said, apart from MATY, I haven't paid for anything, simply because I don't have a paypal account and am too lazy/stupid to set one up. This isn't a matter of pride, just a statement of fact. That I really haven't seen many pay items that were better than the fabulous stuff I've downloaded for free doesn't mean that I'm cheap, or unwilling to pay for someone's efforts, again, just too paranoid for paypal.
and I have so many downloads already.

It is interesting that I've so often come across sites with stuff that was moderately ok only to find it was a pay site. Sort of like doing a content purge and trying to delete that terrible pair of pants only to realize it's Maxis stuff.

I have spent a bit of time making clothing so it surprises me when I see clothes where details were overlooked. The wrong footwear for the mesh, countless 'photo-real' jeans that are a different colour from behind, have scrunchy bums or open flies revealing the inside back of them, shirts that have a collar and buttons on both front and back, seams or sleeves that don't line up... While I feel this is acceptable for free content (I can fix it if it's warranted) but it would really offend me if I'd paid (perhaps why I notice it more on pay sites)

If/when I get a paypal account, I probably will donate to a few of my favourite sites, but not because they are charging for something I want, more because I've really enjoyed the stuff I already have from them. Modders don't usually 'ask' for money, but apart from those on Maty, Inge has really improved the enjoyability of my game. SimChic, because so much of my clothing uses their meshes, Chriko for the same reason. Reflexsims because her furniture is in all my homes, Peggy? tough call, I love her stuff, but I've downloaded more than one tiny object with a mesh that took up the whole room and so many of her clothes show in every category... would probably still donate if I had it to spare.

I know it varies, but I live in a free country and have no problems spending my money where I see fit.

[flowerchile]

I don't see why this discussion had to turn into something ugly.

That said, apart from MATY, I haven't paid for anything, simply because I don't have a paypal account and am too lazy/stupid to set one up. This isn't a matter of pride, just a statement of fact. That I really haven't seen many pay items that were better than the fabulous stuff I've downloaded for free doesn't mean that I'm cheap, or unwilling to pay for someone's efforts, again, just too paranoid for paypal.
and I have so many downloads already.

What I was trying to say.

[flowerchile]

Okay..after a lot of thought I will apologise for pissing everyone off, it wasn't my intention to make anyone feel like I didn't respect them or appreciate what they do.

It was supposed to be so simple.


I won't play in here anymore....

[Lackey]

Hello,
  I do pay for downloads and I am tossed on the subject. If it is a per download charge well then you pay if you want and not if you dont. Thats an easy one. But the subs you pay for are different and since peggy has been mentioned so much lets start there. I paid the money and I got what I want off from the site. Now my sub is still good and I check everyday and nothing. It is the most expensive and to keep the people paying needs to be updated more often. Her stuff is great as are alot of others both free and pay. Not complaining about paying mind you just to kepp me paying need more updates. Another site that I wont mention charges sub fees which I paid and then they put the same downloads on mts2 for free. Now this one gets me a little upset and needless to say I wont pay again I will wait and get for free. I have tried my hand at this stuff and feel everyone should because untill you try it you just have no idea how much work actually goes into it. Way to much for me and all did I was try a simple recolor and then a simple mesh. Couldnt do it dont have the patience needed. So I think everything is worth something. File sharing? Well again Peggysims says you cant share publicly and you cant share your account which I have not done but she says nothing about private sharing which I have not done but then again I have never been asked to. I do not upload anything anywhere well frankly because I cant make anything and I wouldnt steal someone elses work and call it mine but if someone wanted something I have and privately asked me for it and I had paid for it yes I would share it. I dont know how many movies I have bought over the years watched them and passed them on to someone else. Samething. Walmarts didnt get their 24.99 because I shared as everyone does with one thing or another. Passed down old clothes? Made dinner for a friend? Supplied all the beer for a party? Sharing is part of nature and without it oh boy would we be in trouble. Well just thought I would share my opinion. Pay or not to pay really depends on how bad you want it and maxis put so much ugly in the game maybe it was because they wanted everyone to share.

[nikita]

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.

You know, considering that she operates in China, and considering the US-Yuan exchange rate, and considering that the avg. Beijing family makes about $2,000 a yr, I'm betting she must make a fortune off of this game.

Meanwhile, there are tons of pple in China who can't even get a proper education b/c of money issues. Her stuff is good, and sometimes I'm *really* really tempted, but then I think of the utter waste it would be, funneling money into a game, when it could be put to better use, that I always stay my hand. Not that I have money to spare, anyways - college student and all that.

What the hell does her being Chinese have to do with anything?  Should she charge less or not at all because she's from a poor country?  How do you know Peggy isn't a college student who is using the money from her site to pay for tuition or housing (which is actually expensive in the big cities of China)? 

I love how people attach all these lofty ideals of ethics and socioeconomics to pay sites.  Give me a break.  From the many nauseating threads I've read on this issue it sounds more to me like people are just pissy and mad that they either can't afford to pay for some content or their pride/"principles" won't let them and then the people who do pay for content feel like they have to be on the defensive for doing so.  I'm trying very hard to think back to a time in human history when people didn't make money off of what was essentially someone else's work and I'm coming up empty.  There's nothing wrong with paying for content and there's nothing wrong with charging for it.   It's not a matter of ethics or principles or solidarity within the gaming community.  Do you want to pay or not?  And to be quite frank, after you've answered that question for yourself, just shut up.

[themaltesebippy]

I have a themed hood so I am picky about what matches it.  Plus I think most stuff sucks anyway.  I have paid for a few little things but they are things I use all the time like Sussi's skins (the only skins I like).  I don't "do" subscriptions though I don't mind donating to some sites.  One site pissed me off last year though, myself and some others gave them decent donations and then a week later they said someone hurt their widdle feelings so they were not gonna make anything anymore.  Oh nice going you spineless ass.

If people want to subscribe to sites or pay for downloads, who cares?  No one died from them doing that.

Hey Dickwad

This is teh funny but I prefer fuckwad better.

[sintrinity]

After playing EQ and Wow for years I vowed I would never pay for Sims subscriptions but I have to admit I have been sorely tempted here lately.  I just got a new computer that can actually handle the graphics and I have been download-happy seeing all the stuff I have been missing.  My favorite is hair and I found this one site that charged per item (I think it was $2.50 for this style that I REALLY, REALLY wanted) and I almost paid.  The only thing that stopped me was the fact that I lose my downloads sometimes and have to go back and get them (not terribly organized, plus it keeps the number down because I will leave out stuff I never used in the first place).  The only sites that I have been able to go back and get the stuff was here, MTS2 and Simlogical so I pretty much stick to those unless it is just decorative stuff like wallpapers and such.

Those bangs were so pretty though....

[BlueSoup]

Those bangs were so pretty though....

Well, now I really want to know which hair you're talking about.  Link? 

[Marg]

 I'm very curious also.    Did I mention I love genetics and clothing?   Lol   Please post a link for us sintrinity.

 

[sintrinity]

I had to go find it again (that disorganization kicking in again  ).  The site seems difficult to navigate but it is http://www.rosesims2.net/.  I just love hair with bangs and some of hers are just so cute.  0027 is the one I was gonna get but several look really nice.

[BlueSoup]

Yeah, that site has a lot of nice looking hair.  Damn it.

* BlueSoup Must. Not. Buy.

I've got too many things happening in the next couple of weeks to afford any more downloads lol. 

[sintrinity]

Umm, kinda off topic but - what determines what style of hair a Sim likes or is it random like the food they want at restaurants?  I just love watching them after I take them to the mirror - kinda like RL - sometimes they laugh, sometimes they cry and every now and again they jump up and down clapping their little Sim hands.  It can take me a long time to figure out what will make them happy though.  I haven't been able to figure out if they consider all custom hair the same either.  More changing appearances to do...

[ZephyrZodiac]

Yeah, that site has a lot of nice looking hair.  Damn it.

* BlueSoup Must. Not. Buy.

I've got too many things happening in the next couple of weeks to afford any more downloads lol. 

Never mind, save the link and wait till your next payday!

[ZephyrZodiac]

Most of them don't like glasses and beards!  But some do - there's no telling.  I gave John Burb a totally bald head and glasses and he was pleased as anything!

[Jysudo]

Yeah, that site has a lot of nice looking hair.  Damn it.

* BlueSoup Must. Not. Buy.

I've got too many things happening in the next couple of weeks to afford any more downloads lol. 

It only looks nice bluesoup. Not sure about the paid ones but the free ones are simply horrible in the game especially men hais 009.
It has hideous transparency.

Concidentially, that is another cn website. The chinese are really talented at these! I love sunair and I am lucky I have a subscription to TSR to get every single one of her download...

[Sleepycat]

Umm, kinda off topic but - what determines what style of hair a Sim likes or is it random

I believe their reaction is totally random, I've changed a sims hairstyle(or whatever) and then had them hate it, changed again (without actually changing anything) and they loved it 

[BlueSoup]

Never mind, save the link and wait till your next payday!

Actually, I think I've bought enough stuff in the past couple of weeks that I will not be buying anything else for my game for a good while.

[Assmitten]

Ok I confess to paying for in the order of importance of course .1)MATY . 2)TSR(I love their stuff) 3)The Sims Vault. 4)The Sims Connection .(Their retail stuff is awesome). 5)Sim Chic .6)WDS (I rarely download from there so I will probably cancel soon) . 7) Valdea .Com  (one time donation)  Sussi (I pay per item).
  Free sites I use  1) MTS2 .2)Parsimonious 3) Retail Sims. 4)Mermaid Cove .5)Simological 6)MangoSims. and several other sites including Pronup for Custom Hair

Is simological still there? I did a google search and it looked like they're gone.

[Jysudo]

Never mind, save the link and wait till your next payday!

Actually, I think I've bought enough stuff in the past couple of weeks that I will not be buying anything else for my game for a good while.

So how much has you spent? Perhaps we shld do a poll to see who's the champ is 
We seriously need a support group. Like I said, at the rate I am paying, my cc will cost almost as much as my game itself.
I wish I had a support group (my honest thought although I did mention before we need to be discreete haha)...I propose one to some people and they were like I am asking them to buy pirated simsgames or robbing a bank! 

[BlueSoup]

I thought it was Simlogical, not Simological?

[BlueSoup]

So how much has you spent? Perhaps we shld do a poll to see who's the champ is 

Uhh...lemme figure it out...

Prolly about $50 or so in the past month.

[Jysudo]

So how much has you spent? Perhaps we shld do a poll to see who's the champ is 

Uhh...lemme figure it out...

Prolly about $50 or so in the past month.

that's a lot. You won me