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

[neriana]

By the way, I don't understand why using someone's alpha is a crime? The alpha is just the shape of the clothing. Why is copying a shape a crime?

This is very confusing for me...can someone please explain from a perspective of a creator? I really want to know.

And yes, I feel very sorry for the insim guy. It is not his fault and yet he is accused of being a thief. I bet he is feeling all stressed over it and he did state that his health is not good 

From the perspective of which creator?

I've made clothing alphas. I don't care what people do with them. It's not "theft" if anyone wants to use them to lessen their amount of work, and I don't care if I get credit for them, either. This community needs an enema.

[IgnorantBliss]

I think the logic behind it is that making a new alpha can take a lot of time and effort sometimes, possibly as much as making the actual texture on occasion. So, in this regard, I don't see how alphas would be different from textures or meshes.

[neriana]

In the other modding communities I've worked with, you can take someone's entire mod and use it as a template without screams of "OMG theft waah!" People do give credit in those communities copiously and naturally -- which is very good since those mods really do take a lot of hard work, not just a few hours (tops) of screwing around in photoshop.

People in modding get so upset because the stakes are so small. When it's just some Sim clothing, the stakes are infinitessimal, so I guess that's why the hissy fits are proportionally larger.

[Ellatrue]

I really, really hate the consensus on things like lots- especially for things like objects and wallpaper, in which case the creator can mark it as their creation, so that it always shows up in game as theirs- and otherwise, nearly impossible to figure it out. You'd think that would be enough, but no, they ant credit and a link in the post as well, which is pointless because everyone can see it is theirs, and if it isn't marked, that's their problem.

Plus, I feel like it is obvious that, unless otherwise stated, ALL content used in a lot comes from some other creator. It's just intuitive, and posting a lot that happens to contain their stuff because it fit with your decorating scheme. I mean, the idea that including someone's content in a lot means that you made it yourself is just ludicrous. Maybe people have this attitude from the exchange, in which you need to upload a lot to share objects, but seriously, on a site like MTS2 it's just stupid, and incredibly limiting.

And, what's with people who get all possessive about stupid things like ground covers? There are a lot of things that you aren't allowed to upload, EVER, even if you give credit- although again, the credit is in the description in game, and if you feel so strongly that ought to be included in-game too. If I have 3 gig of downloads, how am I supposed to remember the preference of every whiny creator who insists that their crap can't be used in the house? Or the ones that don't include any information at all- the creator doesn't seem to care, but MTS2 won't let you upload unless ALL the content comes with a link. And every once in a while when someone innocently forgets something, or doesn't know that everyone is crazy, the creator shows up, throws a huge fit, and the poor uploader gets blacklisted. Really, unlike stealing someone's mesh and saying you made it, this one ISN'T obvious.

...not to shit on MTS2 by the way, because this seems to be the thought in the entire community. It's just batshit insane.

[nectere]

I personally much think that any content creator that screams about credit and all that jazz is under some grandiose illusion that Maxis or some other gaming company is going see their work and come running to hire them or some other such nonsense. Thus the need to ‘prove' that its their work and how great and wonderful of a content creator they are.

Perhaps this is a real phenomenon based on the CEP fiasco at VS where someone supposedly showed a perspective employer a package that had credits to the CEP creators in it…I just cant for the life of me figure out why anyone would use a TS2 package as an example of their 3d work, its not like they had anything to do with the engine or the CEP program or SIMPE for that matter, just the textures and mesh basically - which you could show off quite easily in any standard 3d program.

But what do I know.

[skandelouslala]

Sometimes I really hate how the creators of CC for TS2 are...
It can make the game less enjoyable at times that is for sure.

A huge part of this game is the CC...and being able to share things with others...however you can't do that when everyone and their momma is demanding credit for every single thing they have ever created, gave input in creating or thought about creating.

I think a large part of it came from a few whiney creators getting their way when they started screaming their demands and then everyone just decided to follow suit because it could quite possibly be the "cool" thing to do.

I know that I don't want to "steal" anyones work or piss off anyone intentionally, but I wish they could just do what they do for the enjoyment of the game and sharing it with the community instead of hoping to be 1) placed on a pedestal for their creations or 2) actually turn a profit on their creation. 

I see the point in wanting credit for your work, I do... but is it always needed?  Especially when it's not like everybody who doesn't credit you is trying to steal your work anyways...

There have been many times when I've wanted to share a house or community lot or something...completely void of objects ect but don't bother because I don't want to deal with a creator of the wallpaper I used or whatever getting their panties in a bunch because I feel it's stupid to credit every single wall paper creator out there.

[Diala]

Perhaps this is a real phenomenon based on the CEP fiasco at VS where someone supposedly showed a perspective employer a package that had credits to the CEP creators in it…

Actually, I think whoever said that (maybe Rentech) was stating that as an example on how, heaven forbid, having the names of the creators of CEP in another person's package file is a BAD THING OMG.

Which brings me back to the issue at hand: God forbid some poor chump uses YOUR recolor of a Maxis chair in THEIR house. But if you use someone else's tool to make it possible, is it really a bad thing to have their names in the coding of the file? I somehow doubt the average user will look at the code itself. If they are really holding out for Maxis to "pick them up," then I somehow doubt Maxis would want to hire someone who is so clingy-touchy of their stuff. After all, once your stuff is official, it gets whored out to everyone.

[Paperbladder]

I believe the a problem with the TS2 community revolves around pseudonymity, if people were anonymous then we wouldn't have such a problem with "credit".  However, other communities are pseudonymous but they don't have problems like this, and that just baffles me.  I'm sure there's 12 year olds in those communities that don't complain when something of theirs is hosted somewhere else, or someone makes a derivative work of it.  Maybe people in the Sims 2 community are so pathetic that their only self worth is in their content?

The way I see it, there's 2 main types of communities.  The first kind is what the sims community is based off of and what others are also based off of.  This kind has many individuals, which sometimes seem to act as one unit.  There's elitism, in the fact that people look down on newer members just because they haven't been there as long.  There's also "drama" which is created just because person X is mad at person Y and now Y leaves because they're sick of the policies of person X.  Person why then makes a statement that they're leaving and everyone whines and moans about how good this one person was to the community.  The source of these two problems are individuality, but having a moniker makes them believe they're a part of the community somewhat.

The other type is a lot less common in the United States.  It's the anonymous community, which everyone acts as one unit.  The boon of this kind of community is the fact that you're not attached to a username.  Elitism is effectively crushed due to the fact that if you're anonymous all that matters is your grammar and argument.  People afraid of defending the minority are also more apt to rise up because they don't have any reputation on the line.  Someone could actually see an argument from another direction and gain some knowledge.  Drama is also effectively eliminated since no one knows anyone else.  If someone insults you, you have no idea who said so.  You don't grow attached to anyone so if they're attacked you aren't obligated to jump in.  You won't lose sleep over petty arguments.

Of course, the Sims community will reject an anonymous style because they're obsessed with becoming famous.  It's a shame, because a lot of people seem to be sick of the drama and all of the BS with the community as is.

The general who advances without coveting fame and retreats without fearing disgrace, whose only thought is to protect his country and do good service for his sovereign, is the jewel of the kingdom.

[neriana]

The other modding communities I've been part of and have used (heh) are precisely as "anonymous" as the Sims 2 community is, no more and no less. Also, there's always drama in any community on the internet, that's just the way things go. This crazed possessiveness is unique, however.

I think part of it is that most modders need to have a certain knowledge of computing, and of internet protocol. That just isn't so with making clothes or objects for The Sims 2, and so people start to look at the stuff they make as if it were a real dress or couch or something, since that is their only point of reference. There's also the natural instinct to follow what everyone else in the group is doing. So many creators have this "don't upload or I will get you and your little dog too" warning, other people adopt it and it feeds upon itself. The more people make stuff with prominent notices that sharing their stuff in any free manner is welcomed, the more the pressure will go the other way.

We need a very large jaws of life or something to remove the stick up this community's butt, basically.

[dizzy]

Basically, mods are too damn easy to make.

[J. M. Pescado]

Basically, mods are too damn easy to make.

Well, it's not really the modders that are the most super-possessive, it's the skinners, meshers, and the like. The top modders, for instance, at MATY, have a somewhat lax view of the entire matter. Our official policy is that we don't care what you do with it, whether you modify it, use it as a base for your own work, or share it with all your friends. Better your bandwidth than ours.

[reggikko]

I use stuff from other sites/creators that give permission in my lots and I give credit. For example, I use some meshes, etc, from Pixel Sims (IgnorantBliss) who is very generous in sharing. So, I use her stuff and put a link to her site. People see her stuff, say 'hey that's cool' and visit Pixel Sims. Everybody wins.

BTW, Pescado, I altered your More Expensive NPC's to fit my needs. You gonna come squash me? Hehe.

[Paperbladder]

I can't remember if people were this overly possessive in TS1, but I doubt it for some reason.  Pretty much everything that you needed to make objects, skins, and animations you had to download from somewhere else.  Sure, you could use MSPaint to make skins but it won't match up at all.  Now in TS2 we have Bodyshop, which is included with TS2.  This can make everything related to Sim skins, but you'll still need something like GIMP or Photoshop.

Speaking of Bandwidth, wasn't BitTorrent made to alleviate bandwidth by having multiple users share content?  If this is the case, then we should allow other people to share the content on their websites to alleviate said bandwidth instead of pumping more money into TSR.

[J. M. Pescado]

BTW, Pescado, I altered your More Expensive NPC's to fit my needs. You gonna come squash me? Hehe.

Oh? What'd you do? More expensive? Less expensive? Fatter and more Reggikkolike?

[reggikko]

BTW, Pescado, I altered your More Expensive NPC's to fit my needs. You gonna come squash me? Hehe.

Oh? What'd you do? More expensive? Less expensive? Fatter and more Reggikkolike?

I made the maid, gardener, and nanny less expensive. The maid and gardener were especially inflated, IMO.

[jsalemi]

Ok, here's another one where the modder's 'instructions' get really out of hand (from MTS2):

'I've had some requests for my YA dreamhair to be available in other age groups and colours so here it is for adults. Recolours are always welcome, please do not use for adult content, unblurring, sexually explicit situations.'

You can find it here: http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=181022.  Surprisingly, no one has commented on this 'restriction' yet....

[Emma]

Ok, here's another one where the modder's 'instructions' get really out of hand (from MTS2):

'I've had some requests for my YA dreamhair to be available in other age groups and colours so here it is for adults. Recolours are always welcome, please do not use for adult content, unblurring, sexually explicit situations.'

You can find it here: http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=181022.  Surprisingly, no one has commented on this 'restriction' yet....

So you have to 'change appearance' before your sim woohoos? I actually saw that earlier, and thought-how would the creator know what your sim was doing?

[simmiecal]

Ok, here's another one where the modder's 'instructions' get really out of hand (from MTS2):

'I've had some requests for my YA dreamhair to be available in other age groups and colours so here it is for adults. Recolours are always welcome, please do not use for adult content, unblurring, sexually explicit situations.'

You can find it here: http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=181022.  Surprisingly, no one has commented on this 'restriction' yet....

Makes me want to download the hair just so I can put in on a sim using Shaklin's love bed, take a bunch of pictures and post them. 

Good grief!  This is THE main reason why I stopped trying to make anything for sharing. I'm too new and not talented enough to do EVERYTHING from scratch myself. How much creativity is stiffled because of these attitudes? I can barely recolor stuff. I've started playing around with cloning and modifying things for my own use. For the most part, I've even given up on uploading lots - God forbid I might not credit someone who made a wallpaper or floor that I used.

[J. M. Pescado]

Well, my stuff has instructions not to open, crush, dispose of in fire, short-circuit, or mix with non-awesome hacks, because it may explode, leak, or catch fire, resulting in injury and/or death.

[starrling]

Yesterday (I think - been a long weekend) on MTS2 a guy from Italy made his one and only post in one of my Brixham lot threads ... his only words on his only post were "is horrible" and it cracked me up.  I thanked him for making me laugh.

[jsalemi]

Well, my stuff has instructions not to open, crush, dispose of in fire, short-circuit, or mix with non-awesome hacks, because it may explode, leak, or catch fire, resulting in injury and/or death.

Yea, but at least you don't tell us not to use them when our naked sims are having sex in the hot tub.

[ElfPuddle]

starrling, when I get back to my game, may I put naked sims in your beautiful houses? Just thought I'd ask.

They ARE beautiful, by the way. I've got great plans for a Brixham neighborhood... I can't wait.

[Paperbladder]

When I clicked the link MTS2 was down, it was just a hairstyle for the head right?  What about a hairstyle would provoke people to create adult content with it?

[Jysudo]

Yesterday (I think - been a long weekend) on MTS2 a guy from Italy made his one and only post in one of my Brixham lot threads ... his only words on his only post were "is horrible" and it cracked me up.  I thanked him for making me laugh.

What a horrible person! I am glad you are not affected!! I love your houses Starrling. Very nice and lovely. I love small lots.
I have plans for a Brixham college! 

Hmmm...I think the guy is trying to say that his hair shouldn't be used when the sims are naked having sex and you show pictures of them doing so in his/her hairstyle. The sim ought to be completely naked and that includes a naked head. And no whores are allowed to wear the hair s/he created either ...

[gypsylady]

 starrling
I already have Brixham college and it is beautiful .I have all of your lots and love each one of them. So don't let this sod discourage you. He is blind as a bat