Have the paysite debates changed your mind?

[Bleh Bleh]

Paying money for CC has never been something that I would do. Mostly because I don't even have that much CC in my game to begin with. Actually, before I discovered this place the only CC I had was hacks, and some wallpapers and floors that came with houses I had downloaded. Also I hardly ever play the game, and when I do I don't spend my time building or furnishing houses. I can't live without hacks though, that's for sure.

To be honest, I like Maxis' stuff and have yet to come across much custom content that comes anywhere near them in quality, except possibly some stuff from Holy Simoly, Nouk, and some other wonderful creators whom I'm forgetting to mention right now. Maybe I didn't look hard enough... wait, let me rephrase that... I definitely didn't look hard enough, or maybe I'm too anal, or maybe most things out there are sub par. What Maxis lacks in creativity, it makes up in quality. I'd rather look at something that's uglier with better textures than something gorgeous with mesh flaws. Having said that, I couldn't build a mesh to save my life, and I am amazed by most creators' talent and really appreciate the time, effort, and money they put into these things. Besides, apparently most people enjoy their work so much that they are willing to pay great amounts for it, so what do I care? Anyway, I'm ending my little rant about custom content in general here.

When I found out about this place, I figured I should just grab some pay stuff while I could. Not because I was gonna use all of them in my game (and since no one seemed to care about bandwidth anyway), but because I wanted to see what was so great about them that made people shell out so much cash. Some of them were good (still not worth the money -nothing is-, but good), some of them were pure crap. I'd hit my head against the nearest wall if I had to pay for those and saw just how crappy they were in game. Hiding the shittiness of your stuff behind photoshopped pictures, that's wrong. Since these people see their websites as valid businesses, I don't see why they should get away with things that other businesses can't.

And since when selling custom content for a freaking game is a valid business anyway? I'm not normally one to tell people to get off their asses and find a job, although some people DO need to be told that, but seriously... wtf? And to top it off, these people see it fit to treat their "customers" like shit instead of getting down on their knees and thanking these generous souls (read: newbies who don't know any better) for putting the food on their table, as proven by some creators in the "Why do people hate paysites?" thread. The mesh theft that some seem to practise aside, these people are building businesses on shady legal grounds (EULA) with misleading "advertisements" and non-existent customer service.

But who are we to take it upon ourselves to put an end to this corruption, right? Well, actually... The community has spoken. (There's a phrase I've always wanted to say.) Most people do not want paysites, even those who have paid in the past and are willing to do so again for content they might want. One person can only do so much. A whole community, on the other hand, has the power to decide who stays and who goes. Also, what really concerns me and possibly anyone else who's against paysites, is the fact that the number of paysites is growing too fast, indeed they are becoming the norm. Last time I checked there were only a few, and the biggest one of them, TSR, still had the free rotation thingy. Now they are slowly taking over. As teadrinker said in another thread, TSR is becoming a black hole sucking more creators in, while people like Carla Niven see having a paysite as an opportunity to make a few bucks off underage kids who save their pocket money to buy crappy stuff for their sims. If nothing is done soon, there won't be any free content left.

So yeah, now I'm 100% anti-paysite and pro-filesharing. As I said, I don't care too much for CC. Sure, I enjoy good content as much as the next person, but when it comes down to it, I could live without any CC at all EXCEPT hacks. Simslice is the only paysite out there that specializes in hacks (and crappy ones at that) if I'm not mistaken, and I don't want their stuff in my game, so for now I'm not affected too much by paysites anyway. I'm just against paysites on principle, not for personal gain. Whatever it takes to destroy them, I'm all for it. I actually haven't said anything that hasn't been said, but I just needed to rant a little. I also didn't mean to shit all over every creator out there and their work, but most of them aren't to my taste. Besides, I'm not the one to decide whose content is "worthy" anyway.

[Soup Parrot]

paysite supporters are just as bad as paysite owners, simply because they support illegal activity.  Would you fund drug dealers?

Well, I wouldn't call myself a supporter, exactly, but I do pay for a lot of custom content.

No comment about the drug thing.

Yes, but you share with us. You're not buying because you want to give every last one of them your money and get nothing but a bunch of pixel graphics back out of it. You do it so that you AND THE POOR PEOPLE get nothing but a bunch of pixel graphics out of it and you get the warm fuzzy feeling of joy that you HELPED.

I had created a weird analogy when I was half asleep this morning:

Paysites remind me of Robin Hood and homeless people.

Paysites are taking from the poor, so it's like a business (and therefore the Sherriff of Nottingham). The people on this site are like Robin Hood and we're taking from the rich, but not necessarily to just give to the poor. It's like baking a million cakes and laying them out in front of people who know what they like. They can choose the apple tart if they want to, or the sponge if they'd rather. Or they can have both.
I mean, we allow you to buy food for the homeless. We bought it first and gave it to you. They're like gifts. Why shouldn't we be allowed to buy pixel graphics and let more than one person benefit from them? I know I let people have the stuff I download with my subs, so why shouldn't we do it good and proper(ly) and publicly?

Sorry for the random analogy, but that's another way I feel about paysites. And it has nothing whatsoever to do with the legality factor.

Plus I talked to my parents about this debate (without actually stating anything about this site or that I was a part of it) and they told me that it isn't illegal because if you made a masterpiece using MSPaint, you shouldn't have to give them any money coz it's your masterpiece. That made me mad so I explained about the user agreement and they said by checking the box, you've agreed to the contract, and by breaking the contract you are liable to be sued.

I think all paysite owners should be sued.

The last thing I think is that every paysite supporter comes on this site and mentions how some people are living out of their sims donations. What I wonder is; why haven't any of these people mentioned TSR? TSR definitely aren't doing it because they need the money to live. Whatsisface-Thomas-guy must be a bloody millionaire by now. You can't rewrite history to suit yourselves.

(I'm doing Law at school. We should be doing contract law soon. I'll tell you the punishments. )

i was reading through the copyright (US) and all the laws. Well first of all, EA is the copyright,  etc of SIMS products. Any game file that is created is a deriviative, as it requires special format to play, and ofen the person used things such as Maxis animations etc. Its a deriviative. Its not the same as file shareing music, or a movie, or software, or even art whic is illegal. If you read through the whole copyright law information the government has posted up you will see kind of what Im saying. There is a problem, if A went to file a copyright on this file  what form is he going to use to submit it? I saw no special section in the law for content, user made to go in a game. Ea can add to Sims legally but we cant. Anyone can make a copyright terms, that doesnt mean legally it would hold water in court. I see often dont redistrubute, even on free stuff. COme on you made this thing for fun! I can understand not wanting it uploaded at the Exchange, or sold in a CD collection, but if a friend or relative has no internet connection or a slow one, most people would probably share with them. So, you really cant compare the CC game file to music, or software in my opinion. Your parents are ust being cautious, but anybody can put a copyright notice on a file, lets go see them file it. I'd like to see them go file it, see if they can and post the proof up. You know stop the bluffing, prove it copyright it, apply for it and all..

[yamikuronue]

When I first heard about it I thought it was awful, how could people STEAL from the nice paysite owners like Lyriclee!?

Then I realized Lyric, who had told me about it, was a fucktard.

Then I found out nobody's hacking any servers or anything, and on top of that, it's illegal to begin with.

Suddenly, I was anti-paysite.

[jesserocket]

He doesn't take the credit, really, people just give it to him.  Which is fine with me.  He can take the heat too.

Well, Pescado is to blame for EVERYTHING bad. Just ask HChangeri. She'll tell you. *nods convincingly*

[Cory]

Hmph...I don't think none of the options apply to me... :? I've always had a love/hate relationship with them, paysites, but I used to somewhat respect creators for the "time and effort" they had put into "making all the new and unique objects for us to enjoy".

But I still could realise that peggy for example used the money she earned for much more than simple bandwidth costs. The thing is I was constient of that fact, but still wanted the stuff she made for my story and simply for the pleasure of playing and having what I could see in other people's pics...  :roll: That's human nature, after all

[tIIsuggas]

Hmph...I don't think none of the options apply to me... :?

This is exactly why I put the option of 'Other'.

[Riddick]

This debate has been an eye-opener to me.  I felt rather cheated by the Paysite owners for "selling" someone else's hard work to me.  I create as well and i spend hours on making something unique.

[Scurv-aceous]

One of the things that gets me about paysites and their creators is that they download free stuff from others (at least the ones that play) and yet they then charge for their stuff.  Where is that fair?

[Cory]

This is exactly why I put the option of 'Other'.

And that's why I now voted for 'other'.