PMBD

I had a look around and couldn't really find a thread with this sort of info, and am curious what are the 'pirates' views on filesharing of pay items on the exchange.   I personally have not done it as yet, but am surprised not to see more of it.

Does EA pander the complaints from sites regarding 'their prized pixels' being uploaded, do they scream theif and get their way.

Do you consider it a viable way to share items and or annoy these paysite owners.   I know it leaves most people open to being identified if they have a similar username and all or not, but I was wondering what the views here are on this.

I see no problem with file sharing on the exchange, but I personally hate the exchange.  The only things I use it for are: uploading my legacy chapters, uploading my simself over and over because it gets culled all the time, and uploading specific legacy characters that readers of mine have requested me to upload.
It is so hard to navigate the exchange, a lot of the stuff that people put up there is total crap, stories included.  It is sort of the Community Receptacle.  Some good stuff ends up in there, I've read a lot of great stories, and I've downloaded some friend's simselves, and used to download houses, but besides that, I don't touch the exchange with a ten foot pole.
I stopped when I downloaded a house some lady made that had that mailbox hack in it.  I was very annoyed that a hack that I did not intentionally install got into my game from her houses.  It didn't even have that yellow exclamation thing next to it.  I am not one of those people who is scared of hacks, I have an assload of Awesome hacks (like 15 or so) and the InSimenator.  I also had the Kitten Killer, but haven't reinstalled it since I got the Seasons EP.
But in a nutshell, I think that if someone wants to share pay stuff on the Exchange, that's fine by me.  I don't care how you share it, if you wanna share pay stuff, do it.  I really don't care if they don't want their shit shared, because they are ripping people off.
I have put up sims with CC from the booty.  A lot of my legacy characters have at least one item from the booty.  And, one of my recent simselves had hair from the booty.  I changed it to a pink hairdo from XMSims, though, because I actually have pink hair, but I could only find hair that slightly resembled mine in red until I found that other hair.
I think it probably pisses off paysite owners if they find out their shit is on the Exchange, and I am sure they've complained, but I have never heard of someone's sim or house being taken down for using someone else's custom content, whether it is pay or free content.

I don't see any problem in uploading stuff on the Exchange: it's exactly what it's meant for.

Any other site is, however, better organized, and way more pleasant both for uploads and downloads.

Anyway, I would bet whatever you want that the only reaction EA may have at alleged complaints by paysites might be a laugh, if they have some time to spare, at best.

I think it's fine, paysites are illegal and I think it's funny that their precious artwork that they care so much about end up stuck on someones sim.

I don't like the exchange. I can never find the right meshes for the stuff and end up with a bunch of crap I don't want.

Wasn't there a change where meshes were included in uploads? If so, that kind of shows EA's stance on it.

The Exchange is huge, a mess to navigate, and has been screwed up for years (people's creations are constantly credited to others).  I can't imagine going there to find specific pay items unless you know exactly what page(s) to go to, so I don't know why many creators are loathe to have their stuff to wind up there.  Don't worry!  We'll never find it!   :P

I think it's fair to give credit where it's due in the description (as it likely won't show up correctly in the parts listing anyway), so I'll do that, but I'm honestly sick of people trying to run my life in tiny, itchy ways.  You don't want your sim stuff uploaded elsewhere, then don't upload it in the first place.  Otherwise, chillax and appreciate the fact that people liked your stuff enough to use it in their games.  Be flattered, for crissakes, and stop stressing yourself out.

And yes, the Exchange went 'all your mesh are belong to us' around Pets, I think.

S'easy to find Peggy and Rose hair and clothes on there (if you really want them  :? ) just by using the search function.  People seem to upload the latest hairs as soon as they come out and even put 'Rose/Peggy donation hair' in the description.  I've put up sims with donation clothes and hair and they've been on my simpage for a coupla months now.

I think it happens more than people realise.  Yeah, if you're not actively looking for stuff, how would you ever spot it on there?

I might do some more redistributing, to help the cause  :wink:

Why is file sharing in quotes?  Are you trying to be facetious?  Do you think it does not exist?  Do you think it should be called something else?  Same goes for the pirates quotage.

I don't like the exchange because whoever uploads it first gets the credit for it. However, some have suggested that paysites upload the files then delete them to still receive credit.  

The bandwidth problem is also solved by using EA's servers so people using that excuse nowadays is nonsensical.  (This is excluding mts2 and the like which they could also use.)

EA forcing meshes to be included in both lots and sims ever so subtly shows their want for CC to be available for everyone.  (Also, I think they were sick of the BBSers complaining about not having the mesh to make the CC work!)

So, I like the idea of the exchange and like that pay items are uploaded there.  There just needs some quality control and inevitably a lot of the paysite items would be deleted as a result because most of it is so bad!

I added quotes I suppose to represent a tag or label, as loathe as I am to label things it is a term used negatively by some.   Definately not trying to be facetious.  Again pirates was used in a same way, as a cynical way of refering to a mindset.   What's one person's insult is another's battle cry.

I think the Exchange is like a giant box of free stuff set out in someones front lawn.  You have to sift through tons of crap to find a gem or two.
It is also EA's not so subtle way of defending their EULA.

Clementyne summed up the Exchange pretty nicely.  I like the place just fine, but it is a bit like going down to the local thrift store.

I don't think EA takes stuff down for "thievery" though, do they?  If they do, I haven't seen it, and it's a lost cause because you can get pretty much any Peggy or Rose hair at the least.

I used to only download from the Exchange before i discovered MTS2, and I was left with this pile of CC...and some of it's really nice. Trouble is, because stuff gets deleted so quickly, there's no way of tracing it back to its original creator.
It doesn't help that most of the Sim descriptions are something like,
"plzzz download and rate high no CC by me no meshe needed it worx fyne 4 me!11!!1", when something obviously needs a mesh. Or even worse, "all meshes from MTS2".

I've never fully understood the problem some creators have with the exchange. Well, I get why paysiters object, but for me, I figure the biggest compliment is to see my stuff used. For free creators most of it seems to be an issue of getting credit for making whatever it is you've made. I've never thought that the CC I see on the exchange was made by the person who uploaded that certain sim or house, and I rarely see people trying to take credit for stuff they didn't make. Though they like to share it, I don't often see credit actively trying to be taken. My general policy is "Yes, please splatter my stuff all over the Exchange, so that I may be one day be famous."  :lol:

double post

LOL, I like the healthy attitude in a policy like that.

Well, if I was to share anything on the Exchange apart from a self sim, it would be CC by paysites that have irritated me the most, or have been the rudest in their dealings with people.   Not sure if there would be any reprimand as a result of this though.

i think loading things to the exchange is perfectly acceptable.  I load things to the exchange exclusively.  I'm kind of computer retarted, so i don't know how to upload sims to, well, anywhere, beyond out of bodyshop right to the sims2.com.  I can say that although I upload exclusively to the sims2.com, I don't download from there much anymore.  I used to, but I spend more time picking and choosing things off a sim that I want/don't want, like I like that shirt, but not the hair, makeup, eyes, skin, or pants.  I didn't know they've included the meshes now.  That's certainly handy, and would explain how I got some donation hair into my game that I didn't get from the booty.  

So If you have an item that's donation that you can attractively display on a sim, then I say display away.  Mention it came from the booty.  Say it's donation.  Tell the world it's free now, but it used to not be.  :)  
My sims usually don't get culled.  They stay up until I delete them.  I know a lot of creators get very hyper about credit and the exchange, and maybe it's cause I've only seen one of my eyecolors and liners on another sim, but i don't care.  glad they liked it.   :)  I'm getting rambly now, so I'm going to quit typing and push submit.

It was added with the Pets expansion and presumably affects all expansions after.  I have all expansions so I don't know (for sure) if it was included with Seasons but I'm pretty sure it was..

Well. It's cool I guess. Takes to long to find all the colors you want though. It also sucks when you try to get something from someone who doesn't have pets. MESH NOT INCLUDED :lol: Any how more power to them but I'll NEVER look for pay meshes in that hellhole again.  :roll:

After the big uproar from cc creators, EA patched pets bs.  I'm pretty sure seasons no longer includes meshes.  Anyways, I havent heard creators moaning about the pets mesh surprise so much anymore and they havent said a word about seasons.

I'll have to load up base + seasons with numenor's tool to test that out.  It'll be interesting to see the result.  

I'd like to see the source of your information though.

I couldn't give a shit if my stuff ends up on the exchange - it means people are using it, and that's what I uploaded it for. For people to use and get for free. As long as it's not used to sell stuff, I don't care what happens with it.

No Seasons has exactly the same method of sucking up meshes as Pets. I know because until a few days ago I owned Seasons but had yet to get a copy of Pets.

EA didn't fix anything because everything in a .package file is theirs so logically they would want redistribution to be as easy as possible. I think there was little to no outcry when Seasons came out because by that point people had gotten used to it, found a way round it using clean installer for uploads to MTS2, INSIM etc. and come to the realisation that EA don't care about their individual creator policies and aren't going to redesign the tools because of them.

Yer, when I packed up my Sims to send them into a .RAR, they went with all their needed meshes.  I have all expansion packs.

I'm tempted to ship my Sims off to the Exchange with as much paysite stuff on them as possible.  Pissing in an ocean of piss, but pfft.

It's been over a year or two since I uploaded anything to the exchange, but I have a feeling that is going to change..   I just need to handpick a few goodies to share with the masses and annoy a few choice paysite owners.

Recently, I have started uploading sims with as much pay site stuff as I could manage on to try and give more people access to the stuff. I also say I take requests for stuff but if people do request, I just send them the link to the booty. i would just put the link straight up but I'm worried about getting banned or something. On my simpage though I do talk about this site and if people google what I've written in my sim page, they'll find this forum and the booty. :)
And I'm happy becuase some of the things I've uploaded in the past few eeks have got like over 300 downloads, and seeing how I try to make everything I use in the paysite stuff. a whole lot of people are getting some more paysite stuff in their game which is very good :D

of cc from The Exchange.  I have all the expansions and I got 4 different hair styles that were Peggy Sims.  They were actually binned....something peggy is unable to do.   :P

Hmm, haven't been uploading to the Exchange for a while. But i will,
with all the paystuff and all. Good idea.

Yep, I've been uploading a crapload of pay CC to the exchange. I try to attract the BBS demographic by making the sims either emo or slutty.  :lol:

 :lol: how about slutty emo's?  that sounds like the BBS kids to me.   :)

The Typical Sim Description on the Exchange:

This is Madisyn from my story [no story in existence]. She and Robyn are best friends. She is the most popular girl ever! She is a cheerleader and has a boyfriend named Crys. But, she is a slut. She is really depressed and goes home and cuts herself. Rate high and sign my g/b!!

[Warning actual exchange descriptions may be less literate and idiotic. Views represented here are not views of the author. All rights reserved.]

I think I over did the y's. But yeah emo or slutty describe most sims on the Exchange. Either that or they are a bunch of Maxis crap on a Maxis face template.

Ah, what an accurate portrayal of the exchange. I remember someone who had pay stuff on their sims (I relied on that before I discovered the Booty...those were dark days...) who threatened to not put pay stuff up unless you signed her guestbook and rated.
I don't even get why people would put a maxis stuff on the #1 face. Why would someone download it? Meh, typical BBS/Exchangers are impossible to comprehend.
And chemistrycourtney, I usually just make emo guys, load them up with tons of aikea_guinea crap and the latest rose/peggy/raonsims hair and ship them off with a link to the booty a list of all the pay cc I used. But I do like the idea of a slutty emo. That could be very poplular with the kiddies.  :lol:

I never understand why they write biographies for the sims they upload. In what way would that be beneficial? In what way should I even care? I just download them for content. It's usually themed content that I search for.

I came across a very disturbing simpage once that had sims with special stories to go with them.
It was scary.  There were al these skanky girls, and in the description it was like: "So and so, mom of so and so.  She got pregnant at 11 and is a prostitute." and then, "So and so, daughter of aforementioned slut.  She is starting to be a slut like her mom, she recently had sex with a guy and gave him a blow job."
Now, this was stated much less intelligently, but I've gotten the idea across.  I was so disturbed by the sim descriptions that I remember them all these months later.  There was stuff about rape, and the word fuck was used a lot.  And I could tell by the writing that the person who made the sims was relatively young.
But I also don't get why people will upload stuff with all maxis crap on a face one either.  It's like, why would I download this?  Do you think I am not capable of clicking on the first face and putting the ugliest maxis outfit on a sim?  Then again, I don't use face one a lot, so I guess it would be somewhat unique.  I've been using the face with the elf ears, and face four (I think?) a lot as a starting point.
I'm going to do what a few people above said though, and put up a whole bunch of pay crap on a sim.  Probably a slutty one, because I don't do emo.  I like to make goth sims, but not emo.  Emo is too boring.  (I almost typed "Elmo"!)

 :shock:
I don't know what's more disturbing, that simpage or the fact that I've seen that sort of things several times on the Exchange.
I suppose some of my sims that I've uploaded for the PMBD cause are more "goth" or "dark" rather than the OMGILOVEFOBPETEWENTZCHANGEDMYLIFE!!! emos. You can see on my simpage (http://thesims2.ea.com/mysimpage/uploads.php?user_id=542445) which sims have gotten the most downloads..."Emo Kawachi" has gotten 200 or so I believe while the teen girl (with the fracking glitched peggy cap) has gotten the least, suprisingly. I would have thought she would have been most popular because most simmers are teen girls, and she had "cute hair" in the summary. I suggest, if you're making a slutty sim, go for the blond hair, tan skin, whore makeup style. The BBS kids seem to like that.  :lol:

The children that do that work really hard on the bios and storylines to go with the sim they upload, not understanding that all their hard work is futile. I used to try to help them by explaining that if you want the sim to carry all that baggage you have to put them on a lot and upload the lot, but I gave up. Futile.  :roll:

When I download sims, I hardly ever keep them the way their creators intended unless if I think it suits the sim. (I usually download sims for the genetics). I create a story and personality in my mind for my sims as well, but why would I expect people who download them to think the same?
I will never get how people like Aikea_guinea never shares their sims because they have an emotional attachment to them. Hell, I'm fond enough of my sims enough to not murder them (Well, usually fond enough), but I'm more than happy to share them.

Well, following on from a few weeks ago.  I uploaded a few sims with pay items included and full credits to the creator.  They stayed there for about 2 weeks and then got deleted, even though they were rated high.

My other older downloads were not touched..  

How disappointing.

I guess I need to find people on the exchange that have Pets or Seasons (that have patched too).  I downloaded about 15 sims i saw (just registered there about 2 weeks ago for the hell of it) and only about 2 showed up as they were missing meshes i guess.  

Again as stated lots of entries said "no meshes" but they needed them of course.  Lots of pay hair (but no meshes). Maybe if you get them from Pets or Seasons users then it could possibly be worth it.  

If I don't have Pets or Seasons (I have Nightlife and Univ) will i bork my game if import them in?  It will if its a Lot but how about a Sim??

I don't think it matters on sims. If there is stuff from a missing EP it shows up as Maxis in BodyShop. I wish it was the same with lots. I've found some awesome lots, but I only have NL.

How do you know if your uploaded sims get deleted?  Do they disappear off of your simpage?  I uploaded sims for the first time July 23.  They are all still on my simpage and loaded with pay content.  I don't know how that site works at all though.

Well my older uploaded sims that have been there for years are still on my uploads page.  The newer sims with some pay content are no longer listed or showing up on my page so were obviously deleted.  

It's a shame and obviously another case of contradicting messages.   They were rated highly and all so it can't be that, and they were the newest uploads.

were your skins "Detailed"?  I think that's a deal breaker for them.  then again I don't now how much they pick uploads apart?

I doubt that the mods actually download and look at the sims.  I could be wrong though.
I know that the 5 I put for upload have Peggy's pay skins and they are very detailed.  :lol:

My opinion, per the thread title, is that as long as paysites are advertised on the main site, and paysites continue to steal work and pass it as their own, I have no prob with uploading pay files with my uploads. Giving credit, eh, depends on the site, but I'm not going to claim it as my own.

To the best of my knowledge, the only ways an asset (sim or lot) will be deleted from your page are due to low ratings (they do cull the exchange every couple weeks, I think) or because it was reported by several people for having inappropriate or broken content.  Anatomically correct skins will get yanked, but only if reported enough times.

That's what I was wondering about, seems like the only thing inappropriate was a matter of opinion and that was the pay items attached.  Otherwise they were detailed, and rated quite highly.  I never include anatomical correct skins in these uploads.   It's all interesting but still confusing.  

Thanks for the answers everyone