Have the paysite debates changed your mind?

[Surelyfunke]

I've been pirating content ever since I knew how to pirate stuff, and that goes with CC as well. I don't necessarily feel the same way about pirating other types of media as I do about Sims CC though - I purchase DVDs depending on how much I want to support the creators of the films and TV series that I enjoy.

With Sims 2 content, however, there is no question that I am entirely opposed to paysites. This is something that should never have been sold in the first place. I think of it as a free, benefit-type concert that you've been attending for years that suddenly decided to charge for admissions. I believe that charging for CC is exploitative and exclusionary, and always will.

[dorquemada]

(like yer proper Chaotic Neutral) I don't mind paysites in a sense I don't mind con artists: it's highly disreputable activity that I keep away from, but if some bastard has enough wit and not enough conscience they can go and trick dem poor naive peasants for all I care. Still, all the hissy fits about the whole issue proved that con artists are way classier than paysite moneygrubbers, because if they get burned on one or another scheme of theirs, they don't have the nerve to whine about "injustice done to them", but quietly move to another scheme.

[Not Paper]

At first, paysites just bothered me because... well, there was stuff. Nice stuff. And I could not have it.
So, I just looked longingly at pictures people took when they did have it, and left it at that.
The sites themselves didn't bug me. I had kind of a blasé attitude about it. "Sure, let 'em make their money, whatever."
I even considered opening a paysite of my own. (Not, you understand, to be rolling in the BIG MONEY, or anything. It was going to take the profits, and use them to get subscriptions to paysites I really wanted items from. After I had one subscription's worth, I planned on just making things free again.)

When I found this site, though, I was pretty happy. I never thought about something like this, or Sims File Vault. Sure, I figured people shared files with their friends, but sites where the things were just posted? Or you could request and share them with others? I was so pleasantly surprised.
I felt a little uncertain about it, at first, but after reading the EULA bit, most of my apprehension was gone.

I'm not sure what option I'd go under, though. I guess it'd be "paysite supporter turned anti-paysite".

[Quorneater]

Lol, good point Dorquemada

[HystericalParoxysm]

I'm not sure what to think anymore, but I wouldn't be here if my mind hadn't been changed at least somewhat.

I create, and I spend a lot of time creating, so I understand why creators might want to get something back monetarily for their efforts.  I also have always created for free, and I don't think pay content is really any better than what's free - in fact often the opposite, so I wonder why certain creators decide that their work is worth money while what others make is not.  When I think of my favourite content, it is all free.  I've thought about doing pay content, but never have, because I just don't feel comfortable charging for something that shouldn't be paid for.

This is a game, and we are hobbyists, and if people are in it for the money, they're in it for the wrong reason.  Do it for the love of creation or not at all.  I've come to a point where I do sort of feel like it'd be better to have less content than to have this big pay silliness.

I don't agree with everything about the way this site is run, and I don't think that negativity will help anything, but I would greatly prefer to see the Sims 2 community return to free content, and to remove the greed from our hobby.  I want everyone to have nice stuff for their pixel dollies... so I'm just gonna keep on making free hair for everyone and hopefully everyone will end up better and smarter for the whole thing.

[The ISZ]

Before all of this I was paying for CC from a couple places.  It was starting to piss me off though at what they were charging and some of the content was not as advertised and or was messed up.  

It didn't take me long to just say screw it and totally stop paying for CC.  I only have one left and when the days run out I will never renew it.  

I've grown weary of the acceptance of paysites by so many people.  It has become the norm and that has to stop.  It's gone on for far too long.

I have paid enough for the base game and EP's and I refuse to pay for CC anymore.

I do agree with what someone said earlier in regards to some of the discussions on here.   They are quite retarded at times and that is why I do not post here on a regular basis.  I'm not about personal attacks on what people look like and such.  That's pathetic.

It's a game and I think some folks on both sides of the fence have lost sight of that.  It's a game that provides entertainment and nothing more.

[graniaomalley]

I never donated or bought subscriptions to any Sims 2 CC site, and never would unless it was truely a donation and I felt the creator truely deserved... that is, she (or he, whatever) had very high quality stuff, was very consistant in quality, etc. Then I'd throw a few bucks over for bandwidth or dirty jockstrap purchases or whatever. You know. I don't really care what t hey'd do with my hypothetical donation. And I'd be FAR less likely to donate if the creator was trying to make a living doing CC, as opposed to just trying to cover operating costs or make a little extra pocket money.

That being said, I don't pirate or fileshare music or movies, although I do download some tv shows (especially if I miss an episode), and I do download out-of-print RPG books. So My filesharing standards are loose and flexible and honestly, there's no real logical reasong for why I download some stuff but not others.

[torque]

I'm just amazed how you guys can "argue"(read debate) about the same fricking thing over and over again without getting tired.  

I don't give a fuck, really. I just think that paysites are wrong and we'd all be better off them. Whether it's right or wrong, I take what I want. And don't care much for else. It's just a game which I don't even play much, I just have a download addiction. I'm always amused how paysite owners get so pissed off(maybe they need some time away from the compy, just to see that some kind of game content isn't all that and a bag of chips) and if they decide to take their toys and go home, I won't care cause I don't give a crap about CC, I can live without it.

[Nana]

Well, I have been lurking here a long, long time. I respect the right of people to create things (and sell them if they find a buyer) but I have to say my eyes have been opened by the spoiled and babyish way some of these 'creators' have reacted.

Selling information? That smacks of telemarketers--another whole group who should be destroyed. Childish rants about how you are some uber, alpha being and the rest of us are scum? What the hell?

I really can't stand drama queens or people who set themselves up as 'super people' because they make computerized items.  Yes, a lot of pay stuff is great, but there is a whole lot of free stuff just as good or better.

I have not paid for custom content because I'm cheap and like value for my money. While I admire many of the items you can buy, I can't see spending when I have generous friends who share with me.

Once you spend your money, you have the right to do what you want with the items. If that means emailing it to your best friend or posting it, well, it was paid for.  

In addition, the vague replies from EA/Maxis/Whoever they are confirms to me that yes, this is just a game, and no, they don't care what's going on with these pay sites.

[jesserocket]

My friends and I would share payfiles via MSN and so on, and I'd privately redistribute payfiles quite a lot, but I was never particularly militant over the issue, it was more a case of 'paysites are there, they shouldn't be, but who the fuck am I to do anything about it?'.

[BlueSoup]

I was never particularly militant over the issue either, and while I believe in filesharing more strongly now, I mostly debate it as hard as I do because it amuses me to see people get so mad.

[Soup Parrot]

This is supposed to be a game not something you make commercial products out of that you sell to make a profit .

I dont understand why paysite enthusiasts dont do the math numbers, and stop being naieve that this is about making money.

500 subscribers x 5.00 ea $2500
1000                                $5000
2000                                 $10000  
5000                                 $50000
Get the picture now hefty cash just for maintenace.
And if your in China, yuan from dollar 390,254.9982

[Mad-Mary]

I've only been here a day and these debates changed my mind about pay sites on so many levels. I'm never even going to consider subscribing. I'll get that shitty "free subscription day" from TSR once in a while though.

[bubbs]

I've never been one to support pay sites.  I have always found what I wanted on free sites.  If there was something I really wanted, I would ask my friends who paid for pay sites to let get it for me.  There were a bunch of items that once in my game, they looked awful.  I work hard for my money and am too much of a tightwad to just give it away for my 'hobby'.  Plus there is always something my kids want that I would prefer to spend my money on.  With me, the paysites aren't losing my money because they never had it in the first place.  I would be willing to support this site because it wouldn't be just for me.  Wacked thinking, I know, but I can justify this.   :?

[Cherry Lips]

Nope, not at all. I hate paysites; always have, always will.

PMBD!