I couldnt agree more with everyone. People even if they are young kids ,must learn to respect other people's work .Being a kid is not an excusion.Being an adult?Even worse. You stole? You will pay the consequences.

Thank you MTS2 for this reminder!


(LyricLee -well belated but-Happy birthday!)

Corvi

In principle, I am all for this rule. I do my best to keep my DLs separated out by maker for easy reference.

That said, I think it is a bit much for me to have to provide a link for custom content that I made myself. I don't care what people do with my uploads, and therefore I don't bother to label, copyright, trademark, require credit or linkbacks, or do anything to impede the free use of my uploads. Too much trouble. And I don't feel like providing a link to stuff I made myself. (I suppose I could put that in my signature: "Do whatever you want with this." And I guess I should put my name on it someplace. My real name (LLA) or my internet name?)

Hurray for LyricLee ! MTS2 forever !

So we have to ask the owner if we want to use the custom content???(sims,lot)

Alright, I'll remember that next time I upload something.

You don't have to ask just to use it. If they didn't want you to use it, they wouldn't put it up for download. However, you do have to ask permission if you want to a) include someone else's custom content on a sim you're uploading, b) use someone else's custom content in a lot you're uploading, or c) edit/clone/recolor someone else's custom content and want to upload it. From what I understand, at least. Basically, you're free to use other people's stuff, you just have to be careful about uploading it.

You need WinRAR to unzip the files. You need to place them in here: My Documents/Sims2/Downloads. If you don't have a downloads folder then create one. Or you can download the Q-Express Installer which will automatically download your files.



If I were you, I'd make sure to check and see if the creators of the custom content will let you redistribute their meshes & objects. Look under the FAQs on their websites or the Help section, they usually have their policy posted. If they don't allow this (most don't) then simply use Clean Pack Installer and uncheck the items that aren't allowed to be used and place a link to the website giving directions on where the meshes and objects are located on the site. Just be careful when using other people's custom content in houses because you don't want to be banned for "stealing" or for uploading custom content that isn't supposed to be uploaded. Give the proper credit where it's due on everything you put in your lot even if they allow you to use their objects. It's not only proper, it's the rules. It's time consuming, I know, but I feel that if you took the time to build a really great house, then you'll take the time to give credit where its due.

Good luck to you.

---- LyricLee, Amen to that!

A big point that a lot of people are missing is that not only is stealing wrong, it can ruin a community. If everyone plays nice in the sandbox, everyone's gonna go home happy. If one idiot decides that their happiness is more important than everyone else's, it hurts the community.

Now, I'm not talking about people who accidently forget to label something, or do something accidently that *could* be theft. Here, I think, as long as you go around and check to see what everyone's policy for sharing downloads is and credit them in your post, you're homefree unless the artist forbids their downloads from being shared around. Even then, you just take it out of the download, and then helpfully point out the website. They get some hits, we get to discover a possibly new website, everyone wins.

Now, here's the biggest point: even when it's not a matter of law, it's common courtesy for your fellow man! Yes, it's Maxis property and we are creating things for it, but we like to have pride in our work. I actually am working on a bachelor's degree to become an illustrator, and I sometomes do fanart from time to time (though not as much as many of my artist friends). They often get the 'well it doesnt belong to you actually so you cant do anything' from art thieves, and honestly, it burns me every time I see that argument. It comes back to bite the thieves, really, as the artist is less likely to put their artwork up or put up precautions that effect fans of their work as well as potential thieves. It also builds distrust, as many people start to go 'you must have stolen that to be that good', even if it's the artist themselves that are putting out the work! So really, when someone puts up stolen work, EVERYONE LOSES.

This is not a rule applied to the entire internats, people. Just MST2. So don't say it's a loosing battle. It's not a battle at all! As a site, they can have a say in what goes on or not, so it would make sense that, in the spirit of creating a friendly community where everyone feels free to put their work forward, that they'd crack down hard on theft.

Last edited by matildarose : 21st Jul 2006 at 05:55 PM.

I'm so happy it's enforced here. I'm just barely starting out and only really doing recolours currently. If I put all my hard work and effort into something new and original I'd be very upset to see it stolen. I only wish the exchange had people as dedicated to eliminating stolen content as MTS2 does.

OK let me clarify here since this has become a tad of a debate-

For example I state on all of my uploads do not post anywhere except MTS2. I leave my name in the tool tips etc....

If a creator does not leave their terms of use, or a tool tip, then you should not include that content on your sims or in your lots.

but MOST importantly if a creator says "DO NOT SHARE MY STUFF" make sure you dont share it. Its just a matter of respect thats all there is to it.

WHile Maxis owns the game, the content does belong to the creator themselves. Think of game content as a painting. Someone else manufactures the canvas, but the artist does the picture on it. The picture therefore belongs to that artist. And if you hang that painting in your home, and sign your name to it instead of the original painters, its just wrong.

All uploads on MTS2 MUST HAVE LINKS. Its been in our guidelines for avery long time now. If you dont know who made a certain piece of content, we do not allow you to share that content here. You have to be very careful and utilize the sims Clean Installer to make sure you have links for all content you use in your uploads here.

You also can not take someones mesh, rework it, rename it and say its yours without them telling you that youre allowed first and without proper credits...again an act of respect.

We can't do anything about the exchange, However if you do take items form this web site, and post them to the exchange without credit you will be banned.
Just be respectful thats all there is to say.
People who invest time into creating something for someone elses enjoyment deserve to have proper credtis for it.

I'm trully sorry about including one piece of custom content in my last house which doesn't fit to your rules. Didn't know it needed permission, but it was a free DL and I didn't think about it. I was glad I got a PM where you gave me the chance to update my thread and to exclude this DL. In future I'll try to be more careful. I'm so glad about your forum, don't want to lose my access... I'll behave myself... Greetings, Katha

Just a question about defining "reworking" a mesh. Is alpha edit considered altering the mesh? I've done some alpha edits to creators hairs, for example, checking their terms and they prohibit altering meshes but I never took that to include alpha edits, which I thought was something else because I don't even know how to see a mesh, much less change it. Just wanted clarification.

Also, regarding Clean Installer...I had a recent problem where it insisted I had a Barcelonista blush on several of my SIMS, including my male sims, whom I haven't put blush on in ages. And certainly not my new males. I had checked in BodyShop and there definitely was no blush installed. The Sims were of my own creation using photo compositing onto Maxis bases.

I had seen someone mention a similar glitch in one of their uploads. I just wanted to mention this in case it becomes an issue in terms of accusing someone of "theft".

I worked for weeks learning how to mesh. I researched tutorials, figured out what I could on my own, asked for help here and received it, researched and worked some more. When I finally saw my first successful mesh show up properly in my game I did a little Snoopy happy dance and phoned my husband at work to tell him. I was that proud of my accomplishment. I know this is what you tell kids in school when you catch them cheating on a test but where is the sense of satisfaction if the creation is stolen from someone else? I have the satisfaction of going into the downloads sections and seeing kind compliments and checking how many people have downloaded my hard work. The thieves have no idea they're depriving themselves of a wonderful sense of achievement. But, hey, if they gave a hoot about that they wouldn't be pathetic thieves would they.

What I usually do is place my screen name like here: amberandcarlos33_mts2 when I package an item so that people can see where the custom content is from and who created it. Using a person's real name is confusing because hardly anybody knows the creator by their real name, rather they know them from their screenname. Doing it this way makes it easier for us to search for the custom content & creator to give the proper credit.

Also, when I download something I save the images of the download and I simply put the images in the individual creator website folder then put the images in the word document with the list of packages and website url. It's a little time consuming but better than duplicating files to put one set in creator folders and the other in the downloads folder. Also, this way if something doesn't work right on the game I can simply open the file and go to the image, see what the name of the package file so I know right where the problem is.

It's just something I do differently, everybody's does different things!

Maybe it would be more helpful to tag the post as theft and give proper credit to the rightful person than to delete it. I think that giving someone credit for their work is a nice thing to do, especially if they offered the items free of charge. Personally, I think that trafikking non-redistributable items but with proper credit is actually free advertising, but strutting someone else's stuff with your name on it is the lowest one can get. But just the same, who doesn't want his work stolen or used otherwise than intended should properly tag it, state their distribution policy, or not upload it to the internet at all . Some sites don't let you save pictures posted on them and that is the right way to go about things that you want protected. However, two very different persons may produce indipendently similar stuff, after all we all try to reproduce real life and this, life, is similar to everyone, so unless there is an undeniable sign of theft thigs should be approached with caution.

Sounds like a fair policy to me!

I would like to applaud MTS2 for doing this. As a long-term 'skinner' who has since TS2 had my works stolen a number of times, its very hurtful and extremely annoying.

Thanks again, it's appreciated!!
-Xi-
xXx

OK let me reclarify again- If you upload a sim and you dont label the credit then youre going to be rejected until you get the links- You wont be banned unless you CLAIM someone elses work as your own.
Sorry for any confusion.


Summersong- Editing someones alpha if they permit recolor is fine. Using someones alpha to replace one on an upload of your own wihtout credit is not ok.

Example- Someone alpha edits a bathingsuit. You take that alpha and make recolors- then you must credit the person who created the alpha as well.

Hair recolors- If you edit the alpha to hide parts of the hair and such, youre still going to be crediting the mesh creator and the alpha work is your own... understand?

Last edited by LyricLee : 21st Jul 2006 at 06:49 PM.

I think this is a great move and at the same time it's sad.

Sad because it shows how many people are out there that do steal other's creations! How anyone could live with themselves and do that is beyond me. It's great to have a NO tolerance policy now, but sucks that it is needed at all.

Big thanks to the MTS2 staff for continuing to make this a fun enviornment where people can share there work with others. It always pains me when I see another person saying they will no longer be uploading here due to theift, I truely hope this puts a stop to it!

Ahh, thanks Lyric. I'm still learning all the definitions--don't know about meshes but learning so I can abide better by Terms. Appreciate the clarification very much.

This is one of the reasons the community here at MTS2 is so wonderful! The moderators are so diligent when it comes to piracy. All of the creators out there who so generously share their work with us shouldn't be discouraged from posting it. Thanks for taking such a hard stance on theft!

I think I speak for everyone who has spent tears, hours and unnumerous cups of coffe trying to break the *mesh-making-code* that this is absolutely in it's place!
However, I must ask, if I had downloaded something stolen and had the *creator aka thief*'s premition to recolour it and upload the recolour, whould that put me in a dangerzone? If you think you have the creators permition, but it turns out to be a thief... I would not want to hurt the real artist's feelings, after all they are kind enough as to let us use their work in our game, this is the LEAST we can do for them!

So if we see something that is stolen (from us, or something we recognize as belonging to someone else), is it OK to use the "report this download" link?

I almost did that recently when I saw something I knew for sure was a stolen texture, but the approved uses for that link are: "Spam, advertising messages, and problematic (harassment, fighting, or rude) posts." I definitely think STOLEN ITEMS should be added to that list!

FYI: In that specific instance, I notified the creator of the stolen texture and she requested that post be deleted.

Last edited by gonkski222 : 21st Jul 2006 at 08:22 PM.

Well said lyriclee, stealing is a massive issue

Thankfully I don't have any problems (touch wood) with theft, as all my content is hacks. (I do a fair bit of skinning too, but it doesn't warrant uploading... :P) I can definately say though that if I were to find content that was mine posted by anyone other than me, I'd be livid. So thankyou very much for re-enforcing this Lyric!

I've seen several posts discussing ways of ensuring that people who upload others' content have no excuse for not creditting, and while this tecnique was originally designed so I could prove ownership of my content, I just put a little notice saying "All ideas and work (c) [email protected]" in a redundant bit of text string - if creators can get into a habit of doing this (I now do it as automatically as changing the GUID), then we could eliminate a lot of problems, especially with content being uploaded on sites not as consiencous as MTS2.

EDITs, because I took too long to type! :P
OpheliaNival, if you genuinely believed that the theif was the creator, and once you find out you correct the information, then you'll be fine.
gonkski222, good point, "Stolen Content" should definately be added.

Once again Lyric, thanks for giving us all a subtle reminder! =P

Happy, legal simming all!
whiterider

Last edited by whiterider : 21st Jul 2006 at 08:35 PM.