niol, if the download requires the pay item to function, then it will be moved to the archive and subsequently deleted. If the pay item is optional, or simply used in pictures, it will not. Basically anything that is, or could be, marked with the "Requires pay content!" tag will be removed.

anonymous, you are allowed to include meshes if the creator's policy allows it, but you must always provide linked credit on MTS2. If in doubt, or if they creator's policy is unclear, don't include it.

I think this is fantastic news and I'm glad that that paysites won't be getting anymore free advertising from MTS2. I hope this hits them where it hurts most...their wallets.

I think this is great. Thankyou to all MTS2 staff for your amazing work!

This needs to be clarified. Under our Creator Guidelines for Sims (read the guidelines) you cannot include a mesh made by others if you have not recolored it yourself.

I am 110% in agreement. I find it extremely frutrating when I want to download something and it links me back to a pay site. Aargh.
Thank you for being the firm parent and exercising tough love.

I was just thinking, but isn't what the sims resource doing actually illegal, they are making a profit of the back of Maxis, EA Games, CEP Package etc!

Surely thats not allowed?

thanks a lot for the "Short rules" section. *kinda lazy..*
:\

Awesome!

That's one thing that pisses me off about TSR: their so-called "free" items tend to require pay meshes. NOT COOL.

I like this rule. Now I don't have to go hunting things down

Thank you, Delphy! I'm sick of seeing something that I'd like to download only to find out that it's a recolor for a pay item! MTS2 is a fantastic site!

I like to get everything on one site if possible anyway, so I think the new rules are a good idea!

Thanks for the kind words everybody. They are much appreciated.

A general note though - there is a Paysite Debate forum on S2C (http://forums.sims2community.com/forumdisplay.php?f=85) that has all the debates about whether paysites are illegal and EULAs and ethics and all that stuff. Please keep any comments and discussion on these issues to that forum.

We'll go through and clarify any rules that need clarification or if you have any questions don't hesitate to ask.

Thanks
Delphy

Thankyou for clarifying, Noodle

vividmiss

If your download of an existing sim is marked 'pay required' it is going to be moved to the archive if it stays that way. So yes, you can reupload your sim with a Maxis hair. (and edit to remove the paymesh tickbox). Please replace most (if not all) of your screenshots with a suitable free hair, and mark it clearly on the shots and in your text where they can get the free hair - so that members can have a sim that looks like the screenshots.

anonymous

If you recolored the outfit, then you can upload the mesh (as others have said) to your thread. (and you don't need to repackage the sim, just zip/rar and upload the additional file). If you didn't - perhaps you can find a someone else on site that did use the mesh, and point people to the free download there? (and remove the paymesh required tag)

SimChic's meshes are free (well free to distribute, if you recolored them I believe is their rule) which is an unusual situation - I would not call their meshes 'pay' in that way. On the other hand, we don't need to host 500 copies of the same mesh on mts2 - so if possible I suggest pointing to an existing location for the mesh if you can find one.

Thank you for putting your foot down.

I personally like the new rule, and if I could ever figure out how to create posts, I'd happily upload several of the houses I've built. (yes, I plan on reading the tutorials here soon,) I am always in awe of the things that people with far more skill and talent than I posess create. And am very happy with the free items that I have found here. I'm not saying that I resent, or disagree, with the decision of some creators to only offer thier creations for sale, as I have found a few items that were of incredible detail and quality that obviously took many man-hours (or woman-hours, lol) to create. I feel that it should be each creators personal choice whether to sell them, or give them away free. Some do it for the fun of it, and others do it for much needed extra money. I have never had anyone twist my arm and force me to pay for anything, and I feel it's a persons choice whether to pay or not. There certainly is plenty of high quality material available for free, if a person chooses not to pay. I don't see "Pay Sites" as evil, but as an alternative choice. While it's true that many of the items offered here, and at other free sites are of the highest quality, there are some things that I have seen at pay sites that are of even higher quality. And I have seen things that are not worth paying for either... Again, it just gives a user more choices. And another thing, generally speaking, when a person starts charging for thier work, it is usually understood and expected that the work had better be of the highest standards. Otherwise, they won't be selling things for long, as people will have the word quickly spread to not bother buying things from them. So I feel that that also helps to act as an incentive to maintain quality in thier work.
Please note, I'm not knocking or criticizing the free items that are offered here, I have downloaded a great many of them and enjoy them a lot. And I am extremely grateful for the generosity of the creators in offering them to everyone for free. But I have seen a lot of open criticism of pay sites here, and at other free forums. And feel that people need to be reminded that not everyone can, or is willing, to donate so much of thier time to something for free. For some, the creations they sell provide a much needed income, and help to enable them to provide more than would be possible for free. If you don't want to pay, then that's a choice you must make on your own. You can easily find items of any type for free that are just as good.

Just to reiterate.

Bravo!!!! Many a time I have poised my download finger on the button only to realize that it needed a "pay" mesh and had to stop in mid click!!! I fully support your new policies!!!! Thank you!!

I must say that I am delighted to hear this news for purely selfish reasons. You see, I am disabled and on a very limited income and my sims are my main source of amusement in an otherwise dreary existence. I came to MTS2 because I was informed on another Free/Pay site that I needed CEP for the downloads to show in the game and I figured that since all the talent was here I would just continue visiting, at least for as long as I'm allowed to. Thank you so much for everything.

Am I the only one that sees this as a bad thing? It seems way to restrictive and a bit ridiculous! I doubt I'll take the time to upload anything here anymore...what a shame cuz I'm sure I won't be the only one! MTS2 used to be my first stop and favorite place for sims2 content...well...not anymore I hate to say! Seems MTS2 has been going downhill and it keeps going downhill faster and faster! I've just been looking at the quality and amount of downloads lately...and the amount of comments...wow...well I see the pattern, I hope some of you others see it too!

Jessica, I actually find it quite incredulous that you complain about the rules to not include paysite recolours on MTS2 when you also have a link to PMBD in your signature...

Please read paragraph 1 of my Final Thoughts again. If you don't like MTS2, well, there are plenty of other free sites you can upload to... I fail to see how these rules will really affect your viewpoint, since you obviously are so negative towards us.

Enjoy uploading elsewhere, and downloading things here....

ok, so, just to be clear, I don't remember which of my hairs are pay or free, but you won't take down a house I did because the sim laying on the bed in the bedroomshot has pay hair, right? I don't upload sims and I don't upload pay objects, so I'm safe, right?

and thanks for doing this!

No, kuronue. Only downloads which require pay content will be removed, if they already exist.
However, in the future, uploads with pay content in screenshots will be rejected. I'm not sure what would be done in the case of pay stuff on a model in a lot... I'd assume it'd depend on how focussed the shot was on the model. Anywho, if it's just a model in a lot, it's easy enough to use Maxis stuff if you really don't know what's pay and what's free.

Rock on!