Hi All,

Every so often we re-examine the existing rules we have in place, compare them to the downloads and see where they - and the site - can be improved. This is one of those times.

MTS2 is, as you all know, the premier resource for free content and help with the Sims 2 game and we pride ourselves on having the best downloads, best creation help, best tutorials and best game help in the community.

We were founded on the belief of free access to all the content here, and have, traditionally, allowed content that essentially advertises other peoples sites (be it pay or not). Recently we cracked down on such advertising, but since MTS2 is one of the best free sites in the community, it stands to reason that we should showcase and highlight free content wherever possible. To continue with this ethos, I would like to announce these changes to the current upload rules.

Read the Short Rules if you are impatient, but before asking a question, please read the Long Rules and the Frequently Asked Questions for more clarification.

The Short Rules:

1. Any uploads to MTS2 that require pay content will no longer be accepted for upload!

2. Any uploads to MTS2 that have optional pay content will no longer be accepted for upload!

3. All content must be showcased using free content only.

3b. Asking people for content included in pictures but not linked should be confined to PM or the Where can I find forum only.

4. All existing downloads that require pay content to function (including recolours, hairs, etc) will be moved to an archive in 2 weeks time.

5. For sims and lots: if you do not know where you got something, don't include it in the picture or the text! Remove it from the download or it will be rejected.

6. With regards to the signature rules: remember that removal of links is at the absolute discretion and final decision of the admins.

The Longer Rules:

1. Any uploads to MTS2 that require pay content will no longer be accepted for upload!

This specifically means content that requires you to pay money or donate to acquire it. To put it differently, this is content that is not accessible by regular members or requires some kind of monetary contribution to gain access to. This includes items from TSR, Simslice, ExnemSims, Peggy Sims and Rose Sims. Items that are always free for download on a site that also contains donation or pay items are ok.

Content that is categorised as always free is acceptable, with the exception of TSR items. However, any content that is locked behind either a donation scheme, a rotation system, contest winners only, or is not otherwise available for download to normal members is not allowed. It is for this reason that we will no longer allow content that requires pay items or has optional paysite links, and will be removing old content that requires it.

The admins and staff have the absolute right to determine which content or sites fall under this category.

2. Any uploads to MTS2 that have optional pay content will no longer be accepted for upload! By this we mean content that isn't required for the upload to work correctly, but is showcased in the pictures or in the text.

With regards to the optional content - this is stuff that you would showcase as part of your downloaded item. Some table in the corner of a pic doesn't matter if you are uploading a Sim. The pay hair and makeup that you decide to put the Sim in does and wouldn't be allowed. Remember that your pictures should always be primarily of the actual download, as is. Do not go overboard with extra content when it's not actually going to be downloaded by the members.

3. All uploads must be showcased using free content only. Remember that the download description is not a place to advertise other sites but to tell the downloader about your creation.

3b. Asking people for content included in pictures but not linked should be confined to PM or the Where can I find forum only. There are much better ways to ask or find content than asking it in someone’s download thread.

If, as a member, you have a question about a particular piece of content that is not showcased in the picture or text but appears, however slightly, then feel free to either PM the creator and ask, or use the WCIF system on Sims2Community. Asking in the thread "Hi, Where did you get so-and-so chair?" is not good usage of the comments system and is also quite rude if you don't comment on the download and only ask for other stuff. Those comments will now be removed.

4. All existing downloads that require paysite content to function (including recolours, hairs, etc) will be moved to an archive in 2 weeks time.

Currently this is everything that is tagged as a Paysite Mesh, or those items without the tag deemed to be so by the staff.

5. For sims and lots, remember that if you do not know where you got something, you shouldn’t include it in the picture! Remove it from the download or it will be rejected.

6. With regards to the signature rules: removal of links is at the absolute discretion and final decision of the admins.

We have always had rules to prevent linking to illegal content, however just because you might not agree with a persons sig, doesn't mean it should be removed. If the signature has swear words, or links to pornography or warez sites, then it will be removed as per the existing rules. All other links are removed only at the discretion and decision of an admin. If you find a signature you disagree with, you may report it, but please keep these rules in mind.

Frequently Asked Questions:

• What do you mean by optional content in screenshots? What if I upload a dress and my model has pay hair, or if I upload makeup and my model in the pic has pay eyes? Is stuff like that allowed? Can I show pay furniture in a pic if I'm only uploading the wallpaper? What about pay furniture in one example pic of a house if I'm uploading the house unfurnished?
  
  Using pay content to showcase your free items that you are uploading onto a free site seems a bit silly. We encourage and advise people to use free content, so your model could use free eyes and free skintones etc. In all cases above, no pay items would be allowed. A very tiny part of a pic, sure, but pay hair on a model for lipstick, nope. Basically rule 2 is in effect even for pictures - no pay content.

• What about free items on a paysite? Can I recolour free TSR things? Can I recolour free Peggy things? Can I show them in screenshots?
  
  We will not allow recolours of anything that is on TSR - free or not - due to their ever changing rules. Recolouring free items that are always free from other sites is ok, but obviously we would prefer you only recolour items that are on free sites anyway.

• What do you mean things will be moved to an archive in 2 weeks? Will we be able to see the archive or will my uploads disappear? And what things will be moved? What if a house needs one pay object, does that count? Or if a sim uses pay hair that isn't included?
  
  The archive will be locked for commenting for a period of time, after which the items will be removed completely. You will still be able to download from this archive during this period. Everything that requires a paysite mesh to work properly (as indicated in rule 1) would be moved.

• What if I recoloured a pay mesh from SimChic but included the mesh because they allow that... will that count as a pay mesh recolour?
  
  That wouldn't be counted because the user doesn't need to download anything else, since you are allowed to include the meshes with your uploads. So yes, it's allowed.

• If I am uploading paintings, do I have to credit the wallpaper in the picture, especially if there's only a tiny bit showing? If it's a top-down view of a bed, do I have to credit the floor?
  
  Nope. Crediting everything in a pic would be very, very time consuming on all parts. However, we ask that if you have a question about content in a pic you either PM the creator or use the Where can I find forum on S2C.

• Do I have to credit all of the content I've shown on my sim in the pictures even if I haven't included it?
  
  When taking screenshots of your sims, the way they are pictured is the way people will expect them to look when downloaded, too. You are showcasing the sim to encourage people to download it.
  
  Therefore, all content actually displayed on your sim in your screenshots - clothing, hair, accessories, makeup, skintones, etc. - should be credited, and should all be free content.
  
  If you don't remember where you got something, or it's not a free item, please switch it out for a Maxis item or something you can link to. What people see with your sim is what they should be able to get in their own game.

Final Thoughts:

While I realise that some of you creators may be upset with this change, please understand that the entire community is based on free help and support, and to make a recolour of, for example, a pay hair mesh, is to effectively advertise that site, and to say "free content is not good enough". While we realise that the actual recolours or content uploaded here may have passed our moderation queue, it is in the interests of the larger community as a whole and a necessity to go back to the roots that we are doing this. There are many, many free sites, with content far more suitable for recolouring to upload to MTS2, and we encourage everybody to use this free content. Why recolour pay content or content that is not as good quality when you can get all that and more from existing free sites?

For lists of excellent free content, please see the S2C Finds, or the Sims 2 Wiki Content Lists.

Please also note: Neither MTS2 nor it's owners nor any sole person or organisation supporting MTS2 is liable for any downloads on this site. If something breaks your game, or you do not agree with the content of a particular download, then we have the Report links, or you may indicate to the creator about particular issues with an object, but at no point may you engage in flame wars or hold us liable for anything you disagree with.

By implementing these rules, we make MTS2 for free creations only, and make sure that the bulk of the people using this site - the downloaders - can get all the content they need without having to worry about paying anything, which is, after all, one of the founding purposes for us in the community.

Regards,
Delphy

ps Thanks to all the MTS2 staff for giving feedback, clarifying points, helping with FAQ answers and generally being awesome!

Last edited by Delphy : 21st Sep 2007 at 10:48 PM. Reason: Added another FAQ entry

Sounds great Delphy. Keep up the great work. MTS2 Rules!!

Well this shouldn't really effect me as an uploader too much. I think I should only be loosing one of my uploads. (I hope)
I did sometimes wonder what the point was in making a free recolour for an object you had to pay for.

heartattack: http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=240437
(a little trip over to 'site issues' has it right there in the stickies)

Great new rules Delphy. Thank you for this great community.

Way to go, Delphy! As a downloader, I am glad to see that you are ensuring that all of the content found on MTS2 is freely accessible by all!

another expansion in the support of free content. I like it.

I agree with you 100%. Great job.

I have no issues with this. Sure, I might lose one or two things, but if that's what it takes, than I support this 100%.

I like this rule

This is awesome! Paysites WILL be destroyed!!!

I agree with you Delphy, a free site offering content needing pay site items is contradicting itself

Very good ruling.

This is common sense, practical and a great affirmation of the guiding principles behind free sites - nice to see MTS2 walking the walk. I knew there was a reason why this is my all time favourite sims2 site.

I like these rules, good work. Thanks again delphy!

I totally agree wit u, PAYSITES ARE EVIL, THANKS FOR THE NEW RULES

I completely agree with this. The game was designed in a way that made it possible to share content. I don't think it was ever intended for people to sell it. Hopefully, Sims 3 will see an end to this cash grab and a return to the original spirit of the game.

WOOHOO!!!

Thanks for taking this amazing stand, Delphy.

Simply awesome :D

I was hoping something like this would happen here sinse things have seemed to be straying a little from the whole free thing, i agree with these new rules 100%!

I think this is a great policy Thanks Delphy for taking a stand. I know that the buzz in the community has been saying there were changes certainly coming to MTS2's policy regarding pay items. Seems though that some people thought MTS2 would go the other route and allow pay meshes to be included in uploads, but you are so right when you say:


Well thought out, and well stated.


-K

This rule change is not objectionable. In fact, it is a great rule change.

This is a good idea. There are so many times I have downloaded a recolor or house that unfortunately required some pay items - which I will not pay for. It will be nice now to download items and actually get everything I expected.
Thanks for this new change, it will benefit the community for sure!

That's true. I found this set of sims that looked really good here, but they only looked good with the hair they were displayed with- Rosesims donation hairs. Surely this will put a stop to it!

Well that's a bit like saying " The sims sucked with all other hair" when it is not like it.The only truth about pay hair is that they may have gaps or bad animations but they look good on sims and people will continue using them regardless what .But that really goes for only certain pay hair creators.They already have reputation so they don't get affected anyway by these new rules.(and the best advertising of pay content takes place at the s2c really,so are there any plans on changing the rules over there also? Because that would be great, can you imagine how many free content or sites we would discover if pictures there were showcasing free-only? ).


Which new rules certainly split ( the already splitted anyway) community in 2 sides but it is only fair for every content here to be available for everyone so it is understandable.Also i agree about stuff being showcased on lots and not being included in the upload just because people are bored to find them or they are pay.


I didn't get the signature part however, does it mean mts2 will allow signatures to pmbd? cause that would be a bit contradictory.Sorry if i didn't understand it well.

It's great to promote free creators overall and have access to all downloads,so it's only fair .

Last edited by corvidophile2 : 22nd Jul 2007 at 5:41 AM.

This makes me a very happy person - It has always bothered me to see paysites having free advertising on the biggest free site in the community [ outside of, perhaps, the Exchange ].

Now, as others have said, I won't get disappointed finding a pretty recolour, only to learn I must buy the mesh.