Difference between revisions of "MTS2:Creator Guidelines/Object Recolours"

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=Object Recolours=
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=Guidelines for Sims 2 Object Recolors=
  
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Have you made new colour options for objects, Maxis or custom? This guide will walk you through every step of what we require on MTS2. Please make sure you read these guidelines carefully, as our standards have changed over the years, and there may be some items you weren't aware of before.
+
Have you made new colour options for objects, Maxis or custom? This guide will walk you through every step of what we require on MTS2. Please make sure you read these guidelines carefully, as our standards have changed over the years, and there may be some items you weren't aware of before.
  
−
At the end of the guidelines after full explanations of each item is a checklist, so you can make sure you've done everything you need to.
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==Quality==
  
 +
{| class="nicetable" style="width:100%"
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|-
 +
|
 +
*'''Recolor/Swatch''' Don't create a full clone for every new texture
  
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==Quality==
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* '''Duplication:''' Search MTS and see how many recolors have already been done for the particular type of item you're creating - do not duplicate items. We would, however, accept the same kind of thing if your version had significantly improved features (better textures, more subsets, etc.) than an existing item.
  
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The first thing moderators look for when moderating uploads is quality - simply, is the item good or not?
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* '''Texture Quality:''' Your textures should have some detail to them - not just a flat single-colour bucket fill, but with highlights and shadows in the right places.  Even for flat, smooth items, you should have some detail.
  
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{{Guidelines-Quality-Duplication}}
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* '''Crisp, unpixellated textures:'''Your textures should look as clear and crisp as textures from the game (or better!). There shouldn't be any blurriness or pixellation to your textures.
  
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{| class="collapsible collapsed wikitable" style="width:100%"
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*'''UVMapping:''' Ensure your texture is correctly scaled and not distorted. Avoid seams in your recolor texture.   
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|-
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! style="text-align:left" | Time and Effort (*)
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|-
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|[[Image:PaintingRecolours.jpg|right|thumbnail|300x300px|MTS2 no longer accepts painting recolours that are not your own artwork or in the game's style.  [http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=298686 "Right Way" paintings by Ebbe].]]This is probably the hardest one to quantify, but it's something that is obvious whenever upload moderators look at an upload: have you really expended some serious time and effort on a creation?  You can't just crank out a bunch of stuff in a short amount of time and expect it to be good.  Nor can you spend a while just fiddling with something but not really trying and expect a good result either.
+
  
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Most good creators spend hours upon hours on even simple creations. We understand that not everything has to be that difficult, but we do expect you to not just slap together something in 15 minutes and upload it and expect it to get accepted.  Really try to put some serious effort into what you create, and it will show through in the quality.
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*'''Materials:''' Most objects have more than one part to them. Make sure you take a good look at the object before you start texturing and use appropriate materials.   
  
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* '''Regarding Painting Recolours:''' Slapping a picture you found on some website onto a painting takes little to no effort. It can be good for a first project just to learn how to do painting recolours, but we will no longer be accepting random real-life photos, pics of celebrities, etc. - it takes very little effort to make these things and they simply do not fit the style of the game whatsoever. Try making your own artwork or a friend's artwork (with permission) into paintings, or take some pics in-game of sims in interesting poses, or try something like the SimRealism stuff - something that actually matches the game style. Simlish text instead of English is not required, but greatly preferred. For examples of what we mean, see: [http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=272566 Appelsapgodin's sim pinups], [http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=256528 Bunnylita's sim stars], [http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=238147 Bruno's simlish posters], [http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=117828 DaisyTighfield's SimRealism posters], or [http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=164793 Wycked's Lestat and Armand paintings].
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* '''Not Too Bright:''' Do not use over-bright colors.
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<br style="clear:both" />
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|}
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{| class="collapsible collapsed wikitable" style="width:100%"
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* '''Black & White:''' For black you use dark grey, and for white you use light grey. That way you can still add lighter or darker for shadows and highlights, and your item will look right in the game - true black just looks like a dark hole, and true white is far too bright.  
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|-
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−
! style="text-align:left" | Highlights and Shadows (*)
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|-
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|
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[[Image:Chairs-BucketFill.jpg|right|300x300px]]Your textures should have some detail to them - not just a flat single-colour bucket fill, but with highlights and shadows in the right places.  Even for flat, smooth items, you should have some detail.  This is especially important on cloth items such as couches or bedding, but it applies to all items.
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<br style="clear:both" />
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−
|}
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{| class="collapsible collapsed wikitable" style="width:100%"
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*'''Car Recolours:''' Please limit yourself to basic colours. Looking up factory colours for the model you have chosen is a good idea. You should also search MTS and see just how many recolours have already been done for that model - do not duplicate existing recolours. For sports cars, muscle cars, etc., exotic paint jobs will only be accepted if they are truly unique and exceptional. MTS will not accept such paint jobs for none sports/muscle cars.
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|-
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! style="text-align:left" | Not Too Bright (*)
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*'''Bedding:''' All bedding must work for single and double beds. If using a picture on a bed ensure it has a cloth-like texture. See the helpful links section for bedding tutorials/resources.
−
|-
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−
|
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*'''Painting Recolors:''' Painting recolors should be in game style and the images used should be your own work or clearly attributed. Make sure the mesh is appropriate to the image you use: photos in photo frames, posters on poster meshes, art in painting frames/canvases.  Do pay attention to what original artists say about reusing their art/photos etc - if they say you can't use their work then please respect that artist's wishes.
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[[Image:Chairs-TooBright.jpg|right|300x300px]]When creating an item that is brightly-coloured or neon, you need to keep in mind the way the game renders colour...  Creating something that looks truly neon-bright in your graphics program will look blindingly bright in-game - as if it's actually illuminated, rather than just brightly-coloured.  You can always turn down the saturation on your texture if it's looking too bright.
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<br style="clear:both" />
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|}
 
|}
  
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{| class="collapsible collapsed wikitable" style="width:100%"
 
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|-
 
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! style="text-align:left" | Black and White (*)
 
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|-
 
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|
 
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[[Image:Chairs-BlackandWhite.jpg|right|300x300px]]When making something that's black or white, you never use -actual- true black or white.  For black you use dark grey, and for white you use light grey.  That way you can still add lighter or darker for shadows and highlights, and your item will look right in the game - true black just looks like a dark hole, and true white is far too bright.
 
  
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* For tips on making black and white look right in-game (including suggested settings), see: [[Tutorials:Tiptorial: Making Black and White Clothing the Right Way|Tiptorial: Making Black and White Clothing the Right Way]].  Though this "tiptorial" is written for clothing, the same concepts work for all Sims 2 textures.
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==Information==
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<br style="clear:both" />
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−
|}
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{{Guidelines-Textures-Photoskinning}}
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{{Template:Guidelines-InfoFiles-TitleDescription}}
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{{Guidelines-Textures-CrispUnpixellatedTextures}}  
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{| class="collapsible collapsed wikitable" style="width:100%"
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{| class="nicetable" style="width:100%"
 
|-
 
|-
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! style="text-align:left" | Undistorted (*)
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! style="text-align:left" | Catalogue details
 
|-
 
|-
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|
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|If your upload '''adds swatches to an existing Maxis item''' without creating a new catalogue entry, we need you to:
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Please bear in mind that not all objects are appropriate for doing all textures on.  If an object is not properly UV/texture mapped so that a printed texture will work properly on it, looking stretched, distorted, repeat strangely, or are otherwise wrong/weird... then you may have to choose a different object, or a different texture.
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*Clearly state that your upload adds recolours to "Object" (replacing "object" with the catalogue name of the actual item)
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<br style="clear:both" />
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 +
If your upload clones a Maxis mesh to create a '''new item with a unique catalogue entry''', we need the following information about your new object:
 +
*Catalogue name
 +
*Price
 +
*Catalogue location
 
|}
 
|}
  
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{| class="collapsible collapsed wikitable" style="width:100%"
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{| class="nicetable" style="width:100%"
 
|-
 
|-
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! style="text-align:left" | Materials (*)
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! style="text-align:left" | Recolor of a Custom Mesh
 
|-
 
|-
 
|
 
|
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Most objects have more than one part to them. Make sure you take a good look at the object and the original colour file before you start texturing.  For example, if a tapestry has a picture and a wooden bar, don't simply paste your picture over the wood part.
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* Please do not include meshes that are uploaded on MTS, even if the creator says it's okay - this creates redundant uploads.
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<br style="clear:both" />
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* If you do include the mesh, make sure you include a credit and link in the text of your post and state that the mesh is included.
 
|}
 
|}
  
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{| class="collapsible collapsed wikitable" style="width:100%"
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{{Guidelines-InfoFiles-EPRequired}}
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|-
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! style="text-align:left" | Car Recolours (*)
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−
|-
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−
|
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Please limit yourself to basic colours. Looking up factory colours for the model you have chosen is a good idea. You should also search MTS2 and see just how many recolours have already been done for that model - do not duplicate existing recolours.
+
  
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Unless the car is a sports car, muscle car, etc., exotic paint jobs are unnecessary and silly. They will only be accepted if they are truly unique and exceptional.
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{{Template:Guidelines-NotPerfect}}
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<br style="clear:both" />
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|}
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==Screenshots==
  
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{| class="collapsible collapsed wikitable" style="width:100%"
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{| class="nicetable" style="width:100%"
 
|-
 
|-
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! style="text-align:left" | Bedding (*)
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! style="text-align:left" | Screenshots
 
|-
 
|-
 
|
 
|
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Bedding that is clearly intended for a child MUST work on a single bed and your in game screen shots must be on single bedding. This would include, but not be limited to, characters from cartoons, anime, movies, or books.  Most people do not give child sims double beds.  We understand it is tricky to do double beds, but there's a nice [http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=85298 tutorial by Tiggerypum] that has templates and info showing how.
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[[Image:ICad-object-colors.jpg|right|400px]]Take some nice pictures of your recolors. Your pictures should be taken in-game and should show the quality requirements are met.
  
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Please also remember not to just slap a picture or texture on a bed. Bedding is made of cloth.  It should have some texture to it that looks like cloth - with slight ripples in the form of highlights and shadows.  You don't have to make big crunchy wrinkles - just something that gives the bed more texture than just a colour/pattern.  For an easy way to do this, use can use [http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=274692 HystericalParoxysm's bedding textures for Photoshop] (attached to that thread, with "Creators Only" in the filename).
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* '''Show all recolor options:''' You will need pictures of each and every recolor, but you can use a swatch to show the colors. The picture to the right with the names of the colors and using a portion of an ingame picture of the object to show the texture is a great way to do this.
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<br style="clear:both" />
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 +
* '''Bedding:''' Bedding screenshots should be taken from an overhead or mostly-overhead picture (unlike most other items) so the bedding can be clearly seen. Screenshots should also show the bedding on both single and double beds.
 +
 
 +
{{Guidelines-ScreenshotsBigClearEtc}}
 +
 
 +
{{Guidelines-Screenshots-Tips}}
 
|}
 
|}
  
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==Screenshots==
 
  
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People want to see what they're downloading!  Your screenshots sell your upload - if people don't like the look of your screenshots, they're not going to download - and if your screenshots are too bad, you won't get your upload approved.
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==Files==
 +
 
 +
{{Guidelines-InfoFiles-ZipRar7z}}
  
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{{Guidelines-Screenshots-BigEnough}}
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{| class="nicetable" style="width:100%"
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{{Guidelines-Screenshots-InGame}}
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{{Guidelines-Screenshots-WellLit}}
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{{Guidelines-Screenshots-Angle}}
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{{Guidelines-Screenshots-WholeThing}}
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{{Guidelines-Screenshots-CloseEnough}}
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{{Guidelines-Screenshots-Detail}}
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{| class="collapsible collapsed wikitable" style="width:100%"
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|-
 
|-
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! style="text-align:left" | Bedding (*)
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! style="text-align:left" | File Types
 
|-
 
|-
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|Remember that bedding that is generally for kids (cartoon/anime characters, bright colours, etc.) must be shown on a single bed in your pictures. You can also show it on a double bed too, but it needs to be obvious that it works on a single bed from your pictures. Bedding screenshots should be taken from an overhead or mostly-overhead picture (unlike most other items) so the bedding can be clearly seen.  
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| Upload your recolors as package files and give them a descriptive name so downloaders can tell which ones are which (very important for large sets) .
 
|}
 
|}
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{{Guidelines-Screenshots-AllItemsInSet}}
 
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{{Guidelines-Screenshots-Photoshopping}}
 
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{{Guidelines-Screenshots-InlineandAttached}}
 
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{{Guidelines-Screenshots-Tips}}
 
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{{Guidelines-Screenshots-AdultContent-Nudity}}
 
  
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==Right Info and Right Files==
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{{Guidelines-InfoFiles-UploadinSets}}
  
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Once you have your creation made and screenshots taken, you need to make sure you have all the fiddly bits in order.
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{| class="nicetable" style="width:100%"
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{| class="collapsible collapsed wikitable" style="width:100%"
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|-
 
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! style="text-align:left" | Right File (*)
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! style="text-align:left" | Custom Mesh
 
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|-
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|
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|Please do not include meshes that are uploaded on MTS, even if the creator says it's okay - this creates redundant uploads.
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Object recolours will all be .package files.  They will be the files you have created when you recoloured the object in SimPE or Wizards of SimPE. You've probably put them in your Downloads folder to take your screenshots, so you will likely find them there. But you should already know where these files are located - you created them!
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|-
 +
|* '''Including Mesh(es):''' If your creation does require a custom mesh, you may wish to include it in your upload so that downloaders can just get what you've uploaded and not have to go anywhere else.
  
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* Please do not put your creations on a lot and upload them as .sims2pack files.  We just need the finished .package file, not a whole lot.
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* Once you've identified what mesh it is, you need to check back with the original creator on their site or forum and see what they say about that - look for a FAQ or policies page to see what they have to say about including their meshes.
  
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* Please also do not include any .bak files (backups made when editing a file in SimPE), thumbs.db files (Windows thumbnail database files, which can cause folders to crash if they become corrupted) or DS_Store files (Mac system file, also not needed).
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* Do not include meshes that the creator says not to include. If you get special permission to include a mesh that normally cannot be included (or the creator's policies don't say anything) please say in the text of your upload post that you have permission - we can't read your mind! If the creator's site is permanently offline, you can assume they don't mind.
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<br style="clear:both" />
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|}
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{| class="collapsible collapsed wikitable" style="width:100%"
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* If you do include the mesh, make sure you include a credit and link in the text of your post - and make sure you state that the mesh is included!
 
|-
 
|-
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! style="text-align:left" | Meshes Needed/Included (*)
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|* '''Linking to Meshes:''' If you cannot include a mesh, or the mesh is hosted on MTS, link to the mesh in the appropriate spot when uploading - when you mark your upload as a New Mesh Recolour you will get a screen asking you to link to the mesh.  
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|-
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|
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'''Do you need a mesh?''' If you are recolouring a custom, non-Maxis item, downloaders will need a custom mesh for your content to work right.  You should know which mesh it is that's required, as you will have had to select that item when recolouring the object in SimPE.  For Maxis items, you may not need to download an additional mesh, but you may need a specific EP to use the item.  See the info below under "Expansions/Stuff Packs Required?" for more info on that.
+
  
−
'''Including Meshes:'''  If your creation does require a custom mesh, you may wish to include it in your upload so that downloaders can just get what you've uploaded and not have to go anywhere else.
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* Please give as direct a link as possible - to the page where the mesh is, if you can. If you cannot give a direct link, or if there are a lot of meshes on the page, please give directions in the text of your post, as clear as possible... i.e. "Look on Bathrooms, Page 5, the pink set - you need the tub and rug" Please do not hotlink the mesh - i.e. you want to link to the page it can be downloaded from, not the actual rar or zip file with the mesh in it.  
 +
|}
  
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Once you've identified what mesh it is, you need to check back with the original creator on their site or forum and see what they say about that - look for a FAQ or policies page to see what they have to say about including their meshes.  They may not want you to include their mesh, or they may only be okay with it if you include their readme file as well. 
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==Other==
  
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Please do not include meshes that are uploaded on MTS2, even if the creator says it's okay - this creates redundant uploads.
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{{Guidelines-NotAllowed}}
  
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Do not include meshes that the creator says not to include, or if the creator doesn't say.  If you get special permission to include a mesh that normally cannot be included (or the creator's policies don't say anything) please say in the text of your upload post that you have permission - we can't read your mind!
 
  
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If you do include the mesh, make sure you include a credit and link in the text of your post - and make sure you state that the mesh is included!
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[[Category:MTS2 Creator Guidelines]]
 +
[[Category:Sims 2]]
  
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'''Linking to Meshes:''' If you cannot include a mesh, or the mesh is hosted on MTS2, link to the mesh in the appropriate spot when uploading - when you mark your upload as a New Mesh Recolour you will get a screen asking you to link to the mesh.  Please give as direct a link as possible - to the page where the mesh is, if you can.  If you cannot give a direct link, or if there are a lot of meshes on the page, please give directions in the text of your post, as clear as possible... i.e. "Look on Bathrooms, Page 5, the pink set - you need the tub and rug"  Please do not hotlink the mesh - i.e. you want to link to the page it can be downloaded from, not the actual rar or zip file with the mesh in it - hotlinking is bad manners.
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<br style="clear:both" />
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==Helpful Links==
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|}
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{| class="nicetable" style="width:100%"
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{| class="collapsible collapsed wikitable" style="width:100%"
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|-
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! style="text-align:left" | Including Poly Counts (*)
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|-
 
|-
 
|
 
|
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If you are recoloring a new mesh (not a maxis game mesh) from a website other than MTS, then we will need to know the poly counts of the new mesh. If the original creator has listed the poly counts on their post, that's fine. Its helpful if you relist those numbers, but its not required. If the original creator has not listed a poly count, then you will need to look it up and include it in your post. To do so, open up the original mesh in SimPE, open the GMDC, and add together all the FaceCount numbers.
 
  
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Because you are not the creator of the mesh, we will not require you to edit the mesh and we will not reject your recolor because of a high poly count, but if you have chosen to recolor a high poly mesh a warning banner will be included at the top of your post. This warning banner was original created to inform users about high poly hair meshes, but it is useful here as well.
+
* For tips on making black and white look right in-game (including suggested settings), see: [[Tutorials:Tiptorial: Making Black and White Clothing the Right Way|Tiptorial: Making Black and White Clothing the Right Way]]. Though this "tiptorial" is written for clothing, the same concepts work for all Sims 2 textures.
−
<br style="clear:both" />
+
−
|}
+
−
{{Guidelines-InfoFiles-EPRequired}}
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−
{{Guidelines-InfoFiles-InGameNames}}
+
  
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{| class="collapsible collapsed wikitable" style="width:100%"
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* Bedding Tutorial : [http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=85298 tutorial by Tiggerypum]
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|-
+
−
! style="text-align:left" | Upload to Correct Forum (*)
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−
|-
+
−
|Please post your recolors in the appropriate forum. If you have made a full living room set with mixed items such as a sofa, chair, curtains and table, then it would go in Buy Mode - By Room - Living. If you have just recoloured a single item like a sofa, please put it in Buy Mode - By Function - Comfort.
+
−
<br style="clear:both" />
+
−
|}
+
  
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==Uploading==
+
* Templates for bedding textures: [http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=274692 HystericalParoxysm's bedding textures for Photoshop] (attached to that thread, with "Creators Only" in the filename)
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{{Guidelines-InfoFiles-ZipRar7z}}
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{{Guidelines-InfoFiles-UploadinSets}}
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{{Guidelines-InfoFiles-Title}}
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{{Guidelines-InfoFiles-Description}}
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{{Guidelines-InfoFiles-PermissionCredit}}
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==Additional Stuff==
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|}
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+
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* If your upload is rejected or marked as changes required and you're not sure why, ask in [http://www.modthesims2.com/forumdisplay.php?f=492 Creator Issues].
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* If you're not sure whether your lot is ready for uploading, use the [http://www.modthesims2.com/forumdisplay.php?f=473 Creator Feedback Forum] to get feedback on it.
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[[Category:MTS2 Creator Guidelines]]
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Latest revision as of 14:30, 23 April 2018

Contents

[edit] Guidelines for Sims 2 Object Recolors

Have you made new colour options for objects, Maxis or custom? This guide will walk you through every step of what we require on MTS2. Please make sure you read these guidelines carefully, as our standards have changed over the years, and there may be some items you weren't aware of before.

[edit] Quality

  • Recolor/Swatch Don't create a full clone for every new texture
  • Duplication: Search MTS and see how many recolors have already been done for the particular type of item you're creating - do not duplicate items. We would, however, accept the same kind of thing if your version had significantly improved features (better textures, more subsets, etc.) than an existing item.
  • Texture Quality: Your textures should have some detail to them - not just a flat single-colour bucket fill, but with highlights and shadows in the right places. Even for flat, smooth items, you should have some detail.
  • Crisp, unpixellated textures:Your textures should look as clear and crisp as textures from the game (or better!). There shouldn't be any blurriness or pixellation to your textures.
  • UVMapping: Ensure your texture is correctly scaled and not distorted. Avoid seams in your recolor texture.
  • Materials: Most objects have more than one part to them. Make sure you take a good look at the object before you start texturing and use appropriate materials.
  • Not Too Bright: Do not use over-bright colors.
  • Black & White: For black you use dark grey, and for white you use light grey. That way you can still add lighter or darker for shadows and highlights, and your item will look right in the game - true black just looks like a dark hole, and true white is far too bright.
  • Car Recolours: Please limit yourself to basic colours. Looking up factory colours for the model you have chosen is a good idea. You should also search MTS and see just how many recolours have already been done for that model - do not duplicate existing recolours. For sports cars, muscle cars, etc., exotic paint jobs will only be accepted if they are truly unique and exceptional. MTS will not accept such paint jobs for none sports/muscle cars.
  • Bedding: All bedding must work for single and double beds. If using a picture on a bed ensure it has a cloth-like texture. See the helpful links section for bedding tutorials/resources.
  • Painting Recolors: Painting recolors should be in game style and the images used should be your own work or clearly attributed. Make sure the mesh is appropriate to the image you use: photos in photo frames, posters on poster meshes, art in painting frames/canvases. Do pay attention to what original artists say about reusing their art/photos etc - if they say you can't use their work then please respect that artist's wishes.


[edit] Information

Title & Description
Give your upload a descriptive title and write a text description for your upload, describing what you're uploading. Your title and description must be in English or provide an English translation. If you are not a native English speaker, using Google Translate is okay. You can also ask for help writing your description in the Creator Feedback Forum.
Catalogue details
If your upload adds swatches to an existing Maxis item without creating a new catalogue entry, we need you to:
  • Clearly state that your upload adds recolours to "Object" (replacing "object" with the catalogue name of the actual item)

If your upload clones a Maxis mesh to create a new item with a unique catalogue entry, we need the following information about your new object:

  • Catalogue name
  • Price
  • Catalogue location
Recolor of a Custom Mesh
  • Please do not include meshes that are uploaded on MTS, even if the creator says it's okay - this creates redundant uploads.
  • If you do include the mesh, make sure you include a credit and link in the text of your post and state that the mesh is included.
Expansion Packs or Stuff Packs required?
Particular items may be added with expansion or stuff packs, and depending on how your creation is made and the item you based it on, your creation may not work for users who do not own that expansion/stuff pack. You need to be sure of which packs are necessary for the items you have made. If users don't have the EP, your stuff may not work! If you are unsure of whether or not your creation will require an expansion or stuff pack, you can ask about it in the appropriate Create forum (under the Create menu on MTS) before uploading.

Make sure you only mark the EPs/SPs required that your upload actually needs! Don't just mark them all! For specifics, please read: MTS2:Creator_Guidelines/Compatibility

Not Quite Perfect?

Let the people know if there are unavoidable issues or weirdness with your upload that downloaders should be aware of. Nobody's perfect, but you need to let your downloaders know if there is something odd to watch out for.

[edit] Screenshots

Screenshots
ICad-object-colors.jpg
Take some nice pictures of your recolors. Your pictures should be taken in-game and should show the quality requirements are met.
  • Show all recolor options: You will need pictures of each and every recolor, but you can use a swatch to show the colors. The picture to the right with the names of the colors and using a portion of an ingame picture of the object to show the texture is a great way to do this.
  • Bedding: Bedding screenshots should be taken from an overhead or mostly-overhead picture (unlike most other items) so the bedding can be clearly seen. Screenshots should also show the bedding on both single and double beds.

Keep the following in mind for your screenshots, especially the required ones:

  • Size: 800 pixels wide by 600 pixels tall is a good size for the smallest pic you would want to upload. Your images can be up to 2560x1440 pixels, and 800 kb, so you have lots of space to work with!
  • Lighting: For most things, it's best to take pictures in an interior room with good lighting. For lots, pictures should be taken during a nice sunny day, for floorplans, take the pictures with the lights ON.
  • Clarity: Neither blurry, nor pixellated/crunchy. Do not size up small pictures to make a large one as this will blur them, and make sure not to use too much compression/too low quality when saving your images.
  • Distance: Take your pictures so that your creation fills the screen without anything cut off at top or bottom - neither zoomed in too close, nor zoomed out too far.
  • Distortion: If you resize your images, retain the aspect ratio so they don't get stretched or squashed. Take care when zooming in and out with the camera that you do not create a fisheye effect on your pictures.
  • Photoshopping: Do not apply filters like sharpen, contrast, etc. to the required pictures, as downloaders want to see what your creation will look like in their game, not your skills at using Photoshop.
  • Attached: All required images must be attached directly to the MTS upload, not just inserted using the img tag, so that even if the pics get deleted from your Photobucket (or other host), the upload on MTS is still complete.
  • Show all items: For most areas, if you are uploading a set, you must take all the required pics for each item in the set. If there is an exception, it will be noted.
  • Picture limit: You may upload up to 100 pictures for a single upload thread, so feel free to add some additional pictures just to show off your work to its best. Of course, keep it reasonable - nobody needs 50 pics to show off one sim or hair.
  • Inline pictures: Inline pictures are those that use the [img] tag to show up in with the description text. So that it doesn't take too long to load, please keep this to no more than 4 pictures done inline, unless you put them inside an [infobutton] tag. To do this, see our guide on post formatting.


[edit] Files

Zip, Rar, or 7z
To upload your file(s) to MTS, you will need to compress them into an archive file, which makes them smaller and allows you to include many files in one download. The archive file formats we currently accept are .zip, .rar, and .7z.

For instructions on compressing your files into an archive, please see: Creator Guidelines: Creating Archive Files.

  • Do not include multiple archives with the same contents - that is, please don't put your files in both a .zip as well as a .rar because some people only want .zip files. Choose one format.
  • Do not double-compress your files... a .rar file inside another .rar file (or any other archive inside another) doesn't compress it anymore, and it makes it so we can't see the contents without downloading, and also just makes an extra step for the people downloading.
  • The file size limit on MTS is 50 mb. If you exceed this limit you will need to split your archives. This should probably never come up except for large worlds for The Sims 3, or huge sets of smaller items.
File Types
Upload your recolors as package files and give them a descriptive name so downloaders can tell which ones are which (very important for large sets) .
Upload in sets
If you have created several items in a set, or similar items in the same sort of theme at the same time, please upload these together in a single set, all on one thread (instead of all separately, one by one, on different threads). This is easier for everyone: on our upload moderators, as they only have one thread to review rather than several... on you, as submitting a single thread is much quicker and easier than several... and on downloaders, as they can get everything they want all in one place rather than having to hunt around.

If you are doing a huge set, you can always break the set up into pieces, posting more screenshots along with the downloads as comments in the thread, as is done here and here. To do that, create a new thread in the Creator Issues Forum and arrange your thread there, using the first post as an introduction, and attach your uploads and images to subsequent posts in the thread. When you're done, PM a moderator to have it moved to the upload queue. For more information, read the message that displays when you go to post in Creator Issues.

Custom Mesh
Please do not include meshes that are uploaded on MTS, even if the creator says it's okay - this creates redundant uploads.
* Including Mesh(es): If your creation does require a custom mesh, you may wish to include it in your upload so that downloaders can just get what you've uploaded and not have to go anywhere else.
  • Once you've identified what mesh it is, you need to check back with the original creator on their site or forum and see what they say about that - look for a FAQ or policies page to see what they have to say about including their meshes.
  • Do not include meshes that the creator says not to include. If you get special permission to include a mesh that normally cannot be included (or the creator's policies don't say anything) please say in the text of your upload post that you have permission - we can't read your mind! If the creator's site is permanently offline, you can assume they don't mind.
  • If you do include the mesh, make sure you include a credit and link in the text of your post - and make sure you state that the mesh is included!
* Linking to Meshes: If you cannot include a mesh, or the mesh is hosted on MTS, link to the mesh in the appropriate spot when uploading - when you mark your upload as a New Mesh Recolour you will get a screen asking you to link to the mesh.
  • Please give as direct a link as possible - to the page where the mesh is, if you can. If you cannot give a direct link, or if there are a lot of meshes on the page, please give directions in the text of your post, as clear as possible... i.e. "Look on Bathrooms, Page 5, the pink set - you need the tub and rug" Please do not hotlink the mesh - i.e. you want to link to the page it can be downloaded from, not the actual rar or zip file with the mesh in it.

[edit] Other

Uploads not allowed on MTS
These items are not allowed on MTS in any category.
Pay/Pirated Content

Everything required or recommended for an upload must be freely available, without having to pay.

  • No uploads requiring pay content: We do not host content (for example, recolours of a pay hair or object mesh) that absolutely require pay content to function in-game.
  • No optional pay, pirated, or stolen content: Even for optional or recommended content not absolutely required for the creation to work (for example, hair on a sim or a couch on a lot), this means:
    • No content you must pay for. This means you cannot use items that are pay, donation, subscriber only, "special gift", etc. type content, anything accessible only when you pay money or subscribe.
    • No content from sites that are repositories of unmodified content when it is still available from the original creator, whether these items are pay or free (no Booty or Simscave, torrents, sites full of stolen content or similar, but the Graveyard and sites that offer recolours or modifications with the mesh are okay).
    • No EA content simply converted to base game use with no other changes.
    • No pirated EA Store content. EA Store content, linked to the legitimate EA Store, is okay though. TS2 store content may be included, with proper credit, since the store is no longer available.
Other content not allowed
  • Items that belong on the adult site: No content posted on MTS can have visible nudity, sexual content, or adult content, and instead must be posted on our adult site, Sexy Sims. This means on MTS, you may not post:
    • Content that contains nudity, which we define as exposing the female nipples, or the butt crack/genitals of either gender, including semi-transparent stuff like a sheer bra. Items that are merely "sexy" like skimpy miniskirts or string bikinis are fine on MTS. Transsexual/transgender items are also not considered adult content unless they contain nudity.
    • Skintones containing genital details - female nipples are okay on MTS but see below regarding screenshots.
    • Images of skintones with uncensored female nipples. Please blur or cover the nipples, butt crack, and genital area when taking screenshots of your skintones.
    • Fine art uploads containing visible nudity.
    • Items with specifically sexual content (sex toys, sexual poses).
    • Items containing swear/curse words
    • Items relating to illegal drugs. Prescription and over-the-counter drugs, alcohol, and tobacco are okay on MTS though.
  • Sexualized children: We do not allow any sexy/sexualized content for baby, toddler, or child sims in any way - no breasts whatsoever on child sims, no "sexy" outfits, etc. If you want to make preteens, make a less developed body for teen sims. Sexualized child content is not allowed at our adult site either.
  • Offensive content: Racist, sexist, homophobic, transphobic, bigoted, hateful or otherwise offensive content will not be allowed. Again, also not allowed at our adult site.
  • Gore/violence: We do not allow uploads which feature prominent, graphic violence and/or gore. Examples of things we do not allow would include items centred around mass shootings, images showing explicit violent imagery, cannibalism, and infanticide. Limited violence and gore may be featured if not the dominant focus of the upload, and not excessively graphic. Think a PG-13 movie. If uncertain whether your upload crosses this line, we suggest making a thread in the Creator Issues forum asking for feedback from a moderator before uploading.
  • EXE installers: Creators are not allowed to post exe (or other executable) files for any area of the site but Modding Tools. If your content needs to be installed to a certain directory, you can compress your files and leave the directory structure intact, so you can tell people to just install to Program Files, for instance, and the files will go where they need to. Executable installers can easily hold viruses, and are generally not needed for installing most content.
  • Preorder bonus content: Certain items were only available if you preordered certain expansions or stuff packs from certain retailers. It's unfortunate if someone missed out on getting them, but they can't be redistributed here as EA has made it clear that they do not allow it.
  • Unmodified EP/SP/Store content: While it is common practice to modify and use bits and pieces of game content to create custom content, extracting content from an expansion, stuff pack, or Store item and uploading it unmodified is not allowed on this site. You are welcome to upload significantly modified versions of expansion, stuff pack, or Store content, but you can't just be ripping it and changing one tiny thing (or nothing) just so people who didn't purchase it can still use it.
  • Stolen/reuploaded content: This should go without saying, but do not upload content made by others and claim it as your own, in whole or in part. Don't upload the work of someone else without their permission... if they wanted to share it at MTS, they can easily upload it here themselves.
  • Uncredited content/violating permissions: If any part of what you have uploaded (mesh, textures, alphas, bump maps, coding, etc.) comes from somebody else's work, you MUST provide a link and credit in the text of your post, for the original author. State what you've used of theirs, the author's name, and give a link back to them. You must check the author's policies to see if you can use their content in the way you want, and you may not violate any policies stated. If there are no policies or they don't disallow your type of usage, or the site is permanently offline, then you can assume it's okay. Please see here for more details: Updates and Remixes of Creations.
  • Redirects: If you want to move a creation to another site, please remove your upload from MTS, don't just edit the text to point to a different site.


[edit] Helpful Links

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