Pay Content
MTS has long had policies that restrict users from promoting pay content in their uploads - either by requiring that content, or by showing it in screenshots.
The purpose of this policy is to promote the use of free content, as we believe that the community benefits from all items being free to download and use without requiring anyone to pay for it - whether that be paying for individual items, or by subscription. We would like all items uploaded to or shown on MTS to be "what you see is what you get" or "what you see is what you CAN get, without having to pay for it."
TS3 has complicated matters somewhat, but after reviewing the options, our policies regarding pay content for TS3 AND TS2 are as follows:
| Content Allowed
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- Base Game/EP/SP Content: All content from the base game, expansions, or stuff packs is allowed in screenshots/uploads. That is, all official content is just fine for screenshots or required for your uploads.
- EA Store Content: You may use Sims 2/3 Store items in your screenshots, or required for your uploads. If you use a Store item for a sim or lot, you must state what specific Store item(s) you have used and link directly to the item on the Sims 2/3 Store so users may choose to get it if they like. While we realize this may seem a contradiction to the "what you see is what you can get without having to pay for it" concept, Store content is not considered "pay" because it is official content, similar to what you get as part of expansion/stuff packs (after all, you have to pay for those, too). You may NOT include the actual Store item in your upload as this is a violation of intellectual property laws, nor can you link to where it can be downloaded elsewhere for free.
- Freely Available Content: Any content that is available from its creator for free. You may include the item if the creator allows it, but we suggest you link back instead in the case of things like hairstyles since most people will have them already or want to get them separately. Items uploaded on places like the PMBD Booty (or other sites sharing pay content for free) are not considered free content since they were originally pay - just because you CAN get them for free doesn't make them free content.
- TSR Free Content: You can use free items at TSR in MTS uploads. Any pay items - that is, ANY items by "Featured Artists" (FAs) at TSR cannot be used as their pay/free status does still change. Items by regular creators and "Select Artists" (SAs) CAN be used. **See TSR Content below for more information.
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| Content NOT Allowed
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Any content that is available from its creator for pay, donation, etc. You may not upload items that require pay items; this means that sims, lots and worlds may not wear/use any pay content, and that you may not upload retextures of pay meshes. Items uploaded on places like the PMBD Booty (or other sites sharing pay content for free) are not considered free content since they were originally pay - just because you CAN get them for free doesn't make them free content.
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| TSR Content
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For a long time here at MTS, we have had policies restricting the use of content from The Sims Resource in uploads, due to items pay/free status there changing often.
However, after a lot of consideration and time to review the frequency of the changes in pay/free status, we have decided to lift this restriction. While creators at TSR do sometimes go pay after being a regular/select artist, this happens fairly rarely... and likely no more often than free creators from other sites suddenly going pay.
As a result, you can now use free items at TSR in MTS uploads.
Please also be aware that if, when uploading a sim, house, world, etc., where the custom content pictured is required, and you use an item by a creator at TSR... If that creator of the item you used becomes a Featured Artist (and thus, their work becomes pay), your upload may be tagged (hidden from public view). You will then need to switch the item to one that will stay free all the time.
This doesn't apply to pictured but not required items (i.e. hair shown in a picture where you're uploading clothing). If the status of such content changes, you will not be made to take new screen shots.
- Free Content: Free content is considered any pieces of custom content made by regular artists or Select Artists (SAs). Following a policy change at TSR, all TS2 content has been made permanently free. This means that TS2 content made by Featured Artists (FAs) is now free, and can be used in uploads at MTS.
- Pay Content: Pay content is considered ANY TS3 items by Featured Artists (FAs), even if they're free at the moment. This is because their status still changes from pay/free fairly frequently.
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| Who is the "creator" when it's a conversion or edit
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Someone is considered the "creator" when what they have made is:
- Completely original, made for TS2 or TS3 specifically by them.
- A conversion from TS2 to TS3, TS3 to TS2, etc. - from one game to another, as this requires a significant amount of changing.
- An age conversion beyond what ages can normally share meshes (for TS3, teen through elder can share meshes - for TS2, young adult through elder can share).
- A gender conversion requiring mesh editing, not just ticking boxes to make it work for the other gender.
- A significant remesh or edit beyond just things like fixing gaps, adjusting bone assignments, and moving around existing geometry. A retexture would not count unless the mesh was also signficantly edited.
This means that someone can, potentially, take a pay item from TS2 such as a hairstyle that was pay and convert it to TS3 and put it up for free, and the new conversion will not be considered pay but free as far as MTS uploads are concerned.
For all items originally uploaded directly to MTS, we require stated permission from the original creator ("I have permission from SallySimmer to convert her hair..."), and that you provide a link and credit (Original by SallySimmer at http://www.sallysimmerssite.com), regardless of whether the item you edited or converted was pay or free. You can't just post whatever you want here without asking the creator. However, it is up to other sites to enforce creator policies and permissions for items uploaded there.
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