I first say thanks again to @TopNotchToddler for re-opening this redownloading concern last year and yes @LukasCreates you are very much correct in saying it's still a thing. Here's the biggest problem .. I can't directly tell you how it is done because then I would be sharing ways to "use exploits, cheats, undocumented features, design errors or problems in an EA Service." That is quoted from the EA TOS. However, from my previous investigation of this problem & recent information given to me in confidence by other creators I am also now aware that some creators have used programs like botting to add to their own download total which is also clearly against EA's TOS. The senarios you speak of @DragonAge_300905 and @sansa357 are not what we are talking about. The "normal" use or redownloading of your personal creations for your personal use is not cheating or hacking. We are speaking of the player who is intentionally redownloading by ten, fifty, one hundred + repeatedly and rapidly to boost their download total for whatever their personal reasons may be. Here's another quote from EA's TOS "When you access or use an EA Service, you agree that you will not use or distribute unauthorized software programs or tools, such as "auto" software programs, "macro" software programs, "cheat utility" software program or applications, exploits, cheats, or any other game hacking, altering or cheating software or tool." Fact is that has been happening in the gallery since practically day one. To me, it doesn't matter why an individual creator or group of creators cheats on their downloads and it doesn't matter which individuals are doing it. What matters are the facts. Fact is there is a glitch/loophole/coding error or whatever you want to call it that has been a part of the gallery for years that some people for a fact have exploited and still are.
I believe right now is the perfect time to finally change our gallery with a focus on fairness. EA is taking the gallery cross platform so the volume of creators interacting in the gallery will realistically double. If the problem remains as it is then we are welcoming a whole new group of creators to join the crowd of cheaters, the crowd of fair-play creators or the crowd of simmers who don't understand the problem so they end up suffering in silence wondering why nobody is liking or downloading their creation. It's those creators I am still respectfully fighting for here. They are sharing interesting, creative, beautiful things to the gallery yet they are not getting seen. One reason why is the fact that some people are choosing to cut the line so to speak, all the way to the front by redownloading their own creations. This essentially is stepping on smaller creators who really want to grow in the gallery honestly and respectfully.
Our gallery is a numbers driven system therefore there should be no way to manipulate the numbers for personal gain of any kind. It's high time this major problem was corrected. That is why I and others are here asking once again, please EA, as you put your effort into making the necessary changes to the gallery to integrate console gaming systems .. please eliminate the ability to hack, cheat or otherwise manipulate the gallery numbers for personal gain in this process.
Thank you for reading and happy, fair-play simming always :)
