"EA_Cade;c-18163178" wrote:Hey all, The Sims 4 Mod Policy has been updated today which clarifies the following point:Note, The Sims recognizes that creating Mods takes time and resources. To recoup these development costs, Mod developers may: Offer an early access incentive for a reasonable amount of time. After a reasonable early access period, all users must be able to access the Mods in full for free regardless of whether they donate. Run passive advertisements and requests for donations so long as they are limited to the Mod website or distribution site, and do not appear within the Mod itself.Early Access will still be allowed after all!Original Post:Spoiler (Highlight to read)This has been all over the sims community on twitter but I couldn't find a thread for it on the forums so I wanted to make a thread here to discuss it. Yesterday EA made a statement saying that Sims 4 custom content creators/modders would no longer be allowed to use early access for mods. https://twitter.com/TheSimCommunity/status/1554074363208630272https://twitter.com/marlynsims96/status/1554042758251290625For reference, previously the rules were that modders could upload their mods to Patreon with 3 weeks of early access to players who pay to subscribe to their accounts. This has been widely used by modders as a way of funding their work, and allowing them to have more time to work on mods which add new content or fix existing content. For example Carl who runs Carl's Guides has used the money he makes from Patreon early access to allow him to work full time on his mods which adds content such as fixing Dine Out and adding burglars to the game, and he's said this has only been possible because of early access.https://twitter.com/CarlsSimGuides/status/1553874796076834817Opinions?This has been all over the sims community on twitter but I couldn't find a thread for it on the forums so I wanted to make a thread here to discuss it. Yesterday EA made a statement saying that Sims 4 custom content creators/modders would no longer be allowed to use early access for mods. https://twitter.com/TheSimCommunity/status/1554074363208630272https://twitter.com/marlynsims96/status/1554042758251290625For reference, previously the rules were that modders could upload their mods to Patreon with 3 weeks of early access to players who pay to subscribe to their accounts. This has been widely used by modders as a way of funding their work, and allowing them to have more time to work on mods which add new content or fix existing content. For example Carl who runs Carl's Guides has used the money he makes from Patreon early access to allow him to work full time on his mods which adds content such as fixing Dine Out and adding burglars to the game, and he's said this has only been possible because of early access.https://twitter.com/CarlsSimGuides/status/1553874796076834817Opinions?

It sounds to me that a lot of mod/cc creators will make less mods and cc now? Without being able to get any financial support they will only be able to make enough mods that their financial situation allows. Occasional donations is not financially sustainable so they are not going to be able to put as much work into making these mods and cc.This sounds bad for everyone.

I think they should not back track. It was previously the policy that modders could charge for early access for two or three weeks. While EA should go after the perma paywall creators, some creators make their living with early access. The players will lose out if this policy is enforced. Hopefully EA will reconsider. I know I wouldn't buy High School Years at all if there weren't mods available to fix certain issues.

I will not play Sims 4 at all if Mccc and UI ext. are no longer updated due to EA ruining everything for the creators.

I never minded waiting the two or three weeks and even supported a couple of creators because I love their work. I will continue to support them even without the benefits of early access. I saw some creators who took advantage of simmers and had $20 paywalls and they never unlocked their content. It stinks that a few people ruined it for everyone.

The whole situation has left me feeling pretty glum. At least one creator has retired from modding, and that's just one I happened to stumble across, no telling how many more are going to do the same. If modders start quitting and not updating their mods, I'm never going to update or buy another pack again. I won't stop playing, but EA won't get any more of my money.

UPDATE: New Statement on Modding Rules

76 Replies

Simsilikesims
3 years ago
@haneul The “license” granted indicates that neither EA nor other players have any obligation to pay you anything. For instance, the Sims 3 gallery contained lots that INCLUDED custom content with them: this clause makes it clear cc makers have no right in that situation to prevent players from adding cc that they use in their own game to gallery lots that then include that content when others download it.

Likewise, it keeps sue happy content creators from filing suit on EA or other players. As I mentioned, if it is just a few things from a few cc creators permawalled, people can just pay to get access, then simply reshare them. If they sue for this they can be reported for TOS violations, meaning they could be prevented from ever using any game assets again. Because guess who could get sued for the lawsuit damages to the player resulting from gameplay next? What goes around, comes around.
HaneulFier
Seasoned Ace
3 years ago
"userafw;c-18166850" wrote:
@haneul The “license” granted indicates that neither EA nor other players have any obligation to pay you anything. For instance, the Sims 3 gallery contained lots that INCLUDED custom content with them: this clause makes it clear cc makers have no right in that situation to prevent players from adding cc that they use in their own game to gallery lots that then include that content when others download it.

Likewise, it keeps sue happy content creators from filing suit on EA or other players. As I mentioned, if it is just a few things from a few cc creators permawalled, people can just pay to get access, then simply reshare them. If they sue for this they can be reported for TOS violations, meaning they could be prevented from ever using any game assets again. Because guess who could get sued for the lawsuit damages to the player resulting from gameplay next? What goes around, comes around.

@userafw I don't think anyone said there was an obligation to pay. I pointed out the license to say that EA doesn't own all custom content because it was stated that EA did. CarpeNocheSims didn't understand what a license was. That's all. Also, I agree that hopefully no one will get sued or sue.
GalacticGal
Legend
3 years ago
"Gamer_34567544;c-18162811" wrote:
That, or... a push for Sims 5...?

That's all well and good, but if Sims 5 is a multi-player game, I'm out. I've played WoW and a couple of others, but they're not worth the monthly fee, on top of purchasing the Base game and any EPs that come along, just to play the game. Too much money required, not enough fun. There are others in the ether of the Internet, who just don't play nice, or well, with others.
Reddestiny921
Legend
3 years ago
Well to be fair if you need a product of any kind that isnt a base the creators have a say in what you do. For example, you can make a cake but but the stores or farms cant decide what it looks like but if you decorate it with copyrighted materials and the one who has the rights fights that you have to do as told or do something else usually.
Simsilikesims
3 years ago
Spoiler
"haneul;c-18166888" wrote:
"userafw;c-18166850" wrote:
@haneul The “license” granted indicates that neither EA nor other players have any obligation to pay you anything. For instance, the Sims 3 gallery contained lots that INCLUDED custom content with them: this clause makes it clear cc makers have no right in that situation to prevent players from adding cc that they use in their own game to gallery lots that then include that content when others download it.

Likewise, it keeps sue happy content creators from filing suit on EA or other players. As I mentioned, if it is just a few things from a few cc creators permawalled, people can just pay to get access, then simply reshare them. If they sue for this they can be reported for TOS violations, meaning they could be prevented from ever using any game assets again. Because guess who could get sued for the lawsuit damages to the player resulting from gameplay next? What goes around, comes around.

@userafw I don't think anyone said there was an obligation to pay. I pointed out the license to say that EA doesn't own all custom content because it was stated that EA did. CarpeNocheSims didn't understand what a license was. That's all. Also, I agree that hopefully no one will get sued or sue.

There are multiple types of licenses. One of them is CC by SA that permits others, including businesses, to use and share creations as long as credit is given. That is a Creative Commons license. However, any parts that use game assets are copyrighted by EA, and licensed by EA not the custom content creators or modders. So only the part functional outside the game is Not subject to EA control. EA controls game assets as a gaming software company.
HaneulFier
Seasoned Ace
3 years ago
"userafw;c-18172032" wrote:
Spoiler
"haneul;c-18166888" wrote:
"userafw;c-18166850" wrote:
@haneul The “license” granted indicates that neither EA nor other players have any obligation to pay you anything. For instance, the Sims 3 gallery contained lots that INCLUDED custom content with them: this clause makes it clear cc makers have no right in that situation to prevent players from adding cc that they use in their own game to gallery lots that then include that content when others download it.

Likewise, it keeps sue happy content creators from filing suit on EA or other players. As I mentioned, if it is just a few things from a few cc creators permawalled, people can just pay to get access, then simply reshare them. If they sue for this they can be reported for TOS violations, meaning they could be prevented from ever using any game assets again. Because guess who could get sued for the lawsuit damages to the player resulting from gameplay next? What goes around, comes around.

@userafw I don't think anyone said there was an obligation to pay. I pointed out the license to say that EA doesn't own all custom content because it was stated that EA did. CarpeNocheSims didn't understand what a license was. That's all. Also, I agree that hopefully no one will get sued or sue.

There are multiple types of licenses. One of them is CC by SA that permits others, including businesses, to use and share creations as long as credit is given. That is a Creative Commons license. However, any parts that use game assets are copyrighted by EA, and licensed by EA not the custom content creators or modders. So only the part functional outside the game is Not subject to EA control. EA controls game assets as a gaming software company.

Okay, but I think we should be as clear as possible when discussing this because it's really confusing for a lot of people. So just to be clear for others who may read this, the Creative Commons license has nothing to do with this. It is completely irrelevant and confusing to mention. I was referring to a specific license grant from content creators to EA etc. in the agreement. That's all and the point was that EA doesn't own 100% of the content created by content creators.

It's really no surprise that there's a lot of drama and misunderstanding about mods and CC (not Creative Commons, but Custom Content) when absolutely basic licensing concepts aren't understood by tons of people. Ideally, they would write their rules and other stuff using less lawyer-like language, but... they also want to be safe.

Here is the license:
ⓘ You allow EA and our players to use anything you upload or create (UGC) for free within our games and services. You are responsible for your UGC, it must be your own content or content you’re allowed to use.

When you contribute UGC, you grant to EA, its licensors and licensees a non-exclusive, perpetual, transferable, worldwide, sublicensable license to use, host, store, reproduce, modify, create derivative works, publicly perform, publicly display or otherwise transmit and communicate the UGC, or any portion of it, in any manner or form and in any medium or forum, whether now known or later devised, without notice, payment or attribution of any kind to you or any third party. You also grant to all other users who can access and use your UGC on an EA Service the right to use, copy, modify, display, perform, create derivative works from, and otherwise communicate and distribute your UGC on or through the relevant EA Service without further notice, attribution or compensation to you.

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UPDATE: New Statement on Modding Rules

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