Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, correct?

[imported_Phoenix_Rising]

For years, now, I have been a designer on TSO. I've built various properties, come up with unique ideas (games, contests, etc) which have all been tracked closely by a few less creative individuals. I have a hard time accepting this, however. I, amongst other talented artists (Johnny Lace, Thrill, TSR, and many, many others) have put a lot of time and effort into our work, whatever it may be. For these other players to come and steal our work, pass it off as their own, and profit from it is unacceptable in my opinion - especially now that we will (hopefully) be able to sell simoleans back directly to EA. My question to EA is - how closely/concerned are you of content theft (NOT just custom content, but house designs as well?). If the answer is lackluster, count me out.

I figure it this way; EA is clearly trying to make money off of us, so why not make money off of them? I've spent so many years paying (by choice, obviously) money to this company, so I feel it's time to turn the tables a bit. I have no problem building and designing homes (for a much greater profit) in Second Life, if that's where it came down to spending my time. I've always loved the TSO community, though, and would enjoy contributing my work here as well. I have noticed several people stealing others' content, and clearly that content is being approved by the mods - in fact, one piece of content stolen from TSR was in the community pub itself.

It just fails to amaze me how low some people stoop - when you can't even come up with your own stratics siggy/profile/location information, you know you're lacking originality.

Anyhow, it's been forever and a day since I've made a thread, I'm cranky, it's late, and we all love a good rant. What can be done to stop content theft, do you think the company does/will take it seriously, and what can the community do? Would you protest against content thieves?

[/end rant]

 

[Dita']

im suprised i read all that.
the designs are so limited with the curves and such sometimes we all as a whole gather inspiration from each others work.
im sorry if someone is outright copying you but maybe just take it as inspiration and say damn i rock!

 

[imported_SimTripps]

This is what happens when virtual money is given real life $ value - it has a domino effect on everything else in the game that has market value - as properties, houses, custom content, and so forth, suddenly have a 'real world' worth. This could cause all sorts of chaos with respect to intellectual property and creative integrity, with many crying 'foul' when their ideas, that now have a real life value, are stolen.. I guess EA never thought of the potential legalities ahead of time with officializing the value of simoleans. I can't forsee much happening in terms of copyright policing on their part. This would require extra full-time staff lol.. The only system in place is us and our power of reporting any inequities that happen in the game to them directly.

 

[imported_CherryBomb]

Content theft is a big issue, and I frankly don't the team is prepared for it. You go create, somewhere. If it's good, you'll get customers, if it is stolen, you'll go somewhere else.

I'm sorry about my lame profile and no siggy, but that's just me.

CherryBomb

 

[imported_Phoenix_Rising]

<blockquote><hr>

im suprised i read all that.
the designs are so limited with the curves and such sometimes we all as a whole gather inspiration from each others work.
im sorry if someone is outright copying you but maybe just take it as inspiration and say damn i rock!

[/ QUOTE ]

No, I would never go as far as to "claim" simple designs; there are only so many various combinations you can make. I'm talking about the folks that deliberately steal a house design (stated AS a house design) verbatim, and then pass it off as their own. Same with custom content. Thankfully for custom creators it's easier to "patent" something, whereas lot designers are pretty much left in the dark.

 

[simfounder]

if you read the TSO user agreement, anything you create in/on or through Sims Online is owned by Electronic Arts, you have NO rights to anything you create on there, including building designs and custom content

 

[imported_Phoenix_Rising]

<blockquote><hr>

if you read the TSO user agreement, anything you create in/on or through Sims Online is owned by Electronic Arts, you have NO rights to anything you create on there, including building designs and custom content

[/ QUOTE ]

I understand that, but the dev team ALSO suggests users not to upload work that is not their own, or steal from others. If they are supposedly taking said measures against custom content thefts, I just think there's a double standard nowadays. It seems like the dev team went ahead and drained the economy, and left all the money/security for custom content creators. Lot designers have played just as prominent of a role in the creative field, and we really are being left in the dark on this.

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

I have noticed several people stealing others' content, and clearly that content is being approved by the mods - in fact, one piece of content stolen from TSR was in the community pub itself.

[/ QUOTE ]

To make this completely clear, Parizad is the Community Representative (a full time employee of EA Games) and the only one that approves the custom content.

This has nothing to do with moderators. No moderators are involved in this process. No game moderators, no Stratics moderators....only Parizad, who is not a moderator....of any type.

If you feel that your work has been stolen, the proper course of action is to contact Parizad and discuss the issue with her.

As to building designs, as someone pointed out, all of your work belongs to EA Games and the buildings have *always* been subject to being copied. If you have some reasonable plan for how the game could protect building plans and designs, then feel free to post your ideas on the Wiki and perhaps the dev's will make it happen.

If you have some reasonable idea of how to protect any content posted on the internet from being ripped off, you will have the undying devotion of artists everywhere.

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

If you have some reasonable plan for how the game could protect building plans and designs, then feel free to post your ideas on the Wiki and perhaps the dev's will make it happen.

[/ QUOTE ]

Quoted/bolded for emphasis/excellence by me. This is the place for venting, and possibly for brainstorming and formulating ideas to make them organized enough for a Wiki page, but if your intent goes beyond just getting the feelings off your chest, then the Wiki is the place for that stuff to go. It's difficult making that transition....I was one of the first ones to dig my heels and say 'noooooooo this is and always will be the official boards since we moved from EA's old site, I AM NOT moving again', but they went ahead and did it anyway without my and the other people who dislike change's consent and now we're left with the choice to either post here for the purpose of venting and having a sounding board, or going there and posting where the ideas for future changes come from.......and this does sound like something that is as doable as having secure house deeds in the first place was. I don't see any reason that there can't be some kind of in-game application for 'design patent' in exchange for simoleans just like you'd get a RL patent in exchange for RL money if your design was proven to be unique enough to not be a replica in any way of someone else's idea. Then at that point if someone held an in-game patent and observed someone attempting to copy their work and therefore violate that patent, then there'd have to be some kind of disciplinary action for said person. This could even be a tool for enhancing roleplay.....there could be actual lots designated for 'trials' of these sims, where the jury isn't made up of players but people of EA so as to ensure impartiality, and those involved would testify while anybody who could get on the lot at time would be sitting in the galley just watching things unfold.

Another thread today was talking about how this game is supposed to be centered around roleplay, yet it is SO rare to see anybody actually actively engaging in RP of any kind that isn't sexual in nature.....that's the only kind of RP I have seen acted out on anything like a regular basis. LOL.