Difference between revisions of "MTS2:Creator Guidelines/Sims 3 Game Mods/Sandbox"

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* '''Show Mod in Game:''' We know it can be difficult to capture something useful in-game for many game mods, but we do require -some- sort of illustrative in-game screenshot. 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.  
 
* '''Show Mod in Game:''' We know it can be difficult to capture something useful in-game for many game mods, but we do require -some- sort of illustrative in-game screenshot. 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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* '''Right files:'''  All files uploaded to MTS must be in .package format.  Do not upload a simple xml, obj, or other game format.
 
* '''Right files:'''  All files uploaded to MTS must be in .package format.  Do not upload a simple xml, obj, or other game format.
  
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==Screenshots==
 
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{| class="nicetable" style="width:100%"
 
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! style="text-align:left" | Screenshots 
 
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| You will need to include certain screenshots with your sim.  You must at least have:
 
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* A '''close-up picture of the sim's face''', from the front, with the sim wearing a neutral face expression, not smiling, laughing, wearing a mask or sunglasses, etc.... Like a passport photo.
 
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* For sims based on a person or character, a '''comparison picture''' of the real person, ideally similar to the close-up picture of your sim.
 
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{{Guidelines-ScreenshotsBigClearEtc}}
 
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Please remember, for your required pictures:
 
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* '''As saved:''' Your pictures should show your sim as you have saved them, so that what downloaders see is what they'll actually get.  The exception to this is custom skin, which you can show in your screenshots but you must save the sim without it.
 
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* '''In-game:''' Pictures of TS3 sims must be taken on a lot in a well-lit room, not in CAS, as it distorts the sim's features.
 
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Tip: You may, of course, include other pictures like a full-body picture, posing pictures, whatever, to show off your sim how you like, and if your sim is a toddler, child, or teen, you may want to include a picture of how they'll look when they grow up, just so downloaders aren't surprised when if your cute kid turns into a weird-looking adult.
 
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{{Guidelines-Screenshots-Tips}}
 
 
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Revision as of 23:24, 6 November 2013

Contents

Sims 3 Game Mod Upload Guidelines

Made a cool new mod for The Sims 3 and want to share? Please read the following guidelines carefully so you understand what we require for MTS uploads.

Quality

  • Time and Effort: This mod clearly had some real time and effort put into it. Thanks for doing what others haven't!
  • Usefulness: When uploading a mod, make sure you have a good description but also that it's useful to a lot of people.
  • Not too Cheaty: We do not host mods that make it so rare/special items (like seeds, fish, etc) are free or only a few simoleons, or make it so sims are millionaires by default, or get tons of lifetime reward points without earning them - these things are of limited usefulness and are really just cheats.
  • Tuning Mods - Multiple Versions: Whenever possible, we ask that creators make multiple versions in different flavors. For example, don't just double a value, but offer it triple, as well as half, a third, and none. Obviously, exact values will vary depending on your mod, and you don't want to make a mod which is too cheaty or exploity that would make the game too easy.

Screen Shots

  • Show Mod in Game: We know it can be difficult to capture something useful in-game for many game mods, but we do require -some- sort of illustrative in-game screenshot. 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.

Uploading

  • Essential Files only: Your upload should not be cluttered with extra files that it doesn't need to work, such as resource.cfg, a full subfolder structure, or a complete cloned object for one resource override. Please just stick to the essential files, as simply as possible.
  • Upload in Sets: If you have created several mods in a set, or similar mods 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.
  • What does the mod do?: :Please state clearly what your mod does. What is it for? What does it change in game? Where should they expect to see the changes? You need a good description of exactly what it's for and what it does.
  • What type is your mod?: Please state clearly what kinda mod your mod is. Is it a resource override, recategorizer or hider, XML tuning, or a full script mod? This is VERY important since it will affect what your mod will conflict with.
  • Tuning Mods - List values: Please make sure that you list the default values and what you changed them to, or you have updated an older mod which does not list the resource edited. Since you are updating the mod, you will need to make it comply with updated guidelines. For example, if you upload a mod to make showers take less time, please state the original time that it would take a Sim to shower, along with your changed values (and see the guidelines about multiple versions).
  • Special instructions: If your mod needs something extra to install/use, please add an instruction on how to install/use your mod. This is especially important for .ini file mods!
  • Post formatting: Please format your description in a readable format. Lists, headings, and proper use of bold text where appropriate is a lot easier to read and follow than a giant block of text.
  • Conflicts: Please list out any known conflicts and state with what kind of other mods your mod may conflict.
  • Overrides - Overriden Resources: Your mod is an override, so you need to list the type, name of the resource(s) it overrides, and where you found the resource(s). If the resources don't have names, like in the case of store objects, please state their instance ids.
  • Supported Game Version: Please state the related base game version you built your mod with in your upload post! People need to know if they can run your mod in their game. If you made sure that your mod is compatible with other game versions as well, you can additionally state these as well of course.
  • Updates and Remixes - Credits: If you have uploaded a remix or update of someone else's mod, you need to credit the original creator and link to the original upload. Please add the creator's name, and a clickable link to the page where the original mod can be found, or (if the original page is down) the creator's profile or website.
  • Right files: All files uploaded to MTS must be in .package format. Do not upload a simple xml, obj, or other game format.

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.
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