Fansite:The Sims Resource
Founded in 1999, The Sims Resource is the oldest and largest fansite for The Sims series around, with over 1,184,640 members, over 305,000 downloads for both The Sims 1 and 2.
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About
The Sims Resource is a paysite, meaning that you must pay to download most of it's content. Though many people are less favoured to it than to MTS2, TSR still remains the most well-known place for downloading content.
Since 2006, getting free content on the site has become easier, thanks to the new 'kudos' system, which allows you to earn points for your community-based efforts, such as uploading a story, or commenting on a guestbook. These points can then be spent on a free subscription day.
Features
At The Sims Resource, members may register for free, although as a free member only have access to 3% of the downloads. In order to have access to the remaining downloads, one must pay a fixed fee to be subscribed for a selected amount of time.
Each and every member has the ability to post downloads of their own to share with the community. Members also have their own guestbook (both free and subscribed members), which other members may comment in to thank their efforts.
The new-for-2006 'kudos' system allows members of the site to earn points for various tasks such as referring friends, uploading stories, reading newsletters and much more. These points may then be spent in the 'Kudos Shop', where members can purchase many nice things, including a custom title for their forums account, a different colour to their profile, free subsciption days, and much more. It's the site's way of thanking it's hard-working members.
Like MTS2, the site is also powered by vBulletin forums, though unlike MTS2, the entire site is not based upon them, and so are not quite as actively used. There are various chat room channels, including one where you can discuss the games, one where you can discuss anything (social), a help chat, a quiz chat room, and many more. The site even gives you the ability to host your own chat room on the TSR servers to be used on your own website.
Downloads
Easily the most favoured part to the site is the massive downloads section, where loads of new downloads are uploaded every single day. The majority of them require a paid subscription, although paying is easily worth it. There is actually a way to not need a subscription (see above). The fantastic featured artists of TSR do special theme weeks, where they all contribute many fabulous downloads, all based around a specific theme. Other than these, there are also hundreds of thousands of different downloads of all different categories for both The Sims 1 and 2.
Other Services
Apart from the many fabulous downloads, TSR also provides many other services, of which some are for all members, and some are just for subscribers. The first is the TSR Download Wizard, which allows you to install or uninstall content from your game in seconds. Though this feature is currently available only to subscribers, it may soon be released to everyone. There is also a large tutorials section, where you can find tutorials on just about every aspect of the game, including modifying and creating custom content. There is also a fun storytelling system, where members can submit their own stories from the game for other members to read and comment on. There is also a section where you can participate in community competitions, where you can win fabulous prizes, including a free subscription.
FA Theme Weeks
Every week, the featured artists at TSR work to create huge themed sets of all different types. These are always downloadable by the TSR members, and the current ones go as follows:
- Summer Beach Party
- Down On The Farm
- Future Worlds
- Medieval Madness
- BOOgie Nights
- Happy Holidays
- Happy New Year
- Oriental Express
- Lovers Lane
- Vintage Victorian
- Spring Gardening
- Nursery Time
- SIMply for Guys
- Tropical Paradise
- Go For Broke
- Posh Sims
