I recently started making content for the sims 4 community. I would make things for my own game and decided why not offer them to others. I started off with free stuff but decided hey I am offering a service why not offer a way for people to support my work. Other content creators had offered Patreon exclusive items. That seemed like a great idea before I discovered yesterday that it's against CC policy per EA. Now that I know I will only offer pre-released content.
However anyone who calls a recolor of an in game item easy has never spent the time working on said items. I've spent hours creating item recolors. UV maps are in no way liner...just a fyi for people who don't know this. You think recolors are easily created.... all the work is done already correct? NOPE items are randomly placed on UV map and you have to figure out where everything goes. You put it on what you think is the side of the item and it turns out no it's the bottom. Okay now you've spent 5 min finding the item, 15 minutes recoloring the item, 5min to test the item in game only to discover it's wrong. You have to go back out and begin editing the recolor on said item. Lets say this is simple and takes 5-10 minutes. You are now at 30 minutes. Then you load that item back into the Sims4 Studio save it and reload game take 5 min more. It's good however you need at least 8 swatches for the item so with that lets say it's 5 minute for each swatch...LIKELY more time but lets be generous. 7 x 5 = 30 more minutes. So you are at 1 hour 5 minutes... so multiply that by 17 items in a pack and you have at least 15 hours ( giving a little because not every item is hard to recolor once you figure out the UV Map.) When is the last time you worked 15 hours for FREE? Likely when you were a kid and had to go to school. So you see folks asking people to support your work may seem passe but it's really just practical. (HOWEVER asking for ridiculous amounts of support is not what I am advocating!!! $3.00-10.00 yes, more NOPE. )
As for being TONE DEAF to a marginalized community because you made 14 free items and 3 paid items seems a bit extreme. Attacking someone trying to support a community that wants recognition and normalization is WRONG. Are there people out there doing the wrong thing?
However, not everyone who is putting there content behind a paywall is the devil. ART isn't easy and collectively attacking people who are trying to support and offer things that aren't in game already because EA thinks 5 shirts, a few flags and the ability to date anyone you want is enough representation is WRONG. Asking for support is not easy for artist of any type. There is this idea in people's head that ART SHOULD BE FREE ALWAYS. This is not true. Art shouldn't be treated as a given. It should not be assumed that it's going to be free. Or that it should be.
If you go to a job and are asked to work for free for 1 hour plus you would walk out and never look back. MUCH LESS 14-20 hours a week I spend making content for the sims. Why is art any different? I just don't understand the idea that everything creative should be offered to anyone at no cost, or very low cost. It doesn't make sense. Weather its time or effort or supplies all of these things are worth money.
SO my point is this, I had planned more pride content. However, I will now not be offering that content anymore in difference to offense my content has caused.
I feel violated just as you guys feel. I was trying to offer support to a community that deserves recognition. To the LBGTQ+ people in my life who are given the raw end of the stick every time they turn on the TV, are fetishized, or just walk down the street.
I never wanted to harm anyone or make them feel like they were even more marginalized than they already are. It breaks my heart that I was attacked for offering a service I felt was needed. I agonized over what I would want if I was a LGBTQ+ individual to support my pride. If no one knew about who I was on the inside but I wanted a subtle way to support myself that wouldn't raise red flags to the people in my life who didn't know who I was. I spent hours trying to be sure I wasn't leaving anyone out. I talked with the LGBTQ+ people in my life to get their input. They offered the information that they could and told me no one would judge me harshly if I accidentally in my ignorance left someone out. That they might contact me and say hey can you add this to your content.
However what I got was personally attacked. No new pride content will be offered. I don't want to further offend the very people I was trying to help feel accepted. I will not take down any already created content because I truly believe that everyone should have a way to express themselves and their inner self. NO ONE should be treated poorly because they are LGBTQ+ NO ONE should ever feel they aren't supported by the people who are supposed to love them. People in my LGBTQ+ members life will treat him differently when he finally reveals himself fully to them and it breaks my heart. Every time I hear a homophobic comment for this person in front of my LGBTQ+ member I hurt for him. Every time he reveals something else that has been taken from him or something I've done that hurts him it breaks me on the inside.
ALL of this to say Teaching is better than attacking. Next time offer information. Such as EA terms. Then if the person doesn't care that's different. Get the whole story. Don't attack without cause. Some people just don't know. Some people have no idea how hard it is to turn on a TV and not see someone they can identify with. Or to be told they should just not be who they are. Some people don't understand that they are hurting you. They just don't know. Many people out there are trying to support you in your efforts for equality. Let them.
Sorry didn't realize this was going to turn into a soap box from the other side of the coin rant, but it is what it is...
I am done trying to reach across the divide and explain that there are always two sides to a story.
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