Degera's Blog

We would like to thank everyone who entered the 'Winter Wonderland' screenshot contest! There were some incredible entries and our judges had a tough time picking just three winners.   And the winners are...

First place goes to SpinTheMoon with Winter at Garden Cottage (just look at the way the light makes this image seem almost real) - http://www.thesimsresource.com/screenshots/details/id/148581

Second place goes to liltoxiccupcake with a Deer in the Snow (so calm and peaceful!) - 
http://www.thesimsresource.com/screenshots/details/id/148918

Third place goes to djehmli with A night view of the Farm (who doesn't love holiday wishes from our furry friends?) - 
http://www.thesimsresource.com/screenshots/details/id/149030

Congratulations to you three!

Show us your best Winter Wonderland screenshot! You do not need Seasons to enter (you can use terrain paints, etc).

Take a screenshot in one of your Sims games (Sims 2 or Sims 3) that best portrays your idea of a winter landscape. Your shot can be anything related to winter, but it must be PG-13.

Upload your screenshot to TSR, with the title 'Winter Wonderland!', at the following link - http://www.thesimsresource.com/mytsr/screenshots/add

You may enter as many times as you like.

Entries must be submitted by 10PM EST on Sunday, December 16, 2012. Winners will be announced on Tuesday, December 18, 2012.

First prize is winner's choice of either 12 subscriber downloads from TSR (including hair, sets, lots, etc) or 650 simpoints to be spent at the EA Store.
Second prize is winner's choice of either 7 subscriber downloads from TSR (including hair, sets, lots, etc) or 350 simpoints to be spent at the EA Store.
Third prize is 5 subscriber downloads.

(If the winner is already a subscriber, the prize can be transferred to a non-subscriber.)

Many of you play the lottery every day but I bet you've always wondered how it works...

1. What is the lottery?

The Featured Creations lottery is a showcase for six of our subscriber items that have been published on that particular day. (If we didn't publish six subscriber items on that day, we will use popular items from the past so that we always have six.)

2. How do I enter?

Visit our Facebook page ( http://www.facebook.com/TheSimsResource ) and locate that day's lottery post. Look through the six images and click 'Like' on the items you would want to win.

3. What's the prize?

For non-subscribers, the prize is a free subscriber download of their choice.

4. Is the lottery only for non-subscribers?

No! Subscribers can play too, however, instead of winning the download of their choice, they can pick an item from the EA Store worth 25 Simpoints.

5. How do you pick the winners?

First, we look at how many people 'liked' the lottery post overall and that will determine how many winners we have for that day. (For example, 40 likes is 4 winners, 50 likes is 5 winners, 60 likes is 6 winners...)

Second, we make a list of the names of all the people who entered by copying the names of everyone who 'liked' the six images. (This usually means we have a list of 120 names, on average.)

Third, we use a random number generator from the people at MathGoodies ( http://www.mathgoodies.com/calculators/random_no_custom.html ). We enter 0 and the number of names on the list and get a random number. Then we scroll down the list and match that random number to a name. (If we need to choose five winners, we do it five times.)

6. Can you win more than once?

Yes! It is entirely random.

7. Why is there only one Sims 2 item in the lottery each day?

The lottery is for promoting our new subscriber downloads, and sadly, we just don't have that many subscriber items being published for the Sims 2 anymore.

8. Where do you get the screenshots you use to announce the winners?

The screenshots we use are from the Featured Screenshots, in the Studio section of the website ( http://www.thesimsresource.com/screenshots/browse/featured/1 ).

Anything else you'd like to know?  Feel free to ask in the comments!

We would like to thank everyone who entered the Flip This House contest! There were some truly incredible entries and our judges had a tough time picking just three winners. (With a huge thank you to our judges, Lulu265, Flovv and Wolfspryte!)

Here are all of the amazing entries! http://s1251.photobucket.com/albums/hh550/tsrcontests/Great%20Builds/?albumview=slideshow

First, we would like to give special honors to one of our Featured Artists and one of our Select Artists who took the time to enter even though they could not win - FredBrenny and MrSimulator! You can see their entries here - http://s1251.photobucket.com/albums/hh550/tsrcontests/Special%20Honors/?albumview=slideshow

And now, the winners are...

First place goes to Renee Nana! You can see the entry here - http://s1251.photobucket.com/albums/hh550/tsrcontests/First%20Place/?albumview=slideshow

Second place goes to Michelle Colon! You can see the entry here - http://s1251.photobucket.com/albums/hh550/tsrcontests/Second%20Place/?albumview=slideshow

Third place goes to Max McDinkle! You can see the entry here - http://s1251.photobucket.com/albums/hh550/tsrcontests/Third%20Place/?albumview=slideshow

Congratulations to you three!

As we said, our judges had a really hard time choosing, so we'd like to share with you some Honorable Mentions:

Thelma Vann, Nic Hutchison, Dani Maxwell, Relena Yuy, Ashley Geist, Karen Le Plastrier, Simmerly Simson and Theresa Starkey West! You can see those entries here - http://s1251.photobucket.com/albums/hh550/tsrcontests/Honorable%20Mentions/?albumview=slideshow

Download the house at the link below and then go nuts... you can gut the entire thing, renovate everything about the outside - the only rule is that the footprint of the home must remain the same as before. What's the footprint, you ask? It's the area defined by the foundation.

Hate that awful grey siding or the roof? Change it! Want an open floorplan with only one huge bedroom? Change it! Pink flowers are tacky and that porch is way too small? Change it! Your home can be taller, or you may add a basement, but you must keep within the outline of the foundation (the garage and back porch can be removed).

Download the lot here - http://www.thesimsresource.com/downloads/1079804

Once you've turned this shack into a dreamhome, take seven screenshots detailing the changes you made and create a photo album on Facebook. Add the title "TSR Flip This House Contest" and then send us a PM on Facebook with the link to your photo album.  (No compilation images allowed and images that have been heavily photoshopped will not be accepted.)  

You may enter as many times as you like but you must create a new photo album for each entry.

All entries must be submitted by 10PM EST, Sunday, July 8, 2012. Winners will be announced on Wednesday, July 11, 2012.

First prize is the winner's choice of an entire day of access to our subscriber content OR 500 Simpoints to be spent at the EA Store.
Second prize is the winner's choice of 10 subscriber downloads (including hair, sets, lots, etc) from TSR OR 300 Simpoints to be spent at the EA store.
Third prize is the winner's choice of 6 subscriber downloads (including hair, sets, lots, etc) from TSR OR 150 Simpoints to be spent at the EA store.

Good Luck and Have Fun!

1. Where are my Kudos!??
Kudos are being replaced with our new Awards system. While it is not yet functional, it will be soon, and we know you're going to love it. If you earned enough Kudos for Free days, _you can still use them_ but you need to do it within the next three weeks or they will expire. (To use them go to http://oldsite.thesimsresource.com) If you were using Kudos for minisite perks, they are no longer needed. Now everyone has their own profile page!

2. A profile page?
Yes, now everyone has one. To access your page, make sure you are logged in, and click the 'My Profile' link in the top left corner of the TSR page.

3. Can I customize my profile page?
To some extent, yes. You can add a banner image, post in your blog, fill in your 'About Me' profile and feature your creations (if you have any). There are plans to make a few tweaks in the future, such as letting users decide what content to display, but the main focus for the coders right now is bug fixes, so that will have to wait.

4. How do I customize my profile page?
Once you are logged in, you can hover your mouse over your username in the top left and see the menu of actions available. Click on "My Account" and you should see areas for personal information, updating your blog, uploading a banner image, etc.

5. How do I download?
If you are not a subscriber, you will need to click on the Name of the Download located under the preview image. It will open the Details page where you should see the download button under the image. This is just like it was in v7 where you had to click the 'Show Details' link, except now you're clicking on the name itself. If you are a subscriber, you can click the preview image, which will open a Quick View popup with a download button.

6. I'm on an Featured Artist's minisite and I can't find the downloads...
Across the top of the page you will see a row of links. It should have the artist's name followed by Downloads then Studio then the envelope for private messages and so on... click on the word Downloads, choose the game if necessary and then you will see all of the downloads by that artist.

7. How do I sort the downloads?
When you access a page listing several downloads, you should see a Toggle Filters button on the left. Click that button to open up the filters menu.

8. I think I found a bug, what should I do?
Report anything that isn't working by either opening a ticket in our support system, or by posting it here on the forums - http://forums.thesimsresource.com/index.php?/forum/221-tsr-version-8-public-beta/ You can also leave comments or suggestions on the forums.

We would like to thank everyone who entered the It's Showtime screenshot contest! There were some incredible entries and our judges had a tough time picking just three winners. (With a huge thank you to our judges, Lulu, Margo and Freddie!)

And the winners are...

First place goes to Spladoum with "Dance the Night Away" by Van Halen -
http://www.thesimsresource.com/screenshots/140931

Second place goes to Yngven93 with "Make it Stop" by Rise Against -
http://www.thesimsresource.com/screenshots/141524

Third place goes to citymimm with "Wicked Game" by Chris Isaak -
http://www.thesimsresource.com/screenshots/141085

Congratulations to you three!

As we said, our judges had a hard time choosing, so we'd like to share with you some Honorable Mentions:

http://www.thesimsresource.com/screenshots/141234 by WhamettNuht

http://www.thesimsresource.com/screenshots/140934 by Evox

http://www.thesimsresource.com/screenshots/141037 by penguinpop

http://www.thesimsresource.com/screenshots/141324 by Haziem

The Sims Showtime expansion pack is coming out in March, and that got us thinking about music. So, what's your favorite song? Share that song with us in our It's Showtime! Screenshot Contest and you could win subscriber downloads or simpoints to be spent at the EA Store!

Take a screenshot in one of your Sims games that helps describe your favorite song. Are you into techno? Then perhaps take a shot of your Sims on the dance floor. The shot can be anything that you think represents your song, but it must be PG-13.

Be sure to tell us what the song is either on the screenshot, or in the description. Then upload your screenshot to TSR, with the title 'It's Showtime!', at the following link - http://www.thesimsresource.com/mytsr/screenshots/add

You may enter as many times as you like.

Entries must be submitted by 10PM EST on Sunday, March 18, 2012. Winners will be announced on Tuesday, March 21, 2012.

First prize is winner's choice of either a free day from TSR or 500 simpoints to be spent at the EA Store.
Second prize is winner's choice of either 10 subscriber downloads (including hair, sets, lots, etc) from TSR or 300 simpoints.
Third prize is 7 subscriber downloads (including hair, sets, lots, etc).

(If the winner is already a subscriber, the prize can be transferred to a non-subscriber.)

We would like to thank everyone who entered the Love is in the Air screenshot contest this year. There were some incredible entries and our judges had a tough time picking just three winners. We actually had to hold two votes and have a last minute tie-breaker! (With a huge thank you to our judges, Angela, Minraed and AudreyMay!)

And the winners are...

First place goes to Spitzmagic with her charming entry - http://www.thesimsresource.com/screenshots/140115

Second place goes to Spladoum with her heartfelt entry -  http://www.thesimsresource.com/screenshots/140355

Third place goes to Courtney1996 with her romantic entry - http://www.thesimsresource.com/screenshots/140555

Congratulations to you three!

As we said, our judges had a hard time choosing, so we'd like to share with you some Honorable Mentions:

http://www.thesimsresource.com/screenshots/140148 by imanderz

http://www.thesimsresource.com/screenshots/140144 by Evox

http://www.thesimsresource.com/screenshots/140113 by orlov

http://www.thesimsresource.com/screenshots/140039 by martoele

http://www.thesimsresource.com/screenshots/140038 by spladoum

http://www.thesimsresource.com/screenshots/140331 by emo_311

http://www.thesimsresource.com/screenshots/140513 by Milii454