PC Format

Issue 243

LARGER VIEW

PC Format did indeed have the EXCLUSIVE on The Sims: Medieval, as seen here:

I have not had the fortune to see the magazine myself, but I have heard they have an interesting 6 page spread with 8 images.

A huge thankyou to uknortherner for the cover image above. 

 All images as seen above remain the property of  PC Format magazine.

 I would urge any website still publishing the images stolen from them to remove the TSR logo and credits and instead credit the rightful owners.

  A few days ago Steve posted an article about the new game from EA called The Sims : Medieval.  He clearly stated in that article that he got the ‘inside’ information from EA last year, and was under an NDA. He posted a short review and several in-game screenshots. As always, Steve was bending the truth somewhat!

  He actually got the information and the screenshots from a hard copy of a PC magazine available to buy from many magazine outlets in the UK. Not only did he copy their review, he scanned and published THEIR screens without their permission, knowledge or consent. The PC magazine is called PC Format.

  Steve wanted to be the first to announce this to the world online, so that TSR could gain all the credit and interest from the announcement, especially by beating EA to the punch. This would also prove once and for all that he is indeed in EA’s rear trouser pocket.  

  Things came undone when EA asked him to remove it, which he begrudgingly did, however during a TSR meeting ( in which he called EA ‘Shitheads’ 3 times ) HE decided that EA could do nothing about the article as it had already been printed in the real world, TSR was merely reporting on PC Formats article.

  EA got in touch again very quickly and whatever they said to him got the article removed and he upgraded their status to ‘Wankers’  Steve was then stomping like a small child and made an ‘official complaint’ to EA about PC Format demanding they lose the right to any EA exclusives in the future. Clearly his theft of their story and pictures got him into trouble so they must be destroyed!

  He then made a retraction type post on TSR, admitting he got it from a magazine, but basically blaming EA and their corporate stuff. At least he had the sense to describe their PR as “flapping” and not a “bunch of wankers” this time.

 There was no mention of why he lied in the first post about getting the information from EA a year ago and signing a NDA, nor was their any credit to the magazine for the article or pictures he published and took credit for.  

  Steve is itching to repost when the time is right and again he will feature the article on his ‘special relationship with EA’ - A relationship so special that a UK PC magazine got the story and in-game screens first, and he had to steal, scan and republish them.

  The sad thing is that other websites are crediting TSR for the article and screenshots. Full credit should go to PC Format, not to the site that stole their property.

  It is also worth noting that TSR not only stole, scanned and republished the pictures from a magazine, they also added their own TSR logo to them, in a pathetic attempt to claim ownership, as seen below.

Update

  There seems to be 2 versions of Steve’s initial post, the first one which was up for most of the day, and the second that appeared briefly before EA forced him to remove it again.

  I was hesitant to publish the first post yesterday as EA clearly do not want either of Steve’s posts to be viewed online, but the topic here is not about EA’s alleged new game, it is about Steve’s theft of an article and pictures, so I have decided to publish. The second post only came to light today via PMBD, and I will also publish that.

 Click ‘more’ to view both posts in full below:

Steve’s initial post

  Here you can clearly see how Steve misleads his readers into thinking HE wrote the article and gained the information and in-game pictures from EA a year ago during a ‘very private focus group’ there is NO mention of any magazine or any scanning, and although not shown here, the pictures all carried the TSR logo giving the impression copyright is owned by TSR. This post was up for most of the day until EA had Steve remove it.

Steve’s second post

This was supplied by MissAngelica and posted at PMBD, her source was the Sims Wiki, who took it from TSR. This is pretty much the same post apart from this credit added at the end.

Steve does mention PC format here and also admits he scanned their images from their magazine, however the beginning of the post still carries the misdirection of the original and all the images clearly still carry the TSR logo. This post would have not been up for very long, I did not see it. It strikes me that perhaps the initial issue EA may have had was the theft of the article/images which could have been the real reason they forced him to remove it and why he eventually, but briefly gave credit to the owners and admitted he scanned the images.

Full post:

Removed again at the request of EA, perhaps they took offence to the first few lines.

Steve’s third and current post as I published earlier.

Steve now admits to copying the article in addition to the images mentioned in the last post, but gone is the credit to the PC format. This post remains up.

  As you all will know, TSR have a new magazine out later this month that will cost you $8.95 + shipping ( or $4.95 + shipping if you have been donating to Toms luxury lifestyle already )  Pre orders are opening soon. All major credit cards and paypal accepted.

http://www.simspiration.com/

And for the readers with normal IQ levels..

As with everything TSR, it is not worth a fraction of the money they are trying to extort.

Here is the summer edition,  see for yourself.  No need to pre order. Simply print out and hang by your toilet for an instant saving on toilet tissue.

EDIT: Tiny Tom is a tad upset with me for leaking his trash for cash magazine to you. He has got the mediafire staff on his BFF list!  Poor little mite needs to get out more.

http://www.slingfile.com/dl/mywhs/Simspiration.pdf.html

http://www.mediafire.com/?xfzwznoanyy

http://rapidshare.com/files/406647795/Simspiration.pdf

FREE AND BETTER ALTERNATIVES:

http://livingsims.nl/

http://www.extrasims.es/web/revista/ ( Spanish )

  Here are the screencaps that were submitted to me earlier this week. These are from an MSN Messenger conversation that took place on May 8th 2009 which occurred between Atwa and a former friend. During the 1 hour and 20 minute conversation Atwa discusses the list, SHARES the list, acknowledges the list came from a petition of complaint to EA, and when asked who gave it to her she replies “Thomas”  In addition to this Atwa also shares the surnames of 2 people, a possible location of another.

  The submitter has given permission for its publication and the use of her name, she has however censored small portions of the screencaps with black flood to hide her friends list and her email. I  have done additional blur censoring to obscure surnames and possible locations mentioned by Atwa, and her email address. I have also had to crop the images so that they fit within the blog. I  assure you there is nothing extra to see on the missing left side apart from censored blocks.

 The submitter has asked that I convey this part of her private post: “will you let people know how sorry I am and that I’m not part of TSR anymore, I haven’t been for months. and that I told Anita not to contact me anymore, EVER. I’m really sorry and I hope no one judges me.” It is clear from the rest of her post that she feels deep regret for not coming forward last year. I personally would like to commend her bravery for coming forward, no matter how late.

 Warning: The full conversation contains insane ramblings that readers with a low boredom threshold may find tiresome. Do not read while driving or operating machinery. Contains a nut.

 REFERENCE LINK: http://tsr.mustbedestroyed.org/?p=743

This is not the first time Atwa has faked insanity. Reference link http://tsr.mustbedestroyed.org/?p=291#more-291

Last time she gave us photographic proof

  Although the submitter has expressed she does not mind her own name being published, I must however, blur the surnames/locations of the other people involved and may need to do some cropping to fit the images into the blog. I will find time over the next day or so and publish the full conversation here. 

 My reasons for posting today are partly to keep you up to date with upcoming information and partly to let the submitter know that I have not forgotten.

   It is reported that many website owners have been sent Emails from Tom, some stern, some nasty and some containing threats of legal action. The reason?  ‘Inadequate’ credits for the workshop tool. So just how ‘inadequate’ have these credits been?  

  The website owners in question have added links to TSR on their front pages, and also in some cases, in their links sections. They were following TSR’s EULA supplied with the workshop that states:

  However Tom is now referring them to a revised link on the TSR webpage which says a TSR link must appear on ANY page on which custom content appears on.

  Tom is now misinterpreting his own online statement and says it must appear on EVERY page on which custom content appears on, and that they would require a link beside EVERY download!

  Lets us take a look at the legalities of such threats.

  Firstly, his online statement requires a link on ANY page with CC, not EVERY page, it also states ‘custom content’, not ‘custom content made by the workshop’, so in reality you could place a link on the same page as a single old sims 1 download at the back of your site underneath your old socks.

  Secondly the above can be ignored completely, because you did not agree to this when you downloaded and installed the workshop. The EULA can not be changed once it has been issued and agreed upon without you also agreeing to the amended version. Even when they amend it on later versions of the tool, you may still use the version of the tool containing the EULA you agreed upon. They would also need to prove which version you are using.

  Thirdly this brings us back to the version you DID agree upon, which clearly states you must give credit on your site or publication ( it does not state where, or how many times ) by title and by link OR reference, which means you do not actually have to give a link as long as you give a reference to the workshop page, so legally as long as you mention to the workshop page somewhere/anywhere on your site, you are compiling with their EULA.

  Lastly, TSR themselves have stated in the past that EULA’s are not worth the paper they are written on ( when referring to the EA EULA supplied with the Sims 2 game ) so it is really up to you whether you regard the TSR EULA in the same light, especially when you remember that much of this tool was not actually made by TSR, so they have no right to claim full exclusive credit on it. – Which reminds me of the parts that they did make, but will not be held responsible for when your computer gets damaged. Perhaps giving credit for those would be more appropriate!

 Sorry TSR, when you put virus’, worms and timebombs in your downloads, you ARE responsable for the damage they cause regardless of your disclaimer.

  It has also been proposed that a simular disclaimer appears on on the main website since the number of people being infected with the ‘FakeAV’ virus is growing daily. FakeAV is a virus that infects browsers of TSR through one of the advertisements. It instals itself onto your computer in seconds, and pops up on your screen pretending to be an anti virus, it notifies you that you have numerous virus, on your computer and that you have to buy the full version to remove these. Of course the anti virus itself is the real virus. Aside from pop ups, It imprints on your desk top, gives pop ups on your task bar, disables your internet and your real anti virus programmes and it rather sucks. TSR, instead of removing the ad, chooses to blame its advertisers, as removing any ads cuts the revenue generated from them. so basically TSR do not care if you get infected from their ads, just as long as they get paid for infecting you!

Thankyou to the person who submitted this.

All blurring and cropping has been done by the submitter.

  TSR are very fond of quoting laws and disclaimers that they make up as they go along, let us take a look at TSR’s Privacy Policy that they think gives them the right to legally publish YOUR PRIVATE DATA .

Ok then..

  So basically what they are saying here is that as long as Atwa remains off the pay roll, she can share what she pleases.  They can also share information they have gained from other sources, such as the recently shared information they claim was from EA via a petition.  ( The community claims to have proof that this petition was hacked and not sent to EA ) TSR still thinks they can legally share this as it did not come from their DB, and they Atwa is not technically employed by TSR at this present moment in time.

Note that DATA is clarified above as ‘personally identifiable information’

  Here it says they will make efforts to prevent your data UNLESS it is found that you violate their site policy,TOS,TOU, other usage guidelines,  OR  if they deem it necessary to protect ‘their’ property.  Under their own TOU,’ their property’ is all YOUR creations, not just the modified EA property they sell.  Under these rules, you could have all your personal information disclosed for, sharing your own work, sharing modified EA content, speaking out against them or just being a member of a forum that disagrees with anything they do. This can and HAS happened. ( See all 10 pages of the screencapped PayPal sharing thread, where reasons given for sharing info were anything from being a member of SFV to leaving comments  that were deemed ‘too nice’

  Even if you do not break any of their oppressive rules and regulations, they still can not guarantee your information will not be shared.

  This policy is not a legal document, and it has no effect on the laws of private data sharing. I could put up a legal notice on my property stating that all Christmas carolers are welcome, but those singing out of tune will be shot, this does not mean I can legally shoot them as my disclaimer does not over-rule national law, even if I want it to be so.

  TSR have publically defended their information sharing in the past ( in their site news section ) by labeling their victims ‘pirates’. Yet they have failed to prove that any one of those people have ever committed an act of piracy. That is the true definition of libel, a word TSR like to flippantly throw around these days.

 ‘Pirate’ to TSR simply means person who frequents websites or forums they deem to be unacceptable. In the absence of TSR posting a list of ‘unacceptable’ sites/forums, any one you could be a ‘pirate’ and be unaware of it, meaning your personal information could be, and probably is, at risk.

  So what information could they share about you? The TSR DB holds a vast amount of information on over  2,293,127 members. Information held on each person varies, but information held on subscribers and former subscribers will be more lengthy and accurate as it is necessary for these people to provide their PayPal email address.

  Information held on you could be: Username, Email, unencrypted password, full real name, home address, Birth date, IP, cookie data. This much they admit to. Usage of TSR tools and ‘trackers’ found in downloads could provide them with even more.

  So what can you do about it?

  Many people have asked me through my comments system, what they can do about this. I can not legally advise you, but I can suggest that those on low incomes with access to free legal advice in your country take it, even if it is just to ensure the removal of your personal data. Anyone who has a major privacy violation, been wrongly accused of piracy and/or has had money stolen through un-refunded subs should also consider taking legal advice.

 I was going to say:

  Tom is releasing contradicting stories on the origin of the ‘leaked’ document containing personal information of 614 people. Initially he denied all knowledge of the document, but has now conceded that the document did in fact come from TSR, however the blame has been firmly placed on the shoulders of EA, who he says supplied the document to TSR back in March 2009. TSR will be drafting a statement shortly to this effect. He blames the people named on the document for sending “vicious and unfounded lies to EA and for effectively trying to blackmail a major gaming company.” He adds that the pirates will “think twice” before doing such a thing again, and that they, TSR, have done nothing wrong as this list has not been published anywhere on the site, and he chillingly threatens  notes that TSR could have released “far worse” if they had to. No comment has been made as to how Atwa got her dirty fingers on it or why she released it, Just that Tom is “not happy”

  UPDATE: Now the statement has been issued. Tactics have changed again, this time Steve steps in, tactfully telling parts of the truth in a deceitful kind of way, he decides the smart thing is to do is issue a statement denying claims that have never been made. He squirms:  

“Some of you may have seen yet more false accusations made against TSR on another so called community site claiming that our member database containing personal names and addresses has been leaked “     He obviously can not be talking about this site, as I clearly stated that Atwa had handed out a document file, which she said was given to her from Tom. The description of that file was not that of a database and contained a total of 614 names. The TSR database at present contains 2,293,127 potential victims names so a slight numeral difference there between the document file and the DB.

“We would like to assure all member of TSR that this list of usernames has not come from TSR. Many of the usernames published do not even exist in our database, and never have. For the usernames that do exist, in some cases we have more info than they claim, and in others, less.”   Steve knows as well as we do that it has been well established that the information came from a petition compiled for the eyes only of EA, not the TSR database. We are now questioning how TSR came about this, the misdirection of Steve denying allegations that were never made is not really working as a distraction. It is also not very comforting to know you have been busy cross-referencing your list with your DB.

“This list is clearly not a list of TSR users.”  For the 100^th time Steve, WE KNOW, we never said it was, you got this file by other means, we are simply trying to establish how, because your claim that you got it from EA simply will not wash, and we have to question the legalities of that.

 “This latest folly only demonstrates further that the information posted on that site about TSR is false, dreamt up in an underhanded attempt to try and discredit our community “ No one posted that the file was ….oh nevermind you are making a complete penis of yourself, carry on.

“Because we are absolutely confident that we can prove this to be farce we have instructed a law firm to press for full legal recompense for libel.” Aha we have a motive. $$$ Go for it Scrooge.

Just for the record I can prove my mother was not a Llama, it is scientifically impossible so therefore untrue. I shall instruct a law firm to counter sue for ‘libel’ as it appears the definition of ‘libel’ has changed somewhat, according to TSR, you can now sue someone for not claiming something, just as long as what they have not claimed is untrue. Under the old definition TSR could have sued Atwa if they could prove Tom did not share that file with her. However, it is looking like he did, and the reasons why are becoming more clear. $$$

“If you have any concerns we would urge you to read our Privacy Policy which we believe demonstrates that we take our members’ privacy very seriously.”  Of course you do.

http://tsr.mustbedestroyed.org/?p=472

“Update: Some comments posted by users on that site who are listed, state that they never gave TSR that info, or that the username is actually used on another Sims site and not on TSR.” Yes we are aware you are blaming EA, and they should not have shared this info with you ( and we only have your word that they did ) However Tom should not have shared this with Atwa, and she should not have shared this, or urged others to share it with all their friends, period.

 Screencap of this statement is here for those who wish to avoid their site

The rest of my original article said:

  It is pretty clear now that the ‘list’ is actually a petition sent to EA, and it is possible, I suppose, that Tom may be telling the truth about its origins. However there are whispers in the community that the petition was hacked at some time. I am bordering on speculation now, so I would suggest the next step would be, if possible, to confirm if or not this is indeed the same petition and if it was at any stage sent to EA. If EA did not receive this list, they could not have possibly provided TSR with a copy. If this could be proven, it could potentially blow TSRs ‘statement’ out of the water. On the other hand if the petition is not the same, or it was sent to EA at some time, TSR will easily slime their way out of this again.

  Assuming we believe Toms story, ( or even if we do not ) I honestly can not understand the timing of this release or the purpose of it. On the surface it would seem that Tom has simply orchestrated this release and my reporting of it ( which was no accident ) to teach the community a lesson, or as he said himself, to make people “think twice” before signing such a petition again. However, TSR making such a move now makes no sense at all.  A few months ago, TSR received much more opposition then they do now, towards the end of the sims 2 they were on the verge of closing due to lack of subscriptions. Since the sims 3 launch things have picked up. Some people have simply moved on, and since the release of the TSR dubious tools some people have even learned to forgive/forget/turn a blind eye to their ongoing crimes. Subs are back up.  Raking up a hornets’ nest now serves no visible purpose for TSR, especially as to my knowledge, there are no further petitions planned or any real threat to their income.

   So we move on to Atwa aka CarpeDiem and her possible motives. Pointing the finger at Tom so openly and without his permission would be a bad move on her part, especially on the eve of her much awaited promotion to FA. She certainly holds a grudge for years and resents any community that holds ‘ugly finds’ threads, as she often finds her creations listed on them. However just off the top of my head I could name at least 10 people omitted from that list who she certainly would have added right at the top, IF the decision was up to her. Tom has removed her SA status, which could verify the claim that he is not too happy with her actions, but she still has her account which could mean he is not too angry either. This demotion could be temporary, or part of yet another seedy arrangement between the deceitful couple.

  I am no nearer to understanding what either TSR or Atwa had to gain from this ‘leak’ Clearly there is an end game somewhere in this, but what that is remains to be seen

As for the thinly veiled threat of releasing “far worse” it is more than possible he could. As we all know, TSR’s DB is unencrypted and it also stores huge amounts of information including names, addresses, passwords, DOB details, IP’s and PayPal emails for the subscribers and former subscribers. It is also common knowledge that Atwa has in the past, ( and perhaps even now )  had full access to the TSR DB, so if this information were to be released, finding a scapegoat would be easy, and this could explain why Tom is so keen to keep her around.

  This article was outdated before I got to publish it, as the end game has now become clear. TSR’s end game is the same as always. Making money. They now think they can play with people’s lives and personal information to make money out of bogus lawsuits, and now the threat seems to be if they DO publish details of their database, they would sue me if I warned anyone.

Let me make myself crystal clear on this. If TSR DO carry out this threat, I WILL warn people. Simple as that.