NOUK SIMS 2 (Best Free Site Of The Year Award)

[EMACEO]

Welcome Ms. Anouk! If anyone doesn¡¦t know who that is¡Kit¡¦s the famous Nouk, the maker of www.noukiesims2.net/.

WOW! I¡¦m just really excited to be having this interview with you, I remember the old days like three years ago when we would compete in contest at S2C. But did you ever think that your name will become one of the famous names in many Sims 2 forums and is known for supporting those owners of free Sims 2 sites?

- I¡¦m honoured! No, I¡¦d never expected it! Speaking your opinion actually does have some effect!


When did you realize that its now time to stop those paying sites?

- The first time I saw Paysites Must Be Destroyed, I was shocked! I didn¡¦t know who it belonged to, why people were massively and openly ripping off these poor creators, and what the heck was going on. In that time, Sims 2 file sharers were considered evil, thieves, and were banned anywhere anyone found out they had shared a payfile with a friend.

I decided never to touch any payfile those evil bastards had uploaded, and warned one of those creators I liked about them. She was not impressed, because she never reacted.

The atmosphere at most big forums was pro ¡V paysite. The more payfiles you had purchased and showed off in contests and pictures, the better chance you seemed to have at winning, or at least get praised about the beautiful items.
People (including me) were almost obsessed with being the first to show off a new hair or clothing item in their pictures, preferably not accessible to so many people. It gave you a better chance to win if the stuff in your picture was unique and hard to get.
Payfiles were some kind of status symbol: you had something not many other people were able to get.
And the prizes of these contests were usually payfiles as well. The more new payfiles you offered as prizes, the more people who had no acces, would join.

It even went as far that if someone noticed you had a pay hair on your sim in your picture, and they knew you didn¡¦t pay for it, they would rat you out. Because it was the right thing to do! Who cares for thieves?

A small month later, I saw something familiar. The list of paysite downloads suddenly had a front page. Hey, it kinda looked like¡Kwtf!? That Malasyian flag! Isn¡¦t that on More Awesome Than You as well!?

Rumours went around, and people started daring to talk about it. I even asked a famous admin about it, and she didn¡¦t particularly like Pescado. So it was true! It was him!

Well I knew he was mean, but THIS mean? Why would he do this?

People were being banned by the dozens, even from large free sites, for being in their forum.

I went over and to take a look. I saw the EULA. I went on the forum and asked some questions. Unlike alot of people, I just signed up with my own nickname, expecting to be banned from everywhere I¡¦ve ever visited. Nothing happened though. So maybe at that time, moods were already starting to change?

Slowly but surely I came to understand their point of view.

But what really helped me to covert to the other sites, was how paysites reacted to PMND.

I have never been so surprised to see the sites and people that I used to love, shared personal information, started threatening and banning people, started abusing people, started opening secret forums to discuss who the file sharers were and to ban them, banning all discussion about being anti-paysite and closing threads everywhere where people wanted to discuss this, and then¡K. the HChangeri thing.
Threatening to do a highly illegal act to protect ones own illegal doings. I should not be surprised, but I was.

That was one huge disillusion of all the people I thought I wanted to support. That¡¦s when I lost all sympathy for a lot of paysites. Not all, because not all are the same, but a few showed me exactly what was important to them. Not the community, not their ¡¥customers¡¦, but only their money. And some would do anything to keep people from being informed about the EULA, even using their influence on free sites to block all knowledge about PMND and the EULA.

It took a long time, but slowly and surely the opinion of not liking paysites was accepted. Then the reasons why were allowed to be discussed. Then more and more people learnt about why paysites are wrong, and more and more people stood up for themselves and started informing people about paysites.

Eventually, after EA paid some attention to a customer writing a letter, saying very clearly paysites were breaking the EULA by selling content made with their tools, PMND and SimsFileVAult were being allowed to be named, and linked to. Because, EA only confirmed what a lot of us had known for a long time¡K filesharing is not theft, PMND and the likes are not doing anything illegal, and paysites are the ones breaking EULA and EA¡¦s wishes, abusing and disrespecting the free community by making the products of their tutorials and free tools pay, and purposely trying to keep information about them doing something wrong from the community by using their influence.

Sorry, but that¡¦s not going to happened anymore. People have the information, people have a choice, and people will choose for themselves if they want to support paysites, and nobody will decide that for them anymore through peer pressure and pressure from above.

I would call you the Super Sim Saver Of The Year! I think that your dedication on making sure that pay sites are destroyed is amazing, but for me I don¡¦t want to see them destroyed, I would rather see them set free! Why do you think people are so addictive to pay sites?

- By setting a paysite free, you are already destroying them. If there is not a pay file on a site anymore, they have destroyed what was wrong and set things right. I¡¦d like to congratulate any former paysite owner who has done this, because this is a large step. You are being welcomed with open arms!

Paysites are addictive, because we live in a consumer society/world. If there are things that are represented to more exclusive, have great advertising, and more and more people are starting to use it, it becomes a hype.

You could compare it with an I-pod. It¡¦s got great advertising, it looks nice (or you pretend it looks nice because everyone else thinks so), and anyone who uses it, has that little thing over those who don¡¦t. While other mp3 players may be just as good, this one is the one to get, because it¡¦s more exclusive because of it¡¦s price and because using it makes you a bit more popular.
Make something seem more attractive than the alternative, make it harder to get, and people will want it.

Same goes for payfiles.

However, 1,5 year ago, I never ever heard anyone say anything about the quality of famous paysite items. Now, since people are getting more and more informed and the hype is blowing over, people become more critical about what they want and how things actually look. PMND has broken the hype, and paysite owners cannot ride on the illusion anymore.
The fact that anyone can reach these things for free now, and take better looks at them ingame, has made people realize that paysites don¡¦t really have anything better to offer than free sites

I think you are the only person at S2C that was honoured with a thread saying why people love you! I¡¦m just going to read you a comment I found that made me say awe.

p$ycho$immer wrote, ¡§Nouk: (n) Singular. Creative spirit, often humbled by praise from fellow simmers, uses humor in the most innovative ways, finds new things to amaze us with constantly. Plural. No such thing, there is only one Nouk, and she is the greatest!!¡¨

What would you like to say to those that look up to you?

- I was shocked that there was a thread about me! I just went: ¡Kwhat!? Oh my God! I hardly dared to click it!
Especially since all I do is create stuff and have a strong opinion on things. I¡¦m not different from anyone else. Not smarter, not more special. When you are nice to me I am nice back, when you yell at me I¡¦ll yell back, I¡¦m no different.
So I felt especially touched and honoured to see people feel that way about me. And the tiny little poems! I¡¦ve never blushed so hard over something on the internet! That was so kind! I never expected anything like it. And I don¡¦t think I deserve it any more than other people. Aaawww it was so cute! *gush gush gush*

Okay lets get down to the exclusive! How long have you been creating for The Sims?

- For about 2 years I think. My first creation was a terrible bucket fill of the red knee-length dress with boots. And I was so frustrated! Why was it so ugly? Whyyyyy?


When did you notice it became something you enjoyed? Are do you enjoy it?

- I hated it! Everything I made was ugly! So I tried out some tutorials on MTS2 and started learning more and more. Then I found a tutorial about photo skinning a shirt, and finally I had made something acceptable. From then on, I tried and tried and tried until I liked something, and then moved on to the next thing to do it all again! I enjoyed it more and more, that I could have my sims dress in anything I wanted.

The next step was having my sims wearing any hair I wanted¡K now that was hard. I have buggen Besen from BesenSims2 over and over and over again with silly questions about meshing . Then finally, thanks to her, my first hairmesh was a fact.

And not long after, my first site!

Now I enjoy all the challenges, and I like being creative in this area. I would love to be able to create anything I envision in my mind, but I¡¦m not that far yet. Maybe some day?


List your five favorite free sites?
These are in no particular order.

- Modthesims2.com
All my knowledge comes from there! For absolutely free too. People have spent hours on helping me out, not asking for a single thing. I adore that place and everyone there!
Their knowledge base is huge, and it¡¦s a pity people are using their generosity to make money from. Without these people, most paysites creations, and ANY creations wouldn¡¦t even be possible.

- Insimenator.net
This place is amazing¡K I cannot live without the Insimenator hack, and not long ago, I got a little place there to upload, and then I got to know one of the owners, Kathy, better! She has this amazing site and still she¡¦s very kind and a normal human being! She¡¦s amazing!
Also, being there I¡¦ve had the chance to really mean something to Sims 2 sites except a big mouth, and I have joined the Animal Army against custom content theft!
Also, with the help of Kathy, me and Jessica from Wickedsims, are purchasing a server for our sites and all the free sites we are hosting! Smaller free sites now have a chance to exist on a server where they don¡¦t have to worry about bills and hosting. They can keep creating for free!

- MoreAwesomeThanYou
These people are brilliant!
If I didn¡¦t have their hacks in my game, I would have just thrown it out of the window.

- Paysites Must Be Destroyed
For curing my blindness and offering me a place to talk my opinions freely without the fear of being banned! Also for opening the door for a more free sims 2 community, where opinions are now being appreciated in stead of being repressed.
And for destroying paysites. Duh.

- Any free site
Anyone kind enough to share their hard work for free and not keep it to themselves. Anyone kind enough to providing us with free tools to create. Anyone kind enough for giving us hacks to make the game less illogical. Anyone nice enough to respect the community, help the community, and build up the community through sharing downloads, knowledge, help, and letting themselves be known and heard. Everyone kind enough to host other people¡¦s creations for free.
Thank you all!

What would be your favorite creation? And least favorite?

- My favoutite creation at the moment is my latest curly ponytail, because it moves so nicely.
- My least favourite creation would be the hideous mommy hair I made. It¡¦s on page 6, and the caption says:

¡§*Nouk Curly mess Hairmesh and recolors*
Cute and fluffy haircut in 4 colors,
that I would never want on my own head in a million years! In any color!
Torture your female sims of all ages and download!¡¨
And I meant it. *shudders*


If it was one thing people would always remember you by what would it be?

- The EINZ!!!111one
Just kidding. That I wanted to share. That¡¦s all.

I would first like to thank S2C because without the forum I don¡¦t think I would have ever got into The Sims 2 like I am now. I mean coming out with my own forum thanks to S2C, with also learning how to run one and gaining experience is amazing! I¡¦m happy that S2C is the mother to some of the raising Sims 2 forums to date. I would say S2C made me the simmer I am today. What/who made you the simmer you are today?

- Oh my where should I start¡K mainly the creators, modders, mods, contributors on Modthesims 2 for teaching me how to create without losing patience!

- A special mention to Wes_H for teaching me so much, and providing me with his tools, and making so much possible in the sims 2 community.

- My buddies on Noukiesims2.net: Sare, Ghanima, Frenchie, Maddy, MizziejB. You always make my day and I¡¦m happy to have such talented people on my site! Come here! *bearhug*

- My special friend Besen (Sylvia) whom I will always admire, for being kind and patient with me, with things to do with the Sims, and things that have nothing to do with the Sims! Gods bless her!

- Pescado for giving me access to the information I needed to form my opinion in the paysite matter.

- Anyone who¡¦d ever talked to me and everyone I¡¦ve ever been in contact with from the Sims 2 community: whether we like each other or not, you have been a part in how I view things concerning Sims 2.

What do you do for fun?

- I like to rent movies, go out dancing, enjoy the day with friends, and of course visiting my boyfriend. And of course I like to create things, being it for the Sims, or on paper. I also like books.

Have you ever thought about coming out with another free Sims 2 fashion site?

- yes but I figured it would just be another noukiesims2. lol.

I¡¦m really wondering how did you come up with the name of your site? Haha

- I didn¡¦t realize what ¡¥nookie¡¦ meant, so I just used my nickname in my site name. Ah well, people will definitely remember my site name. lol.


Nouk! Your famous everywhere! You even have the fourth most viewed profile at S2C yearbook! When did you realize that your site was well-known?

- When people started asking me: Are you that guy from Noukiesims2?
And then I wondered why people think I¡¦m a guy. Do I act like one? *burp*


If you had one thing to say to pay site owners what would it be? If you were sitting right in front the owner what would you say? Please give us only one sentence haha.

- Hey I¡¦m Nouk. Stop screaming! Stop! STOOOP! NOOO NOT THE CHAINSAW!


Okay let¡¦s get to your favorites. What is your favorite contest at the community?

- It was Pooja¡¦s Miss Earth, but I¡¦ve never seen her again!


Your favorite Sim model known?

- Anything Linuslover, Flyingpigeon, Dell, and you come up with. I¡¦m sure I missed someone.


And who is your favorite mod? We all have our favorites but what¡¦s yours?

- Hysterical Paradoxysm, she has been on my msn list for a while, and she¡¦s really nice!


Lets see how creative you can be with your famous Nouk name. Break down each letter in your name with a word. Let me give you an example. EMA. E-Eternity M-Modeling A-Agency haha¡K. I hope that was a good example.

- Never Oinks Under Kitties ¡K..


Do you think in 2008 pay sites will still be up? Are it¡¦s your mission to make sure its not! Because I think others really look up to you to make sure that pay sites are destroyed.

- Paysites will be down when EA decides to do something about them, or when the community becomes more pro-active and decides that EA doesn¡¦t have to decide for them if they should accept paysites.
So it is not up to me, but up to the community if they decide that enough is enough. Support your free sites, folks! And do not allow things to go on if you don¡¦t want them! It is you as a group and as a customer base of EA that decides wether they make money of you. If EA decides they make more money by allowing paysites, you can say NO. EA depends on it¡¦s customers to make money, then you should have a say.


Well because you have been one of the most talked too and about person this year in The Sims 2 community, I am happy to announce that EMA has now awarded you with The EMA FREE SITE OF THE YEAR AWARD! Congrats!

- Holy cow! *runs around in circles* Thank you! *bounces out of view*

This has been a well informing interview! And I must say I really wanted to get inside your head and get to know what Nouk is thinking kind of interview and I believe it ended great! I would love to hear your last words to the viewers! So if its anything you would like to say to the fans please do so¡K I would also like to thank you again for giving us your free time to answer these questions for us. Please everyone visit www.noukiesims2.net/ The Best Free Site EVER!

- *Sniff* My last word would be *sniff*¡K Michael I love you! *dies*

No but seriously, I¡¦d like to take this chance to tell you about something nice!

Mod_BV who now resides on PMND as well, cam up with the nicest idea! Helping out a free community doesn¡¦t only mean you should speak up against paysites¡K you should start helping your free sites. So Mod_BV has started to offer free hosting to small sites that need it.

I was inspired by his actions. I made up a similar plan, buying a server, hosting free sites for free, and if anyone wanted to donate, they¡¦d be donating to all those free sites at once.
They would never have to fear being kicked off or closed down because they started growing too much. I contacted Kathy with my plan, and she liked it! This plan has now evolved into something else.

As you may or may not have heard, Wickedsims is also a site that helps out the community by offering free hosting to smaller free sites, so that they don¡¦t have to worry about any costs and can keep their site free without worries!
Recently, Wickedsims has been affected by a DDoS attack, and all the 16 sites were down. Their owner Jessica had decided she needed something bigger and better to keep hosting her and her friend¡¦s free sites.

Kathy, me and Jessica got together to talk, and we decided on a server.

So, we decided to team up and both host our own sites, and the sites we host at the moment, there.
We would also like to find people who have their own small sites to be hosted for free, and some who have big sites who¡¦d like to split the cost with us, and ofcourse get hosting in return, to help the free community out. Ofcourse donations are welcome too. There will be 19 free sites to start out with, and any donation will go to offering these 19 sites a place!

Kathy is doing a huge job, by offering her guidance, knowledge and spending so much time in helping us out with the server. Kathy will be hosting these sites, and will do all this work for free. The only costs we have is the server payments.

This way you may enjoy all this quality free stuff for a long time, no matter if you donate or not, and people who want to keep their sites free, will have a place to host!

I hope people will support this initiative! ļ

That¡¦s about it! Bye bye and thanks for reading those long, long texts.
Xxx Nouk!