New Maxis Curated Filter on the Web Gallery (under Advanced) Causes Confusion

BryonyRae

Twice now, I've gone to look up the link for a build I've just uploaded (so I can update my blog and other postings), only to find that only a few of my builds showed up when I searched by my ID. I've done this many times in the past with no issues, and when I was trying to figure it out this time, I looked under the Advanced tab and saw a "Maxis Curated" option that was checked by default. Because it was checked, only my builds that have been curated by Maxis show up unless I go and uncheck it.

Is this a new option? I don't recall ever seeing it before. Or if not, was it unchecked by default in the past? Could we please get it unchecked by default now? Otherwise, I can't imagine that I'm the only person that will get confused, not to mention how many good builds won't get seen at all because people won't even know about the option and will just get routed into viewing Maxis only builds.

DOLLDRMS1

I second this. I searched for lots by the EA ID for a builder I commonly download from and knew some of the builds I had weren't showing. I thought she had pulled them, until I happened to catch a post by @crinrict on AHQ to someone indicating the Maxis Curated box was now automatically checked by default. One of the houses not showing was one I had previously looked at and was going to now download. After reading Crin's post and unchecking the box, that build, as well as some of the others I knew should be there, showed up.

Now that I know to uncheck the box, I do. Since this was a change without announcement AFAIK, other simmers may still not be aware of the change.

I would also like to see the filters we have available for searching, if we access the gallery in game, used on the Web Gallery. I don't like using the gallery from in game. I had too many lots and sims just go missing from my library using it. I haven't encountered that problem when I download from the Web Gallery. I don't understand why the filters can't be implemented on the Web Gallery since they are available in game and also present on the mobile app.

EuphorialQueen

I fear that to many do not realize why their searches yield limited to zero results. My hope is this is a fluke that will be corrected in the near future.

fidlerten

I take this as a big issue. rosemow led me to this thread after I posted a thread of my own concerning the issue.

http://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/883572/why-does-maxi-have-curated-pre-checked#latest

I think we need to do more than discuss it in threads because the issue will continue to get ignored by Maxi unless we also contact Maxi and EA about it. Personally, I will be doing this.

It would also seem this is a recent change by them as even though the few houses I have uploaded since starting to build in the TS4 environment have gotten few downloads and favs, they've gotten a whole lot less since the change. What basically they have done is cut out all the rest of our work from even being noticed by the sim community at large in favor of their pre-selected, "curated" items. Anyone who knows me, knows I don't sit back and get walked on.

Thanks BryonyRae for posting this thread. Also good to know you're still around.

SpecterCody

I noticed this recently also. Went to check my gallery on the site and only saw my faved items. I noticed the place to uncheck the faves but I had thought maybe my link was incorrect. Turns out its just that way by default now? I don't understand what benefit this has or why it got changed. I'm hoping it was an accident.

fidlerten

Specter, I"m certain it was not accident. Eventually, I think they'll find out that it will discourage creators from creating, because our work will pretty much be overlooked and ignored, thanks to the change. Maybe that's what they want, I don't know.

SpecterCody

@fidlerten I'm not sure how this could be a good thing at all. Its definitely very misleading and feel baffled why they would do this. I'm not sure why they would want to discourage people from creating.

fidlerten

@SpecterCody Probably it's just them being inconsiderate of anyone they don't personally favor. The rest of us just don't matter that much, that is until we stop spending money for new EPs and stuff packs. That's the only thing they seem to recognize: Our money.

BryonyRae

I personally think this was an oversight. This happened before, where originally in the Gallery, the "Packs" option under Advanced was set to only "Show Owned" by default, which caused many builders to worry that if they used items from new packs, their builds would be invisible to most of the general population. I remember we requested at that point for it to be changed, and it was.

Puncky99

@Bryonyrae Do you have any idea or Maxis is working on this Maxis curated 'problem'?
And what conditions are used by Maxis to label one lot or Sim as curated and the other not?
Could we please get it unchecked by default?

BryonyRae

@puncky99 I don't know, sorry. They do have a write-up on how they curate that you can read here.

Puncky99

@BryonyRae thank you for answering my questions. Do I understand correctly that 'Maxis curated' is the same as 'Maxis Fave'? If so, the first lot I've build with the Sims 4 is a Maxis Fave and I didn't know!

BryonyRae

@Puncky99 yes, it is. Congratulations!