As promised, the SimHaven GitHub repository is now live.
Opening the source has been part of the plan from the beginning. We want players to be able to see what we are working on, follow the project’s development, and know more about what they are downloading onto their computers.
You can visit the repository here:
Why Open Source Matters to SimHaven
Downloading a launcher or game client from a community-run project requires trust. Players should be able to understand what they are installing and feel confident that the project is being operated responsibly.
That is one reason the SimHaven repository is public.
Open source allows developers and technically inclined players to inspect the code, follow our changes, report problems, and contribute improvements. It also gives SimHaven a better chance of continuing for years to come, even if the people working on it change over time.
Right now, I am doing most of this alone. Community contributions could help us fix bugs, improve existing features, and eventually create new content.
We especially welcome anyone who knows how to design new objects because, Lord knows, I am not a graphic designer.
I could trace my own hand and somehow end up with a deformed chicken that needs to see a chiropractor.
FreeSO was released under the Mozilla Public License 2.0. That license legally requires covered source code to be made available when distributing software built from it.
That is worth understanding.
If a project is distributing software based on FreeSO but its covered source code cannot be found, players are allowed to ask why. They are allowed to ask what they are downloading, whether the license is being followed, and whether the work of the original FreeSO developers is being respected.
Those are not unreasonable questions, and asking them is not an attack.
We are not saying that closed source automatically means malware, and we are not accusing anyone of distributing malicious software. Open source does not magically guarantee that every project is safe, either.
What it does provide is transparency.
Players can see what is being distributed. Developers can review the code. Contributors can help improve it. The future of the project does not depend entirely on one person keeping everything behind a locked door.
That matters because Rhys and the FreeSO developers spent years creating something the community could continue building upon. The MPL 2.0 license helps protect that legacy by making sure covered work remains available to the community instead of disappearing into private projects while executables continue to be distributed publicly.
SimHaven is publishing its source because the license requires it, because players deserve transparency, and because we believe open development gives this project the best chance of surviving for years to come.
We are not interested in turning The Sims Online revival community into a competition. We simply believe players should understand what they are supporting and have enough information to make that decision for themselves.
Our goal is to continue Rhys’ legacy by maintaining a true-to-heart FreeSO and The Sims Online experience that remains open, accountable, and capable of surviving beyond any one person, including me.
50% Faster Skill Weekend
To celebrate the GitHub opening and another milestone for the community, skill speeds will be increased by 50% this weekend.
The bonus begins:
Saturday, July 18 at 6:00 AM Central Time
and ends:
Sunday, July 19 at 11:59 PM Central Time
This is the perfect opportunity to work on the skills needed to open or improve your own lot.
Whether you need Cooking, Creativity, Charisma, or enough musical ability to serenade the same three Sims for several uninterrupted hours, the bonus should give you a helpful push.
Gather some friends, visit a skill house, and finish those skill points that have been staring at you from across the room.
Two Weeks of SimHaven
This weekend also marks two weeks since SimHaven opened.
That may not sound like a long time, but a lot has happened already.
Our community has been incredibly supportive of the true-to-TSO and FreeSO direction we are trying to build. Players have helped us test systems, report bugs, find flaws, welcome new residents, create useful lots, and spread the word about SimHaven.
Some of our earliest testers and supporters received a Mystic Tree as a thank-you for the work they put into helping us get started.
That promotion has now ended.
To keep Mystic Trees special and protect the game’s economy, no additional trees will be awarded through that promotion. We still appreciate everyone who continues to help, including those who joined after the promotion ended.
A bug report, shared post, new lot, or friendly welcome to a new player may not come with a giant glowing tree, but it still makes a real difference.
Founder Tags Are Ending Soon
Founder tags will also stop being awarded soon.
We already have an end date in mind, but we are not announcing it just yet.
The Founder title is meant to recognize the players who joined during SimHaven’s earliest days and helped us test the server while we were still tightening bolts, checking the wiring, and trying to determine why there was smoke coming from the kitchen again.
Once the early testing period ends, the Founder title will no longer be available.
Players interested in joining SimHaven as an early tester or contributor should get involved while the Founder program is still active.
Will SimHaven Have Anniversary Gifts?
Yes.
Several players have already asked whether SimHaven will have anniversary gifts.
I have been considering something similar to the original system from The Sims Online, such as a Simmy for the first year, a Mystic Tree for the second year, and additional rewards for longer milestones.
There is something special about bringing back those familiar gifts. At the same time, I would also like SimHaven to develop anniversary items and traditions of its own.
That is another area where community contributors could make a huge difference.
New models, textures, animations, and object ideas could help us create rewards that still feel at home in The Sims Online while becoming part of SimHaven’s own history.
As mentioned earlier, our current internal art department consists of me and the ability to draw a reasonably recognizable stick figure.
Help is welcome.
“Can I Have a Staff Position?”
This question has already come up several times, so I want to answer it honestly.
Right now, the answer is no.
That does not mean SimHaven will never have moderators, community helpers, developers, or other staff positions. As the community grows, those roles will probably become necessary.
At the moment, however, SimHaven is still very new. I do not know everyone well enough yet, and I take staff positions seriously.
This is not the first online community I have operated. Anyone representing SimHaven would be trusted with the safety, reputation, and confidence of the community.
Those positions will not be handed out simply because someone asks first, spends the most time online, or wants a special title.
When staff positions do become available, the people chosen will be held to a high standard. Their behavior will reflect SimHaven and what this community stands for.
Please give us some time. We are only two weeks old, and we are still finding our footing.
There are already plenty of meaningful ways to help without having a staff title. Testing features, contributing code, reporting bugs, welcoming players, operating useful lots, and helping Plumbrook feel alive all matter.
Thank you to everyone who has joined, tested, contributed, shared SimHaven with others, and supported what we are trying to build.
Two weeks down.
Hopefully, many years to go.