We’re refining how Boosts work to better reward complex, engineering-intensive designs. Here’s what’s changing:
Boost Tokens will be distributed based more on model quality, engineering and design effort
Active members supporting ambitious designs can now receive up to 3 Boost Tokens weekly
We’re improving measures to prevent system manipulation
Points System remains unchanged - still rewards popularity through downloads and prints
The truth is: complex designs that take weeks to create often get fewer points simply because they’re not quick to print. Our Boost System was created to balance this—and now we’re making it work better.
Building a perfect reward system isn’t easy, and while this update may not be flawless, it will help funnel recognition to less popular but equally impressive models. We trust you understand the complexity involved and appreciate that our intention is to fairly recognize both widely-printed designs and engineering marvels that deserve more attention.
We value your feedback and help in reporting any misuse of the system as we continue to refine it.
Questions? Thoughts? Please share them with us below.
For a full explanation of the Boost system rules, you can check the Bambu Handy app or this link: https://makerworld.com/en/boost . Click on the “How to get Boost Tokens?” button to display and read the rules.
Even if boosts would be limited to complex models (which means in real words, we all know this, a lot of filament usage!), the users would not really boosts these models more than yet, why should they?
Most users want to print fast and easy prints. So I do not see any increase in boosts for complex models. If the users do get less boost tokens, they will not care about. They will just stop using boosts.
A better way would be, that complex models get higher rewars per boost. So for example 1.5$ per boost.
This change will only reduce boosts for valueable models, which are helping a lot of users, but they are just too “simple” to get boosts.
I go out of my way to boost new designers who may only have a couple of models uploaded. I do this to encourage new designers to stick with it, as the 3d modeling learning curve is quite high. Usually these designs are simple yet interesting to me. How will I be affected by this rule change?
Personaly i believe some designers get enough, especially after the latest rounds of makerworld updates , competitions , licenses , subscriptions ,i believe its the new designers that should be profiting more from boosts , i understand a need to prevent misuse , but again youve / ive printed a model , we`ve rated it. boosts should be distributed on those grounds. (registered) almost like they are distributed to users/owners that have printed a model.
register (cloud) print, rate, boost. is the way to prevent misuse
I think everyone should continue to boost what they like. As MW said, it’s a work in progress.
I am of the opinion that the boost holder should decide what to boost with no outside influence as to how their boost should be used. Users shouldn’t be pressured to use their boost on specific users based on how long they been designing or a specific type of model. Boosting should be about you supporting what you like, and nothing else.
I don’t know about reducing the amount of boosts someone receives if they like boosting simple models. Now if you’re going to leave the amount of boosts those users earn the same and just give extra boosts to those that prefer complex models, I don’t see a problem with that. Doesn’t sound like that’s how it’s going to go though.
Perhaps a better idea might have to been to leave boost token acquisition rates the same, just increased the amount of points earned per boost for complex models. 20-25-whatever per boost. As far as how to determine if a model is “complex”, I’m not sure. Maybe a list of certain benchmarks a model has to reach, print length, amount of filament used, etc. Or maybe it’s something you apply for. Submit a ticket, BL reps look your model over and make the simple/complex call.
I think the key question here is how you define model complexity.
For example, I create models in OpenSCAD (which has complex code) that result in “simple” objects. So, while the output looks simple, the effort to create the model was high. How would that be assessed?
Will you consider factors like printing time or filament usage? If someone uploads 30 different box lid designs, is that considered a simple or complex model?
I realize I’m throwing out a bunch of random questions, but the main point is: what criteria will you use to determine model complexity, or rather, to evaluate the designer’s effort?
This could be good for a very small portion of designers and bad for most. I put a lot of effort into making things simple and use less parts, plates and filament. How can an algorithm or human judge if I spent months working on something that prints in 1 hour?
I like this idea. It’s a “quiet” way for Bambu to encourage more complex models. On the user end, they see the same thing. On the designer end, those who get boosts for complex models see the rewards.
Hopefully they don’t use numbers of vertices or something like that. It’s trivial to draw up something with a curved surface and set refinement to high when exporting. Voila! Lots of vertices.
And if they go with filament used, here come the solid calibration cubes because, solid.
The Makerworld reward system hasn’t ever been compensation for “how much time” you put into designing something. It’s a perk for posting on their platform. If you want to be compensated for your design time, Makerworld is not the place for you.
Maybe not up front, but in the long term it can pan out.
It sure beats set asset rates with a manager that likes to move the toilet and a client that threatens you with legal action if you dare to even suggest you worked on their project.
I just have 3 thoughts that I hope you will respond to
those who have the 1 mini cannot print all the complex projects like those listed because not all of them are compatible with the 180x180 plate so will these users be penalized ? (and I think you sell a lot of these printers).
those who receive 3 boosts because they have to give boosts have complicated projects that they will not print most of the time and those who 1 boost just because they think some projects that were useful for them were worth so much (isn’t that unfair ?)
how can we know which are the best models to get more boost in low what is judged ?
I think they said that quite clear, the overall boost remains the same, so basically they are just trying to move the cake around
Might be a good idea for long runs, we see too many 5 minutes design got hundreds of boosts , but I just don’t like someone standing there and trying to tell me which model should I boost
Basically I like the idea, but I really wish they can spend a bit more time on explaining the concept
This is true. It takes a lot of work to get up to those levels. The work you put in up front too, it wont net you much in return. It’s a slow build. Even with that, you have to keep doing it, keep putting the work in. I think to make it worth while, it is a full time job of it’s own. One in which you are subject to the market too, so no matter how much work you put into it, there’s no guarantee either that people will even download it.
There is a huge potential there within though. Ha, don’t get me wrong, Igor, I’m not trying to pick an argument with you or anything. I’m just frustrated with life, with my own industry.
As a designer that is just completely exhausted from the horrible conditions that often is the video game industry, I find a lot here to get excited about. One of my favorite things is that people actually compliment me on my work. That I can put my name on it.
I want to see Makerworld stabilize and mature. I’m not sure it can ever truly though. I mean, for all that Youtube is these days, it’s still no guarantee either.
It’s something that sits in the back of my mind. The points system seemed to be mostly about enticing designers to the platform. As time has gone on though, I think the Makerworld team has seen some of the potential and I believe they are putting work into establishing these systems as a long term thing. The incentives have helped push a lot of higher quality content onto the platform, and into the realm of 3d printing. I see stuff all the time that just didn’t exist a few years ago because there was no real incentive to put the time and effort into it.
Anyway, I’m just ranting because it’s monday and I’ve got a case of the mondays.
I feel like this sucks for people who are just starting to create models of their own. I like to look for less popular models, if I see one that looks interesting (even if it’s basic and simple) I like to give them a boost. Only after that, if I don’t see anything, then I’ll find higher quality models to boost.
Also, I feel like MakerWorld should give creators a design rating on their models, something only the the original creator can see. I personally would like to know how MakerWorld rates my models on “quality, engineering and design effort”.
I don’t entirely agree with BL’s position on this. If someone creates something that is simple to model / easy to print and that thing provides utility for others, then why should it get boosted any less than an advanced model? After all it’s about end value and utility to the user.
