Does anybody know if you’re allowed to make changes to the model page during the contest review period? Just talking about fixing typos, changing a couple of photos, etc. not uploading or changing any print profiles or model files. The rules are not very clear about this, as they only really state that your model has to be in before the end of the contest but mention nothing about a freeze period during review.
Not an official answer, but I would assume, that even model updates are allowed. Of course, you should not change a filament clip to a carrousel, but bugfixes and updates based on user feedback should be very welcome. But this is just my standing…
Is there any official statement from the MakerWorld team regarding this matter?
I’d say if there were, you’d find it here alongside points 2, 6, 7, and 8… still up in the air.
I did fix some typos once after the contest closed and there wasn’t a popup or anything saying “can’t edit during review period.” Now, this doesn’t mean that they don’t take a snapshot of all the models when they close the contest and review based on that set of models and your changes to photos, descriptions, etc. only reflects on the real-time webpage but their judging is done based on what things looked like when the cutoff was.
However, I’m starting to ethically agree more and more with what @Fr33lab said above, because they’re essentially doing the same with the Contest Theme page. Take the Jewelry Box Contest (link) for example. You can still tell by the Thank You note at the bottom (about the model in the banner at the top) that originally this was a Smart Jewelry Box contest when it was first announced. It actually reads really weird with the fluff in the middle now but then the odd mentions of sensors, voice activation, and whatnot in there as well.
I ordered my “smart” parts when the contest was announced, when I got the stuff in the mail and wanted to get started I checked the theme again and saw what it had changed to. You can imagine that I was slightly annoyed. Was considering not participating but then got started on the model anyways after a few days.
So now you got a Smart Jewelry Box in the contest that integrates with Apple Home and can interact with all devices in your smart home. (I’ve put it all in the model description). Now, if we go by when I made my order for the parts, the contest theme was “smart” and mine is the only one that does that… or do we go with what the theme is now and I won’t even get mentioned with the winners. It’d be kind of a double standard in terms of moving goalposts if they can change things (without an edit note no-less) and you couldn’t, right?
If you have not had 5 entries in the contest, this is probably ok. However, updating the model, depending how “update” it is, MAY count as one extra entry and may not be allowed. So if you have had 5 entries, or plan to, the surest way to know is to ask MW through a ticket.
Having entered a contest, I have fixed a model with a new profile upload after I noticed an error.
I have done this both during the contest and after its completion.
I was not penalised afterwards. In one case, I won a participant award.
I kept notes and previous profile versions in case anyone, including BL, questioned me.
I would recommend others do the same.
You have to remember the model is a model before it is a participant. Not fixing errors helps no one.
Changing the entry rather than fixing errors is a different story.