I guess the other thing is that I hope creators will be held accountable (one thing that kickstarter doesnt do at all).
I see a Pinball machine there that uses 20kg of filament and a significant number of external parts, with the creator quoting 500+ eurodollars cost in total.
I would hope that if the backer is expected to buy a file and then shell out for all that just to build it, they are appropriately vetted before final release
Well i wish you the best, not really my thing i either buy what i want or a don’t, not really in to the whole crowd funding thing
Here’s the official FAQ for Crowdfunding: FAQ - MakerWorld
Thank you! The FAQ answers the following:
Now I have a new question:
The FAQ notes that these models will NOT receive any points from the platform, only receiving the crowdfunding monies, which makes me think that these models will be private, paid models only?
The default case is the reward models are privately accessible to backers and are not public on MakerWorld. So backers will get private access to the model page or document.
I’d like to try a campaign where if the goal is met the models are publicly free for everyone, though. It sounds intriguing but I’m not sure if enough people would contribute without private access
I originally thought the backers were providing funding to a designer to finish a complex model that they would normally not invest the time on. And then that model would be published on Makerworld for free, i.e. Crowdfunded focus. And maybe some exclusive perks for the backers such as customizations, feature requests, etc.
I like the idea of knowing what I should focus on for a month, and having a closer feedback loop with people interested in the design.
If the end result is a private access model then the loss of Makerworld points would need to be factored in.
As an all or nothing program, designers might be incentivized to place low goal amounts with the hope of making up the difference on the backend with late pledges.
Pros:
Cons:
More questions:
I think moderation is key to ensure succes of the crowdfunding feature, I would HATE to see cool artist just crowdfund every new cool idea they have, I mean, it’s cool we can help them, but one cool thing about Makerworld that I don’t want to loose is the fact that it has very detailed and amazing models completely for free.
I would also like the answer to this one, if the projects get released for free, some time after the og supporters get the files, then im all for the crowdfunding feature
I don’t think it’s easy to get funding. Making the models available free afterwards will make it even harder. Most people can wait 30 - 60 days if it means they can get it free. If the models are going to be availabe for free, maybe do so after 12 months or even longer?
I actually don’t mind the models turned into paid models later on. People who pledge during the crowdfunding pay less than the full price, which provides another incentive to pledge.
This is stupid. Just build printers.
I rather enjoy all the extras that Bambu does. What makes them great isn’t just their printers, but everything. The whole of it. And it’s especially awesome how they support designers and give them these various avenues to capitalize off their talents.
ehh, maybe I’m a shill. As a designer though, I must say, it’s nice to feel like my time is valued. It’s nice being able to have those sorts of kick backs that allow me to further push my craft and my designs.
I probably wouldn’t do the crowdfunding thing, but it’s not just stupid. It’s another tool in our bag to help us designers further work to bring amazing work for others to enjoy.
This stuff doesn’t just happen. Good thought out and complex designs don’t just happen.
If by MW community, you meant the uploaders of models to MW, or people who come to post on this forum, that can be true. However, majority of the 3D printing base are not on this forum. Some may have been buying models from other sites so they are used to pay for models that they really like. MW says “We’ll amplify standout projects across and beyond our platform to help you reach your goal.” which can help to reach these people.
Early downloads, variants and customization are some of the suggested perks. But I am not sure if these alone are enough incentives. Backers in Kickstarter pay less than the full price of the product when it’s on sale later. Something for MW to consider.
I mean the average downloaders who will be using the site, the majority of uploaders are a different thing entirely, although as evidenced by the amount of people who even steal models from MW only to repost them on MW, i don’t have a lot of faith in the community as a whole to be willing to pay for things, especially given i’ve seen my SDF licensed model stolen in a couple of places despite offering commercial use licenses for it at the time at the literal bare minimum MW would let me charge
While you’re right don’t discount the group of people who want to help out and be part of the process. An example of this is YouTube creators that release videos for free but still have a sizeable Patreon which pretty much supports them financially.
Yeah I backed one of the projects for exactly this reason. I liked what the designer was doing, and wanted to back the project to help see that vision come to life.
I think there’s a decent amount of people out there that are happy to help support and back designers that have a track record of doing awesome stuff. I have my little buy me a coffee thing setup, and people do that all the time often with notes of encouragement and excitement.
makes me think a little of freemium games, but less awful. Hahaha. More voluntary. There’s various people and avenues that are starting to help fund designers like myself and in turn that is giving everyone access to that work. I think it’s a beautiful thing, as I personally don’t want to have to turn anyone away, but at the same time, as I push my design work further and further, that does come at a cost to me that I need to be able to cover so I can keep doing this.
Haha, of course though me funding one of those projects is like one homeless man giving another homeless man a buck 
we both need that buck!
Patreon is different from a Kickstarter-like program. Some creators already have patreon accounts, so yes, some of their patrons can join in or they may get some extra backers in their patreon account because of the exposure.
MW is throwing in free T-shirts which can also help.
But still, “Most people” don’t do patreon. If the model is going to be available free afterwards, I don’t think they mind getting it without being a patron.
I am not ready to join this crowdfunding program anytime soon. So it’s probably better for those who are in it now to share some thoughts on what happens afterwards. Clearly these models will not be in the Exclusive Program, so the designer(s) can do whatever they want, including selling them on other platforms such as Cults and Printables. What’s the best way to attract backers, giving them out free afterwards or letting potential backers know they are getting paid models at a discount by pledging?
edit: Another option is to put the models inside their Patreon as exclusive models afterward.
The intentions seem good, but I’m not sure if they’ll succeed. Looking at the current entries, most projects (perhaps all) don’t just have plans; they actually present finished models. So what’s the difference between this and simply selling it? Wouldn’t it just garner a little more attention for a certain period of time? Is there really a project that can successfully secure funding with just a plan and no actual model?
Again, you’re right but that wasn’t the point I was trying to make. Perhaps a better example is when a creator on YouTube live streams and people donate on stream. The people donating don’t get much in return other than some recognition but they do it because they want to help the creator out and support them.
It sounds like this system isn’t for your and that is 100 percent okay. It doesn’t have to be for everyone. There are a group of people out there (myself included) that something like this will probably work really well for. Time will tell if this system will be a success.
I think it depends a lot on the reputation of the creator. If say @Josh-3D were to start a campaign for “Building a human size hamster wheel” or @Ukdavewood starts a campaign “I’m gonna print a boat!”. These creators have a reputation of creating wonderful projects. I would have no issues supporting them and their campaign.
It doesn’t have to be a big time creator either. If the project makes sense and the creator lays out a stainable goal in meaningful fashion I have no issue with taking a chance and helping out with some seed money for the project.
