Questions regarding MakerWorld points

MakerWorld
21

I like the idea of the upload limit. A few per day/week seem fair vs the 15+ each day I see from some accounts. Although if the other rules already in place (actual printed item shown) were better enforced it would cut down on that. One downside on a limit would be if a new user were trying to migrate their account here from elsewhere.

Have mixed thoughts on a up/down vote system. We have already seen spammers/bots manipulate the current setup. Adding in another metric that can be easily taken advantage of to skew an outcome is not something needed.

1 Like
22

My hard to print model isn’t getting much. Easy to print and fast one gets most rewards.

Often time some are promoted by MW to get more views and downloads. While many other niche model left in the dust, that discourage my development work for MW prints.

23

As said above, niche models will always have less downloads. I don’t know how they would have more downloads on other sites?

The demographic of Maker World has a lot of new people to 3d printing and they will gravitate to easier and less complicated models.

2 Likes
24

Yes, niche models are less popular (by definition :slightly_smiling_face: . MW can’t do much about), and are currently less rewarding to create (MW can do something about).

Suggestion:

  1. Develop a system to identify and classify them. For example, in general, functional models are niche (exception: 3D printer parts and accessories).

  2. Increase their reward points per printing/downloading. By how much? MW has the data and can be used to figure out a fair amount.

  3. Increase their exposure when possible and fair to other models. This alone will not improve the situation though because they only appeal to people who have the problems those models can solve.

To the 2nd question, here are my 2 cents:

  1. A sophisticated and complex model isn’t necessarily difficult to print (It may take longer to print and require assembly).
  2. It isn’t clear if longer print time makes it significantly less likely to get downloaded and printed. Some models having long print time have high downloads.
  3. A more complex model isn’t necessarily a better model. In fact, a designer should try to make the model as simple as possible while achieving the same design purpose.
  4. It may be hard to define sophistication and complexity without adding another contentious point to argue about.
1 Like
25

The first question is: Do you believe that under MakerWorld’s current point reward system, models that are more niche generally receive less popularity and thus less rewards?

Yes, but that’s the way niche products work. What would help would be a more robust search engine.

The second question is: Do you believe that more sophisticated and complexed models generally receive lesser rewards due to difficulty of printing?

Yes, but again, that’s the way these things work. Perhaps giving more search engine weight to these models would help them be more visible? As well as tackling the spam problem of low-quality models.

In your opinion, do you believe that these phenomenon are quite common in MakerWorld and require actions to prevent them from happening?

Yes, it’s common. But I’d wager that’s the way it is with all platforms. Niche or complicated models just don’t have the same level of pull as the quick and easy. How to reward or compensate these types of models is not so clear.

At the end of the day, the real goal of Makerworld is to drive sales of Bambu printers and filament. The niche/complicated models don’t drive them as much as a flexi-something-or-other du jour because there’s less potential users who need them.

It sucks, but that’s the way it is. I guess Makerworld needs to decide what is more important to them: flexi prints, fidgets, and multi-colour characters that drive sales, or complicated well-thought out projects that solve a need or showcase the best that can be achieved.

If you’re genuinely interested in doing right by these creators, I guess I would start by making more categories so that they can be easier to find. As well as make it possible to search by keyword tags. Perhaps holding more contests for specific things. Best camera accessories or like what Printables did recently on replacement parts. I would also give people the ability to filter out the types of models that they don’t want to see (i.e., hueforge or other AI-generated art).

Regardling adding a dislike feature, I would caution against that. It’s already easy to spam stolen files, print profiles, and hueforge. With a combination of likes/dislikes, someone could game the system by strategically disliking the competition at the same time as liking their own models. You’d be able to drive your model up to the top of trending. Heck, some designers have thousands of followers. What’s stopping the followers from brigading another design so their favourite stays on top? I’d like to say something like that would never happen, but human nature being what it is, it’s a real possibility.

Anyways, I’m sorry I don’t have anything really meaningful to suggest. Just that I’m grateful that you listen to the community and I appreciate it greatly.

3 Likes
26

I believe MW asks this question exactly because it wants to do something right, something different from hyper-focusing on hitting growth targets on models counts and download counts.

1 Like
27

The meta models are just keep getting stacked.

28

yes the long to print models get less downloads on my account look at this takes 7hr to print woven basket by shar 3d - MakerWorld and my models like my dice take a lot less time to print and that =more download dice by shar 3d - MakerWorld compare the 2 see what you think

29

Prime example going on right now why we need upload limits.

https://makerworld.com/en/u/2125882858

Uploading the alphabet one letter at a time. :roll_eyes:

and surprise surprise, no printed images either.

30

These two models are not the same. They are apples and oranges.

All things equal, shorter print time probably attracts more printing downloads. Such is the reason for some to create faster printing profiles for the same model.

At the models level, this relationship is not clear, because one can argue that the models that get the high downloads do not always have the shortest print time, as shown in any contests.

31

not good i used to do something like that too

32

and he dos not even bother chopping the screen shots

33

I feel the same way about the games… I’ve already published some of them, but others I just don’t want to upload here. I still have a very unusual and extensive game in stock, but before it disappears into nirvana here, I’m also considering whether I’d rather offer it for sale on another platform, because I invested a lot of time in the project back then. And before I get 2 thumbs up for it here, I’ll refrain from uploading it at the moment.

34

A penalty for “simple” models can’t be a solution, IMHO. I often see complex models and just create an easier design for them. That’s somehow innovation, right?

I also keep my complex models currently away from makerworld as the download-rewards can’t catch up with the efforts. I would love to see a similar solution to what printables offers, all tough I am also not happy with theirs :smiley:

35

Not an issue at all IMO. Trying to blame other people uploading models for no one downloading yours is ridiculous.

Wrong. Niche models absolutely drive sales of Bambu printers if they are useful. Being able to print a spare part for your washing machine or something instead of buying one for $50 (if can buy one at all) is a great reason for owning a 3D printer and worth hundreds of downloads of yet another filament clip or whatever. The current scheme rewards one handsomely and the other hardly at all.

The models don’t have to be large or complex either.

The problem is how do you decide a model is useful and I suggested leaving it up to the person who is finding it useful, put them in control of awarding some points.

2 Likes
36

1.) Yes. I think we all understand that something niche isn’t going to get as many downloads though. Not all of us have the same TV or sound bar that needs a specific mounting solution.

2.) Yes.

3.) yes, and maybe. It isn’t quite necessary to take action on giving more points to more complex models, but this could be a good way to encourage better content uploads. One idea I have is to make a “complex model popular reward” kind of similar to how the “popular model reward” was in the beginning. There would have to be a clear set of criteria on what constitutes a complex model and it shouldn’t be too easy to achieve. A lot of what I see on makerworld is either small quick stuff, or stuff that is just down right low effort. Don’t get me wrong there is a lot of awesome models, but people think a bunch of small quick printing models will net them the most points in the end. This encourages a lot of low effort and useless stuff. I would like to see less of these low effort models and more cool and complex stuff that can really showcase the capability of what a 3D printer can do.

A little off topic and I know this has been mentioned a few times, stop featuring models that are entered into contests. This is giving the creators of these models an unfair advantage. Download count = perceived popularity, which is one of the judging criteria.

37

  1. I do believe this but has generally has been my experience at other sites as well.

  2. Yes as well. I post a couple somewhat complex models. It does take a while before I even receive ratings on my profiles. Of course, that is logical since they do take time and planning on the users part. Especially, if they want certain colors or it requires outside parts.

For example, I posted this on Jan 7. I received my first rating on Jan 24. The system then spammed all my points for the 200 downloads I had received up to that point. Not necessarily bad just the way it is. For reference the model has 31 individual pieces and requires real hardware like screws and springs for assembly.

Truthfully, it can be a little disheartening since I generally spend a month or 2 designing the more complex models. But it’s hard to get angry since people will flock to what catches their fancy. Smaller models print fast and give immediate happiness.

I really can’t think of substantial ways to address the issue. The featured model is a nice way to address it. Maybe make a community voting version? I’m not sure. Just seems like the site is getting more popular and it is harder to stand. To be expected.

I am only a hobbyist that does this for enjoyment and personal fulfillment. I find it a rewarding experience for others to enjoy my work. I have generally found the reward system to be very generous. I have received significantly more rewards then what I have received from another certain site for the same models. This has allowed me to purchase items I may not have like a second AMS unit for my P1P and a third Bambu printer in the form of an A1. I can’t complain about what I have received so far.

2 Likes
38

That’ll be an unfortunate loss for MakerWorld. My point was it’ll take the wind out of those who simply want to game the system for those precious Bambu Dollaroos. Sadly a percentage of genuine modellers may take their marbles home, luckily there are other avenues to make money outside of MakerWorld and if your models are worthy you’ll make $$. The upside is you’ll see less mass spamming of hueforge/signs/bookmarks etc, often by users that often never print their own models. I’m sure there are other places you can get validation for your artwork :slight_smile:

The fact remains, MakerWorld were never going to leave this Points Program in Beta forever. The giftcards will be the first to go, or at least be crippled in such a way that it gets harder to obtain. I’d be highly doubt it will get any easier, maybe some tweaks to make it a little less one-sided to the spammers would be nice though.

39

Unfortunately, I think you are correct. Even this thread looks like a request for validating their next step in reducing the number of rewards. Too bad so many users are so eager to validate that.

There are many users here who are paying more attention to what other people are doing instead of what they do.

There is no need for users to fight between themselves. We just need a better filtering and searching system, not more barriers for the users.

Imagine a 10-year old who has just posted her first model getting the vitriol from those so called expert designers or artists, because her classmates downloaded her work and she got a few points.
Who are we to determine what is valuable and what is not for other users? Let the market decide that.

If you created something worth printing, people will discover it in time. No worries about that.

5 Likes
40

You hit the nail on the head, internal bickering about who gets what only gives MW openings to place new rules. Often good rules in theory, but as you may have witnessed, the target often revels in the attention and flys by waving at us. Filtering users and ability to do your own housework (your model=you choose profiles or not) would be a good start I agree.