I’m unfamiliar with the videos you mentioned, and I’m still uncertain about your initial response regarding the distinction between two groups on this platform. Specifically, the one where I referred to individuals creating content with profit as their primary motive:
I didn’t delve into the distribution or success rates of the two groups, as I lacked insight into their demographics. However, that wasn’t the focal point of my discussion.
My aim is to highlight the existence of individuals driven by different motivations. While some may perceive profit-diven creators as dubious, they contribute valuable items to the community, albeit not universally. Yet, the reduction in rewards may dampen their incentive to create (as expressed by them in this forum). While some hardcore designers may welcome this, envisioning a purge of spam items, I view it as a loss. These creators often produce simple yet widely appealing items that cater to diverse audiences.
Of course, it’s disappointing as a designer to receive fewer points for your designs.
Presumably some of them will no longer be hiring as much or models will disappear!
For me personally, not much will change, as I mostly construct models that I can use myself and then sharing them with the community and receiving Makercoins and praise is a bonus.
Designing just for coins definitely doesn’t make sense anymore!
I also don’t think the boost system rewards the complex niche models to a greater extent. But I actually like the idea behind it! But as I said, not the right tool for the given approach.
I totally agree with this! As I already wrote, humans are usually more driven by emotions. So of course, the fancy vase is more appealing and stays in my mind as the broom holder I printed some time ago. So I think this may hurt the smaller designers who do contribute useful models.
And I don’t directly talk about the financial aspect. There are many who didn’t care about that at all or will probably never be able to get anything out of boosts (you would need 48 boosts to get a single voucher).
But as boosts are the new main way to show support and give credit, and you have so much less of them, these things will probably get way less to none of them. And if I’m right with my prediction, it would be sad to see that fancy stuff get higher ratings that useful things, as they are usually the models with way more downloads in comparison.
It’s of course a bit early to be sure, if it will turn out like this. But taking a look to the actual situations in the models section, this is exactly what already happens. And currently it seems that this will not solve the issue BL tries to fix with this changes. When all those vases have more boosts then really complex and lesser printed modes, it’s no difference to the old like/download based system, it would only harm the other models.
@MakerWorld If you have the chance, could you clarify the discrepancy in the advertised 1 Boost = $1 in gift cards to the actual conversion which is 1 Boost = $0.897 as pointed out by @Mat3D ?
Something that is meaningless to you might bring joy to someone else. If it is meaningless to everyone it won’t be visible anyway. So why even bother about these items?
First I would also Like to thank Bambu labs I have had a good run over the last 7 months making points by sharing my designs. The rewards have been great I did feel that it was too good to be true and it would not last forever, so I’m not surprised to see this change. But I have to say it seems very unfair in its new style this will only reward the top level of designers with the most followers and higher visibility.
Bambu labs has the ability to see if a download has been printed and how much filament was used would it not be fair for all to use this information to reward points the more filament used the more points given in what ever amount they see fit.
so basically rewards for downloads is great and I think it should still happen but maybe not to the amount it was but in what even amount Bambu wants for the future.
Then the bonus
if it is a small design which need only 10g of filament but get 500 downloads great it gets some points over time and if its a big print which uses 1kg but only 5 prints it
get some points over time as well. This will not rely on people having to like or boost just download and print what they want. Of Course I understand this will only work if printed on a Bambu printed but since this is there site then that seems fair to me. You would still have the download points to gain so win win Bambu only would give the majority of points for prints which they know have been printed and more then likely have been printed with there filament.
I see your perspective, and sometimes intentions are clear. However, if people continue to download such content, there’s evidently a demand. Without demand, creators would cease production due to lack of return on investment, right? I sense your emotional investment in addressing this end of the user spectrum, but it’s crucial to acknowledge the vast middle ground. This group contributes models for both pleasure and financial incentives, a critical source of creative potential that flourishes with encouragement. They’re likely most impacted by these shifts, potentially leading to a decrease in their commitment.
Woohoo I got 3points … Meh, it’s better than a kick in the teeth.
I’ve never been in the trending pages and don’t mind plodding along, I’m here because I enjoy 3d printing and MW fits my needs. I don’t see much changing over the coming weeks and these rage-quitting people will be back after the reality strikes that even at half the given rewards its still a good deal. I got to admit its quite strange to hear people who apparently run successful businesses are pumping so much effort into a model website. Yeah ok, there are good things to be had if you gather enough giftcards, but I reckon you’ll have to lay off some “staff” and maybe buy the cheap coffee next week
I’ve seen and been part of niche websites that have become popular in their own right and “had” to monetise to stay afloat. It is never an easy task and often you’ll lose some people, but if there is a clear direction you want to go there needs to be change.
For the meantime, this change won’t hurt and I hope those people who I regularly see here don’t drift off.
It could also have another negative effect. If the “boosts” are seen as a quasi-reward for good designs, designers might feel stultified if they don’t get any “boosts”. They might even have designs that get 50 to 100 downloads in the first week, which wouldn’t be very few downloads, and 300 to 400 downloads within 4 weeks. How do these people feel if they don’t receive any or, in their opinion, too few “boosts” in return, if “boost” points are equated with direct recognition? How will they behave in the future?
Thank you for this information. I suspect you may already be on this but I would like to see Boost metrics included in the analytics section as a further improvement please.
one day before the change: 350 points received
one day after the change: 35 points received … and 13 boosts = 143 points.
As I said, I was expecting this to happen, not complaining. Just a fun fact
So far. Downloads still very low. I suspect that a lot of users dont even use their boosts. A lot of users just download and dont care about this boost buttob there. Also… we cant even see out boost on the app we need the actual browser on pc ,
Welp, all of this was expected but it is a bit harsher than I was thinking they would go. I am now getting maybe 5% a day of the points I was getting before the start of the nerf attack.
Yes, the 35 points of day is nice but definitely won’t cover the cost of the filament I was getting in order to print new models to meet Makerworld’s moving requirements. So as a designer I am losing money if I want to continue sharing designs here.
And yes, I am sure the haters will be glad (one less hueforge user to skip over) and no, I don’t do this for profit. My enjoyment comes from creating a unique designed piece of art and sharing it with that one person that finds it and it makes the perfect gift/pick me up for someone. To start to have to lose money in order to share these designs is definitely causing me to pause and examine my options.
If I move on to another platform, do I remove my designs from Makerworld? Likely. Would others be doing this as well? Most Definitely. In the end Makerworld will lose a portion of the catalog they spent all that money to get created.
Makerworld had to make changes, but the old saying “throwing the baby out with the bathwater” is definitely applicable in my eyes. To combat those that abuse the system, they are hitting the entire designer community hard as well and will damage Makerworld both in the short and long term if it stays this way.
And yeah, I can already hear some of the “Forum Karens” saying good riddance and bla bla bla. They are happy to destroy the real makerworld to create their imagined utopia.
… Meh, it’s better than a kick in the teeth.
… and 13 boosts = 143 points.