Request: Remove penalty for fine-tuning a private model before posting

MakerWorld
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We did a large release of parametric scad files that received great reception thanks to other publicity, but noticed it wasn’t appearing on any of MakerWorld’s browse tabs, even when it should be in the top 5 for things like boosts in past 7 days.

After a bit of research, I noticed that the publish date of our model is when we uploaded a private model during our testing phase (several weeks) to ensure it worked with MakerWorld. Testing OpenSCAD files for MakerWorld compatibility is critical, so it’s expected to be private for some time when you have a complex series of scad files that need extensive testing.

Well I also learned that older models take a huge penalty for how they are ranked on browse tabs. Even though we were receiving great attention and boosts the day we made it public, MakerWorld was not displaying our model on any of their tabs on opening weekend because it treated as if the model had no fanfare for weeks at first launch.

Can the ‘release date’ be fixed to when the model first goes public so that those spending time to test and tweak prior to launch can have a fair shot at appearing for others to see?

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I can’t see them doing it though, but, I hope they will.

In the meantime, there is something you can do to test your code in their platform before ever fully uploading it.

  • Use the upload button.
  • Drag your OpenSCAD file to the section for it
  • Do not go to the next stage
  • Press the thumbnail preview image to the left of your file

The OpenSCAD configuration tool will launch and you can explore how your code works, tweak it, copy/paste it in and out of your source file.

Now you can play with your source as much as you like.

When you are comfortable it works as you would like, upload it properly as you have been so far.

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Of course my first thought is, Why would anyone use OpenSCAD when there are so much better ways of 3D modeling? I say this as one who has been creating 3D models since the eighties.

Anyhow, to take a page from the engineering world, you can create a prototype and give it a name. Once you have developed it and are ready to release it to the world, you give it a new name and present it as a new model. Thus your development efforts will be separate from your final product.

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That is a great tip and probably the best workaround in the meantime. Thanks, Malc!

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First, that’s a fairly close-minded comment. With how much time you’ve spent with CAD, I’m sure you know all about advantages and disadvantages of code-based CAD, parameterization, and the concept of personal preference. Being here, I’m sure you also know that MakerWorld has selected OpenSCAD for their web-based customizer. Consider being curious first, not critical, my friend.

As to your other comment, I agree that I would likely need to proof on one model then re-upload when ready to go public. It would be nice if that wasn’t necessary or if, at a minimum, MakerWorld would warn users that they may be penalized for having models in private mode for too long.

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I noticed the same issue with models entered into the contest.
I uploaded a private model but I wasn’t ready to release and enter into the contest as I wanted to take better photos so waited a few days for a sunny day/natural light.

When I finally entered it into the contest it was nowhere to be seen on the “sort by new” as that is ordered by the original upload date, not the contest entry date or even published date.

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I wonder if you have spotted me mention my reasons multiple times here on the forum.

  • I have a brain disorder called aphantasia, it means I cannot form images in my brain, I cannot remember the faces of loved ones, friends, I can’t see objects, or anything. I thought everyone was like this and recognised people by attributes you assign them that help you recognise them often that doesn’t work and I have no idea who I at looking at if it has been a while.

    This makes it incredibly hard to use any modelling system that uses objects visually.

  • I spent 35 years writing commercial software for large organisations in more than 30+ programming languages, I’m essentially a polyglot for software.

    Coding, unlike visual imagery comes very easily for me. My brain parses the languages with ease.

I have created more than 650 models on MW, some simple, some complicated.

I have none of the features of the complex packages to make my life easier like blending parts together, paths, chamfers rollbacks - nothing.

I have to work really hard to get close to the abilities of others, but, that is the way with disabilities, those without them are lucky enough to take their advantages for granted.

Another great reason, a rather obvious one I thought, was point out by @BlackjackDuck.

Kinda hard to say “use something else” if you wish to provide parameterisation to models for uses to benefit from. Should we limit ourselves and tell the users to learn a 3D tool to make variants of the designs we publish in this way?

I published a QR code creator with millions of combinations, a build plate create with millions of combinations. These things are not one size fits all and as such we add parameters directly into the model and it is presented to the user to tweak with no additional knowledge, software, licenses, training, learning curves or cost before they can benefit.

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I use to make a ‘private’ project just for testing my scad files, however I’ve switched over to simply opening MW’s parametric model maker creating ‘Blank’ and pasting code into the left side.

image
image977×508 15.9 KB

Cheers!

1 Like
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his is the way I usually work.
The only problem I see is that you have to remember to save the file from time to time to avoid losing all your changes if you close the window by mistake (it happened to me a few times).

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I don’t use OpenSCAD for me, I use it for the ease of use of other users.
Let’s use my last parametric design as an example:

Creating this ornament just for me with the names I wanted would have take me just 1 hour or so, but I preffer to code it in openSCAD and let other users have the chance to use it (this script maybe took me about 6 o 7 hours to fine tune it)
In the end makerworld is a place to share, and I preffer not a perfect solution that houndreds of people can use, than a perfect one than just me or a few will find useful

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I noticed the same thing when drafting and posting new designs. For complex models it can take several days to draft the upload, take pictures/video, test print profiles etc. A lot of times I just end up copying everything to a new listing and deleting the old one which isn’t ideal but it at least allows me to finalize everything before making it public.

My suggestion would be an “early-access” tag for new models that allows creators to draft and test the model either in private or public with the help of the community. Once the model is finalized it can be permanently moved to a “release” tag which starts the seven day window and adds the model to the searchable and trending model pool. This would solve a lot of the issues being discussed as well as open up new avenues for creators to collaborate and iterate on designs leading to more high quality models.

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Re: OpenSCAD

As others have noted OpenSCAD is a great tool especially for creators who have done a lot of software development. There are some really neat things you can do that would be a lot more difficult using traditional CAD software (mainly pattern based designs) but it comes down to using the right tool for the job. Depending on your CAD software it would either be very computationally expensive or outright impossible to recreate this design that only takes ~20 lines of code.

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I could reply that yours is a rather ignorant comment. I’ve looked into OpenSCAD. Tried it for a bit. Even with the arguments people offer for its advantages, I fail to be impressed. It is a free program with limited abilities. All the examples I see bantered about are of rather simple designs. Parametrization has been around for a very long time and it certainly did not begin with OpenSCAD.

That is kind of the point. OpenSCAD is limited compared to other CAD programs.

It is an issue in the 3D printing world. The quality of designs from one print depository to another tends to be of questionable quality. When I look at the contests on MakerWorld, I get the feeling that the judges struggle to find 15 models worth giving an award to - so many of the models tend to be either extremely simple, low quality, and/or a copy from something else. It is really depressing. There are many really good designs on MakerWorld but the majority leave much to be desired. I find it rather amusing that one can complain about AI generated images while generating endless variations of a simple design. How does it go? Change this or that parameter and you have another model. Change the color and there is another. Make it slightly bigger there is another. Change the text and still another. Alter the outside pattern and there is another. How hard is it to design a fidget spinner? Oh wait pick a CAD program and there are dozens of on-line tutorials giving step by step instructions. What a quick and easy way to build up a large collection of models with very little effort.

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You are right of course, there are only one of each of these…

  • Car
  • Spoon
  • Wheel
  • Chair
  • Window
  • Computer
  • Printer
  • Dog (we made those)
  • Keyboard
  • Clothes
  • People
  • Opinion by someone that keeps hating on others.

The humble fidget spinner as you referred to is loved by many tens of thousands, I know as I design this apparent useless device (paraphrasing you), it has many models as different people like different things. Some big, some small, some with a solid centre, some hollow, some with a keyring, others without, some with two sections, others, all the way up to 10 or more, some prefer gyro connected sections, other prefer free-spinning mechanisms, others desire both in the same model. Some like a single colour, some two, some three, some prefer the colours to be just on the edges. The outer textures are really important to some, teachers and parents of children with ADHD, ADD and sensory issues particularly way in on the designs I create. So many grateful users who write their thanks constantly.

I should tell them all their options do not matter, that their views don’t count, there is after all just a single wheel that they should play with, a single size, a single style in a single material for a singular mind, they will be grated that the no longer need to choose things fir themselves. I imagine this communist view of things will confuse them at first, but, they will get use to in the only car that exists, going to the only job that exists before they eat the only food that exists.

We shall cheer them on in the only way that exists.

I only hope they freethinker the choices they used to enjoy.

Opinions vary, but, stop insulting others with your hateful rhetoric.

There is only one flag, so we don’t need more.

6 Likes
Disallow minor variations on derivative models from Exclusive program
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Nah, you not liking OpenSCAD or not thinking it can be useful doesn’t give you the right to talk down on it or deem it valueless. It’s a tool that some people like and some people don’t. Whatever CAD you use is the same, some people don’t like it, it doesn’t matter what CAD software it is because each one does things it’s own way.

There’s no need to diminish how other people like to design and there’s definitely no need to diminish other people’s work as low quality; many people are just learning to design and want to share their work. If you think an uploaded model doesn’t fit your standards, that’s okay but it’s also not “an issue in the 3D printing world”.

I’m not sure why you’re throwing the first stone here either, 3D models of flags can be created automatically without any input from you. I think it’s great to have those flag models, it doesn’t bother me and I’m sure there are people who may want it, but it’s very disingenuous for you to insult someone else for something that you also do.

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Don’t see why that’d be needed, you don’t really need to “test makerworld upload” once you know how it works. Even if you do just delete the private test page at the end and make a new one to post publicly.

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The problem isn’t that you need to use the same page. The problem is that (1) it should not be necessary to create another upload and (2) there is no communication to the maker of the penalty.

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I’m not sure I’d call it a penalty outright, it’s more of just how the algorithm works and what we know of the algorithm isn’t concrete knowledge as how the algorithm works isn’t public and what we know of it is just from experimentation and recognizing patterns.

Like other social media platforms, I don’t expect the algorithm details to be shared or adapted for us, most we can do is find tips and tricks to work with the algo like having to create another upload in your case. It’s not optimal of course, but it’s a workaround

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Indeed, however due to how “algorithm” works it penalizes testing the upload… And we as creators need to test upload, just to see how it’ll be seen by users for things that aren’t available in draft, such as checking how gifs work, customizers etc…

The main problem with “the algorithm” is that it sorts by “upload date” meaning the date the model was switched from “draft” to “uploaded”. So regardless whether upload was private or public it’s “upload” date is the same.

One fix would be to introduce something like first publication date, that shows the date model was first time switched from private to public. Something similar is AFAIK present in YouTube.

Another fix would be to implement @michelem’s request from Add a preview page for draft model :slight_smile:

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To the worker who only has (or knows how to use) a hammer, everything is a nail. These programs are tools, limiting yourself to one or even a couple tools is shortsighted. Some tools are better at some jobs than others. Can I drive a screw into a board with a hammer? Sure, but it isn’t going to be pretty.

Like Malc, I’ve been doing software for a long time… Over 40 years for me. I’m now the (only) Software Architect for a good sized family of companies - the primary being a name you’ve probably seen but never made a note of. The one thing I’ve noticed over the years is the developers that insist 1 language/tool is THE answer to every problem does not do well in the long run. The one who reads, experiments with, learns new tools is the one with the knowledgebase to thrive.

But sure… Those of us that keep our options open, increase our toolset & knowledge, are the foolish ones.

1 Like