Just so we’re all on the same page: This is about the new rule that real images are now required for 3D models.
Apparently, the verification and monitoring processes have not yet been updated. My expectations were low anyway, but it seems that nobody is really checking out the new posts. So no employee who at least occasionally looks at the newly posted items. What good is a rule that isn’t enforced?
This is what was posted today and is therefore affected immediately by the rule. In case anyone is tempted to write, ‘Then report it!’, we’ve seen in the past that this often achieves nothing, unless it’s clearly a case of fraud. The executing instance must be Bambu, not the user report stuff retroactively.
Actually, you can ignore everything I’ve written so far because the fundamental problem still exists: the cover features misleading images that have nothing to do with the actual print.
In my opinion, the new regulation is a huge nothingburger. It fails to address the fundamental problem of misleading images. Please note that these are my personal opinions, not facts: I am losing interest in MakerWorld because I can hardly find what I am looking for anymore: Smart, clever ideas for everyday life.
As an added bonus, here’s what I found at the trending page today on the first page. On the left is the cover suggesting multicolour printing; on the right is the actual design - single color. Apart from the fact that there are quite a few other “differences”.
This is a little off topic. I think everything from a tool like Meshy should never be allowed. The detail is suprisingly good, but this model measured almost a meter across and had to be scaled down to 8 percent just to fit on the plate.
As someone who enjoys painting mini figures, I don’t even have a problem with the statement itself, as long as people would at least show real photos of: before and after painting. However, even the printout is often faked using AI these days. We don’t even need to discuss painting.
I don’t think so, and it’s worth mentioning. Bambu claims in its statement that it implements the community’s wishes after the survey, but that’s something that can be questioned. It’s worth taking a moment to compare what the community really wants and where Bambu is falling short.
“Based on recent data analysis and user feedback, we’ve noticed that some models are displayed with images that do not accurately reflect the actual model, or lack photos of a real printed result.”
I agree. With regard to the exclusive programme, MakerWorld actually prohibits the use of AI. However: I ran a test myself, along with another user, this week and reported a few AI MakerLab 3D models that are part of the programme. The response, in my own words: ‘Nobody cares.’
The irony: They are even tagged as AI MakerLab and as an exclusive program, but the website allows this combination, even though it is prohibited according to the rules. What does this tell us? Either the Bambu no longer cares, or they have given up implementing their own rules.
I was thinking about solution for this “issue” for a while.
As someone who postmainly models in black I now tend to use cad/2d drawing to show my models and don’t plan to change it. I include printed images but not as cover.
I very often completely omit images of the printed model and go for model itself. I’m looking for a model, I don’t care how someone else printed it. I have enough experience to judge if model will print correctly or not. Don’t need someone else’s print to show me that.
I think a fair solution would be to have all of the images tagged at the time of upload either as CAD/ CGI/ AI/ PRINT and for maker world to let users decide what they want to see. Have a search tool that lets me decide how I want to see results.
Does not help new people to get better but helps bambu to sell more printers and shift the blame for bad results to model author where actual failure lays in new user failure to grasp the basics of printing.
I fully agree. I like the idea behind handy app. Great potential and hopefully development will accelerate as recently it seems it slowed down a bit. I don’t use it for printing as I like using computer more but I like it for browsing models. I wish we could do basic edits to models we uploaded to maker world from the app. Changing images for example should be easy to implement.
I know some people do both, and I think if you don’t want to waste loads of filament, they have an option. But you are right most of the time; it’s just a picture, and that’s the reason if it’s an STL file on Bambu World, I do not download it. I did download one sometime back, and it did not work. I am not saying they are all like that, but that’s just my thoughts, mate.
My “favorite” category, which is often unprintable, are Xenomorph. There are often really awful unprintable examples, such as this one from a few days ago:
In particular, note how the printer in the background is completely faked in, to make it look like a real image.
I can see the usefulness of using a render as the thumbnail of a model. Especially for assembly models or utility models, where it isn’t simple or immediate to show how an object works or in what context it’s meant to be used. Like showing the wireframe for the transparency.
That said, I think an important distinction must first be made between a render and an AI generated image, which often doesn’t even correspond to the actual model. The second shouldn’t exist at all. Not even mixed in with real images.
Then there’s the type of model to consider: the issue you’re pointing out mainly concerns aesthetic models. Action figures, statues, and complex geometries where it’s important to understand how certain details will actually print.
Finally, there’s also the amount of work done on the print or the photo in post-production: I could spend three days on a statuette using filler and wet sanding, then paint it, and end up with something that looks like a resin print. I wouldn’t consider it dishonest to use that image as a thumbnail. However, in that case it’s important that you also show me what the print looks like straight from the print of profile you uploaded. I need to see how much work I’ll have to put in to achieve what you’re showing.
TL;DR: For me, any discrepancy between a photo and the model, whether it’s the thumbnail or the last of 16 images, should result in the model being removed.
An aesthetic model (organic, statues, whatever) should always show a real photo as the thumbnail.
Renders are fine for utility models.
Every model should show in the page the print result exactly as it comes off the printer after cleaning the supports.
Obviously, this is my personal ethical standpoint. There’s no point discussing how to implement certain rules when the current ones aren’t even loosely enforced.
I design and print stuff that I need, or that I’m asked to make for family members. After I do, I offer what I make to Makerworld and I follow the rules.
I sometimes print things several times because I didn’t get it perfect the first time, or the second time, but I want to make sure I have a good result for users of Makerworld. I have changed the print profile slightly before an upload and after a good print to change something slightly rather than re print an entire 16 hour project, like to change the tolerance of a hole by .1 or add another wall if I feel the part needs a bit of extra strength. I take the real photos of printed profiles seriously - even though my photo skills aren’t very good, you’re going to get a very close representation of what you see when you print one of my models. While I feel the rules are kind of a pain, the results are obviously good, and show in the print profile ratings.
The painting tool in studio desperately needs a outlining addon even if its just a dot to dot , its kind of disappointing that multicolour printers dont have that in the software ,
I know this account Marjers | Home - MakerWorld I’ve tried reporting the account, @MakerWorld doesn’t care. There are many other accounts like this. Practically every single model is AI generated (the model and the pics). Basically no real prints. I will get a notification “Report successful!” and nothing at all done that I can tell. Account is still there, models still there.
There are also reports of people stealing paid models from Gumroad or Cults3D and uploading them to MK. What happened? Yes, the model was removed by MW, as it should have been, but was the account shut down? No. A few days later, the user was active once more, and once again they were uploading stolen content.
I wonder how long this will continue before Gumroad and Cults3D become so angry that they take legal action.
This may seem unrelated to this topic at hand, but it is actually relevant: for some reason, Bambu is currently unable to moderate. Without a moderator, the site is drifting aimlessly, like a ship without a captain.
such overhang