3D Challenge: Designer Schwag

Do's & Don'ts

To help you better understand the technical requirements of the challenge and the feedback you are receiving, we have illustrated each of the rules with examples of what would and wouldn't qualify for the competition.

1. Only 3ds Max and Maya formats are accepted (.max, .3ds, ma, .ma).

As the models are going to be sold on CGTrader and Adobe Stock, it is not allowed to create models with Student version of the software, which, by default, limits commercialization options.

2. Materials assigned to geometry must be Chaosgroup V-Ray Standard Material (VRayMtl). Texture maps in PNG format. Texture image should be square resolutions (minimum of 2K, 2048 x 2048).

3. Models should be single-subject only. No groups or series of objects are eligible.

This requirement can sometimes get a bit tricky, but as a general rule of thumb - don't be afraid to submit a single object even though it looks too-simple for you when alone. We understand that it would make sense to have a desk and a number of office supplies on top of it as a single model, but for this challenge, please, strive for single objects separately, e.g. all these items you have on desk can actually go into different objects - a pen, scissors, notebook, and whatever else you want to put on the desk.

4. Scene should consist of 3D model and connected V-Ray Standard materials only.

No lighting setups should be present. Hidden and unused nodes should be deleted from the scene.

5. UV Layout: 0-1 space.

6. UV Layout: non-overlapping.

7. Rotate asset so the most interesting side faces toward Z Positive axis in Maya or Y Positive Axis in 3ds Max.

8. Freeze Transformations (Reset xForm in Max).

9. Place models so they sit on top of the origin (0, 0, 0). Floating models are not accepted.

10. Asset do not have any missing faces or open holes.

11. No subdivision surfaces.

12. Poles should have maximum of 5 edges.

13. Flatten all modifiers ("delete history") before submitting models for the challenge.

14. Normals for the entire asset should have consistent facing direction.

15. Only quads are accepted. Triangles can be used sparingly and only where absolutely necessary.

16. Real world scale (centimeters).

17. Model should not display any logos or trademarks.

PS. Also, please note that only models with Royalty Free License qualify.

18. Preview image render (no texts in the images).

19. Use English only in naming the files, camelCase or underscores in titles. No spaces or special characters should be used.

1. CoffeeCup - Good, TazaDeCafé - BAD
2. “CoffeeCup.max” - GOOD, “Coffee_Cup.max” - GOOD, “Coffee cup.max” - BAD
3. “CoffeeCupV01.max” - GOOD, “coffee_cup_v01.max”- GOOD, “CoffeeCup(01).max” - BAD, “CoffeeCup-V/1.max” - BAD

Awards & Prizes

For this challenge, we will select six winners in two different categories - one for the best model and one for the best portfolio. These will be judged by the Adobe and CGTrader teams based on how well the asset(s) conform to the technical and legal specifications along with the quality of the model in regards to functionality, versatility and appearance.The three best designs will be awarded the following prizes:

For the best model:

1st place winner:

• $1,500 USD
• A complimentary year subscription to Creative Cloud by Adobe

2nd place winner:

• $1,000 USD
• A complimentary year subscription to Creative Cloud by Adobe

3rd place winner:

• $500 USD
• A complimentary year subscription to Photoshop by Adobe

For the best portfolio:

In the portfolio category, three winners will be selected using the same criteria above, but instead of looking at a single model, we will be reviewing all of the models submitted by each artist. The three best designers will be awarded the following prizes:

1st place winner:

• $1,500 USD

2nd place winner:

• $1,000 USD

3rd place winner:

• $500 USD

In order to qualify for the competition, you must agree to the following terms & conditions.

Technical requirements:

• Models should be single-subject only - no groups or series of objects are eligible
• ONLY Autodesk’s Maya (.ma or .mb ) or 3ds Max (.3ds or .max) file formats are accepted
• Scene should consist of 3D model and connected V-Ray Standard materials only:
  • No lighting setups
  • Hidden and unused nodes should be deleted from the scene
• Materials assigned to geometry must be V-Ray Standard Material (VRayMtl) :
  • Texture maps in PNG format
  • Texture image should be square resolutions (minimum of 2K, 2048 x 2048)
• Ensure asset do not have any missing faces or open holes.
• Real world scale (centimeters)
• Rotate asset so the most interesting side faces toward Z Positive axis in Maya or Y Positive Axis in 3ds Max.
• Freeze Transformations (Reset xForm in Max).
• Place models so they sit on top of the origin (0, 0, 0). No floating models.
• UV Layout (0-1 space, non-overlapping)
• Only quads are accepted. Triangles can be used sparingly and only where absolutely necessary.
• Please, use English in naming files. Use camelCase or underscores and be consistent when naming the files
• Preview image render (no texts in the images)
• Topology:
  • No subdivisions surfaces
  • Poles should have maximum of 5 edges.
  • Flatten all modifiers ("delete history") before submission.
• Normals for the entire asset should have consistent facing direction.
• Model should not display any logos or trademarks.

Legal:

By participating in this challenge, you agree that:

• Models meeting the technical requirements and aesthetic guidelines will be available for licensing on Adobe Stock under a CGTrader profile. The user can set price for the model on CGTrader, while Adobe Stock will reevaluate the price based on their benchmarks. However, the price for the end user will not be lower than $19.99 on Adobe Stock. For more information about 3D asset pricing visit the Adobe Stock FAQs.
• Eligible models cannot be removed from CGTrader.com or Adobe Stock for a 6 month period following the end of the design challenge.
• Your models comply with the Legal Guidelines for Adobe Stock Contributors

General rules:

• 3D Challenge: Designer Schwag will run from the 28th of June, 2017 to the 27th of August, 2017.
• When uploading your entry model, be sure to check the Designer Schwag challenge checkbox to get your model tagged and counted in the challenge.
• Make sure to add the information about PBR Textures, VRay materials and other key information (based on technical requirements) in the model description.
• Designer Swag is a somewhat flexible topic for modelling and a number of different objects could compete for the prizes, but the goal is to create realistic models, so keep all the sci-fi ideas for future use ;). The items that can be modelled include, but are not limited to:
  • Business supplies: Cards, envelopes, desk calendars, binders, journals, notepads, bookmarks
  • Office supplies: Writing utensils, highlighters, erasers, staplers, tape dispensers, scissors, rulers, bookends, business card holders, office supply holders, clipboards
  • Clothing: Hats, t-shirts, hoodies, sportswear, bags (including totes, sports, backpacks or rucksacks), buttons
  • Electronic supplies: Mobile device cases and holders, calculators, portable thumb drives, earbud holders, cloth screen cleaners
  • Decorative office objects: Globes, hourglasses, kinetic desk sculptures, desk zen gardens, clocks, books
  • For use in the office: Cups, drinking glasses, water bottles, key chains, bottle openers, yoyos, paperweights, stress balls, mini sports balls
• Only 3D models uploaded from 28th of June, 2017 to the 27th of August, 2017 will be considered as valid entries.
• The best models will be judged by Adobe and CGTrader representatives.

Things you should know:

• Designs uploaded to the gallery are not treated as valid entries. However, uploading your model render as a showcase to the gallery is not prohibited.
• The challenge is open to everyone, including teams, legal entities and individuals from all over the world.
• You can submit as many models as you want.
• Participating in the challenge and uploading 3D models to the CGTrader platform is free of charge.
• All the entries must be original works.
• Employees and relatives of CGTrader, UAB and Adobe teams are not allowed to participate in this challenge.
• Any existing taxes or duties must be paid by the winner. CGTrader and Adobe are not responsible for any illegal actions taken by the prize winners.
• We are independent sheriffs of this challenge, so stick to the rules and don't do anything crazy.
• Have questions? Check out our FAQ section or contact us at challenges@cgtrader.com
  
  

Once submitting an entry for the competition, you will be asked to accept terms and conditions. You can review the legal text of terms and conditions here.

Adobe

Adobe is the global leader in digital media and digital marketing solutions. Adobe’s creative, marketing and document solutions empower everyone – from emerging artists to global brands – to bring digital creations to life and deliver immersive, compelling experiences to the right person at the right moment for the best results. In short, Adobe is everywhere, and is striving to change the world through digital experiences.

Project Felix

Project Felix is a new beta app from Adobe that makes it easy for graphic designers to composite 2D and 3D assets to mock-up product shots, scene visualizations and brand concepts. Designers can quickly apply materials to models, add background images and fully light entire scenes without a steep learning curve or complex workflow. Learn more.

Adobe Stock

Access over 75 million world-class images, graphics, videos, templates, 3D assets, plus our Premium collection—all built right into your favorite Creative Cloud apps by Adobe. Adobe Stock lets your creatives find the perfect image faster with Visual Search powered by Adobe Sensei.

The Challenge winners will be decided by the judging teams from CGTrader and Adobe, with each delegating two judges to pick the final winners. The judging will include:

• Meeting all technical requirements
• Quality of the model in regards to functionality, versatility and appearance
• Detail, innovation, and general achievement in design of the model
• Clear and attractive presentation on CGTrader.com and from the perspective of Adobe Don’t forget to include quality model images, write detailed descriptions and apply relevant tags

All the criteria mentioned above apply to portfolio prizes as well. A designer is considered eligible for the portfolio prize when more than two 3D models are submitted for the challenge, meet all the criteria, and are approved by the CGTrader team.

Do I need to upload files or only images of my 3D design?

You need to upload files and images of your 3D design in order to participate in the challenge.

How do I know my model is eligible for the challenge?

While uploading your 3D Design, click on the Adobe Challenge checkbox to mark your model as an entry. Please make sure the model is submitted in the format required. At this time the object modeled should be a real-life object so sci-fi models will not qualify. Our team will review every model submitted so you will also be separately notified if the model is eligible or if there are specific issues to be resolved.

I don't want to put my entry model for sale. Do you have any suggestions?

Does earning money from your digital files sounds like a bad idea? For the CGTrader marketplace, try to put a higher price on it, let's say 300 USD. For Adobe Stock, the pricing tiers vary and might change over time, but your model would not be priced lower than $19.99 on Adobe Stock.

I don't want to lose the copyright on my model after it is sold.

With both CGTrader and Adobe Stock, you continue to retain the copyright to your model.

For licensing on the CGTrader site, there are Royalty Free, Editorial and Custom licenses for you to choose from. Individuals or companies that buy Editorial licensed models can't use these for commercial purposes. If you would like to earn your share of a commercialized end product - you can add some specific terms on the model usage on the CGTrader site.

By entering this challenge you also accept that the model will be sold on Adobe Stock for commercial use so, please read the terms and conditions to see what this entails and so that you understand the expectations around removing the asset. This includes not deleting eligible assets from CGTrader or Adobe Stock for 6 months after the challenge end date.

How can I participate in the challenge?

Design a great looking photorealistic 3D model meeting all of the technical requirements for the challenge and upload the asset to CGTrader.

What if I put the required tag on my already published 3D model on CGTrader - do you treat it as a valid entry?

No. Only 3D models uploaded in the period from the 28th of June, 2017 to the 27th of August, 2017 will be treated as valid entries.

Do free 3D models participate in the challenge?

Yes, absolutely. Sharing artwork is always appreciated in the community although the model may be revenue generating if added to the Adobe Stock collection.

Do price tags play any importance when entries are being judged?

No. But do not forget that the prices are always judged by the customers.

I want to participate in the challenge so I am going to delete my already uploaded models and upload them again to meet the "publishing period" requirement. Can I do that?

No. We are tracking every deleted and uploaded model, so models that are deleted and re-uploaded will not be considered eligible.