Or, you just might have something that you think would cost you too much in bandwidth to give away. That’s the case with the excellent and free game If Monks Had Macs… which was extremely popular back in the early 1990s, now given away for free from RiverText.

File sharing sites though present a problem because they make it very easy to share pirated items. Every content vendor I know who sells their products independently sends a steady stream of DMCA notices to these sites. To the credit of almost all of them I have interacted with, Meshbox has received polite and efficient responses from most of them.

But what happens when one files site allegedly pretends to be associated with another? That’s something that we discovered today on a site with links back to DepositFiles.  DepositFiles insists that the other service is not associated with it at all, yet almost all site links point back to DepositFiles, INCLUDING the links to contact DepositFiles for advertising opportunities. I see a few possible reasons for this -

• This file sharing site has nothing to do with DepositFiles. There are a growing number of pirate loving search engine sites out there that have some plan for generating revenue. Usually, its through direct revenue generation through linking up with an internet ad site. The problem with this site is that it doesn’t appear to be advertising any other site besides DepositFiles.
• This file sharing site is associated with DepositFiles. DepositFiles staff insist this site has nothing to do with them. But if it were, then there would be some benefits. After all, if this site is not associated with DepositFiles, then DepositFiles could disclaim all association with it, ignore any DMCA notices that come in about pirated content.

There is some benefit for file sharing services to distance themselves from copyright issues. In 2009, a German court found against Rapidshare in playing a role in music piracy as brought about by GEMA. GEMA’s reasoning is contrary to that of the Digital Millenium Act – and for good reason – DMCA has too many holes in it to deter IP theft.

I am looking forward to seeing how this issue with DepositFiles evolves. They now know about the other site. They know I know about the other site.  What will their response be? I will let you know.

Not many 3D vendors are using Twitter, though its a great way to announce your product. Just check out the excellent posts from Andolaurina.

1. Sign into your account on Twitter2. Make a new post
3. Go to your profile and locate your tweet
4. Locate and click on the time stamp
5. This will open up the individual tweet

Now you are on the page of the individual tweet in the timeline. You can copy the tweet from the URL shown in your web browser.

SMART: The Poser Vendors would like to wish you a happy holiday with a set of three free 3D models.
Scrooge for Poser from PhilC Designs. Scrooge in all his humbug splendor and compatible with Poser 6 and higher. Easily animated. Also check out Scrooge in his nightshirt on the PhilC site freestuff page.
Christmas Mailbox from Meshbox Design. Christmas Mailbox was inspired by an early Christmas card! Compatible with Poser 6 or higher and D|S 2.333+. Flag and door are dial driven, with separate present and letter props.
Taika’s House. Toon Santa’s most mischievious elf – is really half elf and half faerie, and it shows! Taika lives on the edge of town, around behind the post office in a cute but odd house – not quite elf house – not quite faerie house! Inside, a cozy kitchen and living area is fully furnished. Above, her bedroom is decorated with golden flower faerie flower mirrors. Includes 3DS format models + 8 texture and transparency map, Poser 7 PP2 Prop Versions, Vue VOB object versions for Vue 5+.

NOTE: Check out LukeA’s Free Add-on Textures for Scrooge over on Renderosity!

UPDATE: Thank you for participating! This special giveaway is now ended.

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All has not been idle since the Halloween 2009 giveaway on poservendors.com.  The SMART team under the masterful hand of Phil Cooke has updated the poservendors.com website to make it easier to locate thousands of models easily.

• Members Pages. There’s a new button up there, and it gives you a window into the individual worlds of each SMART vendor. You don’t have to search far to see what’s new from every participating vendor.
• Off the Record. Go to SMART Stuff > Off the Record to read articles from SMART vendors about the 3D industry and more. Each entry is the opinion of the individual SMART member.
• Members Blogs. You can go directly to the individual release member releases on poservendors.com.

Plus, we have more staff than other vendors and we’ve been more creative about what everyone does. But not everyone who creates, publishes or resells 3D content has been able to do this.  Many smaller brokerages are having to revert to just being themselves, and some brokerages like 3D Commune are simply out of business. A lot of our brother indie vendors out there are going the way of 3D Commune.

Id like to share with you, as artists that consume 3D content what you can do to keep your favorite vendor going.

1. Find a Way to Buy Direct. Some artists only work through brokerages. That is usually because either they don’t have the business acumen to do it on their own or the revenue stream is just right.  Many independents sell direct and if they do, it means their business depends on direct sales. If you know they sell direct, buy direct. Some brokerages take a very portion of an artists revenue, and very small changes in how they do business can radically impact a vendors sales.
2. Buy More Expensive Items and Get More. A lot of artists offer value packs. Meshbox has its Complete Edition system, whereby you usually receive a bonus model and a big discount on all models in a pack.  Because most overhead charges begin with a small fee plus a percentage, the larger the transaction, the more money the receiver keeps. Expecting to spend $1.99 per transaction because big brokerages do it is one reason why vendors are losing their shirts (do the math on credit card  transaction fees).
3. Spread the Word. A lot of vendors either do not have the resources or the knowledge of how to use blogs, Twitter, DIGG, Facebook and other social media venues.  Well, they should learn, but at the same time, if you like someone’s work, spread the word. A lot of venues that sell content (some, but not all brokerages) forbid indie promotion, but not your recommendations.
4. Make Piracy an Enemy. In all the arguments about the recording and entertainment industry and the DMCA, the vendor you know is being killed by piracy. Vendors goods appear on content warez sites very rapidly, and the anonymous nature of many brokerage sales makes it really hard to find out which user is sharing the vendor product. The problem isn’t the single pirate, its the thousands who download and do not pay, and that the pirating sites are generating money to support themselves now through the help of internet advertising.
5. Ask and Expect to Receive, But Expect to Pay. In hard economic times, all vendors of all kinds need to be on their game. They need to do more, because money is tight for their customers. You should expect some kind of innovation, but you shouldn’t expect such cut-throat discounts because the 3D content market isn’t nearly as volume driven as you can imagine. The only folks who benefit from the $1.99 product are the largest brokerages, because they can sell you more stuff, things they own and other vendors products.

Have some suggestions of your own?

PhilC’s Igor

PhilC has created a special, comical model of everyone’s favorite monster shocker, Igor! Includes a 30 frame walk lurch cycle.

October 21, 2009 – New Model! Dr Ninestein, Dr Ninestein, you are late for your experimental vivisection operation!  Check out PhilC’s newest addition to the SMART Halloween 2009 Givewaway,  Dr. Ninestein for Poser! (Already got your download info? Just redownload “Igor” again – because he’s got a friend with him).

Vanishing Point Eerie Morgue

An old, dark and creepy morgue. Complete with gurneys, body drawers, surgery lamp and bench and including props such as knifes, scissors, microscope and the lot.  As usual, several camera and light sets also included, as well as extra textures and with all the materials used – a few more – also available in the material room.

• Props also included as separate objects with external geometry
• 9 Light sets, 13 Camera presets included
• Highly detailed and realistic textures, alternate materials included.
• Trolley, drill, flask, pans, scissors, microscopes, jars, gurney, etc.

Meshbox Design’s Autumn Colors: Gypsy Wagon

You turn a corner along a wooded path – and there it is. A campfire heats an old cauldron nearby. The wagon has seen many years and many roads, and its paint is faded from the weather. Inside, the gypsy’s fortune telling table is ready, with cards and a crystal ball. Includes props: campfire, cards, stool, table, wagon, wagon demo, crystal ball

• 3DS format models
• 2048×2048 Texture Map and Bump Map
• Poser 6+ PP2 Prop Versions of the model and all props
• Bryce BR 5 Versions of the demo version
• Vue VOB object versions of the model and all props

That’s all. No wait, there’s more! Phil says every Halloween giveaway needs haystacks. So Meshbox has tossed in a 3DS haystack with texture and bump maps!.

How to Participate

Fill in the form below to request these free models from the Poser Vendors. Requesting to participate is an express acknowledgment of the terms of participation – SEE SMART GIVEAWAY RULES.
November 4, 2009 – Thank you all for participating! A last batch of registrations is going out today. Please note that many didn’t get registered because they either had empty fields or fields that contained bogus information.

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Without going into great detail, Content Paradise just implemented two big features Ive been asking for, and it is already clear that my upload/update times for new products is about 25% of what it was only two weeks ago. If you were frustrated after the June 1 update, you should check out the new additions to the back end of Content Paradise.

If you haven’t purchased from Content Paradise before, check it out by visiting the Meshbox Design store there.

Halloween 2009 Giveaway

Three of the leading members of SMART, Vanishing Point, PhilC Designs and Meshbox Design are providing free models on the new poservendors.com website in the Halloween 2009 giveaway. The Halloween 2009 giveaway is available from October 9 – October 31, 2009. Vanishing Point provides Eerie Morgue, a complete indoor scene, including props, 9 light sets, 13 camera presets for Poser 5 and higher. PhilC.net, the leading developer of plugins for Poser, provides a toon version of Igor, a new Poser 5+ compatible character based on the hunchbacked assistant from Frankenstein. Meshbox Design provides The Gypsy Wagon, a completely textured and furnished wagon with a complete seance table, ready for Bryce, Poser, Vue or any 3DS compatible software. Other small items may be added over the course of the special offer.

Vistors participate by registering for the giveaway download on the website, and receive download links within 72 hours. Complete rules and terms are available on the website.

Why SMART?

The individual company and artist members of SMART are all successful design houses in their own right. The member companies of SMART came together to provide an alternative label and venue that consumers of digital content can associate with professional level quality.

“As experienced, independent Poser content creators we have common goals. By coming together we feel that our customers and all Poser focused artists will benefit from this association.”, said Phil Cooke of PhilC Designs.

The founding members of SMART include PhilC Designs, Meshbox Design, Vanishing Point, Sixus 1 Media, Runtime DNA’s Syyd Raven, Damage Inc and PoserAddicts. Two key requirements for charter vendor membership in SMART are to be both artistic creators and also have business sites independent of the largest brokerages, such as DAZ3D.com, Content Paradise and Renderosity.

“SMART is an opportunity for us to work with other independant minded people that have the same focus on quality and innovation we have, and to share ideas, resources and marketing strength to reach a wider audience,” said Helgard de Barros, COO of Vanishing Point.

One specific focus of SMART is on quality and uniqueness rather than mass production at the lowest possible price.

“SMART is about providing unique products rather than more of the same – we aren’t trying to create the cheapest content on the market, but content that provides the most unique value,” said Chikako Hatanaka of Meshbox Design.

About SMART: The Poser Vendors

Society of Modelers and Artists (aka SMART) is a coalition of independent artist designers, vendors and software publishers that are among the most recognized in the prosumer 3D marketplace that serves users of products such as Smith Micro Poser, DAZ 3D DAZ Studio and Bryce, e-on software Vue, Mirye Shade and others. Poservendors.com is the collective website representing SMART and also providing a venue for SMART vendor news, contests, artist blogs, galleries and more. More information is available on the website at http://www.poservendors.com.

*Poser is a trademark of Smith Micro, Inc, and referred to here for sake of compatibility