::poking our MOD Cow:: grin It occurs to me that there are enough items in the Vue Free Stuff now (and more coming!) to warrant additional categories. I know we recently got a "Seasonal" category added, but that isn't quite specific enough, I don't think. Here are some I propose: General (as is) Seasonal (as is) + Native Objects (or just "Objects", for primitive and image objects that originated in Vue) + Terrains (for terrain objects) + Mesh Objects (for items created in a modeler then converted to VOB, or perhaps still in original format) + Materials (for...um...material files!) + Atmospheres (for atmosphere files) I think it would make browsing the Free Stuff more specific, and it would also encourage more uploading! Whatcha'll think? :) Varian

I agree with you Varian. Maybe we could also suggest that they change or add a new section to the freebie categories....a free range model / mesh forum. So that all models/meshes of any format could be uploaded there. making it easier for all concerned to search for things. =) Beck

Btw...to upload stuff to the Vue Free Stuff...do you need to have a web space of your own to 'part' those freebie objects? I understand this was the case since I kow about it. Bill

Beck, about ten months ago, I made a suggestion to have a Free Stuff area added purely for mesh objects, categorizing them as to DXF, 3DS, OBJ, etc. The idea didn't seem to be very popular -- or maybe I posted it in the wrong place or something! Anyway, for this item, I'm only referring to the Vue Free Stuff. Bill, yes, that's how the Free Stuff script is set up. The item (and thumbnail) must already be on the web somewhere before it can be uploaded to FS. That's because Renderosity doesn't host those files the way they host the gallery images.

Varian, it would make life a lot simpler for us "file vampers" to have those catagories setup. The meshes for the original mesh I think, and then a seperate VOB catagory. But that is just my taste for things. I am in the process of setting up a web site specifically for posting the the freebies the items I have made, cause I sure would love to share with you folks that have shared so much with me! Diana

I'll bring the idea up to them, as soon as I know they'll have time to consider it. Right now there's alot of restructuring going on, and I don't know if it could be done at the moment. They are going to be adding a 3DS Max Free Stuff section, and that still hasn't happened, so I don't think Russ would be able to act on any suggestions from me anytime soon. But, it's a good idea, not only for the Vue free stuff, but for all the free stuff sections. For a while now I've thought we should have just a general meshes section.

Well...regardless of what Renderosity may or may not do about adding new Free Stuff areas (like for Max or General Meshes), all I really meant to bring up here were the ideas for more categories within our own Vue d'Esprit Free Stuff section.:) Just to make life a little easier for when, say, you're looking for a particular atmosphere, you don't need to comb through 40+ files to find out which are atmospheres. All the atmosphere files would be in their own Atmosphere category. It would also help you know ahead of time when downloading an object, if the object is an actual VOB (low kb) or a mesh object (potentially higher kb).

Varian, I don't know why it didn't hit me, or why I hadn't noticed, but this time I understand what you meant. Just LOOK at all the categories under Poser Free Stuff!! Even Bryce has more options than us...... So, I just woke up after this thoroughly demented dream (don't ask!), , naturally with this on my mind...LOL So, I just wrote to the PTB and requested the categories of: Atmospheres, Materials, .VOB models, Mesh Models, and Plants. Hopefully this is something simple and can be done easily. I could foresee that in time our Free Stuff section could become a real mess! So, thanks for bringing it to my attention! --Mike PS Bill, yes, you have to have a website or space somewhere to upload to Free Stuff, because that stuff doesn't go on Renderosity's machines. I wish it did, but everything, even the thumbnails are only linked from elsewhere.

Hallelujah Mike, thanks very much! :) I have questions about the categories you selected, though. Such as "Plants" -- wouldn't a plant object be either a native Vue object or a mesh object? (Or possibly even a terrain object?) And, I don't mean to be too picky, but a "VOB" isn't necessarily a native Vue object; it is only a format. A "VOB" could easily be a mesh object. For an example, I recently added my bamboo model to the free stuff, and it is in VOB format, but it is a mesh object, not a native Vue object. On the other hand, my bucket model (also in Free Stuff) is native, so it's a lot less bytes and fewer polygons. I hadn't meant to suggest separate categories for model format, which seems to be how you interpreted it? I meant to separate them as to type of model. A native object is built by set math equations and it will have originated in Vue, and therefore only be in VOB format, but the format isn't the determining factor for a native/primitive object. A mesh object would of necessity have been built in some other program since Vue is not a modeler, so a mesh item might be of any compatible format, including VOB. Maybe it is only me who gets easily confused on this stuff, but just for imagining -- let's assume the new categories arrive, and now I have a bamboo object to upload (for this example). It is a "Mesh object", it is in "VOB" format, and it is a "Plant" model -- which category would it belong in, then? Hehe...maybe now I've got you confused too, eh? :)

Well, ya got me there! I've been considering a "VOB" to be any model, mesh or other, which has been saved as .vob. Anyway, I still haven't heard back from anyone yet, so there's still time to refine it.... ...MEANWHILE, I'm working on something MUCH cooler-- an idea--- It's already been approved by those here and there g and I'm in the process right now of outlining it further. Stay tuned for this terriffic announcement-- this will be something NO Vue-er will want to miss.... :)

Well, I guess I spoke to soon... Russell has already made the changes to the Free Stuff. :) Now I'm hoping he can implement a system by which a mod can move the already existing freebies to the appropriate section, lest it all need be re-uploaded. For the record, I would like to say that any model which is not any format other than VOB would be a "mesh", and anything uploaded as .vob would be considered a VOB. Further, a plant would be uploaded to "Plants", regardless of model format. As for file sizes, I always add some text to the thumbnail, indicating the file size. A few months back I had asked if we could have more space for the explanation of the object, but I guess that got forgotten. :( All in due time, these things will be worked out--- there are alot of variables, but Russell told me to let him know if I wanted anything changed about it, so I guess, Varian, I'm recruiting you to help me brainstorm this thing! Please? :)

Maybe instead of trying to separate Native and Mesh objects, there could just be an "Objects" category (ignore "Native" and "Mesh"), and perhaps also a "Terrains" category -- along with Atmospheres and Materials. Hence: Objects, Terrains, Atmospheres, Materials And, oddly enough, if all model objects go into one "Objects" catagory, then it even seems okay to have a "Plants" catagory, too -- because then "Plants" would clearly be "objects" (of whatever origin). And definitely I can appreciate the usefulness of a "Plants" categorization! "General" would apply for anything that doesn't fit the other categories (color maps, maybe?), and "Seasonal" for anything specific to certain times of year -- beyond the basic spring, summer, winter, autumn, one would hope! -- maybe "Seasonal" could be renamed "Holiday" or something? Hence: Objects, Terrains, Atmospheres, Materials, Plants, General, Holiday How do those sound? I think "Holiday" sounds a bit odd, but "Seasonal" is so misleading...I mean, what if folks started putting snow materials or fall leaves under "Seasonal" because of "winter' or "autumn"? (maybe I fret too much - LOL!) ...MEANWHILE, I'm working on something MUCH cooler-- an idea--- It's already been approved by those here and there g and I'm in the process right now of outlining it further. Stay tuned for this terriffic announcement-- this will be something NO Vue-er will want to miss....

Russell has already made the changes to the Free Stuff. :) LOL, we were posting at the same time! :) How's this sound: Objects, Terrains, Atmospheres, Materials, Plants, General, Seasonal ? Now I'm hoping he can implement a system by which a mod can move the already existing freebies to the appropriate section, lest it all need be re-uploaded. I think that the person who uploaded the item can go back and Edit it, to change just the category -- or maybe to Edit means to re-upload also. Maybe we just need to stick a whole bunch of NEW stuff into the free stuff now! More goodies for everyone! :D

Varian, So,"Objects, Terrains, Atmospheres, Materials, Plants, General, Holiday" would do it OK, and cover all the bases? Sounds good to me, and I'll let Russell know. He just told me he's planning a massive overhaul of sorts for all the Free Stuff sections, so I suspect things will be changing. ... As for the announcement, it'll either be later today or tomorrow sometime. :)

Sounds great, Mike! :) And hey, good news! I just went back and used Edit on my Monstera3 leaves. They are now located in "Materials", and I didn't have to re-upload or hunt up the URLS. The Edit also retained my original upload date, plus the number of downloads so far. So the only thing I had to change was the category placement -- real easy! So when Russell gets the final categories in place, I'll go through all my uploads and Edit them for appropriate category. Other uploaders may also want to do the same. And thanks, Mike! I think this is going to make our Free Stuff even more fun for us all! :)

OK Varian, voila, 'tis done! Don't thank me--thank yourself and Russell--- I'm just some guy who gets to comunicate with the PTB, LOL. I'll make an official announcement real soon, but FIRST, I gotta get some lunch, LOL! Kinda dead here today anyway...well, except for US, it seems.... Thanks for offering to move your stuff-- I'll take care of mine later, and hopefully after everyone else knows they'll be willing to do the same... I'm gonna have to check out your Monstera leaves too. :) But, man, I'm hungry! Talk to you later, and again, thanks for bringing this up!