Boosting What Matters: Rewarding Engineering and Design Effort

At MakerWorld, we're constantly looking for ways to make our platform better for our community of creators and makers. When we launched the Boost System last year, our goal was clear: encourage and reward designers who dedicate much effort to create intricate, technically advanced 3D models that push the boundaries of what's possible.

Today, we're excited to share important updates to our Boost System that will make it fairer and better aligned with our original mission

Why We're Introducing These Changes

When we created the Boost System, we wanted to recognize designers who push the boundaries of what's possible with 3D printing. However, as we watched the system in action, we've realized two key challenges:

• Some users found ways to game the system – We've detected instances of mutual boosting and even buying/selling of Boost Tokens, which undermines what we're trying to achieve.
• Boosts often go to simpler models – A significant portion of Boost Tokens have been awarded to less complex designs, which doesn't align with our goal of incentivizing sophisticated creations and outstanding efforts.

Creating a simple model might take just an hour, while designing a complex functional mechanism with moving parts often requires weeks of work, multiple iterations, careful testing, and considerable skill. Yet in a purely popularity-based system, those simpler models often receive more downloads and attention simply because they're quick and easy to print.

As one designer told us, "It's disheartening to spend three weeks engineering a functional mechanical model with 50+ parts and precise tolerances, only to see it get fewer boosts than something created in an afternoon."

This disconnect between effort and reward isn't just discouraging for designers—it ultimately limits what's possible on our platform. If we truly want to encourage innovation, we need to ensure our reward system properly values the effort put into each design. 

How We're Improving Boost Token Distribution

To address these challenges, we're refining how Boost Tokens are distributed based on two key factors:

Quality of Boosted Models
The models you choose to boost will now directly impact how many Boost Tokens you receive. Our system will evaluate boosted models based on:

• The effort creators put into the designs, reflected by its structural complexity and precision.
• Thoughtful color schemes and high-quality photos
• Detailed and accurate descriptions and assembly guide.

The more ambitious the models you boost, the more Boost Tokens you'll likely receive in return.

Active Engagement
Your participation in the MakerWorld community now plays a bigger role in your eligibility for Boost Tokens. Key factors include:

• Time spent printing models from the platform
• Commenting on creators' 3D models and rating print profiles
• Thoughtfully giving Boost Tokens to ambitious 3D models

Users who consistently support complex and ambitious models can now receive up to 3 Boost Tokens per week (an increase from 1). However, accounts suspected of exploiting the system will be ineligible, and those primarily boosting simpler models may receive fewer tokens.

What This Means for You

For Creators:

• Overall earnings of all creators won't change – The total number of Boost Tokens distributed across the platform remains the same.
• Effort will be rewarded – The new rules will favor 3D models that require more time and effort to create.

For Users:

• Your boosts have more impact – You'll be encouraged to be more selective, boosting models that truly stand out.
• More rewards for active community members – Active contributors will receive more opportunities to support their favorite creators.

What We Hope to Achieve

With these changes, we're aiming to:

1. Return to our original vision – Ensure complex and ambitious models receive the recognition they deserve.
2. Create a fairer system – Reduce system abuse and ensure tokens go to those who deserve them.
3. Foster sustainable growth – Create a healthier ecosystem where creativity and quality are consistently rewarded.

When Will This Take Effect?

The adjustment will take effect on March 3rd, 2025. During the first week, Boost token distribution will be determined based on user activity from the previous week (February 24th to March 2nd).

Examples of Boost-Worthy Models

This functional wind tunnel is the type of innovative, purpose-built design that pushes the boundaries of what home 3D printing can achieve.

This highly detailed model demonstrates exceptional skill with its intricate components, movie-accurate details, and complex assembly process.

This model showcases exceptional attention to detail with precise mechanical components, complex assembly that actually works when printed, and a design that required significant problem-solving and engineering skill.

We believe these updates will make the Boost System more effective, fair, and aligned with our mission to inspire and reward exceptional 3D designs. We'd love to hear your thoughts on these changes on our community forum or social media channels.

– The MakerWorld Team