There is so unbelievable much free Content for the Unreal Engine alone, but it really is a pain in the backside to find something when you actually need it.
I thought maybe it would be a greate idea to centralize all free assets, including BPs, Materials, Meshes, HOWTOs and links to useful Ressources.
What?
Only free and commercial usable stuff.
Centralized Website with advanced search for free Assets, including BPs, Materials, Workflows, Textures, Meshes, Tutorials, External Ressource Links, etc.
Upload your own stuff and share it
Rate available Ressources!
Comment them!
Why?
The Forum search will eventually find what you desire (or not at all), but alot of assets are available via YouTube/external Pages only, therefore external links togehter with an explanation and example screenshots can be used.
The Unreal Marketplace is a desaster in my eyes. You can not even filter for prices, it seems like that is ~a feature~
When it comes to “free” textures you hardly ever know the real source, a comparison like TinEye or even the Google Image Search API could reduce some risks - automatically.
It is centralized! Search, find, enjoy, rate, comment, upload.
When?
If people are interested, somebody (or even me) could create this wonderland
Let me know what you think about this! Would it be accepted by the community? How could this idea be improved even further?
There is no way to guarantee that content uploaded to the site would be freely and commercially usable as you describe, which puts developers at risk. <- That would be my main concern.
Uploaded content can be verified manually, for example by included source files (Photoshop/Blender/3ds Max/etc.)
I do have a bunch of selfmade landscape textures which i would like to release, but same as alot of content in the past days of this community, it probably would disappear under the massive amount of posts per day if i created one for it.
Who will curate all the content then? without any liability anyone can upload anything like ripped/derivative work textures or models and there is no way to show source to them depending how the user workflows differ. So it would always mean that end developers are in risk or should treat the content as prototype/internal use only. I think this type content would belong to marketplace but they have so high level for accepted content and in general the system is a bit a mess like you said.
Good question! Other then a fully administrated portal (like the current marketplace) this could potentially also be done by users themselves. What i mean is not only to rate and comment an asset, but to also “confirm” it by the given information of the uploader. If the uploader provided source files (as mentioned - e.g. blender files), then it should be pretty much clear that this release is at least free to edit (even if the uploader picket it from another website).
But you are correct … To ensure proper content, it must be edited and eventually maintained by administrators. This could potentially also be done by users of the site with a wiki-like permission system.
But anyway … if you want to actually create a game and use these assets, you wont use anything provided by mister anonymous unless the included files proof themself by it’s source files
Sure just make such website. Buy server space and domain. Moderate content, check for security updates so your website is not hacked. Provide free content, check if uploaded assets are not copyrighted or ripped from games. Create forum, so people can comment on assets.
I know above sounds sarcastic, but honestly i do not know how to write about all that without sounding sarcastic. That is reality, major content website is full time job, also requires few hundred $$$ per month. Just go take look at maprider, owner did great job there, but at some point maprider became full time job.
Everybody has ideas, but having an idea takes 20seconds (and maybe 3 min to post about it), while creating it later may take up your whole time.
Such a website would not require alot of money. Hosted webspace with a database and some backup system/external downloads. It wouldnt be my first website, but my 10th
The problem is that people dont seem to be interested all too much. Nonetheless if i find some free time, i will create something like this, the crappy epic marketplace screams for an alternative for free content.
TheGameDevStore.com could support this distribution model with a few caveats:
The FREE products would have to be cataloged in the same manner as commercial products featuring Images & Descriptions and assigned a manager (aka vendor).
Product Owners would have to agree to Site Terms & Conditions in particular Asset Modification Rights.
I anticipate a few challenges on the initial set up and acquisition of this content. To remove an obligation on the part of content creator and ensure cataloging standard is maintained, Persons operating on behalf the site should actively search, coordinate with content owners, retrieve and add this content to the Site.
TheGameDevStore.com has a frontend portal to support owners adding their own content, however, as FREE content typically provided as is (with no guarantee or support), it would not be fair to obligate the content owner to add it to TheGameDevStore.com, unless they choose to monetize their content.
In Ur second pt. U mentioned Asset Modification Rights . Do ya want to implement something like a web based model editor ? But , the main question I have that will this be a part of ue4 website or a totally independent website ?
TheGameDevStore.com is an independent Site. A one-stop game development social hub for all Game Dev Suites ie: UE4, Unity, CryEngine, Lumberyard, HeroEngine, many others. TheGameDevStore.com deals with all digital content and media related to Game Development to include: eBooks, Videos, Design Docs, Business Plans, 3D Models/Animations, Music, Sound FX, 2D sprites, GUI, Bitmap Fonts, etc.
TheGameDevStore.com TOS supports Community-Driven Asset Modding: in which Community members are granted permission to create and commercially distribute Accessories, Add-ons/Plugins, and Extensions for existing Game Assets (collectively known as ‘Mods’).
Stage 2
I would say TheGameDevStore is going a one step beyond a Web-based Model Editor in it’s Second Stage. How about a 3D VR-Supported MMO Shopping Mall in which Game Devs can:
Demo Game Assets in Real-time testing against a variety of Game Mechanisms
Mod Game Assets with In-game Editors
Add Products to a Shopping Cart
Purchase and Download Files them all from the Virtual World.
There’s essentially a MMORPG Game running-on-top of the VR Mall providing all the Game Mechanics of a typical MMORPG (ie: Character Customization, Leveling, Crafting/building, AI Mobs, Weapons & Combat) for testing Game Assets, so Players can enter the VR Mall and play just fun!
Additionally, every asset in the Game World will be purchasable for download and use in other’s game products.
