Rejected AGAIN???

"I can't believe it. Man, they must hate me personally. Seriously."

Ha ha ha, yes, it certainly may seem that way, but in most cases it probably isn't true. When you've received as many rejection notices as I have, you'll begin to see that the Mall Checker is simply sending you a form note about a common problem. By reading through these standard rejection messages, you may avoid a lot of the pitfalls that keep objects out of the mall. And you may save the Mall Checker some headaches while you're at it.

Most of these are self-explanatory (as they should be), but where I think a little tip will help, I chime in. Send your comments to Epistomolus, and we can improve this reference over time.

Standard Rejection Messages

Scale & Placement

The object you submitted is larger than the scale of Cybertown. Also, the object is not resting on the floor plane of -1.75Y, and is not centered at zero X and Z.

The object you submitted is not resting on the floor plane of -1.75Y. If you're using Spazz3D, please make sure you turn on the grid and use it for positioning. You can set the base of the object right on top of -1.75Y, and ignore the numbers in the trans properties page.

Object is partly below the floor plane of -1.75Y. If you're using Spazz3D, please turn on the grid and use it for positioning. Set the base of the object right on top of -1.75Y, and ignore the numbers in the trans properties page.

Object is not centered at zero X and/or Z.

Object is not resting on the floor plane of -1.75Y, and not centered at zero X and Z.

Object will be larger/smaller than the scale for the worlds in town.

Please position object so it extends no more than One meter into the plus Z plane. This is important on larger items to keep the user from beaming into it or ending up in the object when it is dropped.

Every one of these messages has this little item at the bottom:

008 has built a little app that comes in very handy checking location and if objects are on the floor, and if they are scaled correctly. It is similar to the one I use on the check page. http://mpsl.net/mall/scale.shtml

In fact, this is my process for making and submitting objects for the mall:

  1. Make a thing.
  2. Place the item at 0, -1.75, 0.
  3. Check the item at http://mpsl.net/mall/scale.shtml
  4. Make necessary adjustments.
  5. Check the item again at http://mpsl.net/mall/scale.shtml
  6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 about seventy-eight times. (Okay, I'm exaggerating - maybe fifty-seven times).
  7. Upload the item to the mall.

The reason items have to be placed at 0, -1.75, 0, regardless of where they will ultimately be placed in Cybertown is that the store Catalogs used to view the items have to have the items at a standard location. Since most items sit on the ground, and the ground is 1.75 meters below eye height, it makes sense to use this as the standard position. So, even if you're uploading a chandelier or a kite, its bottom edge (or point) has to be located at 0, -1.75, 0.

Full-sized buildings should be submitted to the Suburbs, not the mall.

 

File & Upload Problems

Object contains a reference to your hard drive. If you're using Spazz3D, please make sure the texture is in the same folder as the .spz file before applying it to the object. Then re-export the object as a VRML97 world and resubmit it.

The texture did not load. Please make sure it was uploaded in the center upload box, also make sure there are no spaces in the file name, and all characters are lower case, and only one texture. Try renaming the texture and the .wrl file. Don't forget to reapply the texture once it is renamed. Some textures (like Blue_Yonder from Spazz) just plain don't work because of interlacing etc., in that case try a different texture.

This seems to happen to other people, as well. I am not sure if it is an upload problem or what, but most times if the texture is changed it will upload correctly. But check the basics first. Does the texture work when viewed alone from your local drive? Is there a space in the file name? Does the file type match (.JPG versus .jpg, caps versus small letters)?

File references two textures. One needs to be removed since you can only upload one per object.

Tip: You can store multiple textures in a single file and apply just a section of the texture file to a face of an IndexedFaceSet using a TextureCoordinate node. This is supported in the full version of Spazz3D, or can be coded by hand.

Object is saved as an avatar. Please use "export VRML97 world" under the File menu, not "create avatar" under the Wizards menu, to export a file from Spazz3D.

Received this error while loading: File does not have a valid header string. Make sure the file is Gzip'd and not WinZip'd. Also, some programs don't export valid VRML code. Once in a while, it's just a bad export and will be fixed if you re-export the vrml file. Basically, this means that the code is no good for one reason or another.

I think you might have uploaded the texture in the thumbnail slot.

This was a duplicate upload. One was already accepted.

Several textures from Spazz, don't seem to work correctly on mall objects for some reason. Most likely because of the capitalized .JPG If you are trying to use one of the following, please try to find a different texture, or rename it to all lower case ...24.JPG, Blue-Yonder.JPG, 51.JPG, 27.JPG.

The title used contains special characters (~#$* etc.) as the first letter. UNIX systems and Blaxxun Contact don't care for this and they cause problems with the title disappearing. Please rename the object without using these characters.

Holds need to go through the proper channels. There is a button for submission on the mall message board. Under the remove request button.

Please wait a day or two when uploading more than 2 posters. I already accepted two from you today.

VRML Errors

The faces are drawn backwards. In Spazz, please highlight the object, then go to the IFS tab in the Properties editor and uncheck the draw back faces box.

Received this error while loading...

Please make the animation start and stop by a view, touch or proximity sensor (set to 10m or less). We need to be more user friendly in our 3d work.

Here's more information on Using Sensors to start your animations.

File needs to be optimized. The use of DEF/USE(References in Spazz) should be implemented in this case. It will considerably reduce the file size, and also speed up rendering. There is no need for every node to be a shape. You can define the shape once then USE or make a copy go to a different location and orientation. Also numbers should be rounded to three decimal places. We need to be more user friendly in our 3d work.

 

Use of Forbidden or Restricted Nodes

Please remove the viewpoint.

Note: Viewpoints may be allowed in special cases, but only when the viewpoint is intrinsic to the way the item is used. An example would be a viewpoint that puts the viewer into the cockpit of an airplane. Item viewpoints are added to the viewpoints for the location in which they're placed, which can cause confusion for users.

The viewpoint must automatically unbind the user when they walk away. This can be accomplished by the use of a proximity sensor set to bind a second viewpoint when exited, the second view should be near the base of the object, and be default orientation and field of view.

Please remove the light. Lights are only allowed (rarely) on actual light fixtures, or in applications where they make the object such as disco lights. The worlds are well lit and in most cases don't need any help.

Lights need to be off by default and turned on and off by a touch or mouse over sensor.

Aesthetics

I don't accept simple shapes such as this unless they have an original artwork on them or are hand coded. Please try adding something to the object to make it something more than it is now.

I don't accept more than two of the same model with just different textures or colors. Space is very limited in the mall. I may accept this one in a week or two. In the mean time please try something new.

The thumbnail does not accurately represent the object.

There is something that could be found offensive in the thumbnail or in the object itself.

Copyright Concerns

Posters for town need to be your own SIGNED work. I can't accept any images you didn't create yourself.. ..This doesn't mean I don't think it is your work. It means it needs to be signed if it is your work to tell me it is something you made yourself and hold the copyright to.

Object is a copyright and/or a trademark infringement.

Posters of celebrities will no longer be accepted.

Public domain objects are not allowed without "significant" changes to the model.

I need assurance that this is your own work. By signing the poster you are signifying that all copyrights for the image are held by you, and no one else.

Please assure me this is your own work. I have seen models like it in the past. By uploading an object, you are signifying that the work is your own work and no one else's, or if a public domain model was used, you are signifying that significant changes were made to it in the object as a whole, to be able to call it yours. Example, you build a fish tank with plants and scenery, you place a public domain fish model in the tank. That is OK, Using that fish alone as the sole object is not OK. Objects that have been in CT are not considered public domain and any use must be approved by the original maker.

Object file contains a copyright.

This Spazz model has been in the mall in the past. Please try doing your own work.

Problems with Textures

Universal media will be allowed on mall objects under the following rules.
A total of 3 texture files per object. This means one uploaded texture and two UM textures or three UM textures and no uploaded texture. No UM sound files will be allowed on mall objects, textures only.
The code that Spazz exports for UM will not be allowed. There is a problem with it and Netscape. Spazz exports this....
url [ "urn:web3d:media:textures/materials/fabric_1.jpg"
"http://www.web3d.org/WorkingGroups/media/textures/materials/fabric_1.jpg"
It needs to read as follows
url[ "http://www.cybertown.com/UniversalMedia/textures/materials/fabric_1.jpg"]
URN's will not be allowed because of the Netscape problem.
All UM must come from the Cybertown mirror. The no external link rule still applies.

The texture appears black to some video cards (Including mine) Please use the box size properties to set the depth to around .01z instead of using scale to set the depth. Not sure why, but scale seems to make this happen. Scale should be 1,1,1 and box size should be x,y,.01.

Back to Creating Objects for Cybertown

Send your comments on this page to Epistomolus.

Updated February 23, 2007