We’ve just updated the CheckMate Pro and Lite Specifications to clarify a few points, and added an important point to both specs.
New Pro and Lite Requirements
We’ve long had a requirement for CheckMate Pro that all texture paths be stripped out of the 3D model file. We’ve now added the same requirement to CheckMate Lite:
2.1.4 No texture paths referenced by model. Any texture paths must be stripped from model file. See Texture References.
And we’ve added this requirement to both CheckMate Pro and Lite:
3.2.4.2 Each archive must be a flat file structure with no folders or subfolders. See Texture References.
We’ve added these requirements because of the many Support calls, tickets, and chats that we get about this issue. Many customers, especially those new to 3D, get confused when they see unfamiliar folder path in a texture reference. Experienced customers, who replace or change textures on more than 50% of the 3D models they purchase, like all the bitmaps in a single folder so they can easily do a visual scan through the images.
We’ve discussed this issue with many TurboSquid artists, and got some useful suggestions such as putting all the bitmaps in a single Maps folder or instructing customers on how to extract files into a single folder. But the goal of CheckMate is to make the customer experience as smooth as possible, and the most direct way to accomplish this is to strip texture paths and deliver everything in a flat file structure. We’ve created videos on how to do this in 3ds Max and Maya, which you can find in the Knowledge Base article Texture References.
If you’ve already got models in CheckMate, we aren’t requiring you to update your texture paths or archive files with a flat file structure, but we encourage you to do so. If a customer contacts Support about the model (asking about strange texture paths, complaining that the archive file created unwanted subfolders on their system, etc.) then we will require you to fix the file at that time.
Additional Updates
There were several additional points in both the CheckMate Pro and Lite Specifications that warranted some clarification.
CheckMate Pro Updates
1.7 Payment Information - In order to have 3D models CheckMate Certified, the publishing member must fill out accurate and up-to-date Payment Information for the TurboSquid account.
This is actually a requirement for all publishing members at TurboSquid. While we run regular general checks on new artists, we check up on this requirement immediately when an artist submits a model to CheckMate.
3.1.5 Unwrapped UV Image Requirement – The Product Preview includes at least one image of the unwrapped UVs if one of the following options is selected for the model’s Unwrapped UVs attribute:
- Yes, overlapping
- Yes, non-overlapping
- Mixed
This update clarifies which models need to have a thumbnail image of the unwrapped UVs.
3.5.3 In the Geometry field, one of these two choices is selected:
- Polygonal Quads/Tris
- Polygonal Quads only
This update clarifies which choices for Geometry under Step 1 of the Publisher are acceptable for CheckMate Pro.
CheckMate Lite Updates
In addition to the new requirement of no texture paths, these updates were made to the CheckMate Lite Specification.
1.7 Payment Information - In order to have 3D models CheckMate Certified, the publishing member must fill out accurate and up-to-date Payment Information for the TurboSquid account.
This is a requirement for all TurboSquid artists.
3.3.3 In the Geometry field, the only acceptable options for CheckMate Lite are:
- Polygonal Quads/Tris
- Polygonal Quads only
- Polygonal Tris only
This update clarifies which choices for Geometry under Step 1 of the Publisher are acceptable for CheckMate Lite.
