One of the more unusual 3D model repositories is Gambody.
There are several major 3D model repositories online these days that get the most attention. These would include Thingiverse, Makerworld, Printables, MyMiniFactory and a few others. Many of these are sponsored by big 3D printer manufacturing companies and offer some level of direct integration with software and 3D printers.
One site that often goes unnoticed is Gambody, which specializes in well-known models based on media characters and franchises. The London-based operation launched in beta form way back in 2013, and is now over ten years old.
It operates as a platform for designers to market their designs to the public, and takes a cut of sales that occur. For models exclusive to Gambody, they take a minimum of 20% of transaction fees.
That’s exactly how several other paid 3D model sites work, so what’s different here?
To me it is the themes and content provided. The models are quite a bit more expensive than you’d find at other sites, where models tend to be mostly free or carry a very small purchase cost. Here models tend to cost US$15 and up, with some costing US$40, and a very few being “open source” at no charge. There seems to be two major categories: Premium and Stock, with premium having a bit more support and details provided.
While the prices are high, the value is also high. The models are all tested before publication, and are presented with very comprehensive instructions and explanations. Most models are delivered with versions designed for both FFF and resin 3D printers.
Almost all the models involve multiple pieces and subsequent assembly, with copious instructions to guide you through the process. This is very unlike most free 3D models, where you’re on your own most of the time.
I also noticed that Gambody seems quite responsive to comments. Almost every comment seems to be answered, and occasionally you’ll see the models being changed as a result of feedback received.
Unlike many sites, the search function on Gambody seems to actually work, and it’s extremely fast. It’s pretty easy to find what you want — assuming it’s present in their catalog.
What 3D models are present? There’s quite a variety, and they are all centered around popular themes, including:
- Anime
- Comics
- Movies
- Mythology
- TV Series
- Video Games
- Cosplay
- Creatures
- Robots
- Props
- Vehicles
- Famous People
- Buildings
You get the idea. The interesting point is that the highly refined 3D models are quite detailed. Here, for example, you can see the assembly diagram for a 3D model of Star Trek’s Enterprise NCC-1701-D spaceship.
There are a huge number of parts for many of Gambody’s models, and downloading them is a commitment to a serious printing and assembly project.
There’s one question that comes to mind when browsing this site: are these 3D models legal? They seem to be using characters and IP from others.
After reading through Gambody’s explanation of copyright it seems they believe so. In their explanation of trademarked name use, they say:
“When deciding whether or not to use a trademarked name as a title or tag you should ask yourself this question: Am I describing what it is or what it the item is like? Using trademarked names to describe what your file actually is is acceptable. Using them to describe what your file is like is not.”
That’s a take I’ve not seen previously, but evidently it works as the site has been in operation for a decade. I do note they don’t seem to have any Disney-oriented 3D models.
For those 3D printer operators looking for very high quality 3D models of specific characters, Gambody might be a good place to look around.
Via Gambody
