Upload an animated model to yoanimate and get $50
New online model viewing platform yoanimate has launched a new art contest, offering $50 apiece to the first 50 artists to upload an animated character matching the site’s specifications.
The creator of the best model submitted during the contest will win $1,000 in cash – or in PayPal, at least.
Upload animated characters in FBX format to display in any modern web browser
Yoanimate is an online model viewing and sharing service along the lines of Sketchfab, but focused more specifically on animated content, particularly animated characters and creatures.
Users can upload animations in FBX format to display in a standard web browser, with the site’s user interface providing sliders to control playback speed and scaling.
There are also options to select one of 10 preset skyboxes – each with HSL sliders – and one of eight 3D scenes to display around the character, plus three lighting presets, and bloom and motion blur options.
On top of that, there are the standard options to share uploaded models via social media, or copy and paste code to embed them in your own website.
Contest entries run until 30 March
The site has only just launched publicly, so there aren’t a lot of examples to look at yet, but yoanimate has quite a detailed PDF listing the technical specifications for uploaded characters.
At the minute, it doesn’t support hair or cloth simulation or blendshape-based animation, although it does support bone-based facial animation.
Users retain the rights to characters entered in the contest, beyond granting yoanimate permission to use them in its publicity material. The closing date for entries is 30 March 2016.
Read the instructions for yoanimate’s 3D animation contest
(Registration required in order to enter)