Resource Submission Rules (Models, skins, icons, spells & systems)

[Hive Workshop]

Resource Submission Rules (Models, skins, icons, spells & systems)

• Users can upload resources to Hive's resource sections. Resources are marked as pending until a resource moderator or reviewer checks it out. The resource is fully visible and downloadable by everyone until that happens.
  
  
• Resource moderators and reviewers decide on a case-by-case basis which resources are marked as Approved, Useful / Simple, Restricted or Awaiting Update.
  
  
  
  Resource Re-Use
  
  
• Submission of resources consisting of or containing parts of material made by another member of the Warcraft 3 modding community without substantial modification requires proof of the author's documented and verifiable permission.
  • If the original author is not active on the site, we can help. Please post in Staff Contact and we will assist you in reaching the author. If we are similarly unable to do so, you will in most situations be granted permission by the staff. However, the author may return later. Search for "DMCA takedown" to read more.
  
  
• Submission of resources consisting of or containing large parts of (a ported resource) material (not from Warcraft 3) made by an external entity (e.g. Blizzard, other game companies, asset libraries, etc.) must be submitted to the appropriate "Ported Models/Skins/etc" section.
  • Don't forget to give attribution to the original maker of the modified resource. Read more about attribution in the section emphasizing 'contributing members must be added'.
  • For ported resources, the submitter is not expected to live up to rules regarding original work or any sort of free-hand as long as the resource is submitted to the appropriate "Ported" section.
  
  
  
  Resource Examples and Guidelines
  
  
  
  Spoiler: Re-Use Examples

  • A model exported from a popular map is submitted by someone who is not the author. Permission required because it has undergone no change and submitter is not the author.
  • A skin is downloaded from another site and is submitted. Permission required because it has not been changed and submitter is not the author.
  • A skin is downloaded from another site and has undergone heavy modifications is submitted. Permission not required because it was changed significantly despite not being submitted by the original author.
  • A model is exported from an old game and is modified to work and look natural inside Warcraft. Permission not required because it was changed to work inside Warcraft 3 (which is significant) despite not being submitted by the original author.
  • An icon is exported from a game and edited to have Warcraft 3 borders, right size and a disabled state. Minimal amount of work done to not require permission, but encouraged none the less.
  [Moderator action: If permission is required, Awaiting Update until permission granted or Restricted if permission denied]
  
  
• Submissions based on existing resources from Warcraft 3 must be unique and either heavily modified or significantly useful to be approved.
  
  Spoiler: Derived Examples

  • An icon of a red potion exists and a recolored blue one is submitted.
  • A footman model is submitted without a sword.
  
  
• If the original author of a resource (or part of it) ever sends a DMCA takedown or similarly expresses concern about copyright infringement of their property, we reserve the right to mark the resource as restricted or put it into awaiting update. Therefore, we always recommend asking for permission before proceeding so as not to waste time.
  
  
• The resource must work, look proper, and behave according to expectations. It must also look at home inside Warcraft 3. [Read more in the separate rules for each type]
  
  
  
  Spoiler: Quality Examples

  • A model must have a fitting number of polygons compared to standard models.
  • A model must have the right animations according to its type. (death animation, attack, etc.)
  • A model must have the right team color and glow according to its type.
  • A skin must have similar coloring as what would be expected of its type and Warcraft 3.
  • An icon must have the appropriate borders depending on what states are supported.
  [Moderator action: Awaiting update until fixed]
  
  
• Resources must be unique. Resources largely similar to existing ones (even by other authors) may not make the cut. Alternative versions can be submitted as part of the same bundle.
  
  Spoiler: Non-Unique Examples

  • Icons or skins that are hue-adjusted version of each other.
  • Simple reskins that don't change the shape of the model.
  • Maps that are effectively clones of each other, such as most LOAP and Footman Wars maps.
  • Resources ported from other games that are already ported.
  • No unedited original Warcraft resources (those shipped with Warcraft 3) may be submitted.
  • Icons that are slightly edited from other icons must be uploaded to the same bundle (if they are the same author).
  [Moderator action: Mark as Useful / Simple]
  
  
• All resources must have no more than a minimal amount of errors. They must function properly in-game. This includes resources that are works in progress.
  [Moderator action: Awaiting update until fixed]
  
  
• If a bundle is unjustly reviewed or marked as useful / simple or restricted, the submitter can appeal their case in the Staff Contact forum.
  
  
• Resubmitting a previously submitted resource is not permitted, even when deleted first. You can request your resource to be undeleted or re-reviewed in the Staff Contact forum.
  [Moderator action: Restricted if re-uploaded but guide user to restore their previous resource]
  
  
• All bundles and resources must bear a fitting title. (For example, a submission titled "Elephant" with an icon depicting a tree will not be approved.)
  [Moderator action: Awaiting update until fixed]
  
  
• A proper description must go along with the bundle. The description must describe what resources are in the bundle and how they can be used. This is to help when searching by various synonymous words.
  • A resource containing material that is not from either Warcraft 3 or made from scratch by the submitter must contain clear attribution as to who and where the material comes from (links if possible).
  • This includes material created by Blizzard if it comes from a different game from Warcraft 3.
  [Moderator action: Awaiting update until description updated, if repeatedly trying to deceive by pretending to have made from scratch, submitter will receive warnings and ultimately a ban]
  
  
• Bundles should have as many relevant tags as possible to improve filtering.
  • In cases where material in any resource is not scratch made by the submitter (or hand-drawn in case of textures/icons) or originally made for Warcraft 3, The bundle must also be tagged #Contains External Material.
  [Moderator action: Awaiting update to fix over-use of tags or missing tags]
  
  
• All relevant contributing members must be added to the bundle as authors. Currently this is done by posting in the Staff Contact forum with a list of usernames and a link to your bundle.
  
  Spoiler: Contributors Examples

  • Submitters makes a model and collaborates with a 2D artist to make the icon and submits it as a single bundle will have both members added as authors.
  • A submitter makes a model based off a model from another user. Both users will be added as contributors.
  
  
• Bundles must only consist of resources that belong together or derivations of each other.
  
  Spoiler: Bundle Examples

  • A model or texture and their fitting icon.
  • An icon and versions of it in different colors/hues.
  • A model or texture and versions of it with slight useful modifications.
  • A model with extra alternative textures.
  
  
• Bundles that may not live up to all requirements of quality / free-hand / scratch-made or contain minor bugs may in agreement with the submitter be marked as Useful / simple. If no agreement is made, Awaiting update is the appropriate moderation.
• Contest submission resources must only be moderated after the contest terminates.
  
  
  
  Resource Section Details
  
  The following sections describe the rules specific to each resource section.
  This means that rules for the 'skins section' do not apply to skins for models in the 'Models section'; but only submissions in the section itself.

Models section

• All building, destructible, item, and unit models must include a game camera or portrait model; attachment and doodad models need not.
• Building, destructible, unit, hero, attachment models must be properly animated.
  • This may also extend to other types of models in certain situations.
  • If the model has custom animations, they must be high quality and smooth. Animations cannot be too slow or too fast and
    must be as realistic as possible.
• Don't upload standard assets if you have not modified them.
• The mesh must be clean, with no excess of unnecessary edges and no wasteful geosets or polies.
• The UV map must be decent and continuous, with as few seams as possible and without nasty stretching of the skin.
• The model must have proper attachment points.
• Attachment models must list all models for which they were optimized for (One at the very least).
• If the model is a geomerge, make sure the parts are blended properly and so they don't look like something wickedly unnatural (i.e. exaggeratedly huge heads, very thin necks/waists, etc); objects that should be attached to body parts must not float around or be attached unnaturally (i.e. a sword floating near the hand or attached to the lower arm instead of being in the fist); also make sure the UV mapping is correct and that it has no nasty stretching. If so, redo it.
• The submission must include an in-game screenshot.
• Models ported/converted from other games/sources must be submitted in the "Ported Models" sub section.
• Models for HD graphics in Reforged must be submitted in the "Reforged HD Models" sub section.

The Reforged (HD) models section has a few extra requirements on top.

• ALL Reforged resources should be HD, mdx1000 and have diffuse, normal, emissive and ORM layers.
• To know if your model is fit for Reforged standards, you have to keep in mind:
  • Is my model good? Sometimes, the model is simply not good enough to fit HD standards. Bad geomerging, lazy recolouring, ugly result…
  • Is it useful in-game? Other times, the model fits a gap that wasn’t answered by Blizzard or LemonSky, even if it’s not a “difficult” change or the end result isn’t very different from the original.
  • Does it work in-game? If your model fits both categories, or excels in one, it must work in game. This is not subject for dismissal, but every approved model must function properly in-game (so the model would be pending updates until fixed).
• Since Reforged modelling has just started and is significantly different from classic, reviewers will be more lenient in terms of recolouring and simple edits when they’re justified. While every Classic rule applies, there are several newer rules to keep in mind:
  • To reduce file size, LOD geosets MUST be removed. Unused geosets in the portrait model have to be removed, likewise (skeletons, guts, legs…).
  • All building, destructible, item, and unit models must include a game camera or portrait model, as in Classic; attachment and doodad models need not. If the unit has a game camera to reduce file size, it must be properly illuminated, have a working FaceFx and have no visibility issues.
  • Portrait models should be able to talk ingame. If the model’s FaceFx can’t be applied or doesn’t work, for now, will be noted but not accounted for approval or dismissal. This is subject to change in due time.
  • Normals, ORMs and Emissives must work properly and in accordance to the Diffuse. Emissives and ORMs should be reduced, when possible, to 50% or 25% of their file size in huge models.
  • Textures MUST be exported/saved as .dds formal with following settings: Diffuse (with no or very simple alpha channel) as BC1/DXT1 — Diffuse (with detailed alpha channel) as BC3/DXT5 — ORM as BC3/DXT5 — Normal as BC5/ATI2(3dc) — Emissive as BC1/DXT1.
  • Geomerges must have proper visibility, be properly attached to the bone or bones and not clip (or clip as little as possible). A basic geomerge is not enough for approval unless the end result is very useful.
  • Models should have team colour where applicable.

Skins section

• Skins require proper shading and highlights.
• They have to work flawlessly in-game.
• The submission must include an in-game screenshot.
• Skin recolours may be accepted if a skin's usefulness outweighs the fact that the skin is a recolor/copy-paste work. In this case, moderators will note that the texture doesn't fully adhere to the rules, but is approved due to it's usefulness/demand.
• Skins ported/converted from other games/sources must be submitted in the "Ported Skins" sub section.
• Skins targeted at models for HD graphics in Reforged must be submitted in the "Reforged HD Skins" sub section.

Icons section

• The icon must have the following dimensions depending on the section:
  • 64x64 for the main section.
  • 256x256 for the Reforged HD section.
  • 64x64 or 256x256 for the Ported section.
• Icons must be of decent quality. To help improve your submission, refer to the 2D Art Tutorials forum.
• Icons must have the standard Warcraft 3 borders to be approved. Button Manager can help you do this with ease.
• Uploading an icon that is purely a screenshot fitted for a specific model, skin or spell in any of their respective sections is not permitted. You must "Edit" the bundles of the corresponding model/texture/spell and add the icon there.
• AI Upscaled icons will not be accepted in the Reforged HD Icon section.

Spells and Systems section

• A changelog must be present in either the bundle description or the Trigger Editor.
• The description must contain, in plain english, what your resource is trying to do and how to use it. It must also contain a listing of the API, external library requirements and importing instructions. Avoid any technical terms in your description or any prior advanced knowledge. The user of your resource might have just switched to JASS from GUI or to Lua from JASS and might not have that knowledge. Also, don't expect them to have knowledge of any other resources your resource might be based on. If you need to go into detail about the technical aspects of what sets your resource apart from the alternatives, do so in a separate section.
• Spells must provide an in-game screenshot. Systems do not need an in-game screenshot, but their preview image should be related to the resource (AI generated previews allowed).
• Submissions must be useful. Concepts that do not have a clear purpose, or are extremely simple might be rejected (e.g. a "remove unit on death" system is too simple).
• Submissions must be leakless. To find out more about leaks, click here.
• Spells must mimic in-game mechanics (e.g. damaging spells must give bounty when they kill enemies).
• Submissions must be MUI or MPI, meaning that they can be casted by multiple units or players without bugs.
• Systems must be as instance-able as possible (instance-ability will often depend on the type of system).
• Submissions must have decent performance. Unnecessarily repeating function calls, repetitive group enumerations, overuse of special effects, or other useless overhead, should be avoided to prevent a performance drop.
• Under no circumstances can a resource modify unit user data (custom value) with the exception of unit indexing systems.
• No overloading the test map with unnecessary custom models and icons. If you really do need to use imported content, do so sparingly.
• Submissions must be easy to import. Strive to require as few changes as possible when importing (e.g. use variables to store object editor data such as abilities and unit-types).
• Submissions must be made using vanilla GUI (aka triggers), JASS, vJASS, Zinc, Lua, TypeScript or Wurst. Using other third party languages, including UMSWE GUI, or similar, is prohibited.
• GUI resources must strive to follow common GUI convention set by GPAG.
• JASS resources must strive to follow common JASS convention set by JPAG.
• Lua resources must follow the Lua submission rules.
• For systems hosted elsewhere for a good reason (e.g. NPM or Github) you are free to use the map upload for a test map to showcase the system. Do however make it clear how to download the resource.

Definitions

• Submitter: The user submitting a resource.
• Author: The creator of a resource.
• Bundle: A submission with a title, description, tags and one or more resources.
• Resource: A model, skin, icon or spell that is used inside Warcraft 3.
• Material: Part of a model or skin.
• Model: Geometry, animations, attachments but not skin.
• Skin: A texture or skin for a model or other interface component in Warcraft 3.
• Icon: Buttons for Warcraft 3, typically 64x64 and prefixed by BTN/DISBTN/PAS/PASBTN etc.