eneral 3D guidelines

Select product categories (home, furniture, consumer electronics, shoes, and eye-wear
categories) currently support 3D content, allowing customers to evaluate products. Below
are general guidelines for creating 3D models compatible with TAGREE customer
experiences.

Note: Standards for more specific product categories can be found in the corresponding category
3D guides.

Important terms

 glTF/GLB: GL transmission format is an open source file format developed by the Khronos
Group for transferring 3D content.
o GLB is the binary form of the glTF file format. This is our recommended format.
o For information on the glTF specification, go to Khronos Group.
 FBX: Filmbox file format is an editable, Autodesk proprietary format for transferring 3D
content between software. Used and supported by 3D modeling programs including
Autodesk’s Maya and 3ds Max, as well as Blender, an open source 3D creation application.
 PBR: Physically Based Rendering is a method of rendering that provides a more realistic
representation of how light interacts with a 3D model. TAGREE recommends the
metal/roughness workflow for the creation of materials.
General guidelines for all 3D models are listed below:

 We accept assets in .GLB, .glTF, and .FBX file formats, along with their corresponding
supporting textures.
 3D models should be detailed and accurate, virtual representations of the real-world product
as shown on the detail page.
 The size and shape of each part of the model is proportional in relation to other parts.
 Model is in real-world-scale, meaning model dimensions match assembled product
dimensions. Inaccurate dimensions may cause delays in asset publication.
 3D models should be optimized to run efficiently in web viewers and augmented reality
environments. (For example: optimized geometry, textures, and materials). Note, we prefer
visual quality over low file size, so in the event that there are high and low poly versions
available, we prefer high.
 Models should be less than 150K triangles.
 We accept texture files in .PNG and .JPG format.
 Texture resolution should not be less than 2048 px x 2048 px, and no larger than 4096 px x
4096 px.

3D asset general technical requirements–geometry

and UV
3D models should be optimized to run efficiently in web viewers and augmented reality
environments. (For example: optimized geometry, textures, and materials). Below are
TAGREE’s base line technical requirements and guidance for an asset to be published.
Note: We prefer visual quality over low file size, so in the event that there are high and low poly
versions available, we prefer high.

Geometry

 In general, a model should not exceed 150K to 200K triangles (do not use quads for count).
o If Maya or other software containing a ‘smooth mesh preview’ feature was used, files
must not have ‘smooth mesh preview’ turned ON.
 .FBX models should be a single object, with all continuous geometry attached and all
intersecting meshes merged into a single object. Model is not grouped.
 Working units are in centimeters.
o For 3ds max this needs to be changed within "System Unit Setup", not the potentially
confusingly labeled "Display Units" which does not affect the actual scale of
geometry. Also, ensure that “Respect System Units” is checked.
 Underlying 3D Model is created primarily using Quads. Model contains no faces with more
than 4 sides (NGONs).
 Mesh must not contain animation key frames.
 Geometry does not create invalid triangles.
 Geometry does not create invalid edges.
 Geometry does not create invalid vertices.
 Geometry does not create lamina faces.
 Curvature must be fully modeled in, not represented by edge weighting or creasing.
 Intersecting geometry is ok as long as it displays realistically and as intended.
Topology

 Topology (flow and structure of vertices/edges/faces) of a 3D model should be well

organized. It is important that you maintain good, clean topology when building your 3D
models. Maintaining good topology will eliminate most of the mesh related errors.
 Create vertices only if it is necessary.
 Keep all faces quads, this will help eliminate artifacts such as pinching.
 Make all faces of the model as even-sized squares. And don’t create any random faces that
are too big or too small.
 Make sure the topology is well organized, and the flow and structure of your 3D model looks
good.
 Artifacts due to topology challenges could lead you to get a delay in model publication.
UV specifications

 UVs must all be within one texture atlas, meaning placed in the main coordinate space (0,1)
(Ref: 19 & 20).
 Model should not require double-sided textures or geometry. It is not supported.
 All shells must have a minimum padding of 6 pixels on all sides, 16 pixels padding distance
is recommended. Padding provides a safety net for UV shells that are close, preventing them
from overlapping when a texture is down-res'ed. However, for similar objects, texture UV can
be overlapped with no visible texture tiling.
 UV shells should be positioned logically, according to their position on the 3D model.
 UV shells should be oriented logically - with the top vertices of the 3D object at the top of the
UV shell in the UV editor. Same for the bottom, left, and right parts. Orientation can be
strategically rotated for texturing purposes when appropriate.
 UV shells should not be "flipped", as this can cause shading errors.
  UV shells should have the correct relative size and Texel density compared to other shells of
the same material, and all shells should be as close in size/density as possible.
 UV parts from clear glass or pure metals can be smaller when they don’t have specific detail.
 The UV cannot be stretched or curved.
 Seams created on places of seams on the original product preferred.
 All UV shells must be in single set as multiple UV sets are not supported.

3D asset general technical requirements–texture

and materials
3D models should be optimized to run efficiently in web viewers and augmented reality
environments. (For example: optimized geometry, textures, and materials). Below are
TAGREE’s base line technical requirements and guidance for an asset to be published.

Note: We prefer visual quality over low file size, so in the event that there are high and low poly
versions available, we prefer high.

Textures and materials

 Models should not require double-sided textures, and is not supported.

 Texture must include base color, metallic, roughness, and normal maps.
 Supporting textures (.PNG or .JPG) must be one texture per channel. It must be square and
power of two, with a final resolution of no larger than 4,096 pixels, and no smaller than 2,048
pixels, on all sides.
 All materials are PBR Metal-Rough.
Required maps:

o BaseColor map in RGB (texture_BaseColor.png) is required.

 Diffuse maps must contain an alpha channel in case of a partially transparent
object/surface. Transparency should be mapped in the alpha channel of the
above.
Note: Transparency should not be used to represent IOR materials like glass
or thick plastic/acrylic. Refer / follow the PBR next workflow.
o Metallic/metalness in linear (Greyscale) (texture_metal.png) is required.
o Roughness in linear (Greyscale) (texture_rough.png) is required.
o Normal in linear–RGB (texture_normal.png) is required.
o Sheen
 Sheen color in sRGB (texture_sheencolor.png) is required for velvet
material.
 Sheen roughness in linear (Greyscale) (texture_sheenroughness.png) is
required for velvet material’s shine.
o Transmission in linear (Greyscale) (texture_transmission.png) is required for Glass
and transparent materials.
o Opacity in linear (Greyscale) (texture_opacity.png). This is exported as a map for the
transparency value added to the Opacity channel.
o Height in linear (Greyscale) (texture_height.png). This is exported as a map if there
are any height value added to the Height channel
 o Clearcoat:
 Clearcoat color insRGB (texture_clearcoatcolor.png) is required for the
additional offset of shiny surface (color value)
 Clearcoat roughness in linear (Greyscale)
(texture_clearcoatroughness.png) is required for the additional offset of shiny
surface (shiny value)
o Occlusion in linear (Greyscale) (texture_occlusion.png) contains the lighting
information.
o Index of refraction in linear (Greyscale) (texture_ior.png) is required to specify the
reflection/refraction data.
o Thickness in linear (Greyscale) (texture_thickness.png) is required to specify the
thickness of the object

3D export guidelines
Regardless of the software used to create your 3D models, you have to export it to a file
format that is supported by TAGREE. Currently we support 3D models in GLB, glTF,
and .FBX. GLB files are the binary version of the glTF format, with mesh and textures
contains in a single file, versus the multiple files used with glTF.

If exporting to glTF

 Many 3D content creation applications have glTF exporters plug-ins, a list of which can be
found on the Khronos Group’s glTF-Generator-Registry
 The Khronos Group glTF-Validator tool can be used to check that files meet technical
requirements. https://github.khronos.org/glTF-Validator/
If exporting to FBX

 Ensure that file is Autodesk 2016/2017 compatible.

 We accept only FBX version >= 7.
 Animation is not selected.
 Outliner/layers need to be clean.
 Translation and rotation need to be frozen, zero.
 X, Y, Z Scale each need to be 1.
 Pivot is in correct alignment–See TAGREE alignment guide.
 Scene units are in centimeters.
 Export units are in centimeters.
 Supported textures

o Required maps and naming convention*
 BaseColor = “basecolor”
 Metallic = “metallic”
 Normal = “normal”
 Roughness = “roughness”

o Optional maps
 Opacity = “opacity”
 Height = “height”
  Transmission = “transmission”
 SheenColor = “sheencolor”
 SheenRoughness = “sheenroughness”
 Clearcoat = “clearcoatcolor”
 ClearcoatRoughness = “clearcoatroughness”
 Occlusion = “occlusion”
 IndexOfRefraction = “ior”
 Thickness = “thickness”
CAD export and conversion recommendations

 Remove any extra models and avoid including occluded (fully hidden) geometry on the
interior of the mesh that will not be visible when the model is rendered; this helps reduce the
file size and can improve rendering performance.
 When decimating a high-poly source model, consider decimating the individual parts
separately to help preserve silhouette critical details on small components like hardware nuts
and bolts.
 Label surfaces with material groups for the final visualization.
 Provide detailed reference imagery for final manufactured product design with your
submission

3D asset quality recommendations

Good 3D models make it easier for customers to evaluate a product. Models should be
detailed and accurate, providing a realistic, virtual representation of the real-world product,
as shown on the detail page. Important considerations for 3D models are:

 Color: TAGREE uses the ‘Primary’ image selected as the source of truth for color. If
supporting images, or product descriptions, conflict with the primary in a way that leads to a
belief that the ‘Primary’ may be inaccurate, asset publication may be delayed, or rejected.
 Shape: TAGREE uses the ‘Primary’ image selected as the source of truth for shape,
and additional reference images may be used as needed for areas which are not
visible in the ‘Primary’. In order to determine if a model meets TAGREE’s shape
standards, you must be able to answer “yes” to the following questions:

1. Are all elements of the ASIN which are visible from the outside of the product
represented in the model?
2. Are all elements of the ASIN which contribute to the silhouette of the product
modeled in?
3. Is the silhouette created by the model the same as the silhouette shown in the
reference imagery?
4. Is the level perfection/imperfection in the shape both realistic and accurate to the
reference imagery? (Wrinkling, unevenness, misalignment across seams, and
weathering.)
5. Are all supporting and aesthetic elements honest to the reference imagery?
 a. Static element = something that is unchangeable or fixed, could not be
moved without dismantling the product (screws, bolts, legs, buttons, and
handles.
b. Variable element = something that could be moved or adjusted, or could
change in location/shape due to styling or manufacturing (wrinkles, folds,
woodgrains, cracks, knots, tassels, pillow placement, weathering/intentional
damages.)
6. Does light fall over the surface of the model in the same way as shown in the
reference imagery (wrinkled vs. smooth surfaces, sharp vs. soft bevels, and steep vs.
shallow angles.)?
 Detail accuracy

Detail Accuracy refers to the honesty, correctness, and proper execution of a detail
element of an ASIN. All detail elements should be created as accurately as possible.
When working to understand Detail Accuracy consider a customer who is shopping
for a product and looks at the 3D model as the deciding factor. The customer may
look to the model's details to understand the product's overall quality, price point,
function, and aesthetic. It is important to consider whether or not choices made in the
modeling process could be misleading. In order to determine if a model meets
TAGREE’s detail accuracy standards, you must be able to answer “yes” to the
following questions:

1. Are there the correct number of each detail element?

2. Is the overall detail type accurate? ex. Philips head screw vs. hex screw, square vs.
diamond buttons, and piping vs. top-stitch.
3. Is the color and texture of the detail accurate?
4. If the element repeats is the type and execution consistent?
if there are stitches on the back and cushion of a couch are they the same
size and color throughout? If there are screws on the model are they all
modeled in and not half modeled and half drawn on?

5. Are the details honest?

For example: If a ‘Primary’ image shows less than "perfect" detailing, the
model detail should reflect the same level of perfection/imperfection. So, if a
tabletop is scratched to create a "weathered" look it should be scratched the
same amount and in a similar patterning as shown in the reference imagery.

6. Are all functional hardware elements, that can be seen in the ‘Primary’ image
(screws, nuts, bolts, buttons, hinges, latches, supports.) modeled in and of the
correct type?
 7. If a detail contributes to the silhouette of an ASIN, is it modeled in?

3D asset alignment specifications

It is important to properly align model meshes before uploading. Improper alignment will
cause issues to the customer experience, and will delay publication. Refer to the full 3D
imaging alignment guide for examples of each of the alignment types.

 All models are aligned to floor, wall, or ceiling. Model “front” is determined by the 3D imaging
alignment style guide, and all models must be aligned with model “front” faced toward
positive Z space.
 The ‘Up‘ world axis is positive Y.
 The mesh must be aligned in relation to worldspace 0,0,0 properly for its specific product
type alignment: "floor", "wall", "floor mirror", or "ceiling".
o Floor model alignment
 All floor-aligned models must rest on the Y=0 plane, with all geometry
extending into positive Y space.
 All floor-oriented models are centered at the base of the bottom surface in
both the X and Z Axes. The pivot point should be at 0,0,0.
o Ceiling model alignment
 All ceiling-oriented models exist at or below the Y=0 plane, with all geometry
extending into negative Y space.
 All ceiling-oriented models "hang" from the base of the top surface. The pivot
point should be at 0,0,0.
o Wall model alignment
 All wall-oriented models must have their “backside” aligned to the XY plane
(Z=0), all geometry extending into the positive Z space.
 All wall-oriented models are centered around the X and Y Axes, with the pivot
point at 0,0,0 in the center point of the back side surface.
o Floor mirror alignment
 All floor mirror models must have their “backside” aligned to the XY plane
(Z=0), all geometry extending into the positive Z space.
 Angle of inclination.

3D asset tools and resources

Links for tips and resources:

 Khronos group real-time asset creation guidelines.

 glTF 2.0 specifications.s
 Many 3D content creation software have glTF exporters, a list of which can be found on the
Khronos group’s glTF-generator-registry.
 The Khronos group glTF-Validator tool can be used to check that files meet technical
requirements.
 Though we are not providing the TAGREE viewer to preview 3D assets at this time, glTF
files can be drag and dropped into the Khronos sample viewer for an output nearly
indistinguishable from ours.
 Physical-based rendering information
o Covers the theory of physically-based rendering.
o Covers guidelines for creation of PBR materials.