Free 3D model sites

[John.d.h]

I've been searching for sites that have 3d models for free download, and I've found a lot of them, but most have terms that either forbid commercial usage or derivative works (thereby making them incompatible with the GNU General Public License) or their usage terms are incredibly vague, confusing, or contradictory.  One I have found that MAY be very good is the Google 3D warehouse, but I need clarification of their terms.  Their terms of service are hard to understand and seem to contradict themselves, but if somebody could clarify the following few lines, then we'll know:

Google claims no ownership or control over any Content submitted, posted or displayed by you on or through the 3D Warehouse. You or a third party licensor, as appropriate, retain all patent, trademark and copyright to any Content you submit, post or display on or through the 3D Warehouse and you are responsible for protecting those rights, as appropriate. By submitting, posting or displaying Content through the 3D Warehouse, you grant Google and its end users a worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive, perpetual license to exercise the rights in the Content, as stated below:

   1. to reproduce the Content;
   2. to create and reproduce derivative works of the Content;
   3. to display publicly and distribute copies of the Content;
   4. to display publicly and distribute copies of derivative works of the content.

Furthermore, for the avoidance of doubt, Google reserves, and you grant Google, the right to syndicate Content submitted, posted or displayed by you on or through the 3D Warehouse and use that Content in connection with any of the services offered by Google.  Notwithstanding the above, end users may not aggregate the Content obtained from the 3D Warehouse for redistribution, and may not use or distribute Content obtained from the 3D Warehouse in a mapping or geographic application or service without Google’s prior authorization.

Points 1-4 suggest that we can use anything posted on 3D Warehouse for our own purposes, but "end users may not aggregate the Content obtained from the 3D Warehouse for redistribution" is very unclear to me.

If it's okay to use these models, then this will be a big benefit.  They're all in *.skp format, but can easily be converted with Google SketchUp (it's free) into a usable format in just a couple steps.

[hailstone]

but "end users may not aggregate the Content obtained from the 3D Warehouse for redistribution" is very unclear to me.

I think this is saying don't download models just for the sake of distributing them. In other words, "don't try to replace the service we give".

[Hectate]

Yes, the term aggregate is the same as in the context of "news aggregation", the act of collecting from a variety of sources to make available in a single repository.
So as long as the goal is to actual use them for content, as apposed to collect them for redistribution, we are fine.

[John.d.h]

Suh-weet!  Looks like I've already got my lioness and dire wolf models taken care of.

How to use these models: Open them with Google SketchUp, export them as a *.kmz, locate the file and change the extension from .kmz to .zip, open the zip, and locate the *.dae file in the models folder.  This *.dae can be imported with Blender's Collada importer.

PS: This is also the thread to share any other free 3D model sites that we can use.

[titi]

Yes, the term aggregate is the same as in the context of "news aggregation", the act of collecting from a variety of sources to make available in a single repository.
So as long as the goal is to actual use them for content, as apposed to collect them for redistribution, we are fine.

Yes this is right but this is the problem too!
It's not compatible with the GPL and most other free licenses, because anyone else can take models from our mod and make a collection of it. Then someone will get in trouble!
Thats the reason why so many "free" download sites are not so free in the end.
You only can make commercial stuff from their content, but nothing free, which allows usage of the models in something else.

There are lots of informative and good discussions concerning licenses and free gaming here:
http://forum.freegamedev.net/index.php?t=thread&frm_id=46&S=c9b8b0ea5dc71fb6cc52f8b8214912b6

[Hectate]

Well I haven't read the entire license, only what is listed above, but it seems to me that you're looking too far into it. Here's my breakdown...

Google claims no ownership or control over any Content submitted, posted or displayed by you on or through the 3D Warehouse. You or a third party licensor, as appropriate, retain all patent, trademark and copyright to any Content you submit, post or display on or through the 3D Warehouse and you are responsible for protecting those rights, as appropriate.

Anybody that creates something or purchases it from a creator is the owner. Google is not interested in actually owning the content, or protecting the owners rights.

By submitting, posting or displaying Content through the 3D Warehouse, you grant Google and its end users a worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive, perpetual license to exercise the rights in the Content, as stated below:

However, by submitting the creation to their 3D warehouse, Google and all their users get an irrevocable license (not ownership) to do the following...

1. to reproduce the Content;
2. to create and reproduce derivative works of the Content;
3. to display publicly and distribute copies of the Content;
4. to display publicly and distribute copies of derivative works of the content.

1. allows the re-production (to create again) of the creation
2. allows the production and re-production of a derivative work
3. allows the display (so you can show what your "product" includes) and distribution (so you can include it with the "product")
4. allows the same as above for any derivative work as well.

Furthermore, for the avoidance of doubt, Google reserves, and you grant Google, the right to syndicate Content submitted, posted or displayed by you on or through the 3D Warehouse and use that Content in connection with any of the services offered by Google.

Google specifically takes additional rights here (just so there is no uncertainty that they are allowed to do it), but these are not given to the end users as well. They merely reserve the right to use the creation in their other products.

Notwithstanding the above, end users may not aggregate the Content obtained from the 3D Warehouse for redistribution, and may not use or distribute Content obtained from the 3D Warehouse in a mapping or geographic application or service without Google’s prior authorization.

And finally, as previously mentioned, this just is a restriction to the end users to give them legal recourse should somebody choose to compete with google with a similar collection - and try to get a head-start by getting everything from the 3D warehouse.

The rights passed on to our users are to re-produce, derive, and distribute - not to aggregate. As a result, yes, somebody would get in trouble, but it shouldn't be us.

But I can understand if you are hesitant.

[assassin]

So, to sum it up, the models could be used by us as long as we used them properly or changed them in some way.
As long as we show where the models were originally obtained (to show that we are not "aggregating the content") we should be fine I think.
If in real dought, someone could send a message to google.

[John.d.h]

So basically, if we use anything that's licensed with a "do not aggregate" clause, whatever license we use that includes that content also has to include a "do not aggregate" clause, correct?  I think that rules out GPL and a lot of other licenses, but I'm personally not a big fan of the GPL (I think it's overly ambiguous about some points, among other things) so what other licenses would be possible?  Could we even do something like, "This is licensed under the [insert license here] with the exception that the content cannot be aggregated for redistribution or use in mapping/geographical applications or services without authorization of Google."?

[silnarm]

... Could we even do something like, "This is licensed under the [insert license here] with the exception that the content cannot be aggregated for redistribution or ...

Your product, your choice.  You most certainly can release under a 'standard' license with 'exclusions' that suit you, this is precisely what Ogre3D does for example, it's licensed under the LGPL with exclusions so that if you actually change anything you must make your changes available.
Here's how they handled that,
http://www.ogre3d.org/licensing

Personally I agree with titi's view, you should try to keep it 'free' free, if possible.

[John.d.h]

Personally I agree with titi's view, you should try to keep it 'free' free, if possible.

You probably do have a point there.  I mean, people are a lot more likely to use something that's licensed under a standard license like the GPL than one with extra restrictions, and it's all about sharing anyway.

[Omega]

Wow, never even realized that google sketch up models could be used. I've had sketch up on my PC for a LONG time, but never had a way to use the models. Is there a way to contact the author of the model? By simply asking for permission, you can use the model (it IS there work after all) and what kind of person doesn't let there model be used after distributing it for free???

[John.d.h]

Wow, never even realized that google sketch up models could be used. I've had sketch up on my PC for a LONG time, but never had a way to use the models.

It's been a little hit-or-miss for me, but almost all of my building models were imported from AutoCAD through SketchUP.

Is there a way to contact the author of the model? By simply asking for permission, you can use the model (it IS there work after all) and what kind of person doesn't let there model be used after distributing it for free???

I didn't think there was, but since you mentioned it, I went back and checked and apparently you can!  I think you need to have an account with Google (i.e. gmail or the like), though.

[Omega]

have an account with Google (i.e. gmail or the like), though.

Mmm, so? Gmail is the BEST email service ever. I don't like hotmail, and most email services offered by ISP's will never match the brute power of GMAIL!

That's right: gmail pride!