Thread by @maydayfireball

HEY. Are you a 3D Vtuber / Aspiring Vtuber, looking for a model for your character ? Worried about getting ripped off or using things you aren't suppose to ?
Here's a (hopefully) helpful thread of information about 3D programs and commissions.

Before I start this, there is one important rule: If you feel like something is too good to be true, it probably is.

I'll touch more on this later, but if you feel like you've hit the jackpot in some way, that 'good fortune' might actually be misfortune in disguise.

The first thing I want to cover are 3D avatar programs.
There are some that allow you to make and export your own models for commercial purposes, while others can only be used in game. I'm going to touch on some of the big ones and outline their rules as best as I can.

1)VROID✅
Vroid is a fantastic program for beginners. It does have it's limitations with the clothing, but the faces you can make with it have a lot of variety.
It's a great starting point for Vtubers. And you can always get outfits commissioned for your characters down the line

Vroid also allows for commercial use ! This goes for Vtubers, streamers, and people making Vroid models as commissions.

All in All, a good choice. Trustworthy.
vroid.pixiv.help/hc/en-us/artic…

2) Custom Order Maid 3D2 (KISS) ⚠️
COM3D2 (and it's older versions) is an R18+ game where you can create your own Maid and "live out your fantasies" or whatever. We're not here for that stuff.
Can it be used for Vtuber stuff?
Well
Kind of.

COM3D2 actually has a built in Vtuber / Streamer feature. You create a character in the game, and then you can use that character in the Vtuber feature for streaming.
(info on the feature here oneangrygamer.net/2018/04/custom… )
HOWEVER
There are important things to note.

If you use COM3D2 for streaming, you have to follow these rules
- Must be 18+ Years old
- Must Own a legal copy of the game
- Must include the name of the game (Custom Order Mair 3D2) in the title of the video, the description, and in the video itself for at least 3 seconds.

^(Source) custommaid3d2.com/index.php?thre…

HOWEVER
This ONLY applies to when you use their Vtuber Feature.
RIPPING MODELS FROM THE GAME AND USING THEM IN OTHER PROGRAMS IS NOT ALLOWED.

My dear @kimikeiki actually emailed them to find this out for sure. The pictures are the original email as well as the translation of their response.

Inconclusion, you can only be a Vtuber in their app, and not with models taken from the game.

Basically, if someone offers or sells you a model, and credits KISS for any of the parts, that should be a red flag. By default, if the model is no longer in the program, it's breaking their terms of service and they could sue you for it.

3) Koikatsu 🚫
Koikatu is a "eroge high school simulation" with a 3D avatar creator. It's $50 on steam, and sports a wide selection of character options.

However, as far as I can tell, they've made it fairly clearly they do not want their models exported from the game -

and used for commercial purposes.
pixiv.net/en/artworks/82…

This means it's not an option for Vtubers. Please be careful not to purchase a model using parts from this game.

4) V-Katsu 🚫
V-Katsu is a VR avatar creator available on steam, that is basically the same as the Koikatsu, but for free and with less features.

Just like Koikatsu, they do not allow for their models to be ripped from the game or distributed.
vkatsu.jp/license/licens…

Granted, I cannot read japanese. But, roughly translated, the first two lines of "prohibited use" section are

- Analysis, extraction and modification of data in this product.
(Ripping)

- Redistribution of in-product data.
(distributing rips)

At this time, these four are the only 3D Avatar Maker programs I've been made aware of outside of literal modeling.

Others exist out there, I'm sure.

Curious if you're allowed to use a part / model ripped from a different game?
Here's my go-to rule:

"If the game doesn't have a built in export system, it's probably not legal.
If it does have a built in export system, find the terms of service and CHECK."

NEVER assume anything about copyright law.

Just.. Avoid game rips when doing Vtuber work in general, honestly

AND NOW...
MikuMikuDance, or MMD.

MMD Models, from my understanding, are very easy to convert into Vtubers, and vise versa.
That makes them very user friendly and adaptable.

But does that mean you should use them for Vtuber work?

The answer to that is a solid.. "Sometimes, it's okay to use them."

A large majority of MMD modelers don't allow their models to be used for Commercial Purposes. This includes popular styles like Tda, YYB, and Sour.
Models with parts / made from these cannot be used by Vtubers.

Nearly every model comes with it's own terms of use (usually a "ReadMe" file), and I honestly have never seen an MMD model that allowed commercial use.

If a model "doesn't have rules" or just says "have fun," but uses parts from anyone else, it's probably already illegal.

HOWEVER..
It is 100% possible to get MMD models commissioned for you. There are people out there (like my father @jjinomu ) who will create a full model of your character for you, for a price.

You'll need to talk to your modeler, but commercial use in this case should be okay.

Using myself as an example, I do commissions for clothing and hair exclusively. Those parts may then be used on a legal body / head (such as a Vroid body) and used as a Vtuber, because I release the rights for the model to the person commissioning me.

If someone is offering to "edit" an MMD model for you, this should be a red flag automatically.
Unless they're modeling it themselves, or getting it commissioned, they won't have the rights to the model. This means it could still have a "No Commercial Use" law.

So the big question: How do I know I'm making a bad deal for a model ?

Unfortunately there's no magic answer for that. The 3D commission scene is all over the place right now in terms of prices, so all I can offer is a few tips.

1) If it's a "full model" commission, expect it to be EXPENSIVE.
Full models take a lot of time and effort, even for those who can work quickly. They have to create a full mesh, map it, texture it, rig it, add physics, and add expressions.

that's a LOT of work.

Expect a full model to at LEAST be a couple hundred USD.
If it's not at least that much, they're either underselling themselves (which does happen, unfortunately), or they're not really selling what they say they're selling.

Someone is offering a full model for free? RUN AWAY.

2) Look out for keywords like "edit" or "put together."
While not always the case, these can mean the person offering the commission will be taking parts from existing models and "creating" a model from these.

In the JP community, this is known as frankensteining a model.

While Frankenstein models are common and not necessarily illegal in the Mikumikudance community, if you add money into the situation, it becomes illegal.

3) LOOK FOR WORK IN PROGRESS PICTURES !!
Now, not every modeler is public with their wips, but a lot are. If they're not, then it's not impolite to ask for some. All you're doing is reassuring yourself that they're legit.

Also... a fully completed and textured model loaded into a 3D program like Meta or Blender isn't a work in progress.. it really doesn't count..

4) Vroid commissions most likely are not going to be as expensive as Full Body model commissions.
Generally, I see them going for 40USD to 100USD, only increasing if the person offering them does a lot of work out of program or offers unique looking styles.

If a Vroid commission starts out in the 200-300USD range, and it's all work done IN Vroid.. something isn't really adding up there, and you can most likely find a better deal else where.