Add 3D Content to your Puzzles

We are all used to viewing all the great photos on IPDb, which to a high degree makes IPDb such a pleasure to browse. Now we have added a new option to display 3D content.

In most cases, this will be a 3D model of the box, but it could also be a 3D scan of a 3D puzzle, showing the true nature of such a puzzle.

IPDb does not offer the tools to create 3D models but relies on other programs to create the 3D models for the IPDb  App to display. See below.

Adding a 3D model is done from the edit dialogue.

This will pop up as a dialogue where you select a GLB file commonly available in 3D applications.

Your models will be visible to all users from the puzzle detail screen.

3DboxME is an online tool to create 3D models of square boxes, well-suited for most puzzle boxes, and created by the same people who provide IPDb.

Use it from your browser from the URL: https://3dboxme.raketten.net. Follow the link or type it into your browser address bar.

To create a 3D model of a puzzle box, we need an image of the 6 faces of the box. The front, left, back, right, top and bottom faces. The process for each face is the same and consists of 2 steps. 

ACQUIRE THE IMAGE
You can acquire an image either by using your built-in camera or by selecting a file of a photo, already taken. 

CROP THE IMAGE

To ensure a perfect result, cropping the image is done in a special way, where each of the 4 corners are selected individually. Do not mind that the image is not 100% straight, the app will adjust for that.

The orientation of the image is important, so if the photo does not match, make sure that you use the rotation buttons in the lower-right corner.

Press PLAY to watch the process

If you use 3DboxME on a touch screen it is wise to first tap the handle you want to move - it will become orange - then offset your finger and operate the handle from there.

For further information regarding 3DboxME, please contact: [email protected].