Now that 3D is in our scope, let's decide which aspects are on topic

Question

Prerequisite reading material: Do we still feel like 3D questions are out of scope here?

We should be a little more explicit about what kinds of 3D questions will be allowed. I think @stephencosh had a good thought on that:

I think 3D questions that relate to graphic design should be allowed, but I think 3D questions that relate to animation and movies etc should not be allowed.

It wouldn't hurt to re-open some of the 3D questions that were closed for being off-topic. Here's a list of all closed 3d or blender questions, but they don't all necessarily all need to be re-opened. We can apply our criteria to these questions.

Since there are only (as of this writing) 29 on that list, I'll just itemize and categorize them here:

Decent

• ✓ How to import .obj files into Maya 2011
• ✓ 3D tools to create icons
• ✓ With what software I can create 3d expo booth designs
• ✓ How can I 'smooth' that?
• How to make a 2D normal map from a non orthogonal view in Cinema 4D
• Best free program to view 3D models in Collada format?
• SketchUp: Changing a Follow-Me shape after the fact
• What 3d converter can handle .iges, .step, .sat, .dwg, .gdl? - Better for superuser?
• Convert files into XGL - Better for superuser?
• ✓ Creating Wireframes in Blender 3D
• Blender: projecting an image via a spotlight onto a plane
• Blender - how are points and paths imported from svg different from points and paths created in Blender?
• Blender - displacement of a repeated mesh over another single mesh

Needs Improvement

• 3D car models freely available - Too localized
• How can I easily create a 3D figure that looks like a human? - Kinda broad
• Bright spots while rendering - Too localized, probably hopeless
• ✓ How to get a 3D unique human face model as .obj file - Kinda localized but not too bad (edited)

Hopeless

• Does long-time rendering damage CPU? - Better suited for SuperUser
• Why 3d redering, even for basic text, is so slow in photoshop and other programs when today's games can do that very easily - Not about design
• Blur function from focusing - Probably better for SO
• How to spread a video out in Blender - Animation
• Creating a 3D image from 2D shape - Not enough info from OP
• Blender 3D design - Too broad
• Milkshape textures - Too localized, not enough info from OP
• I installed the extended version of adobe photoshop cs6 and 3d options dont show up - Better for superuser
• 3D Max generate objects from animation frames, copy frames to viewport - Animation
• Blender Cycles and OpenCL - Better for superuser
• Network rendering in blender really slow? - Better for superuser
• Where can I find tutorial for Blender? - Way too broad

Now, before you crucify me and tell me how wrong I am, please note this is just an initial suggestion. Feel free to weigh in!

Answer 1

Excellent list, John. You've done an amazing job.

I think most of these (specially in the decent list) should definitely be re-opened, so I'll start with that. As you mentioned, we should go little by little so we don't overwhelm the site with 3D.

Something we also talked about in chat and would like to mention here is that I'd be pleased to add bounties to the questions that could use some attention. Once we have some more things going on we can invite the people from the old 3D proposal :)

I've created a post in the CG proposal inviting people to give us a hand / join GD.SE.

Answer 2

I'll echo Yisela here: thank you for an excellent compilation. It helps greatly to see a collection of these questions in one place.

Here's what I think it boils down to:

• Many of the questions (especially on your "Hopeless" list) are just bad questions. It wouldn't matter what the topic was.

• Others are LMGTFY invitations, not enough effort (like doing a decent tutorial or reading the Help file), or technical support questions better handled on SU or by an actual tech support request.

• A few are legitimate questions that relate to 3D design and its tools. The first four on your "Decent" list are undeniably graphic design questions.

This is a great resource to push the discussion forward.