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Miniatures Adventure => Future Wars => Topic started by: Prof.Witchheimer on 04 May 2007, 07:10:27 AM
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http://3d-miniatures.com/tiki-view_blog.php?blogId=1
The new era of miniatures making is beginning. Computer modeled Aliens. Not sure if I like the fact they aren't true hand-made sculpts.
the pics:
http://www.3d-miniatures.com/tiki-browse_image.php?galleryId=1&sort_mode=created_desc&imageId=7
http://www.3d-miniatures.com/tiki-browse_image.php?galleryId=1&sort_mode=created_desc&imageId=8
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Designed on a PC? I don't know what to think of it...
The aliens look OK, nothing special. A bit like Tau from GW.
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That is amazing!
I remember visiting the BMW Research centre in Munich about 10 years ago. They showed me a machine where you can design a car part on the computer, and immediately, a full-size 3D plastic model is created from a vat of liquid plastic sitting next to the computer. My first thought was "model soldiers"!!
This technology must have advanced since then, and will only get cheaper. Bigger miniature companies will start using it since it will be cheaper and faster than hiring a sculptor. As the price of the machinery and software goes down, even smaller companies will start to get it.
In this case, the creativity will no longer be in the sculpting, but in the figure drawing and computer area.
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I've been following their progress. I would think about another 5 years before the technology is there to create miniatures with the quality of a hand-crafted sculpt.
Their master still came out with some striations because the process adds layers on successive passes. They were minimal, but once that is perfected, you'll see a lot more computer sculptors.
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an increasing number of GW plastic kits are done by computer now. I think the skull pass stuff is. I recall the tyranid big tank monster also (forgot the name)
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The carnifex. That was the one that got them in the trade publications.
The kind of digital sculpting-to-production that GW is doing is tremendously expensive. I think they're the only people who can afford it right now. Okay, Zafarelli did it with the tank, but he's Efficient and Teutonic. Yes, everything stays in the computer, but that doesn't mean it's cheap.
It takes time to "sculpt" the original figure digitally--probably not a lot faster than doing it with greenstuff, though you can make master copies of things (bolters, heads, helmets, whatever) and not have to worry about casting up the parts. Then you have to disassemble the model so that you can cast it up.
The tricky part is getting from a virtual sprue to a carved injection mould. Now you have to take your CAD file and convert it into a Computer Aided Machining file (CAM). What the CAM file has are a bunch of instructions for the milling machine to make passes at the mould blank. There are algorithms you can set up that will automatically generate the CAM file, but I believe the preferred method is still to build the path instructions manually. This takes time and some skills as a CAD Monkey, because if you screw up on this step, you're out the time, the mould blank (which are CRAZY expensive) and the test run.
I also understand that GW subleases their CAM machine to other companies in order to pay back some of its cost. That's telling, that GW can't generate enough business on their own to make the system profitable.
3-D rapid prototyping is pretty cool, but the resolutions will have to get a lot better (and MUCH cheaper) before it'll completely replace hand sculpting. There are still some things that people do better and more cheaply than machines.
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With all its faults, I like the miniatures on demand component that will eventually be possible. If I were a young scultor who planned to be in the industry for the next 10-15 years, I would start to look into computer modelling classes. My take anyway.
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That kind of stuff always looks like crap.
IIRC the base of the GW plastic giant was completely computer designed and they were so proud of it when they wrote about it in White Dwarf. The base was just rough land with a broken cartwheel on it. The funny thing is, with a piece of cardboard, sand, glue and a cartwheel everybody could build a better looking base!
And this aliens here look like really bad casts, they're so flat... I mean, they have no clear details. The harness melts into their suit, the wrinkles on their suits are looking odd...
I think even a not so good sculptor could do better minis.
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Meh, they're alright. If it lowers the cost of dosigning minis, that means more and cheaper minis. Highr end stuff can remain handmade, till the tech catches up - and then we'll just see both for a long while.
Tech happens.
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In this case, the creativity will no longer be in the sculpting, but in the figure drawing and computer area.
If it will be possible to sculpt minis by machines one day in a cheaper and better way than by hand, why then shouldn't machines by able to also paint them better, cheaper, quicker? This idea makes me tremble with fear....
BTW: 'German efficiency' won't be worth a dime anymore!!! :wink:
Gruß,
Hagen
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Maybe someday computers are even able to carry out miniature wargames much faster, with less rule-arguments and less wifes complaining what you're doing the whole day in the basement, than men ever could.
That would be awesome.
Just think about all the free time you'd have then for you hobbies.
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If it lowers the cost of dosigning minis, that means more and cheaper minis.
No, the manufactureres will just make more profit.
BUT
everybody look at this:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/07/technology/07copy.html
This company will produce a 3D PRINTER "for under $2,000 in three to five years".
Expensive you may think, but look how much a CD burner cost a few years ago and how much it costs now.
I imagine a future where people are sharing the digital "plans" for miniatures online, like they're doing it today with music, movies or computer games.
Now think about what this would mean for the hobby industry.
Sounds a bit scary, huh?
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I read the same article. However, if you look at the "output" you will see there is no danger to the sculptors at the moment. It had almost no detail and looked "pitted." Even the 3D ones shown at the blog above, have the layering showing through on the final miniatures.
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at the moment.
Right. At the moment this is all sci-fi, like the aliens from the initial posting. This thing's the cheapest, worst 3d-printer you can get now. At the moment.
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The designer of those minis posted a link to his blog some time ago over on the Alpha Forge site:
http://3d-miniature.blogspot.com/
Pretty interesting.
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3 things just occured to me:
- People still won't have time to sculpt nicely detailed figs on the computer. So they might still buy nicely designed computer sculpts in software format from talented sculptors. Just that you can "print" as many figs as you need from home.
- Some enterprising person might decide to design a software that provides some basic figure poses, with drag and click uniforms and equipment - to raise fast armies!
- Horror of horrors! One day the "printing" will also be in full colour!! What will happen to figure painting then!?!!
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The kind of digital sculpting-to-production that GW is doing is tremendously expensive. I think they're the only people who can afford it right now.
I wonder if they CAN afford it? Sales are dropping and they are closing stores all over the place. Seems like they afre taking quite a risk investing in expensive machinery while the primarely young smell-like-socks teenage lad customer find it harder and harder to press mum and dad for £20 for a box of plastic gnomes.
Here's one of the quotes I read:
From todays 'LondonLite' (a free paper given out in the city) business section:
"Games Workshop...delivered yet another blow to its army of long suffering shareholders today with its second profit warning this year. The company...will now shut 35 loss-making stores and axe 10% of its staff. Various back-office functions will be combined in a move it is hoped will save £7 million a year.
Chief executive John Kirby warned in January that Christmas sales had failed to make up for a weak summer. Games Workshop shares...as high as 410p before that statement, today fell 87.5p to 240p."
Anyway, I think we are seeing just the first passes on this in this particular industry. As with everything else it will get cheaper and smaller and soon the art is all in the design. Hell, I just purchased a home metal etching kit for $100 from MicroMart. 10 years from now I can probably buy a home miniature making kit. 8)
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3 things just occured to me:
- People still won't have time to sculpt nicely detailed figs on the computer. So they might still buy nicely designed computer sculpts in software format from talented sculptors. Just that you can "print" as many figs as you need from home.
There will be high quality 3D-scanners (of course :wink: ): so you could dress up yourself in some pulpy outfit, scan yourself, resize the image to 28mm-scale (resize your muscles and things to 40mm-scale if you prefer) and print the whole thing on a 3d printer (copy shops will supply all those equipment of course).
Then we could exchange the image files of our 28mm-alter egos (with enlarged muscles...) ... And everybody can play with Grimm (even whole armies of Grimms!) and Witchheimers and Richs and .....
Gruß, Hagen
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... And everybody can play with Grimm (even whole armies of Grimms!) and Witchheimers and Richs and .....
That's just SCARY! :o
A whole army of me, Grimm, and the Professor. Throw in a few Petes, Polynikes, and a few others and you'd have the making of a pretty inept fighting force. :lol:
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3 things just occured to me:
- People still won't have time to sculpt nicely detailed figs on the computer. So they might still buy nicely designed computer sculpts in software format from talented sculptors. Just that you can "print" as many figs as you need from home.
You shouldn't forget, the kids today are better in handling mouse and keyboard than brush or a sculpting tool.
And you shouldn't underrate the criminal potential...
Like I already said, it's the same with mp3s, why should people BUY something online when they can exchange the files for free? Or why do you think GW isn't selling the Warhammer rule- and army books online? They know what would happen.