Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => Pikes, Muskets and Flouncy Shirts => Topic started by: Timbor on 08 July 2014, 05:27:47 AM
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https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/renaissanceminiature/ships-pirates-and-wildwest-terrain-for-28mm-gamers?ref=nav_search
I have been waiting to see how this project would look, and it just launched today. I am pretty impressed, these folk seem to be steadily improving in their offerings for mdf terrain. Could be an easy way to start a pirate village, especially with the new Osprey game coming out.
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I'm afraid I'm going to be brutely honest now and say they are awful, especially the ships :-X
And this statement...
There are Norman Churches all over the English-speaking world - and there are many of them in the Caribbean.
Really made me puzzled, I never knew the Normans were so well travelled o_o
I'm sure there is a market for these but an awful lot of it just seems to be using the laser because they can; I mean, a laser cut treasure chest...
cheers
James
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It is the 'joins' that really bug me.
It makes the whole set-up look like a giant jigsaw puzzle.
Not for me.
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Not impressed, there are a couple of nice bits but the ships aren't good and the small boats look awful. The native huts...... *shakes head*
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It is the 'joins' that really bug me.
It makes the whole set-up look like a giant jigsaw puzzle.
Not for me.
Yep, Jigsaw puzzle sums up MDF kits for me.
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There are clear limits to the utility of MDF and a laser cutter
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I think the company has products which have charm, but in a kind of disney/lego fashion. I wouldn't hesitate to play on the table they have set up there. I see very little historical accuracy but I'm okay with that. However, for the money it would appear better products are available.
I do think one of their main problems regarding the joins is that most of their stuff is modular. This is great, but you'll definitely be suffering when it comes to the overall look. As much as I don't particularly love any of the specific kits I think I'd enjoy playing on their table. I suppose as a gamer who sees miserable awful terrain at every convention I go to, I'd gladly see this stuff in place of some of that.
My personal money will end up somewhere else though.
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As much as I don't particularly love any of the specific kits I think I'd enjoy playing on their table. I suppose as a gamer who sees miserable awful terrain at every convention I go to, I'd gladly see this stuff in place of some of that.
Totally agree. They're unlikely to get my money but if someone had them I wouldn't walk away in disgust, flat felt tables I'm looking at you!
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I agree with the statement that these MDF kits are not cheap enough to make them the better alternative vs. resin or platic kits.
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There was entire Warmachine tournament run that way at a convention I attended (with, of course, unpainted models galore). Seriously just squares of felt "this is a bunker...this is a pond...this is a trench..."...
While the idea of a Pirate table swims in my head occasionally I have considered going rather absurd (ie. a crazy table) so some of this stuff aaaalmost appeals to me. Almost.
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These models sum up for me the problem with MDF... The 'jigsaw' joints, the flat planes failing to convincingly represent curved surfaces, the essential lack of surface relief.
One or two items look really good - the crane for instance, looks perfect, because its mini 'timber' construction represents a life sized timber construction really well. What's not to like?
But for the ships and buildings... ::)
Some of the designs of the buildings are great. I like the shapes and the graphics. I just dislike the medium and the result it gives. They are representations, yes, but they look about as much like 'real' buildings as Meccano or Lego constructions look like real cars, trains or aeroplanes. The limitations of the media completely overwhelm the message.
But then I feel the same way about almost all the MDF buildings that have emerged over the last couple of years. This batch just seems to exhibit the frailties of the form in quite an extreme way... :?
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For the price, I'll stick to foamcore buildings, and scratch built ships. Easier on the pocketbook.
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Nice pieces but not for me overall. The square finish of the MDF sometimes scares me off although there are a few pieces I would look at....it did remind me I need a fountain for my build though..........
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If I had them I'd be glueing them, then sanding down the joins and painting the whole thing. If someone just wanted them as gaming pieces and weren't too bothered about the aesthetics, I can see the appeal of having them useable 'straight from the box'. Maybe that's why they chose pirate themed stuff instead of more 'historical' (if you get my drift) stuff.
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It is the 'joins' that really bug me.
It makes the whole set-up look like a giant jigsaw puzzle.
Not for me.
Quite, it's what kept me off laser cut for ages. More joints and tabs than Glastonbury.
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Yep, Jigsaw puzzle sums up MDF kits for me.
There are some nicer kits out there that dont look like Jigsaws but there are a lot of MDF kits that do look just too artificial and jigsaw like and these certainly fit into that description.
As others have said I wouldn't buy these myself but I imagine they could be fun to play on.
4 grounds buildings seem to do a decent job of hiding the joins in their MDF stuff.
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I like laser dream works, they even have the same barque "la belle". Cheaper too.
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I like laser dream works, they even have the same barque "la belle". Cheaper too.
I love my Laser Dream Works ships.
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I like the treadmill crane.
Hate the pub sign.
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If I had them I'd be glueing them, then sanding down the joins and painting the whole thing.
Me too.
And filling any extra gaps with GS,
I quite like the tavern and the admin building but wouldn't fork out that much for them.
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Is this the same company that did the Asian terrain? Has anyone from that kickstarter gotten their stuff yet?
Also, if this is supposed to be for Renaissance pirates, why is the only large ship they are doing the HMS surprise?
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I don't know.... apart of the jigsaw puzzle (which for me is a pain to see, being a building sculptor!) the overall look gives me a good feeling. But yes, that's a toy city, that seems coming out from Disneyland. I like the non-historical look, and i could see it as a TERRIFIC gift for a young wargamer... the point is that it's not that cheap! If you would go for resin models the whole table could cost two times more maximum! Which sure is some money, but it's not enough to justify the obstrusive use of laser-cuts!
Cheers
Jack
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Is this the same company that did the Asian terrain?
It is and I still feel ill when I look at it :-X :-X
cheers
James
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Is this the same company that did the Asian terrain? Has anyone from that kickstarter gotten their stuff yet?
Also, if this is supposed to be for Renaissance pirates, why is the only large ship they are doing the HMS surprise?
All 240-odd backers have their stuff.
"Renaissance Miniatures" is the name of the company - "renaissance" means "rebirth" not just a period in history. They clearly state that the pirate series spans a wide range of time.
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And this statement...
There are Norman Churches all over the English-speaking world - and there are many of them in the Caribbean.
Really made me puzzled, I never knew the Normans were so well travelled o_o
Norman churches aren't made by the Normans any more than Victorian houses are made by Queen Victoria. It's a style of church. St Micheals in Barbados is a classic example of a Norman Church and it dates back to the 1700's - so it's perfectly in scope, both in time and place...there are MANY Norman Churches in the Caribbean due to the British influence there.
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Maybe they should say 'Norman style' then instead of the misleading statement that it is.
Victorian house were made in the Victorian period the same as Norman churches were made in the Norman conquest period (and a little after).
I'm not getting into a protracted debate about it. In my opinion the product is awful, expensive and not as well thought out as it could've been :-I
cheers
James
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Norman churches aren't made by the Normans any more than Victorian houses are made by Queen Victoria. It's a style of church. St Micheals in Barbados is a classic example of a Norman Church and it dates back to the 1700's - so it's perfectly in scope, both in time and place...there are MANY Norman Churches in the Caribbean due to the British influence there.
'Norman Church' is referring to an architectural style, like a 'Georgian Mansion'. :D
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Hi all,
I found this thread because of the KickStarter, I'm not up to date on modeling skill levels of posters here or what you all find useful in terrain pieces. But I do have a bunch of the kits, mostly from the Village KickStarter so I thought I'd offer where I think they work best. I also have 4Ground, Flying Tricycle and some handmade stuff.
Most obvious thing is the puzzle piece construction. If you're building a museum display piece then it's a distraction. If it's gaming terrain where you want to repeatedly change building shapes, then big plus. For RPG gaming, I can set up a single or multi level building, maybe throw on a burned out upper level and rooftop for that session, and not need a specific model just for that encounter. Can also throw a stone wall into a wooden room etc. I wouldn't say Lego like, but I get the comparison. Modularity is the main advantage of these over other laser cut terrain imo. 4Ground makes great looking buildings that break down into sections but they aren't easily recycled into something completely different unless I use my RM Village kit pieces. So I use both.
Right now everything is 90 degree grid based, hopefully they'll make a 45 degree room section soon.
The generic look helps when combining different kits together, ie. fishing docks can become open deck patios, catwalks etc. and still retain similar color and feel but on the flip side of that unity is lack of organic "realism". I ended up making my own street signs, torches, foliage etc. to help soften the look of everything.
I guess there is no way around the puzzle aspect. I like that I can take the floor out and have an exact 2d pattern with no walls, next to a 3d building with the same floor plan, but if the interlocking puzzle look is offensive then any utility is probably lost because most everything is interchangeable.
and for price, obviously I bought them. The wooden structures look great and the paint jobs are clean. If someone hasn't got the skills or time to create a town from scratch these models are quick and easy, and look really good together. I'll try and check back if anyone is interested in the product. I'm not affiliated with Renaissance Miniatures. I'm just backing the KickStarter and more backers is always better. Cheers.
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Not heard of Flying Tricycle before.
Which side of the pond are they based?
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Flying Tricycle is an old and now defunct company. I don' believe they produce anything any more. I got one of their kits from a guy at a convention (for free actually). I think it was late 90's. Laser-cut wood. Nice kit, way too many piece, but it was reasonable. Not on part with today's stuff so much.
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Yeah, Flying Tricycle is gone now. From the U.S. and one of the first laser cut outfits.
The look matches fine with other laser cut models but Elbows is right that new modern terrain is better. Flying Tricycle made about a dozen buildings and some nice gold leaf Magic the Gathering dials.
@Elbows: if you still have it and want to sell let me know.
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I just checked out the video for this Kickstarter and was impressed with the big ship. Its not very accurate, but it sure looks like fun to play on. Considering how many converted Playmobile toy Pirate Ships I've seen at cons, this is a damn good alternative. It's a great way to get a large ship into your RPG game. In the video they keep using the word "play". I think that's a really good way to look at it.
Now if only I had the money, because the one complaint I will agree with is the damn thing is expensive.
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Magic,
Sorry - the kit was an incomplete Sheriff's office. I ended up building it and scratch-building the missing stuff. However I then shifted to mostly 4Ground stuff and sold it off on ebay. Sorry! It was a nice little kit indeed though. I think their main "thing" was Mordheim buildings etc?
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no worries. I mainly game medieval and earlier, so that works out.
right now I'm looking at the treadmill crane and Large dock set from this KickStarter. and I'm also looking forward to the Tabletop Workshop Castle.
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As mentioned, Flying Tricycle made Mordheim-like terrain. I always liked this piece:
(http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2011/10/30/289139_md-Mordheim,%20Terrain.JPG)
and thought it would be perfect for a Three Musketeers game.
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Cool that you found a picture. I have a non "ruined" version of that model, it works great as a portal to pass through city walls.
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Since the actual company behind this KS didn'T post this thread, I hope it's ok if I provide this tiny bit of news from a competitor.
North Star Figures has designed a laser-cut ship for boarding actions that is closer to what a real ship looks like, although I'm not sure about the angle of the hull, and it's obviously not meant for moving around on the tabletop but rather in lieu of a 2D skirmish floorplan. These are supposed to come out coming tuesday.
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VOnNCg_4PHg/U8wFm1lhuGI/AAAAAAAAiKk/ZVi8JJH7cIc/s1600/10525862_866951806667056_3278513800646363095_n.jpg)
Original TMP thread:
http://theminiaturespage.com/boards/msg.mv?id=353569
Announcement Tweet:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=866951806667056
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Hey, those look pretty good. As usual, price point is the important factor.
I started this thread, mostly to mention I find the quality of this stuff is improving compared to the company's first offerings, but I would agree that for the most part, much of it is far inferior to resin products and for only minimal cost savings.
Every time I have seen the renaissance miniatures stuff, I am impressed at first, and then I stop to look more closely. Then I look at the price. That usually ends it for me right there.
Hopefully the northstar stuff will be more reasonably priced, especially compared to the nice offerings of resin ships (like the Ainsty castings stuff).
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The North Star ships look similar to the Laser Dream Works ships in how they are constructed.
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Yeah I think at this point that's really the only logical way to make ships. I actually thought about getting with my buddy to make some ships and use some plastic-card cut for the sides of the hull. It seems the "stacked slices" method is the best way to make a ship look proper so far.
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As mentioned, Flying Tricycle made Mordheim-like terrain. I always liked this piece:
(http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2011/10/30/289139_md-Mordheim,%20Terrain.JPG)
and thought it would be perfect for a Three Musketeers game.
I have that and painted up....friend gave it to me and I finished a few months back.
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Final hours on this KS. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/renaissanceminiature/ships-pirates-and-wildwest-terrain-for-28mm-gamers?ref=nav_search