Sculpting wonderfullness

[Hammers]

I just came across this on Frothers. Here I go and take a little pride in that I've managed to clobber together a miniature phonograph. What happens? This bastard comes along and ruins it all for me. The world is out to get me...    Luckily it is in 1/35 scale which makes it sooo much easier. 

[Svennn]

I saw that and even mentioned it to Mallamullet. It is fabulous and I want one, like a lot of the others in the range, but it is totally useless unless used as an ornament and in the wrong scale.

[argsilverson]

if the scale was correct then he could be the old Professor/evil genious hiding etc.....
I could have find a use ...

[Svennn]

if the scale was correct then he could be the old Professor/evil genious hiding etc.....
I could have find a use ...

Arghh, but its not is it. We shall dictate that 28mm is the one and only true scale

[Hammers]

Arghh, but its not is it. We shall dictate that 28mm is the one and only true scale

And purge all heretics below 25mm and above 32mm!

[Thunderchicken]

Oh well, that's me on the purge list then. 

I'm a scale tart and go where my fancy takes me.

[Svennn]

Oh well, that's me on the purge list then. 

You only just realised that

[Admiral Benbow]

SmartMax had a booth at the Crisis show and I used the opportunity to talk to the guy there about their "wrong" scale 

He said this is the absolut correct scale as they'll bring out their own game early next year to game in 1/35 scale. And - as being french - they are known to be quite lazy people (his words, not mine ...), so one scale would be enough. My argument that they could possibly sell a lot (!) of their creations in 28 mm did not interest him. During the two times I admired the wonderful miniatures at this booth, all people around me nearly wet their pants about those minis, but nothing was sold.

I'm really eager to know how this game and the miniature line will be selling ...
 

[JollyBob]

You'd think they might be willing to take that on board though, wouldn't you?

I appreciate that when you've put your heart and soul into a venture that it's difficult to change your plans, but when you go to a show (probably one of many) and nobody buys anything, and all the feedback you get from t'internet is the same, you really would think that something would trickle through the cracks.

Obviously, they are certain they know what we want, even if we don't. (They're not owned by Mongoose are they?)

All I can do is echo the sentiments of others, lovely sculpting, but for god's sake, make it in a scale that people will use!

[Hammers]

My argument that they could possibly sell a lot (!) of their creations in 28 mm did not interest him.

Ah. An artiste.

[Doc Twilight]

SmartMax had a booth at the Crisis show and I used the opportunity to talk to the guy there about their "wrong" scale 

He said this is the absolut correct scale as they'll bring out their own game early next year to game in 1/35 scale. And - as being french - they are known to be quite lazy people (his words, not mine ...), so one scale would be enough. My argument that they could possibly sell a lot (!) of their creations in 28 mm did not interest him. During the two times I admired the wonderful miniatures at this booth, all people around me nearly wet their pants about those minis, but nothing was sold.

I'm really eager to know how this game and the miniature line will be selling ...
 

I've seen the same arguments tried with him several other places, Benbow. His other typical response is to argue that they cannot get "the kind of detail" they'd like to see in a 28mm miniature, where as they can in 1/35 scale. No argument seems to dissuade him.

I'm honestly not sure how well that game will sell, either, given the price they want for these miniatures, and the current state of the economy.

I wish them the best of luck - it really is gorgeous stuff - but I think Bob's right. Shades of Mongoose here. A pity, a real waste.

-Doc

[Argonor]

Guess, some of the monsters and contraptions could be used without too much scale-problems...

I visited the site, and yet no sign of the game, though. I cannot see this range becoming a huge success, no matter how beautiful the (kind of pricey, if I may say so) miniatures are, if they are not backed by a set of rules that people just 'must have' because of their playability, as long as the scale is so far off. I've only heard of a few people gaming in 1/35 (although a lot of (plastic) model soldier sets used to be made in that scale), and I fear for this new company, that it will be difficult to carve out a niche large enough for making it profitable.

[Sinewgrab]

Guess, some of the monsters and contraptions could be used without too much scale-problems...

I visited the site, and yet no sign of the game, though. I cannot see this range becoming a huge success, no matter how beautiful the (kind of pricey, if I may say so) miniatures are, if they are not backed by a set of rules that people just 'must have' because of their playability, as long as the scale is so far off. I've only heard of a few people gaming in 1/35 (although a lot of (plastic) model soldier sets used to be made in that scale), and I fear for this new company, that it will be difficult to carve out a niche large enough for making it profitable.

And just as likely would be the "Inquisitor Effect", as we call it around here. The Inquisitor rules worked really well, even if all you did was play them with 28mm figures, and screw the 54mm (or whatever they were). If SmartMax does put out a must have system, I could easily see that being done instead of paying the higher prices for the 1/35. I know *I* would, because I am a slave to my 28mm scale, and would see it as a reason to convert some figs.

[Argonor]

And just as likely would be the "Inquisitor Effect"

The effect being that the range will not sell well (just like the 54 mm Inquisitor minis, I guess - it's one of the GW rulesets I've never read, let alone played)?

I can very well imagine that, too.

If I were to start manufacturing miniatures as a newcomer to the market, even if I had a idea for something very different from the 'mainstream', I would thoroughly consider to start producing minis to fill up gaps in the existing market to establish a customer base/get the word out/make a name for myself before introducing the 'special' stuff. And even then, I would be very reluctant to go into not-so-common scales - basically I think that the best turnovers are to be achieved in 6 mm, 15 mm, and (25/)28 mm, as those standards seem to be preferred by the 'wargaming community' if you can speak of a such... And I cannot imagine that the market for collectors and painters-only is big enough fo making sufficient profits (you have to sell quite a few minis to justify the time/money spent on sculpting/moldmaking for a single model).

Actually, as I ponder about it, VSF and steampunk is an area where a new manufacturer could possibly be successful, as there's not THAT many manufacturers (I think) out there, and it's an area where you can easily come up with something yet unseen. But again, if your stuff does not scale up with existing ranges....

[Darkoath]

SmartMax does not seem so smart when it comes to marketing it seems!  Hehehe...

They are not even considering all gamers would need an entirely new set of wargaming terrain to also
use with this figure range.  I just don't see that this miniature range could be at all profitable!

It really is a shame for the miniatures are quite beautiful...

Darkoath