3D Aliens

[Prof.Witchheimer]

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

[knoxville]

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.

[dominic]

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.

[Operator5]

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.

[fatgoblin]

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)

[PeteMurray]

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.

[Deathwing]

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.

[WitchfinderGeneral]

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.

[pnweerar]

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.

[abbot_amaury]

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

[WitchfinderGeneral]

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.

[WitchfinderGeneral]

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?

[Operator5]

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.

[WitchfinderGeneral]

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.

[supervike]

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.