Italian Medieval Buildings pt2

[Alejandro]

No words... Amazing.

[maniachouse]

Sirolf and Lorenzo. I wasn't criticising your choice to make these beautiful buildings, portraying a beautiful Italianate setting.
I was just saying that I think the market for this setting is quite limited.

Actually, I don't think that's right.
Yes, there are lots of standalone buildings in the late medieval half-timbered style, in resin and plastic, from several manufacturers. Conflix, Grand Manner, PMC, and many more.

Then you have individual or modular 'stone-built' buildings, like those from my good friend Jens at Pardulon, or from the excellent Tabletop World.
But I'm afraid, beautiful as these models are, they do not look like realistic medieval buildings. They have the exaggerated fantasy styling of Games Workshop.

But castle-style / walled town complexes, like the beautiful layouts showcased by Manorhouse? No. I don't think so.

There's the Hudson & Allen castle, which is rather nice but very expensive considering it's made of soft foam and has very soft detail too.
Plus (I think I'm right in saying) it's only available from the USA at considerable additional shipping and customs expense.

Apart from that, there's the Games Workshop mighty fortress, which is basically a glorified toy castle. Not at all realistic.

I think, Lorenzo, if you were to apply your excellent design skills to a more generic 'central' European castle/fortified town complex, you would find there would be a very good market for it. I've certainly been looking for something like that for several years - and nobody makes one.

Hi Captain Blood, I understand your speech.
but failing at the time competition on the market with similar products to my...
moreover, I create buildings that we have in our country.
of course I need mediate to create a model as modular as possible and also playable.
and then, I fervently hope that also Italy will open to the gaming industry and wargames.
of course this is my thinking.

regards, Lorenzo

[Sangennaru]

This set (especially the second picture) is just superb.
The interchangeability makes the whole deal something more than just a table, and i really like this idea. Well, the overall look is pretty italian, ok, but i don't think it's such a limitation!

And i agree with Blood: a more generic complex would sell better, but... well, sculpting is first of all a pleasure, and sometimes you just want to sculpt what you want to sculpt, righ?

[FramFramson]

There's nothing wrong with trying to stand out from the crowd.

Also, don't forget that anything being created for medieval gaming will also be available for sale to fantasy gamers. There are many fantasy gamers who will find these buildings very useful for games in and around a more built-up or advanced fantasy world.

===

Lorenzo, a quick question. I play a game with larger scale bases (1.5 inch bases) and sometimes larger-scale figures. Am I correct in guessing that most of the smaller features (stairways, balconies) will be too small to accommodate bases so big? 

[Mencey]

Oh my God, is a dream!!!

[Captain Blood]

Lorenzo, what will be the cost of this set of buildings?

[Sirolf]

Catpain, I agree with you about the lack of buildings to represent stone-built towns/fortified complexes. I have always felt that there weren't enough nicely designed, realistic medieval walls and townhouses in the market, while there is an overwhelming offer of half-timbered houses, designed for rural settings, and many of those bear the heavy mark of high-fantasy, which can be very limiting for historical settings. That's another great competitive advantage that Manorhouse has, in that it offers urban buildings.

I think that with minor modifications, you could be able to adapt Manorhouses' buildings to fit into a southern French or German town without problems. By selecting them carefully, and mixing them with half-timbered components from other brands, you could also be able to re-create English and Flemish towns. The great modularity offered by the buildings makes them perfect for such personalized creations, and IMO, I think it's even more fun to take the challenge and create unique terrain pieces.

Also, I wanted to point out an Italian brand that produces more urban-looking half-timbered houses with a decent historical look: http://www.castlearts-it.com/index.php?page=prodotti&cat=edmed&scat=bor
They also have great resin accessories: http://www.castlearts-it.com/index.php?page=acres

Hope it might help

[FramFramson]

I think that the colour you use in painting the stone will also make a big difference in making it appear from one region or another.

[Sirolf]

I think that the colour you use in painting the stone will also make a big difference in making it appear from one region or another.

That's also very true!
Take a simple building like this for example:
Warm/reddish tones are very Mediterranean, but give it a more intense/cold grey, and a black roof, and it might very well fit a northern setting.

[maniachouse]

There's nothing wrong with trying to stand out from the crowd.

Also, don't forget that anything being created for medieval gaming will also be available for sale to fantasy gamers. There are many fantasy gamers who will find these buildings very useful for games in and around a more built-up or advanced fantasy world.

===

Lorenzo, a quick question. I play a game with larger scale bases (1.5 inch bases) and sometimes larger-scale figures. Am I correct in guessing that most of the smaller features (stairways, balconies) will be too small to accommodate bases so big? 

exact FramFramson
===
about the size of stairs and balcony:
the balconies are useful as depth  of 26-27 mm. out of a total depth of about 32-33 mm.
the terraces are of 44 mm.
the stairs instead of 25 mm.

I think that the colour you use in painting the stone will also make a big difference in making it appear from one region or another.

exact also this speech

Lorenzo, what will be the cost of this set of buildings?

only for offer of the campaign on indiegogo

the water mill = 55,00 euro

two small houses with two storeys, plus two average homes with two storeys, plus two big houses with two storeys (all storeys are modular and separable from each other) = about 155-160,00 euro

compared to the old Indiegogo there are many variations in content and form.
In fact, the Arengario and the walls are completely different in design and dimensions.
for Arengario I have not yet the the quotation, but will be more expensive than the old design..

of course will there be significant rewards and many add-ons.

Catpain, I agree with you about the lack of buildings to represent stone-built towns/fortified complexes. I have always felt that there weren't enough nicely designed, realistic medieval walls and townhouses in the market, while there is an overwhelming offer of half-timbered houses, designed for rural settings, and many of those bear the heavy mark of high-fantasy, which can be very limiting for historical settings. That's another great competitive advantage that Manorhouse has, in that it offers urban buildings.

I think that with minor modifications, you could be able to adapt Manorhouses' buildings to fit into a southern French or German town without problems. By selecting them carefully, and mixing them with half-timbered components from other brands, you could also be able to re-create English and Flemish towns. The great modularity offered by the buildings makes them perfect for such personalized creations, and IMO, I think it's even more fun to take the challenge and create unique terrain pieces.

Also, I wanted to point out an Italian brand that produces more urban-looking half-timbered houses with a decent historical look: http://www.castlearts-it.com/index.php?page=prodotti&cat=edmed&scat=bor
They also have great resin accessories: http://www.castlearts-it.com/index.php?page=acres

Hope it might help

I also agree on this speech.
===
About Castlearts: His work is great.
and creates half-timbered houses in north European style.

regards, Lorenzo

[janner]

Wonderful work, Lorenzo.

You never know, we may tempt you to do a Northern European range in due course 

[Doomsdave]

I have been watching Manorhouse for a long time.  Lorenzo always produces gorgeous buildings.  But I have yet to purchase any due to price point.  I hope Manorhouse thrives for decades but for me I can spend the same amount of money on an entire army of figures and knock together some reasonable stuff for scenery. 

[maniachouse]

update 21.
http://manorhouseworkshopmindstalkers.wordpress.com/2013/11/08/update-21-mhw-the-village/

concluded the job on the fortified walls, added the Barbican and  the new guard post covered and of the Overhangs covered..

Lacking 22 days at the start of the campaign on indiegogo.









any comment is welcome.
regards, Lorenzo

[Za Zjurman]

  brilliant.

cheers,

Za

[Furt]

That looks amazing!