Would you buy a team in digital?

[Questron]

Hi!

I was seeing more and more that there's a market on the digital sculpts. People are backing projects for digital sculpts, or even buying it for printing the teams at home or in a 3D print service, so I wish to do this poll to study this possibility... There's some advantages, like the price (would be a lot lower) or the material you want to print your team (you can choose if you want it in resin, metal, plastic...)

[Tablet]

That's an interesting question.

Do you have any information regarding the costs of using a 3D printing service?

Personally, I've voted yes as I've been given membership to my local makerspace as a birthday present. Therefore for me it's a realistic aim for me to print my own team and at the price you are suggesting it's tempting.

The maker movement is taking off and there are lots of potential crossover with Blood Bowl. Right now someone has posted on FB that they have made a dungeon bowl board, with walls, using a laser CNC.

[Questron]

That's an interesting question.

Do you have any information regarding the costs of using a 3D printing service?

There's a worldwide (and I mean WIDE ) market about this... You can found prices low to high depending that where do you go... even the 3D print is day after day more and more "casual", people are starting to buy 3D Printers for his own use at home as they did back in the 90s with the CD-writers...

Personally, I've voted yes as I've been given membership to my local makerspace as a birthday present. Therefore for me it's a realistic aim for me to print my own team and at the price you are suggesting it's tempting.

The maker movement is taking off and there are lots of potential crossover with Blood Bowl. Right now someone has posted on FB that they have made a dungeon bowl board, with walls, using a laser CNC.

We 3D-print-sculpters found a lot of obstacles for doing our art. Obstacles that doesn't have nothing to do with our art (shipping costs, material costs, 3D print costs...) We know how we need to sculpt to get a good piece for 3D-print (not the same to sculpt something for videogames, for example) so there's a work that "nobody knows" totally ignored (and usually don't payed) in exchange of all those obstacles that are very REAL. Also, I think that this possibility would enhance the market, and make it even bigger

[Regash]

Since I have no clue about 3D printing, data formats, quality and costs, I wouldn't even think about buying just a design in digital format.
It's already a really uncomfortable feeling for me to buy miniatures by crowdfunding that don't even exist yet, mostly as a sketch only and then pay months in advance for them without really being sure if I'm gonna like 'em in the end..

So buying design files and then trying to see who actually can make them for me in a good quality for a reasonale price? No way!
I want to buy miniatures, not getting involved in the production business.

[rolo]

I have mixed feelings, because I think that 3d printing is the future of tabletop gaming.

But right now, I know too little about 3d printing to even evaluate what kind of printer I'd need to print them up at home. I don't know who could print them up for me, I have no idea what a fair cost for this would be, or what kind of risks or potential quality issues I'd have to deal with. I know that there are some companies, such as RN Estudio, which will print 3d designs on commission, but they also sell their own models, so I can't imagine that would save me a lot of money.
So at least for now, I'm probably not in the market for buying digital team designs until the 3d printing industry becomes more mature.

I say that with some regret, because I LOVE the business model and there are many obvious advantages. First of all, I can buy designs directly from the artist with no middlemen. And I love the idea of customizing a digital design to make a truly unique team - I could add a logo to shoulder pads, print at whatever scale I like, cut and paste more elegantly than with a hobby knife and a metal model. Maybe in the future, graphical skins will be available and I can print colored teams instead of painting them. I love the idea of buying a team online, printing them out immediately, and having a finished team an hour later.

I think you guys are about 5 years ahead of your time. Here's hoping you turn out to be the Google of digital sculpting, and not LiveJournal

[Questron]

Thanks for your opinions

[Darkson]

Not for me. I've no intention of getting a 3d printer in the foreseeable future, and living in a small town I've no idea if there is anyone locally that is set up to 3d print "on demand", and if there is, I imagine the cost of using them would equal (or outweigh) the savings I'd get from just having the files.

[Tablet]

I think already the poll shows a true reflection of the market, the majority of us are very wary.

Maybe you could research what printing services are available in a few sample countries. A quick google shows that are a few companies who offer printing services in the UK, although a quote would require them having access to the file.

Also, until this technology is mature it might be a good idea to offer one or two designs at a lower price. That would provide confidence in the build quality before purchasing the rest of the team. speaking as someone with access to a 3D printer, this is something I would need.

As you say this model removes a lot of your barriers to market, it's just as you're at the front this movement you might have a hard time convincing us all....

[Questron]

Just testing! hahaha I don't want to be the head of any movement...

I think the next movement should be made by a print service company.. they are the ones who must took the initiative to say "Yes, we print!"

[Wobert]

I know nothing about 3D printing . . . . . but I did happen to spot that RN Studios offer a 3D printing service, see link below.

http://www.rnestudio.com/3d-print

Questron maybe you should link up with them. I think for most people (well me at least) I wouldn't have a clue where to get started with 3D printing. if however you could make it simple by saying . . . . buy the designs here for £x and then print them here for £x then people may be interested. Especially if at least one of those quantities is a well known vendor of products people on the forum buy (like RN Studios).

[hutchinsfairy]

I would absolutely buy a team in digital.... once I buy a 3d printer. I have been wanting to get one since I heard of them but I can't really afford to be a bleeding edge early adopter anymore.

I think for me the biggest appeal would be the ability to customise my players in leagues as they accrue history.

1) Embossed numbering on shoulder pads
2) Skills customisation. e.g. Knuckle dusters for Block
3) Mutations. e.g. extra arm
4) Injuries. e.g. scars/splints/damaged armour/eyepatch
5) Even just changing the angle of a limb would allow for a unique sculpt per player

If any of these could be offered as part of the purchase then I would pay over and above what I would fork out for a physical team.

My concern would be for your IP though. Once you have sold a single copy of your work how could you stop someone handing it around? Are there successful businesses in existence that create designs for 3d printers and sell them to multiple customers?

[Questron]

Yes we also thought in the addition of some extra arms, weapons, heads for its personal customization would enhance the possibilities of the team...

[Questron]

Questron maybe you should link up with them.

Uuh... no thanks

Anyway, again, what we try here is to separate the artwork from the production... I don't want to have anything to do in the production... We, as sculpters, would ensure the optimization of each sculpt for its print, but that's all..

[Questron]

buy the designs here for £x and then print them here for £x then people may be interested.

I understand your advice but that would be to get involved in someway with the production... anyway, is a first step... if any print-service would contact us offering not a deal, but simply an offer to all the backers, that would be different...

[hutchinsfairy]

buy the designs here for £x and then print them here for £x then people may be interested.

I understand your advice but that would be to get involved in someway with the production... anyway, is a first step... if any print-service would contact us offering not a deal, but simply an offer to all the backers, that would be different...

You wouldn't have to get involved beyond providing a link and indicative cost. It would help users to weigh up the net cost of digitally derived sculpts. I little bit of hand holding never hurts!