So now at some major stores you can walk in get a model of your self done in 3d.

Turn up dressed as your favourite PC and you have a perfect mini (okay iots a bit big but sure they coudl make a smaller 25mm one .... )

http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2013/oct/23/3d-mini-me-statues-models-printing

3d printing is gradually catching up to miniatures.

Right now though there is still the striation problem.

But of you are willing to fork out quite a bit then that can be lessened substantially.

One player listed off their space ship minis from a 3d printer. They splurged for extra quality and the final cost was around 80$ per mini. But the striation was near invisible.

Other 3d printers are advancing quickly on the problem and some tooling methods are getting surprisingly fine now.

Perhaps in as little as a years time we may be seeing these higher level advances at the home printer level. Still expensive. But such is fate.

Addendum: Those personal figures look pretty good really.

When they can get that level of detail at 28mm...

Quote from: jibbajibba;702424Turn up dressed as your favourite PC and you have a perfect mini

Anyone got a spare set of foot list fullplate?

I am working on getting a 3d printer at work, for around $3K to $5K.  

We make class rings.  It's intended for lost wax casting burn-out, so we can send it for gold or silver casting.  But, it can do other plastics just as well, and it will have very high precision.  So, of course I plan to print my only minis! Probably some terrain as well.

Quote from: Mistwell;702557I am working on getting a 3d printer at work, for around $3K to $5K.  

We make class rings.  It's intended for lost wax casting burn-out, so we can send it for gold or silver casting.  But, it can do other plastics just as well, and it will have very high precision.  So, of course I plan to print my only minis! Probably some terrain as well.

Cool!  What kind of CAD program do you use?

Quote from: Arduin;702543Anyone got a spare set of foot list fullplate?

The cunning model maker would have some programmed virtual props to overlay on the image as well as ways of slimmming down the chubby and bulking up the wimps. So the brromstick you are holding can transform into a double headed battle axe and your arms can take on Arnie like proportions, if that is what you are after....

failing that you just need to be creative

the 3d archive on thingiverse already has some armour parts for individual printing so maybe you need to print your armour, put it on then print your self in it... sounds a wee bit expensive of course

If this technology doesn't somehow get stomped on (In the name of "Protecting intellectual property", or to protect us from unreliable one-shot zip-guns it would probably be easier and cheaper to make from a dollar-store toy gun and a pipe) it's going to completely change miniatures and other toys/collectibles forever. Action figures of the most obscure characters imaginable, full lines of miniatures for the most obscure games (Maybe I'll finally get some of the Tekumel monsters), re-releases of classic figures not produced in decades... it could be a miniatures version of the OSR.

Quote from: jibbajibba;702684The cunning model maker would have some programmed virtual props to overlay on the image as well as ways of slimmming down the chubby and bulking up the wimps. So the brromstick you are holding can transform into a double headed battle axe and your arms can take on Arnie like proportions, if that is what you are after....

failing that you just need to be creative

the 3d archive on thingiverse already has some armour parts for individual printing so maybe you need to print your armour, put it on then print your self in it... sounds a wee bit expensive of course

Not looking for a mini of myself.  I never play myself in D&D.  I'll wait until there is someone doing this as a business.  Economy of scale should bring the cost down a bit.  :pundit:

Quote from: Arduin;702560Cool!  What kind of CAD program do you use?

We use ArtCAM JewelSmith.  I've never used it, our in-house artist does that. But, I may learn.

Quote from: Just Another Snake Cult;702919If this technology doesn't somehow get stomped on (In the name of "Protecting intellectual property", or to protect us from unreliable one-shot zip-guns it would probably be easier and cheaper to make from a dollar-store toy gun and a pipe) it's going to completely change miniatures and other toys/collectibles forever. Action figures of the most obscure characters imaginable, full lines of miniatures for the most obscure games (Maybe I'll finally get some of the Tekumel monsters), re-releases of classic figures not produced in decades... it could be a miniatures version of the OSR.

Oh, it's going to change a LOT of things!

Does a plastic part on your washing machine break? Download the specs from the company's website and print a new one.  

Did a critical part break on your pump while out to sea? No problem, just print a new one.  NASA's going to want several on the International Space Station real soon.

In fact, did a critical part break at any business that uses machines? No problem, you don't need to wait for them to ship you a new part, just print it yourself.

Want to customize your stuff to be individualized to work with the space you use it in? No problem, you no longer need the one-size-fits-most requirements for products, it will be easy to print alterations yourself, and companies will offer downloads to make all sorts of hooks, holes, corner-pieces, and other modifications for products.

I have a friend who works for a company in Northern California that manufactures artificial parts for the medical field.  Things like heart valves and such.  His project it to work on making individualized parts for humans, that are exact matches to existing parts, for use in surgery.  They'll use them for artificial limbs eventually too.

These suckers may change the world.

Quote from: Mistwell;702948These suckers may change the world.

MAY?

Change is a comin.

I wonder what the miniature market will look like in ten years time. Maybe instead of selling minis, places will sell files of computer-generated 28mm builds for self-printing.

Quote from: TristramEvans;703182I wonder what the miniature market will look like in ten years time. Maybe instead of selling minis, places will sell files of computer-generated 28mm builds for self-printing.

probably like POD books

It will be a boon for 3d modders.

I think accessories will be the big push at first.  Some companies don't have all the equipment for their models, in comes 3d Joe to save the day.