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Post by kiladecus on Feb 3, 2013 10:12:46 GMT -9
I am playing around with some terrain concepts. I admire the styles of such artists as Dave Graffam and Glenn Williams... They have inspired me to try some designs of my own. Attachments:
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Post by kiladecus on Feb 3, 2013 10:17:56 GMT -9
Cardstock terrain can have certain properties... some are APPEARENCE (and these will look beter once the textures are finished), others are MODULARITY, and STRENGTH. This set is 100% MODULAR. As you can see in this picture, it is holding not only a METAL figure, but a tank that has more METAL than PLASTIC! So, yes, it IS durable! Attachments:
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Post by kiladecus on Feb 3, 2013 10:22:01 GMT -9
Not only is it DURABLE, it can even hold a METAL figure on its weakest joints with NO support underneath it (yes, there is a little bowing, but this was like the wet papertowels in the commercials). Attachments:
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Post by kiladecus on Feb 3, 2013 10:27:04 GMT -9
There is on other item I failed top mention... it FOLDS FLAT for easy storage! Attachments:
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Post by okumarts on Feb 3, 2013 10:29:24 GMT -9
Fold flat is a good feature!!
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Post by cowboyleland on Feb 3, 2013 16:29:27 GMT -9
At lunch today I outed myself as a gamer/modeler and one of the guys at the table said "I used to do Warhammer but I gave it up because I didn't have the storage space" and another guy said, "I have friends with these huge WWII setups in their basements and I don't have the space for that." I think more fold-flat models could really expand our hobby.
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Post by kiladecus on Feb 3, 2013 17:45:44 GMT -9
Well, my ideas are sound enough. I just can't believe how difficult it is to design. You have to have all of the dimensions 100% or the folds don't line-up just right. Then again, this is a learning curve for me. If I didn't try new things, then how can I grow? I am trying to expand myself outside my comfort zones. I am forcing myself to try new things and I am doing this with one goal in mind: I want to design what I would use. I see Grendels_Mother64 and Dave Graffam doing amazing stuff with structures and buildings. I see Glenn Williams designing stuff that can be built 1,364,908 different ways (and that is just before lunch). I am trying to design something that "has it all." In order to do that, I am going to have to realize my limitations. Are the textures going to be layers? Nope. I don't have the gift that Dave Graffam and Dave Okum have. Are the designs going to hold SQUADS of metal figures... I doubt it. I could make it to where it could, but I would lose the "flat-fold" ability. I will continue to plug-away at this (as time permits), and who knows, maybe I will get sometihng that is nothing short of amazing. Oh, did I mention that these pieces can also stack vertically? You can have multi-level watchtowers and catwalks stringing between them. If you are using paper figures, then you can go virtually as high as you would like. Maybe a good name for thie set would be "HOUSE OF CARD." I laid in bed this morning thinking that maybe I could re-design the core pieces so they could form actual modular buildings. They could be nearly any size, and you could mix various levels and such. I also considered doing a landing platform kind of thing, but perhaps I will hold off on that for now. I have been thinking about textures for the bulkheads, and here are some ideas I am playing with: [/li][li] Plain Concrete [/li][li] Plain Brick (various colors) [/li][li] Sci-Fi Door [/li][li] Computer terminal [/li][li] Ladder [/li][li] Emergency station (fire extinguisher, and so on...) The possibilities are not quite endless, but if you can think of anything else, I would love to hear it. Ok, thank you for your attention.
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Post by bravesirkevin on Feb 3, 2013 19:06:16 GMT -9
Are the textures going to be layers? Nope. I don't have the gift that Dave Graffam and Dave Okum have. You don't really need to do layers. Just do like 5 different versions of each bridge, and then the customisability comes in when they put it together, instead of when they print it. Layers are nice and they make people think they're getting more value, but in most cases, the layers are completely unnecessary in making a useful product. None of the WWG sets I have have any layers and they might be some of the most popular sets around in spite of that. Are the designs going to hold SQUADS of metal figures... I doubt it. I could make it to where it could, but I would lose the "flat-fold" ability. You'd be amazed how strong paper models can be. If you take the walls section from my Humble Hovel and lay it on it's side it holds up 5 GW metal rat ogres with barely any sign of buckling at all. Admittedly, that one doesn't fold flat, but there are ways of reinforcing that won't rule out compact storage. Mounting the bridges on chipboard or foamcore's a good one. Adding removable support pillars, which also fold flat themselves will also add a lot more strength than you might realise. The possibilities are not quite endless, but if you can think of anything else, I would love to hear it. Getting carried away with options is a sure way to make sure your set takes forever to release. Trust me, I know. Much better to stick to a handful of cool things and get the release out, and then go back and do an add-on set later. I think what you've got going there looks pretty good! Makes me sad that I no longer have all my Necromunda figures
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Post by gilius on Feb 4, 2013 6:58:32 GMT -9
Looks very interesting. My solution for lack of space was to reduce scale and try to make modular pieces when possible but for 28mm minis, flat folding pieces are really appealing.
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Post by kiladecus on Feb 4, 2013 10:17:19 GMT -9
Thanks for the feedback, fellas! ;D I am in the middle of the sets for Dark Skull Studios, and when I wrap this up, it looks like I *may* be doing figures for a different company! So, now that I am doing lay-out, I am not sure when I will have time to get back to my own stuff... (Actually, it is pretty cool to have "real" gaming companies asking me to work with them). I am just glad they don't know all of the people out there that do this better than I do. Thanks again!
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Post by old squirmydad on Feb 4, 2013 10:31:51 GMT -9
Thanks for the feedback, fellas! ;D I am in the middle of the sets for Dark Skull Studios, and when I wrap this up, it looks like I *may* be doing figures for a different company! So, now that I am doing lay-out, I am not sure when I will have time to get back to my own stuff... (Actually, it is pretty cool to have "real" gaming companies asking me to work with them). I am just glad they don't know all of the people out there that do this better than I do. Thanks again! Don't worry, you're secrets safe with us. I agree with Kevin, it looks like you have a sound base idea, trying to create a thousand options that will please everyone is the path of madness. People are always looking for good terrain and if you put out the same pieces in five varieties your customers will be able to print, cut, and mod to create individually styled pieces. Fold-flat and durability for metal minis are good guidelines for projects like this.
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