Great White Games/Pinnacle Entertainment Group

Snate56 · Posted: Mon Apr 29, 2013 12:10 pm Post subject: Shapeways

Anybody familiar with these guys?
http://www.shapeways.com/gallery/games/board-games
I just stumbled across them again after forgetting about them for awhile. When I first saw them there wasn't much to speak of but since then they've really gone to town!
For anyone unfamiliar with them, they have a 3d printer and produce not only their own stuff but host innumerable models from other folks, kinda like a Cafe Press.
I, myself, looked up "rocket" and found tons of suitable minis for Slipstream.
A lot of the models are for already established licenses like Star Trek or Star Wars but there are unique ones as well.

Back to my question... has anyone ordered from them? Any idea of the quality?
I mean they look good, but I wasn't sure. As soon as payday rolls around I'll check them out.

SteveN
_________________
"We've got a blind date with destiny... and it looks like she's ordered the lobster." <The Shoveller>

Jordan Peacock · Posted: Mon Apr 29, 2013 1:27 pm Post subject:

Nice idea, but it's curious how they can sell models referencing Pokemon, Star Trek, Star Wars, Transformers, Settlers of Catan, Portal (Companion Cubes), etc., and nary a copyright or trademark notice anywhere. I wonder how long that's going to work.
_________________

Snate56 · Posted: Mon Apr 29, 2013 5:03 pm Post subject:

Well it appears to have been working for some time. I noticed that certain models showed were 'not for sale' which might mean they are getting some kind of permission granted, but I don't know. I don't think Shapeways would be responsible though, just the designer. (?)
Anyway, I thought it might be good for unique designs. You invent a spaceship design then turn it into a figure.

SteveN
_________________
"We've got a blind date with destiny... and it looks like she's ordered the lobster." <The Shoveller>

DHRDawg · Posted: Mon Apr 29, 2013 8:56 pm Post subject:

I have a set of the Thorn Dice from them.

http://www.shapeways.com/model/126266/thorn-dice-set-with-decader.html?li=productBox-search

I got the from my mother inlaw for Christmas a few years back. They are great! I still can't believe they were made with a 3D printer. They are solid metal dice. I love them. As far as I know she had no problem with ordering from them.
_________________
-DHRDawg
http://www.doghouserules.net/

VonDan · Legendary Joined: 08 Jul 2008 Posts: 3244

Chris Tavares · Seasoned Joined: 28 Jun 2005 Posts: 154

I haven't bought gaming stuff from Shapeways, but I just got a deliberately over-complicated case for my Raspberry PI. Quality looks good, it's not the strongest plastic in the world but it seems to be fine for the purpose I need it. Kind of on the pricey side, but what do you expect for the ultimate in small batches?

I suspect the "not for sale" stuff is for people uploading their own models to test print them. It's kind of like Lulu for physical objects: you can create whatever model you want and send it to them to print for you. You can then choose (or not) to sell the model to other people as well.

Snate56 · Posted: Tue Apr 30, 2013 3:23 am Post subject:

VonDan · Legendary Joined: 08 Jul 2008 Posts: 3244

Any video of this kind in work, the last one i saw in action were lasers that cut on foam and plastic and one ware the laser hardened a plastic goo as it rose out of the goo pot

Snate56 · Posted: Tue Apr 30, 2013 4:10 am Post subject:

Sorry VonDan, I was a bit hasty. I think you're right, at least for some castings, like one they did in bronze I saw on YouTube. I misunderstood the process but it now confuses me about some of the models I saw. Some don't look like they could be cast.
There's a bunch of videos and I'll peruse some more to get a better idea.
One I saw laid down a, say, 1/2mm thick layer of powdered material, then the printer went over it using a binding material rather than ink. Then it did it all over again slowly building up the model as it went.

It was confusing and a lot more tedious than I'd been led to believe. I have seen machines that act like lathes, though.

EDIT: Oh, the greenware they make is made by the above process and not cut out of foam, but the final model still appears to be cast or injection molded.

SteveN
_________________
"We've got a blind date with destiny... and it looks like she's ordered the lobster." <The Shoveller>

VonDan · Legendary Joined: 08 Jul 2008 Posts: 3244

I have an idea how it would be done.

I took metal art in college and did lost wax (really lost any thing that can burn out) and sand casting. I watched my wife at the time do her jewelry art class with a lot of the same process on a smaller scale and had a work neighbor who made the metal frames that go inside dentures
_________________
http://s61.photobucket.com/albums/h51/Vondan/

Snate56 · Posted: Tue Apr 30, 2013 4:50 am Post subject:

Oh, I understand that! Very Happy

It's just that some of those models are astonishing!

And in perusing the forums I found out that a great many of the models may be infringing copyrights. It's just that either the owner doesn't care or more likely hasn't found out about it yet. Wink

Shapeways itself is safe and will honor any request to remove an item from their lists but the model maker might get an official 'cease and desist' order.

Anyway, I brought the subject up with the idea of creating unique items. I was just commenting on the large assortment of models already out there.

SteveN
_________________
"We've got a blind date with destiny... and it looks like she's ordered the lobster." <The Shoveller>

rreay · Novice Joined: 25 Feb 2013 Posts: 2

Hey look a topic I know something about.

The examples are probably made by a process called Sintering.

There are a number of 3D printing technologies. Sintering, FDM, Stereolithography, and layering.

Pretty much all of these can produce objects that are impossible to cast, such as objects with completely closed hollow spaces

Various mechanics of Sintering can do anything from plastics in full color, to super tough nylon, to all kinds of metals. At the very high end, hip replacements are being done as 3D printed titanium.

We have an FDM machine at work. It can do single color plastic models up to 12"x12"x24" to an accuraccy of about 0.003 inches overnight. haven't put anything gaming related on it yet. I'm trying to figure out what to do next time there's a bit of space in a build.

http://www.figureprints.com/ uses color sintering.
Sintering process overview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFpSxX0SzgY

wisdomknight · Novice Joined: 22 Apr 2013 Posts: 62

I have made several 3d miniatures (30mm scale) and custom LEGO pieces that they have printed for me.

Currently the only decent "miniature" scale material would be "Strong Flexible Smooth", but even still it has a texture to it and is especially noticeable when painted.

The technology is perfect for larger size models (though it will cost you a fortune) but sadly not suitable for 30mm scale minis.

wisdomknight · Novice Joined: 22 Apr 2013 Posts: 62

Id post a pic of some minis I made via Shapeways but I cant figure how to post pics yet Smile

[/img]

Snate56 · Posted: Fri May 03, 2013 2:17 am Post subject:

What kind of minis did you make? People minis or objects?
I was going to start with very simple rocket sleds or something for my Slipstream game. I thought I would pick up some of the different rocket ship minis already available to check them out anyway.

I was also thinking of some simple planet markers for space games, like a small 2" dia. hemisphere of an ice planet or crystal planet, etc.

Thanks guys for the info!
_________________
"We've got a blind date with destiny... and it looks like she's ordered the lobster." <The Shoveller>

Cryonic · Veteran Joined: 21 Oct 2009 Posts: 813

For those who want to see how it comes to be:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IS4Xw8f9LCc

I haven't done this with any of my 3D stuff, but it is pretty simple once you have a 3D object built up in an application, like Lightwave, 3DStudio Max, Maya, Rhino, etc... (even Blender if you're wanting to use a free, as in beer, 3D application).

The big thing is making sure the object you export is set to the right scale (you don't want to send them a file expecting a 1" miniature and the scale makes it 8" or 8' tall, heheh).
_________________
My Blog of Random Gaming: http://www.daemonstorm.com

Savage Worlds Tales: http://www.daemonstorm.com/category/Categories/Role-playing/Savage-Worlds

Snate56 · Posted: Sun May 12, 2013 4:38 am Post subject:

I just got TurboCad.

They are supposed to let you know what the tentative cost would be so if something you expect to be 5 or 10 bucks comes back at $950 you know something went wrong somewhere!

(and that's the 8" one, I couldn't even guess what an 8' model would run!)

SteveN
_________________
"We've got a blind date with destiny... and it looks like she's ordered the lobster." <The Shoveller>