Thursday, January 20, 2011

Questions from the Comments

A reader wrote: "Hoping you can make these in injected molded plastic. Did you read Nick of TSSD posts on the "Hobby Bunker" forum and the "Rapid Prototyping" method of sculpting. Looks like a step can be saved in the manufacturing process? Still think Dark Ages/Medieval figures that could double as fantasy figures would sell!"

Yes, I read Nick's posts over at Hobby Bunker. Nick is a great guy who I have listened to a great deal since starting this business. For those that don't know, Nick pretty much talked me through every step as we made our first set.

I think the technology behind rapid prototyping is amazing, but you still have to find a talented soul to do the digital sculpting. But I do think that this is the future of figures, and something that we're working towards as well. The fly in the ointment is still the mold-making. They cost thousands of dollars to create, and there is no way around it if you're wanting to create injection molded plastic. And in my research, I have not found a domestic mold maker that can do it for a reasonable price.

I'm still hoping for that machine in Star Trek where you just walk up to it and tell it what you want, and whoosh, there it is. But instead of telling it "Tea, Earl Grey", I'm going to tell it "I need 250 injected molded plastic Romans, all in different poses". Now that's a future I can look forward to.

One of the VERY big questions we're all facing is "how dedicated are we to injection molded plastic in 1/32 scale?". What about Resin... what about metal... what about 1/72 in plastic (much bigger market, but more competition). meh, just thinking aloud...

Regarding fantasy, I'm not convinced it wouldn't be a big seller... if done correctly. Lots of people, whose opinion I highly respect, have steered me away from it. It would take tapping into an entirely different demographic. I'd probably have to set up booths at Sci-Fi and Gaming conventions. And while I wouldn't be unexcited to possibly be in the same building as Nathan Fillion or Felicia Day, I'm not ready to abandon the traditional historical toy soldier crowd. But doing medieval figures, well, that's always been something on the "to-do" list. Would love to do a Crusade theme, or a Joan of Arc theme... wouldn't that be awesome! But now I'm just dreaming...

Rock on, and thanks for all the continued purchases this new year! Much Appreciated!

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