User License Miniatures

[mangozac]

Check this out: .

Sprue is an Aussie guy and evidently a pretty talented sculptor. Inspired by the perceived downward spiral of GW he is planning to release a new range of minis based around the idea of a user license: you buy the mini and then cast your own duplicates!

I'll be very interested to see how this pans out!

[Seb]

I saw this, he's been posting on Frothers.co.uk also, interesting responses from the producer crowd there.

It's a curious method and certainly one to watch. So far it seems suited to repetitive modelling, but for single piece character driven stuff, not so much?

[mangozac]

[Seb]

[Lane]

I think the way to handle it would be provide one or two master quality models and have the option of purchasing a mold. That way people who have never made a mold can still cast copies. Once they have worn out the mold then they can consider making a new mold using the purchased one as a guide. Giving someone permission to copy a miniature that has never made a mold is a great way to ensure 90% of them never buy another of your reproduction licenses.

He also needs to reevaluate his stance on people casting for others.

I understand that he does not want people buying a license, casting 100 copies and selling the license and minis on ebay. That would cut into sales of pre made minis from retailers.

I'm one of a very few at my local store with any casting experience. I also have a significant investment in equipment. By his current policy I could help others make their minis as long as I did not get any compensation. Great, I get to give up hours of my limited free time and wear on my equipment so someone else can get free minis. Then I get to deal with people who can not understand why I let a couple people use my shop but not them, just because I got fed up with helping/ teaching others to cast.

There must be a middle ground for non commercial casting for others.
Maybe a list of registered casters and publishing suggested maximum prices. Ask those casters to keep tract of user licenses and how many minis were cast for each.

Sure people could cheat the system, but they are going do do so with his current policy. I'd be surprised if half of the first 100 licenses sold were to a handful of people in China or Indonesia and immediately for sale on Ebay with 30-40 minis. Some licenses will also be sold multiple times and other auctions will have false licenses. If he allows the minis to be sold (with License) he needs to check with Ebay on what he can do to prevent fraud.

[paulson games]

I'm thinking just selling molds would probably be the way to go.

The problem with the industry is that recasting is going to be commonplace and smaller companies are even less able to control their product. GW is able to afford lawyers and to chase after some people, but even they could be overwhelmed with trying to chase down dozens of people and then there's countries that just don't care about knock offs China, Russia that if they see a market will reproduce stuff regardless of it they buy molds or in parts form.

[mangozac]

At this point I think the guy is just ignoring the whole China/Russia counterfeit thing. Bottom line is like Jon says: if they want to copy something they will do it regardless of licenses, moulds or any of that stuff.

It's certainly a cool concept and in the wake of my current attitude towards GW I hope something that really takes off.

[NoseGoblin]