Modelling bits for 3d printing

[Malika]

Hmm, I'm noticing one potential problem. At the moment the dimensions of the barricades are 40mm wide, 20mm deep and 23mm tall (with the centre gap being 17.5mm tall).

Printing and casting them as solid models might be a bit expensive. Hollowing them out might be an option, but if I'd print them using Shapeways' wax, the model might become too fragile. Need more info on their material before I can do that. But I've got a feeling I might end up going to a more high-end service for this.

Now the idea of 'hollowing out' the model left me thinking: I could design the barricade in such a way that it consists of 2-3 parts (front, back, maybe a separate top). If the parts are interchangeable, I'd have a very modular barricade kit.

Food for thought...

[mangozac]

Doing a modular barricade is all well and good, but the problem is cost. Having multiple parts adds complexity and cost and terrain items like barricades need to be as cheap as possible. Make them hollow but just make sure there is 3mm or so of wall thickness.

[Malika]

[mangozac]

Buildings require advanced production techniques to be able to produce them economically. Things like foaming or high viscosity resins (like FW use on their terrain tiles). Especially for 28mm, since the parts are physically so large!

[Malika]

Hmm, that's a real bummer! I guess the buildings will stay as artwork or dreams for now then.

[Malika]

Hmm, maybe a bit of a far fetched idea, but what if I stick to having the barricades 'clean', so no spikes, fences, pipes, bits etc. But then have like 'goodie bags' filled with spikes, plates, etc. to make them more post-apocalyptic if wanted. I'd imagine such a goodie bag could also be used for other stuff like buildings, vehicles, armour on models, etc.

[mangozac]

Nice idea, but again I think cost will be an issue. Not to mention it's then a lot of work for people to assemble them - I suspect that the primary market for pre-made barricades are those who want a quick, easy solution, otherwise they would have made them themselves.

[TomG]

What exactly material use FW on these new big terrains? These old ones were probably regular resin.

[Malika]

[Malika]

Finally got back at this little thing...


And yes, there's a new member to the family...


I guess it's some sort of sniffer/hunter creature, shooting it's prey, after which the rest of the pack will tear it to shreds.

[Fleafa]

I like this!

[Malika]

What's this? A complete pack of robotic murder hounds?

[Fleafa]

The gun hound.

[Commissar-Krad]

Those things are crazy. Would not want to run into them at all.

[Malika]

Little update:







One thing you might all notice is that I've started working on the tails. Note that all have the exact same tail in the exact same position. This will of course change, but I needed to get the general shape of it right.

I've also been adding some more detailing on the heads to individualize them a bit more. But more on that later.

Another thing I've been playing a bit with is angling the legs slightly on the x-axis, but it isn't that visible yet since the legs are still just the outline rather than the actual model.