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Fair enough Big P. I'd be interested in knowing what you think once Defiance Games does start shipping, though, OK? =)

John

jjdiffley wrote:Fair enough Big P. I'd be interested in knowing what you think once Defiance Games does start shipping, though, OK? =)

John

Well if they can raise the quality level slightly, produce designs that match the ideas they have, they could make some very cool sci-fi stuff.

I admit to not being a great fan of CAD sculpting... But Im always willing to be persuaded!

May I ask if Howard Whitehouse is still involved?

He is indeed. Great fellow and a good friend.

Regarding CAD sculpting, it is actually a really good way of sculpting - the plastic is the issue. There are just some things that metal can do that plastic moulding can't. However, with the new manufacturer, and Tim Barry honing his skills, the quality will be much improved. Also, if you visit the website, you can see that Tony and Tim are carefully listening to wargamers - case in point is that the head on the bug will be changed due to potential customer feedback. The head itself will be kept for another project, though some alterations will be likely for that Alien race.

John

I was just going to edit my post to comment on the plastic moulding.

They really need to find a better plastic and producer. The WGF figures always seemed very soft and lightly detailed (though the only ones I have seen in the flesh were the greatcoat troopers which seemed to be the best done so far). I would rather have a more expensive but decent quality product than cheaper and not so high end. These days I dont even bother buying plastics unless the tooling has been done by Renendra. If they find a partner with that level of quality things may well work out very well for them. I think a good generic sci-fi range will always do very well.

I would also implore them never to do open hands for weapons... It looks silly!

I believe that plastic can equal metal, and I think soon will once people advance the technology to do so.

Good to see Howard is still involved... His work has always interested me.

Big P wrote:I would also implore them never to do open hands for weapons... It looks silly!

I second this, it doesn't really look right

Agreed Big P. Defiance games has a new manufacturer, a mere 45 minutes away from the office in Boston, and their products appear to be first rate. In fact all processes will be done in and around Boston, so from sculpting to boxing and shipping, Tony has full control - no more waiting for shipments to arrive from overseas. The plan, as I understand it is to also have world-wide distribution, so everyone gets their products fast and efficiently. Also, Tim has been working on a new hand system, which I think will please everyone.

Now on to new news:

New survey from Defiance Games regarding the French Foreign Legion, Future Space Corps (the make up, equipment, uniforms, use, etc...) Please feel free to answer this short survey and there is space for you to add a comment at the end. Some of the options will surprise people, in a good way =)

http://www.defiancegames.com/component/jquarks4s/?controller=survey&id=1

John

I don't suppose there will be an attempt to modernize the kind of models available?

IE, UAVs, blast resistant personnel carriers, the kind of things that have been proven successful on the battlefield in the last ~10 years.

Most everything and anything is under consideration Requia. This means Defiance Games could end up doing vehicles if the costs are considered justifiable for a new company, so the answer is maybe leaning toward yes. A lot of fans have been asking for such things, myself included. It now rests in Tony's hands once he and John (the Business Manager) crunch the numbers with their new supplier.

However, even if they do decide to do vehicles and VTOLs (also something that has been asked for), they will likely come after some Forces have been released, such as the Bugs, USMC, and FFL. They will also, if done, not be 40K knock-offs, but I could see them being proxies for 40K vehicles if one chose to do so. I am currently building a WFB Empire army using plastics from Perry Brothers and Warlord lines, plus filling it our with discounted Foundry and Reaper miniatures, so i am all for proxying =)

Perhaps Tony will drop by and give you an update when he has the time. I, unfortunately, don't have that kind of access to all that is in Tim's list of things to do.

John (and no not that John)

Stuff that looks like 40k vehicles would be exactly what I don't want. Most of them look 30 or 40 years old or like something out of a fantasy instead of something from the future.

To be honest I dont think John is suggesting that they would do vehicles that look like 40k ones, but merely that vehicles they make could be used as proxies for them, so thus have a similiar battlefield role. So if they made an APC you could use it as a Chimera.

Personally, I would leave vehicles till such time as the design and manufacturig process is properly refined and tested. Concentrate on two opposing armies and do complete ranges, give players the ability to field entire armies for those two before moving off and making more figures. I think Mantic have given a good example here with how they have released armies.

Be interesting to see how things develop as I would be interested in decent plastic sci-fi figures for my Tomorrows War armies.

Correct Big P! If Defiance Games does do vehicles, they will be reality based, that is to say, current modern vehicles updated to account for 300 years of refinements.

Big P you are also correct about the way things will be released. The guys at Defiance Games plan to fully support each line within Alien Suns fully before moving on to the next set of figures. The one exception is the Bugs, as there are secret plans for those Expect that when the USMC to be released that you will be able to build an army relatively quickly.

Currently the discussion regarding vehicles is focused upon hover tanks, al la Hammer Slammers, vs Anti Grav. Tony wants AS to follow realistic physics, and the question lies in what would be possible in 300 years time. Dr Michio Kaku has suggested that the future will bring high temp super-conductive materials (plus as AS is set in a time when the Earth has colonized other planets, rare Earth minerals may be more abundant on one or more of those planets or in asteroids that can be mined) so it may be possible to have vehicles that use a form of anti-grav super-conductive ceramics. It isn't yet certain DG will even do vehicles, but if they do, they will be top notch and certainly not 40K knock-offs. 1920 style tanks just don't cut it for AS.

And Requia, not to worry, AS isn't at all about Fantasy in Space. While some, if not many figures, and if done, vehicles could be used to proxy in 40K, or Space Hulk, or other SF Futuristic games, or futuristic SF RPGs, like Traveller's, they are first and foremost designed for AS. For example, I could see people making use of the Bugs as Tyranids (the smaller ones), since they will be much more inexpensive than GW ones, but they are AS bugs. I can't say much more about them, as the plans for them are secret, as is the full AS "experience", but rest assured DG isn't creating a 40K clone. So back to your question - no, if vehicles are done, think Avatar or Halo or SST (the book not the movies), rather than WWI.

Oh, and those who have not, please visit and take the survey I posted http://www.defiancegames.com/component/jquarks4s/?controller=survey&id=1

While you are at it, check out http://www.defiancegames.com and join the forums! Wargamer feedback is highly respected, and encouraged!

One last thing - the Bug head is being redone, and a new render is expected in the next couple of days, so visiting the website will allow you to see the change based upon wargamer feedback.

John
www.defiancegames.com

jjdiffley wrote:Currently the discussion regarding vehicles is focused upon hover tanks, al la Hammer Slammers, vs Anti Grav.

The biggest problem with antigrav (and to a lesser extent, ACVs) isn't whether it works, it's whether it looks like it works. A hover tank needs to look like it can both hover and maneuver, and should not be mistaken for an ordinary vehicle with the important bits missing.

But if you want to follow realistic physics, you should just rule antigrav out entirely.

The other thing about hovertanks, is that tanks (and other armor) are meant to be tough. Hovertank screams weak underbelly. (And that's before considering whether or not an rpg round would send the thing skidding off in the wrong direction thanks to the lack of friction).

Hence the discussions