So I was searching for sprue images of the Space Marine Battleforce to see what special weapons came with it. After not finding anything on google, I began to wonder if some sort of centralized catalog would be a valuable resource to have. I have the webspace right now, so it would just be a matter of setting it up (I'm thinking a wiki), but I wonder if anyone would actually use something like that. I'd appreciate feedback on the idea.

I think that would be awesome. Sometimes I cannot find what each weapon is supposed to be from the wonderful directions that GW places in the boxes. I end up having to go to www.bitzbox.co.uk to find out what some of them are though. I am hoping that if you do a Wiki on it, you allow others to place pictures for other armies or venture in that way as well.

Absolutely, the goal would be to have an open means of contributing additional pictures. I'm committed to that due to a understandable fear of having to buy one of every boxed set available.

Sounds like an excellent resource to display and outline what comes in any army box/sprue/set...

If you're looking to make a business out of it, you could do an additional storefront selling bits, though there are already many of those online.


The wiki resource on its own is a very smart idea.

That would actually be pretty awesome. I could see myself using it a lot.

Visit the thread in the link below from B&C, it's sort of what I think your sugesting.

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/index.php?showtopic=149384

Well, I have a framework built out for the site at http://www.theboatoftomorrow.org/sprues/index.php . I have no pictures there yet, as I'm still at work, but I plan on buying a Space Marine Battleforce tonight after work, which should give me about 3 units to start out with.


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wizard12 wrote:Visit the thread in the link below from B&C, it's sort of what I think your sugesting.

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/index.php?showtopic=149384

That's a great start, but I was hoping to be able to go further than that and make it much more organized. Ideally, my vision of this site will eventually allow for tagging pictures with lists of significant bitz in each sprue. Imagine being able to just type in "right hand power fist" and getting feedback on every kit that contains a power fist for your guy. Having all that been said, I'll go contact the posters at B&C to see if they'll let me use their pictures. Thanks for pointing it out!

daedalus, you are a mad genius. I was thinking about doing something similar myself.

Personally, I would suggest a MediaWiki (the Software behind Wikipedia) solution hosted somewhere, with a Page for each Box GW makes with Pictures of it's sprues, and link pages for each individual Component (for example you search for Right Hand Power Fist and a page comes up licnking you to all the boxes with a RH PF). Sadly, I cannot afford to get any more hosting, but if you are willing to get me a host, I would be more than willing to Admin it for you

@Gwar!

I've got the hosting right now. Bandwidth shouldn't be an issue, but right now I'm just piggybacking it off my other site. If this takes off I'll spring the couple bucks for a dedicated domain name for it. Right now my big hangup is trying to find some streamlined way to upload pictures. Worst case, picture submissions could be email-based and then manually uploaded to the site, which would be a good filter against inappropriate stuff and spam. Let me mull it over for a while and I'll get back with you.


EDIT: My words are now complete thoughts.

Awesome. The reason I suggest a Wiki is that the community can help out. All one needs to do is to have edits and page creations be moderated and subject to manual approval, and you are golden

Or even the Email Based Approach, where people can email in a select few maintainers pictures of their Boxes, and then have the Moderators create the pages themselves.

Hey Gwar!,

Lets go with your approach. The wiki is set up at http://www.theboatoftomorrow.org/sprues . If it gets popular enough I'll spring for a real hostname and move it over. I got file uploading working, so we should be able to get a community effort going. I'll leave it open as long as it doesn't get abused. Go ahead and make yourself an account and I'll set it as admin, and we'll see how this works for now.

daedalus wrote:Hey Gwar!,

Lets go with your approach. The wiki is set up at http://www.theboatoftomorrow.org/sprues . If it gets popular enough I'll spring for a real hostname and move it over. I got file uploading working, so we should be able to get a community effort going. I'll leave it open as long as it doesn't get abused. Go ahead and make yourself an account and I'll set it as admin, and we'll see how this works for now.

Love it All I can Suggest is to install the Notitle Extention:
http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Extension:NoTitle

So the main page can have a custom Title put on it

Excellent idea! I will definitely be using your services many, many times in the future.

Nightwatch wrote:Excellent idea! I will definitely be using your services many, many times in the future.

Yeah, well if you want to use it, Help damnit! Crack open a box of something and catalog it's contents, or a Grue will eat you!

Gwar! wrote:

Nightwatch wrote:Excellent idea! I will definitely be using your services many, many times in the future.

Yeah, well if you want to use it, Help damnit! Crack open a box of something and catalog it's contents, or a Grue will eat you!

I might have a few Kroot sprues lying around. I'll try to add them. I might also have the Tyranid Gargoyles, but a few pieces may be missing.

I've got a test page created using the format I came up with. Could an interested party check it out and let me know if they have any advice before I set up more? http://www.theboatoftomorrow.org/sprues/index.php?title=Assault_Squad

daedalus wrote:I've got a test page created using the format I came up with. Could an interested party check it out and let me know if they have any advice before I set up more? http://www.theboatoftomorrow.org/sprues/index.php?title=Assault_Squad

Having not really used the wiki stuff before, I can't really say anything relevant, but:
1) Maybe (if at all possible) the caption below the picture should contain links, which would circle the parts of the picture when you hover the mouse over it? Kind of similar to tagged pictures on Facebook.
2)Would there be a purpose to getting pictures of each individual piece or not?

daedalus wrote:I've got a test page created using the format I came up with. Could an interested party check it out and let me know if they have any advice before I set up more? http://www.theboatoftomorrow.org/sprues/index.php?title=Assault_Squad

There needs to be a Title for each Picture,and the Quantity of each sprue in the box, like "Assault Squad Sprue A x #"

@Nightwatch: #2 would be way to much work.

Why not find out with the lexicanum guys if you could set it up there? It makes sense because all the other warhammer stuff is there all ready...

Gwar! wrote:

daedalus wrote:I've got a test page created using the format I came up with. Could an interested party check it out and let me know if they have any advice before I set up more? http://www.theboatoftomorrow.org/sprues/index.php?title=Assault_Squad

There needs to be a Title for each Picture, and the Quantity.

@Nightwatch: #2 would be way to much work.

I thought so. As for number one, would there be a feasible way to do that?

@Gwar!:

I agree with the titles. I'll throw some and the quantity above each picture. Also, isn't it almost four in the morning over there? Do you sleep?

@Lord of battles:

This isn't a bad idea. I'd wanted to maintain a certain amount of creative control over it, though I'll definitely approach them with the idea. If nothing else, I'd let them mirror it if they're interested.

@Nightwatch:

I like your ideas, but #2 would take me a really really long time. I also thing there is a certain value to seeing the sprues exactly as they're designed. If someone were to mislabel something, you can make sure that it didn't get a picture incorrectly attributed to it.
There is no funcionality to do #1 right now, but what I might be able to do is find something similar to the tagging mechanism that facebook uses (Or used to use. I've not been there in years.) I'll spend some time this weekend and try to find some existing plugin that can handle this. At the very least, I can photoshop in some unobtrusive labels, though this would get cumbersome for every single sprue.

What kind of pics are you looking for? Like white background?
Im not a profesional photographer, but I've got quite a few things NoS I could snap pics of for you.


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Just checked out the website (shoulda done that first), and I could take pics like that np. PM me an email address and I'll start sending em over!
Also, are you going to do HQs as well? Wouldn't really add much and would be nifty to do.

I've got several HQs and a Land Raider Crusader up there now, check it out guys
Still WIP and more to come!

Excellent work Whalemusic!

I'd add myself but I have no new things :(

You just got me in the stage of basecoating the sprues before glueing them to make the SM figures. I cant get on your website at the moment. but i can grab some photos of the BA new stuff for you!

Do you have an email and i can send you the spru images, i havent any idea how to edit the wiki pages..

PM on the way


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Anything currently up there we have pics for, just takes me awhile to do the editing. We really need some xenos stuff, its all SM right now


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Ok, Scouts, Rhino, and Assault Squad are numbered and labeled
LR, LRC, Sang Guard, and a bunch of other stuff are labeled, no numbers on pics yet tho. Only took all day...

Is anyone still interested in this? I got some new stuff today, but I'm not going to bother if I'm the only person using it.

http://spruepics.proboards.com/
This forum has a variety of sprue pics - might save some effort.

I found this the other day, It looks great! I'll contribute some Eldar stuff next time I buy a box.

For now though, seeing as you don't seem to have a logo, why not write ' The Sprue Catalogue' on a sprue frame - as in use the bars that go in the sprues to spell out the name of your website. I'm doing a (bad) example on paint, but I won't post it just now as I haven't finished it yet and I don't have time right now.

@RTC - He does have a good chunk more then us, but nothings labeled. Maybe Dead can contact him to try a colaberation effort.
@DD - sounds good. If you want to put it up on the logo I'd say have at it! If you need any help let me know, I kinda know what Im doing.

Cool idea guys!

Looks like it will come in handy, I'll check back the next time I buy something and see if you guys need pics of it.

We do need someone to do the numbering on the pics with gimp or photoshop or something. Anyone wanna have at it? Don't worry about trying to get the numbers to match the list, I can change the list pretty ez.

RanTheCid wrote:http://spruepics.proboards.com/
This forum has a variety of sprue pics - might save some effort.

Definately a time saver. Alot of pictures seem to have poor lighting however.

I often search through bitz websites (e.g. bitzbarn) that sell individual sprues. They sometimes have pics, but it is a pain in the ass.

I would use your Sprueapedia.

You know that the catalogs GW put out contain all the pictures you are looking for.

I have a 2006 and a 1997 one they are great reference books to have.

Okay, I know sod all about the picture sizes you'll want so if you can help with the specifics I've got a Hellhound, Valkyrie and one of the new Chimeras as well as a Cadian Battelforce, Catachan command squad and probably a couple of other boxes of stuff that I can take pics of and send in.

The camera I'll be using is a Canon E50D (think that's right it's at home and I'm at work) and is 8megapixel so the pics usually end up a bit too large.

Don't suppose anyone's got any pics of the SM tactical squad sprue? I'll definitely be using this website when it's in more complete form.

Pull this off, and you will ascend to daemonhood. Knowledge is power, and soon you will hold it all!

EDIT: Also, I would gladly help edit some pics.

@Clthomps - We are using out own pics so we dont have to get GWs permission

@Natorum - your pics are resized in the website. mine are like 12 MP, but the 800 part after the image name sizes it. Drop me a PM and I can help walk you thru it if you want. The best way is to just copy one that is done and plug in your own pics!

@Dreadnote - The OP has one but hasnt uploaded the pics yet.

@everyone! - If you want to help, just let me or deadalus know, there are several things that can be done! need someone with GIMP (which is free) of photoshop to do the numbering. And pics, need lots of those. Drop me a PM if you have any questions!

Well I went ahead and bookmarked the site anyway - keep up the good work guys!

Thanks, I just noticed that some of the other sprues are numbered, I'll do some relabeling tomorrow, make sure they match.
I'll be adding more stuff soon aswell, stay tuned!

@whalemusic360 and deadalus

I just wanted to let you guys know that I have some pics of ork boyz sprues that I have numbered. I was just wondering where you want me to send the pics? I'll prolly be PMing you guys soon. Anyways let me know.

Cool, I can get them labeled this weekend, and hopefully get my new stuff up aswell! Might need some help on the parts, though boyz are pretty basic.
Also going to start outting up the boxes that we dont have pics of as placeholders and the battleforces with different sets in them.

My $0.02... I think pictures of sprues are a great help. I've found pictures from various sources around the net to help figure out what kits to get for specific conversions or to see if the variant (blood angels Death Company) is worth the price over a standard kit (Assault Marines)

Good luck with the project!

whalemusic360 wrote:Is anyone still interested in this? I got some new stuff today, but I'm not going to bother if I'm the only person using it.

Yeah I'm interested. I'm tired of having to ask dumb questions before I buy a box. It would help if GW just put them in their catalog, but they don't always think straight. I had to ask once which weapons I can get for SM scouts just to find out whether or not it comes with a ML. I felt dumb. I didn't see a linky to your pics though, are you just PMing them?

My pics? I just add them in. My lamp exploded tho so I havent had a chance to take pics. I got some more BA hqs, a land raider terminus and a preditor, I'll try to get them up this weekend.

I'll be adding a DC as soon as I get some more stuff done, have to catch up on the zillion things to paint. I finished up my frist DC right before we started this project.

Cool. You guys are doing all of us budget gamers a service. Imagine the shock of KNOWING WHAT YOU BUY BEFORE YOU BUY IT!

Love the idea, now why not get the people of dakka to help?

I wouldnt mind taking pics of sprues from each box i buy and sending pics to you for the site.

Just make a thread requesting sprue pics and update as you go.

With the large ammount of dakka members it shouldnt take you long to get everything (week or so?) and after that, any new releases can be added as they come out.

@jack - I think that may be a good idea. Every time this thread dies off untill we get an update and then add like 20 posts. Most of the people that have offered pics have yet to supply any (at least to me), though some have just contacted me.

@Guitardian - That is quite an idea, no? I have got a few things that didnt have what i thought they would (I'm lookin at you, DA veterans with your no storm bolter, dispite being on the front of the box).

Sorry I have no cam bro. Can't help, just be a cheerleader for now.

Pukenuts orks are up! Also added some non-gw models. Going to add a page for stuff we dont have yet as place holders.

I'm a big fan of this idea. I have a Space Marine Commander, Command Squad, Devastators and Tactical Squad that I can put up if needed. I also have an Eldar Battleforce, Dire Avengers, and the Farseer/Warlock box.

I'd like to suggest that transfers be included in the pics, and also that the lists of units for each race be organised by HQ, Elites, Troops etc.


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I put the Space Marine Commander up. Pictures are bit gigantic, but I can't resize them as is so I'll have to upload them again later on.

If you still have all the pics, I'd leave the "front and back" as to seperate pics, just list them after eachother.
Thanks for participating, the more people we can get the better it will be!

I can start organizeing them by where they fall later today


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Do you think I should include things like Land Raiders in multiple catigories like on GWs site (heavy, dedicated) or just put them under whatever I think they fit best (heavy)?

They'll all be right there on one page so I don't think you'll need duplicates.

I'll reduce the size of the Commander pics and get some more up when I can.

Ok, no dups then.
Should we have things like Land Raiders (my favorite expamle evidently) in the Dark Angels, etc? Or just leave it in Codex?
Also should I have the Chapter Masters set and all four of them on their own (ie, Master of the Watch)? Same with Vets.

I need someone who knows about ImpGuard to help me put the "collecters" stuff in the correct catigory


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Jack, I got your pics up and pages made for them, but I dont know what most any of the stuff is. If you get the chance can you edit and put in the names for the stuff please?

Everything in current production has a spot now (AFAIK). We are working on a logo and still need lots of pics! PM me or jump in if you can help!

Glad to see Pukenut and Torch1784 joined up! If you have any questions pm me! Im usually very quick about responding.

I've got some Eldar Jetbikes and Vypers on order - I'll take photos when they arrive.

what's the best way to send them to you?

I've sent you pictures of the Jetbike sprues and the sprues for a sisters of Battle Immolator. Vypers coming later.

Tau devilfish, Skyray and Hammerhead sprues sent. Gun drone and crisis suit sprues sent. Necron Destroyer sent.

I'll work on getting it all up, then hopefully get em all numbered this weekend. Bear with me, it will take a bit to get that much stuff up.

I've added descriptions to the Immolator and moved the Jetbike to the correct place (It's not a shrieker, though instinct tells me the Shrieker has those sprues, plus another bit...)

I also added the main page to stumbleupon - so thumb it up, folks, and help spread the word.

cool, good lookin out. If its not SM or DE, Im pretty much just makin stuff up lol. I'll be adding all the Tau this weekend and may even get around to numbering!

I for one...completely love this idea :-) can't wait to see it happen.

We need someone who can do numbering of the pics. Can pull em off and email them to me or just post em up.
I've got every pic I have atm up and ready to go(ish)

Added eldar guardians and dire avengers (which were the only unopened packs at home).

Great idea, this is going to be a great resource once most of the stuff is in there!

Its a killer cycle, the more we get put up, the more we get interested, which gets us more things up, blah blah blah.
Thanks for adding Pixel!

I hope to be able to send some Shining Spear snaps soon.


Edit: Alliterations are awesome (And attract added alliterative appendices, apparently).

Y'know there's been some effort to do this here.

http://www.dakkadakka.com/wiki/en/Plastic_Sprue_Index
http://www.dakkadakka.com/wiki/en/Necron_Sprue
http://www.dakkadakka.com/wiki/en/Eldar_Sprues
http://www.dakkadakka.com/wiki/en/1/48_Scale_Sprues
http://www.dakkadakka.com/wiki/en/Space_Marine_Sprues

Looks like no one really kept them up. I worked on the Marine stuff about a year ago or more.

I don't believe this is Lorgar.
http://www.theboatoftomorrow.org/sprues/index.php?title=Word_Bearers_Lorgar

I believe it is Angron of the World Eaters.

So, anyone able to create a Logo for the site?

I would, but I can't draw a stickman right. :(

I would, but my talents extend to nothing more than stickmen.

Or using MS paint to make squiggly lines.

Sorry, I know I offered earlier in the thread, but tbh I haven't had the time or the inclination to do it :(. Also, as other people have said my skill at computer drawing amounts to nothing more than MS paint.

I will tell you my idea though: 'The Sprue Catalogue' with the letters drawn as if they were components on a sprue.

Dastardly Dave wrote:Sorry, I know I offered earlier in the thread, but tbh I haven't had the time or the inclination to do it :(. Also, as other people have said my skill at computer drawing amounts to nothing more than MS paint.

I will tell you my idea though: 'The Sprue Catalogue' with the letters drawn as if they were components on a sprue.

What about something like this?

I was a fan of the name "New on Sprue" with NoS letters on a sprue. But i also lack the skill to do it.
@Ironhide - Just copy the info in his profile and make the correct guy for him. In not familiar with CSM enough so i just guessed

I realise it mightn't be wise to bite off more than we can chew, but have you considered including WHFB sprues?

Also - if you haven't already done so, it'd probably pay dividends to rope in Warseer, Heresy Online and Bell of Lost Souls. Spread the word, etc.

EDIT - if I get the time tomorrow I'll snap some pictures of the Eldar Shining Spears box contents and wing 'em over.

I actually dont play fantasy, but im up for adding anything! blood bowl, space hulk, whatever. Non GW (PP) is fair game too.
I dont have accounts on any other forum, If someone does that would be awsome to throw something up. Also may start taking requests, especally SM stuff that i can, you know, use.

@Ironhide - Just copy the info in his profile and make the correct guy for him. In not familiar with CSM enough so i just guessed

Done and done.

Thanks my fellow TF fan.
And whoever Fiend is, looks great, thanks!

I added Space Marine Devastators, Master of the Fleet, Lysander, a Veteran and Sternguard Veteran and the Emperor's Champion.

Woah, awsome! I was kinda debating on if anyone was still doing anything for this. I go on vacation this week, but when I get back I'll have a bunch of stuff to add aswell.

Sorry I haven't been on in a while, but I just want to let you guys know that I have some ork lootas and burna pics, hopefully sometime this weekend I'll get them up.

Cool, Ive got to get on putting stuff up. I even have a *gasp* fantasy set!

Genious Idea.

Just made an account, i dont have anything new on the sprue but when i get something ill take some pics and send them to you.

P.S How do i get the pics to you?

PM me and Ill give you my email addy, or I can walk you thru how to post em up!

The catalogue has been targetted by some scammy advertiser. I can't delete the page, although I think someone already deleted the content.

Yeah, second time its happened. Im not an admin, so I cant delete the user. I did delete the content tho

Added Ork Gretchin & Terminator Librarian. Working on Ork Battlewagon and Space Marine Drop Pod.

Cool, Ive got sternguard, high elves chariot, and a Furioso Dred to put up.

Glad you got them numbered, cuz I suck at it!

I have some Death Company pics, last time I checked you didn't have any. However, my camera is HORRIBAD, so the pic quality is pretty atrocious. Would the pics (along with a description of the exact contents, and markings on each piece) suffice?

Haddi wrote:I have some Death Company pics, last time I checked you didn't have any. However, my camera is HORRIBAD, so the pic quality is pretty atrocious. Would the pics (along with a description of the exact contents, and markings on each piece) suffice?

Yes. The main purpose is to list exactly what you get in the box. Pictures are a bonus!

Gwar! wrote:

Haddi wrote:I have some Death Company pics, last time I checked you didn't have any. However, my camera is HORRIBAD, so the pic quality is pretty atrocious. Would the pics (along with a description of the exact contents, and markings on each piece) suffice?

Yes. The main purpose is to list exactly what you get in the box. Pictures are a bonus!

Allright, I'll post the details. I don't know how to exactly post pictures to a wiki, so a badly formatted simple list is all I can post for now.


EDIT

Ugh, been typing for a while now, I might be being a bit TOO detailed in the description. If someone could properly format the post in Death Company, would be great. I have NEVER edited a wiki, you could probably tell that already though.

daedalus wrote:So I was searching for sprue images of the Space Marine Battleforce to see what special weapons came with it. After not finding anything on google, I began to wonder if some sort of centralized catalog would be a valuable resource to have. I have the webspace right now, so it would just be a matter of setting it up (I'm thinking a wiki), but I wonder if anyone would actually use something like that. I'd appreciate feedback on the idea.

There's a small shield thing like a terminator shoulder shield that comes with the Ravenwing Sprue. The instructions don't tell you what it is or where it goes but it's a radar dish for the sensor array which funnily enough it's right next to on the sprue. A site with this type of info would be a great resource.
It would also be nice to have info on what parts can readily (no cutting or filing) be replaced by others, such as what turrets can be swapped, what weapon platforms will fit on a razorback.

They way we have been doing it is that if we can get a better pic, we use it. So as even a horribad (word is being stolen from now on) pic is better then none

Just bought the SM Megaforce although i forgot about the catalog so wont have the sprue's for the Predator and the Scouts.
Sent the pics to you today let me know if you need me to do anything else, although im terrible with computers.
Hope the pics are adequate.

When my Guardsman come in (~2 weeks) I'll try to resist ripping straight into them. No guarantees, but I'll try to get some pictures. 3000px by 2000px or so OK? I'll grab some of my brothers Necron sprues next time I get a chance too.

Is this project still alive?

We're slowly building up a useful resource, but it needs some purging to get rid of the rampant spam. How do you delete a page? I can erase the content in a couple of clicks, but the empty page with its scrapcode title remains. Do you need to be an admin?

Also people could try uploading pictures themselves. You can pick up the necessary code by looking at an existing page. It's very basic. It can be made beautiful later, what matters now is just the basic content.

Spread the word and try to contribute where possible. I seem to be working about 25 hours a day at the moment but I'll get some more stuff up as soon as I can.

Erm isn't this old? I mean I've uploaded lots of tau sprues before to the wiki... They were done last year:

http://www.dakkadakka.com/wiki/en/Tau_Sprues

Maybe I'm doing it wrong, but anyway, those tau sprues on red backgrounds are mine so use em! (I even got a pm from another site about them as they were making a database too)

Can someone PM me about this as it's confusing!

bump is this alive ?

...err... ..will look into it... if people are still doing this then please sing out !

EDIT :

The man from Delmote..errr...Dakka..he say yes ! Carry on, to your hearts desire. Just remember that death is not the greatest loss in life. The greatest loss is what dies inside us while we live.

Would we be allowed to post up sprue pics from the Games Workshop website? I can see that being an easy way of getting images of a lot of kits (the new Dark Eldar in particular, drool...).