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I've heard bits and pieces on the subject of GWs switch to CAD for their modeling, but don't know much about it. I've also had a hard time finding out details on the internets.
Just a curiosity really. Wondering what the history of the change was, what people thought, what the speculation is on how it's impacted the quality of the models, etc...

They've been doing it for several years, plowing a lot of the profits from the LOTR bubble into it.

Huge increase in quality of the kits. Models fit together much better, less problems with the flow of plastics, and the number of bits per sprue is much higher.

Compare things like the kits for the Baneblade and Stompa, Space Wolf Pack, Grey Knights, Necron Immortals and other modern kits. Huge increase in quality over stuff 10 years ago.

Rotoscoping is almost a lost art now.

While I agree that kits designed with CAD fit a lot better, thats some things it just doesn't do as well as normal sculpting. Models designed that way some out very 'clean', which is great for vehicles and anything not organic. However, look at what Alex Hedstrom produced for the Zombie Dragon - undeniably a nice kit, even if you don't like the dragon, the Terrorgeist is stunning. But they're very 'clean'.

That lack the bits that make a undead model feel undead, like straggly bits of skin and muscle. While it could be done in CAD, its far easier for someone to sculpt that detail on.

They will figure it out, Its just a matter of time.

how do you do it in cad/what program (autocad, inventor?)

JohnnoM wrote:how do you do it in cad/what program (autocad, inventor?)

Probably AutoCAD, Maya, or 3Ds Max. I've seen videos/stills of the sculptors and it's one of those programs. Basically you build a 3D model like you would anywhere else, then from there break it down into components so they'll fit on a sprue. This is an entirely different job than the basic sculpting and I know packing the sprue is done by entirely different people than the sculptors much of the time.

-Loki- wrote:While I agree that kits designed with CAD fit a lot better, thats some things it just doesn't do as well as normal sculpting. Models designed that way some out very 'clean', which is great for vehicles and anything not organic. However, look at what Alex Hedstrom produced for the Zombie Dragon - undeniably a nice kit, even if you don't like the dragon, the Terrorgeist is stunning. But they're very 'clean'.

That lack the bits that make a undead model feel undead, like straggly bits of skin and muscle. While it could be done in CAD, its far easier for someone to sculpt that detail on.

So you say. The problem with straggly, dangly bits is that they're the kind of thing that does not play well with two part pressure molds.

Bookwrack wrote:

-Loki- wrote:While I agree that kits designed with CAD fit a lot better, thats some things it just doesn't do as well as normal sculpting. Models designed that way some out very 'clean', which is great for vehicles and anything not organic. However, look at what Alex Hedstrom produced for the Zombie Dragon - undeniably a nice kit, even if you don't like the dragon, the Terrorgeist is stunning. But they're very 'clean'.

That lack the bits that make a undead model feel undead, like straggly bits of skin and muscle. While it could be done in CAD, its far easier for someone to sculpt that detail on.

So you say. The problem with straggly, dangly bits is that they're the kind of thing that does not play well with two part pressure molds.

There's plenty of examples of how they've done the 'rough edges' in the plastic undead line. The Ghouls, Dire Wolves and various parts of the skeleton sprue show it. It doesn't have to be hanging off, which I know can't be cone with plastic molds, but things like rough edges around exposed muscle and bone. The bone dragon is very clean with straight lines.

Warboss Gubbinz is right, they'll get the hang of it. It's a new technology. While the bone dragon is a fantastic kit, it also shows where regular sculpting would be improved the model.

Im impressed they dont started to use 3d scanners yet... I mean, mixing the cad modeling and the manual modeling, just to use a specific machine to make the molds direct from the virtual archives...

The Dwarf Wolf wrote:Im impressed they dont started to use 3d scanners yet... I mean, mixing the cad modeling and the manual modeling, just to use a specific machine to make the molds direct from the virtual archives...

They've used 3D scanners to get some models from Forgeworld kits into plastic kits, like the Tau Piranha (the first usage of the technology in the company, as GW was proud to claim) and for the more recent Valkyrie.