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![[Post New]](/s/i/i.gif) 2012/08/24 06:30:45
Subject: Do you see 3d printers bleeding companies like games workshop dry in a few years?
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Excellent Exalted Champion of Chaos
Lake Forest, California, South Orange County
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Where on earth are all these optical driveless PC's? I can't find any.
So people don't need optical drives anymore is what you are saying? All those CD's people bought won't be read, software won't be installed, movies watched. That is an absurd statement.
Firstly, 99% of optical drives being made are combo drives.
If you want to move to DVD's instead as a format, I can look up all the relevant pricing for that tech as well, the point stays the same. If a use is seen for it, demand will rise, prices will drop from competition. As has been the case for EVERY consumer tech advance in the last 100 years. Initially new tech starts out as industrial/military use, then moves to a novelty item that people brag about having, then everyone and their mother has one.
Telephones, TV's, Radios, Refrigerators, Microwaves, Cars, Computers, Cell Phones. Why on earth would 3D printers be any different? They started for industrial use, and are currently breaking in to the home market, just like most every other tech.
Cars used to cost a solid years wages for middle income families.
The current 2012 cheapest car in the US is a Smart ForTwo Pure at the low price of $12,490. Median household income at the end of 2011 was $51k per year. Enough to buy 4 cars.
Now I'm not saying that 3d printers are as useful or needed as cars. I'm saying that people shouldn't doubt the potential of a technology to become commonplace and dirt cheap.
And who's to say that we'd have to stock all manner of printing materials at all times? Do you stock hundreds of gallons of gasoline at home? You buy it as you need it, like we do with so many other things that are commonplace.
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"Bryan always said that if the studio ever had to mix with the manufacturing and sales part of the business it would destroy the studio. And I have to say – he wasn’t wrong there! ... It’s become the promotions department of a toy company." -- Rick Priestly
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![[Post New]](/s/i/i.gif) 2012/08/24 06:52:34
Subject: Do you see 3d printers bleeding companies like games workshop dry in a few years?
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Foxy Wildborne
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MisterMoon wrote:
3D printing is a win win for consumers and manufactures. Say a part breaks in the house, could be anything. You don't have to leave the house to get repair parts. When something isn't working around the house, one of the first things most folks do, is look up on the internet what happened. Is this a frequent thing, or just something random. If it's broke on me this way, it likely broke on someone else the same way. With a 3D printer in the house you can also bust out the right part, or disposable one time use tools. The makers of said parts don't need to stock those parts anymore, or invest in their associated inventory, transportation, and retailing costs.
Please think about what you're saying for at least a moment.
Hey, the knob on my microwave broke. I know, I'll go buy a 3D printer and make a new one myself and install it! Way simpler than calling the repair guy!
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The old meta is dead and the new meta struggles to be born. Now is the time of munchkins. |
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![[Post New]](/s/i/i.gif) 2012/08/24 07:43:02
Subject: Do you see 3d printers bleeding companies like games workshop dry in a few years?
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Excellent Exalted Champion of Chaos
Lake Forest, California, South Orange County
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lord_blackfang wrote: MisterMoon wrote:
3D printing is a win win for consumers and manufactures. Say a part breaks in the house, could be anything. You don't have to leave the house to get repair parts. When something isn't working around the house, one of the first things most folks do, is look up on the internet what happened. Is this a frequent thing, or just something random. If it's broke on me this way, it likely broke on someone else the same way. With a 3D printer in the house you can also bust out the right part, or disposable one time use tools. The makers of said parts don't need to stock those parts anymore, or invest in their associated inventory, transportation, and retailing costs.
Please think about what you're saying for at least a moment.
Hey, the knob on my microwave broke. I know, I'll go buy a 3D printer and make a new one myself and install it! Way simpler than calling the repair guy!
At what point financially does one decide to stop paying others to fix their stuff?
Let's look at it another way. Say you are thinking of buying a 3d printer for the purpose of X, which might be making minis, prototyping things for your small business, producing custom lego blocks, whatever. The decision to buy that printer becomes easier when you think of it's POTENTIAL uses beyond what you are buying it for.
People might buy a computer because they want to back up and host all of their pictures to a site. The decision to plop down hundreds of dollars on something that ONLY does that is a tough one. But a computer can do many things beyond what the customer originally was looking for, hence added value.
If you were arguing against a printer that ONLY made microwave knobs, sure. But the technology isn't limited to replacement parts or miniature models.
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"Bryan always said that if the studio ever had to mix with the manufacturing and sales part of the business it would destroy the studio. And I have to say – he wasn’t wrong there! ... It’s become the promotions department of a toy company." -- Rick Priestly
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![[Post New]](/s/i/i.gif) 2012/08/24 08:26:57
Subject: Do you see 3d printers bleeding companies like games workshop dry in a few years?
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Revving Ravenwing Biker
New York City
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I agree with aerethan...theres really not much else to say...lol
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I will forever remain humble because I know I could have less.
I will always be grateful because I remember I've had less. |
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![[Post New]](/s/i/i.gif) 2012/08/24 08:47:46
Subject: Do you see 3d printers bleeding companies like games workshop dry in a few years?
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Foxy Wildborne
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Aerethan wrote:
At what point financially does one decide to stop paying others to fix their stuff?
Evidently never, people could be fixing their own stuff right now but most don't. Driving out to get a replacement part isn't the hard part in fixing things
Let's look at it another way. Say you are thinking of buying a 3d printer for the purpose of X, which might be making minis, prototyping things for your small business, producing custom lego blocks, whatever. The decision to buy that printer becomes easier when you think of it's POTENTIAL uses beyond what you are buying it for.
Irrelevant. If you need the printer for one of those things you are not a "common household." There's not enough of you around to drive the cost of super high quality printers down.
Come to think of it, paper printers have been around for ages and quality lasers are still not really affordable, nor is printing books at home commercially viable.
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The old meta is dead and the new meta struggles to be born. Now is the time of munchkins. |
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![[Post New]](/s/i/i.gif) 2012/08/24 08:48:27
Subject: Do you see 3d printers bleeding companies like games workshop dry in a few years?
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Trustworthy Shas'vre
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Aerethan wrote:Where on earth are all these optical driveless PC's? I can't find any.
So people don't need optical drives anymore is what you are saying? All those CD's people bought won't be read, software won't be installed, movies watched. That is an absurd statement.
Firstly, 99% of optical drives being made are combo drives.
If you want to move to DVD's instead as a format, I can look up all the relevant pricing for that tech as well, the point stays the same. If a use is seen for it, demand will rise, prices will drop from competition. As has been the case for EVERY consumer tech advance in the last 100 years. Initially new tech starts out as industrial/military use, then moves to a novelty item that people brag about having, then everyone and their mother has one.
Telephones, TV's, Radios, Refrigerators, Microwaves, Cars, Computers, Cell Phones. Why on earth would 3D printers be any different? They started for industrial use, and are currently breaking in to the home market, just like most every other tech.
Cars used to cost a solid years wages for middle income families.
The current 2012 cheapest car in the US is a Smart ForTwo Pure at the low price of $12,490. Median household income at the end of 2011 was $51k per year. Enough to buy 4 cars.
Now I'm not saying that 3d printers are as useful or needed as cars. I'm saying that people shouldn't doubt the potential of a technology to become commonplace and dirt cheap.
And who's to say that we'd have to stock all manner of printing materials at all times? Do you stock hundreds of gallons of gasoline at home? You buy it as you need it, like we do with so many other things that are commonplace.
You're not looking hard enough for laptops. The new laptop, 'ultrabooks' and 'netbooks' have no optical drive. The Macbook air is the most popular of these. The way we consume media is changing so that a large number of people download or stream their content, movies, software. You may have heard of iTunes, Steam, Netflix, Spotify. I don't think Apple even offers their OS upgrades on CD anymore, its all over-the-air. These are the ways that a large number of people are getting their content.
But thats not the point. I was trying to say: CD's are OLD (but not old enough to be retro, like vinyl), so of course they're cheap. Its a flawed argument to compare to CD's, their price is low because they're out of date.
There are a huge number of technologies which for various reasons are not marketed at consumers, and thus never fall below a certain level of price. I think that 3D printers will be one of those things, due to lack of demand. Can you suggest 3 uses that you would have, right now, for a 3D printer? Anything beyond miniatures and 'o yeah and spare parts'?
As for the stocking materials argument, no, of course I don't keep hundreds of gallons of gasoline at home. I do however have enough in my car to get wherever I want. This is the flaw in the idea that 'you can just print whatever you want at home, without needing to go to the shops'. Keeping the materials at home is infeasible, so if you need to go to the shops anyway to buy printer cartridges, why bother having the printer?
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![[Post New]](/s/i/i.gif) 2012/08/24 09:28:53
Subject: Do you see 3d printers bleeding companies like games workshop dry in a few years?
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Land Raider Pilot on Cruise Control
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Blaggard wrote:Computers *were* designed for ubiquity? They are now, but "640kb is all you'd ever need".
Davylove21 wrote:On the same token, however, you cannot assume that 3D printers are destined for ubiquity in the same way computers were. The technology may simply never 'click' with the common man.
Didn't read beyond the point where you fundamentally misread what I said because it can hold no relevance to it.
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"If you don't have Funzo, you're nothin'!"
"I'm cancelling you out of shame, like my subscription to white dwarf"
Never use a long word where a short one will do. |
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![[Post New]](/s/i/i.gif) 2012/08/24 11:59:18
Subject: Do you see 3d printers bleeding companies like games workshop dry in a few years?
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Krazed Killa Kan
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Orock wrote:
The world is changing dramatically, information, one of the foremost comodities, is now available to a great many at little effort and cost. Game companies need to jump on an alternative program BEFORE the tech becomes mainstream, or risk becoming the movie and record and newspaper companies, struggling to survive in a world where men arent going to put up with bloated business practices anymore.
While I agree with your comments on rebellion against the prices drives piracy, I disagree that it will have a major impact on GW as a business (or indeed any business).
The revenue lost through Piracy is infinitisemal to the music conglomerates, they probably host Shareholder's meetings that cost more than what they lose through piracy over a similar length of time. You won't find a genuine case of a record label holding up their hands and saying 'pack up the golden toilet seats and cancel the employee gym memberships guys, the pirates have bled us dry', because it's greed that's driving the fight against piracy, not the actual failure of business.
The money lost to illegal downloads really doesn't have much of an effect on their profit margins, mainly because of the 1million people using Limewire to get hold of Nicki Minaj's latest musical monstrosity, there are 100million others using thier iTunes/Amazon/regular brick-and-mortar music store to legitimately purchase the song, and more importantly fully willing to accept and pay those ridiculously inflated prices.
Admittedly GW is a much much smaller and more niche market, and would feel the effect of large-scale piracy a bit more, but when you think about it, the number of pirates would scale in proportion to the market size (so of say the 100,000 people who buy a rhino, only 1000 would illegally produce a rhino).
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DR:80S---G+MB---I+Pw40k08#+D+A+/fWD???R+T(M)DM+
My P&M Log: http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/433120.page
Atma01 wrote:
And that is why you hear people yelling FOR THE EMPEROR rather than FOR LOGICAL AND QUANTIFIABLE BASED DECISIONS FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THE MAJORITY!
Phototoxin wrote:Kids go in , they waste tonnes of money on marnus calgar and his landraider, the slaneshi-like GW revel at this lust and short term profit margin pleasure. Meanwhile father time and cunning lord tzeentch whisper 'our games are better AND cheaper' and then players leave for mantic and warmahordes.
daveNYC wrote:The Craftworld guys, who are such stick-in-the-muds that they manage to make the Ultramarines look like an Ibiza nightclub that spiked its Red Bull with LSD. |
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![[Post New]](/s/i/i.gif) 2012/08/24 12:24:10
Subject: Do you see 3d printers bleeding companies like games workshop dry in a few years?
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Twisted Trueborn with Blaster
Fredericton, NB
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Know thy self. Everything follows this.
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![[Post New]](/s/i/i.gif) 2012/08/24 12:39:12
Subject: Do you see 3d printers bleeding companies like games workshop dry in a few years?
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Fixture of Dakka
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I haven't seen a knob on a microwave in 10+ years. With more interfaces becoming digital, the need for fixing mechanical parts are becoming less and less.
Besides, Americans don't fix things. They throw out perfectly good working things with slight flaws and buy new ones at best buy. I seriously think anyone who actually has a microwave with a knob which was in such disrepair that it falls off and is lost that they will be the market to afford a home 3d printer and that this mass of poor people with 10 year old broken microwaves are going to drive the 3D printing market to allow any of us to have cheap or free GW models printed in our homes.
People don't want to fix it themselves. If anything, the hardware store will have a printer at home depot, and you will go there, print it then Go home.
Not all technologies make it to be in every home because they don't all need to be. Technology can advance and be needed so infrequent that people rely on stores or contractors to show up with the equipment instead of owning it. There are almost no legitimate home uses of 3d printers... Losing a screw or breaking a part in your home maybe happens 4 times a year and is not worth the investment or deadspacemin your house for having the equipment unless you live Ina repair junkyard like sanford and son.
No free wargaming models pie in the sky dreams. I will believe it when I see it.
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My Models: Ork Army: Waaagh 'Az-ard - Chibi Dungeon RPG Models! - My Workblog!
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RULE OF COOL: When converting models, there is only one rule: "The better your model looks, the less people will complain about it."
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MODELING FOR ADVANTAGE TEST: rigeld2: "Easy test - are you willing to play the model as a stock one? No? MFA." |
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![[Post New]](/s/i/i.gif) 2012/08/24 14:42:11
Subject: Do you see 3d printers bleeding companies like games workshop dry in a few years?
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Boosting Ultramarine Biker
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OK- you guys win...
You're forgetting the incremental steps to bring a technology from the specialty market to mainstream. I'm not saying 3D printing will be as revolutionary as computers, but the analogy between those two items is good to mention.
If in 1980 I said you could have your pictures on your computer, you guys would tell me that that that's ridiculous. Why would I buy a 1000 machine, when I can go to the photo booth at the mall? Well digital photos were being done in the 80s, but it wasn't mainstream yet. One constant about consumers is that they change the way they buy things, and manufactures change the way they offer them. We don't live in a vacuum.
If in 1980 I said you could print a color magazine with a printer, you'd probably tell me limitations about the ink, and paper quality. 3D printers of today will be vastly inferior to the ones that eventually make it mainstream. just like the Dot Matrix printer is compared to a modern day color laser.
Lastly the uses of a 3D printer will be limited at first, and even after they are mainstream they will be more useful 10 and 20 years hence. Their popularity will increase as their uses increase, and as other industries find them useful, they will be more relied upon by consumers.
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![[Post New]](/s/i/i.gif) 2012/08/24 15:41:18
Subject: Do you see 3d printers bleeding companies like games workshop dry in a few years?
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Veteran Wolf Guard Squad Leader
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MisterMoon wrote:OK- you guys win...
You're forgetting the incremental steps to bring a technology from the specialty market to mainstream. I'm not saying 3D printing will be as revolutionary as computers, but the analogy between those two items is good to mention.
If in 1980 I said you could have your pictures on your computer, you guys would tell me that that that's ridiculous. Why would I buy a 1000 machine, when I can go to the photo booth at the mall? Well digital photos were being done in the 80s, but it wasn't mainstream yet. One constant about consumers is that they change the way they buy things, and manufactures change the way they offer them. We don't live in a vacuum.
If in 1980 I said you could print a color magazine with a printer, you'd probably tell me limitations about the ink, and paper quality. 3D printers of today will be vastly inferior to the ones that eventually make it mainstream. just like the Dot Matrix printer is compared to a modern day color laser.
Lastly the uses of a 3D printer will be limited at first, and even after they are mainstream they will be more useful 10 and 20 years hence. Their popularity will increase as their uses increase, and as other industries find them useful, they will be more relied upon by consumers.
You are correct in your facts but does that equate to what you think it does?
Lets looks at a couple of things:
1. Pretty much every family in the Western World has owned and used a camera. This is far from true when it comes to miniatures. So your ananology is not perfect (as if any analogies are!) and may not end up in the same place. Ditto with the computer analogy. Just because one technology became common place doesn't mean an other one will.
2. When you mention the color printer part I have to ask you so what? Most people do not in fact print out color magazines. It is usually more expensive to do so than it is to buy the magazine in the first place!
I don't think anyone believes that 3-D printers will eventually become common. They certainly have lots of applications (toys, replacement pieces, etc.... etc.....) BUT none of this means they will change the way miniatures are sold, bought, or pirated. Of course it doesn't mean it won't happen either. Throw in an affordable 3-D scanner and the analysis changes a good amount. Once people can scan their miniatures you remove the artist from the equation. This is important because it means you can scan and print miniatures without permission. People will certainly do so regardless of the legality / ethical ramifications of their actions.
It will be interesting to see but it is a while down the road.
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3500 pts Black Legion
3500 pts Iron Warriors
2500 pts World Eaters
1950 pts Emperor's Children
333 pts Daemonhunters
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![[Post New]](/s/i/i.gif) 2012/08/24 16:43:58
Subject: Re:Do you see 3d printers bleeding companies like games workshop dry in a few years?
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Dakka Veteran
Eye of Terra.
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I personally give 3d printing 3-5 years tops to become widely available. By widely I mean better services will be available, but just out of reach of the average consumer.
There are already companies that offer design services with very good resolution with lines as clean as any quality 28mm plastic or resin figure. The services aren't cheap, however, and most companies will not allow copyright infringement. These machines are pretty decent size (think high speed paper copiers from the late 90's) and have enough surface area to do more than one figure at a time or several copies of the same item.
Home printers are still pretty crappy, but the technology to make functioning multi-part objects is mind blowing.
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![[Post New]](/s/i/i.gif) 2012/08/24 16:51:16
Subject: Re:Do you see 3d printers bleeding companies like games workshop dry in a few years?
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Veteran Wolf Guard Squad Leader
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Uhlan wrote:I personally give 3d printing 3-5 years tops to become widely available. By widely I mean better services will be available, but just out of reach of the average consumer.
Wouldn't it have to be easily available to the average person to be widely available?
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3500 pts Black Legion
3500 pts Iron Warriors
2500 pts World Eaters
1950 pts Emperor's Children
333 pts Daemonhunters
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![[Post New]](/s/i/i.gif) 2012/08/24 17:13:32
Subject: Re:Do you see 3d printers bleeding companies like games workshop dry in a few years?
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Dakka Veteran
Eye of Terra.
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brettz123 wrote:Uhlan wrote:I personally give 3d printing 3-5 years tops to become widely available. By widely I mean better services will be available, but just out of reach of the average consumer.
Wouldn't it have to be easily available to the average person to be widely available?
Well, I mean services available locally for hire. The really good machine will still cost an arm and a leg.
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![[Post New]](/s/i/i.gif) 2012/08/26 09:42:41
Subject: Do you see 3d printers bleeding companies like games workshop dry in a few years?
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Soul Token
West Yorkshire, England
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Aerethan wrote:
Telephones, TV's, Radios, Refrigerators, Microwaves, Cars, Computers, Cell Phones. Why on earth would 3D printers be any different? They started for industrial use, and are currently breaking in to the home market, just like most every other tech.
The difference for me is that every single one of those technologies clearly let me do something I couldn't before, or made something I could do so much more convenient that the choice to upgrade was a no-brainer.
With 3d printing, I'm finding it a lot harder to look at my daily life and see why I'd need it or find it vastly more convenient than the alternative (nip down the shops and buy it) on a regular basis.
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This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2012/08/26 09:43:20
"The 75mm gun is firing. The 37mm gun is firing, but is traversed round the wrong way. The Browning is jammed. I am saying "Driver, advance." and the driver, who can't hear me, is reversing. And as I look over the top of the turret and see twelve enemy tanks fifty yards away, someone hands me a cheese sandwich." |
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![[Post New]](/s/i/i.gif) 2012/08/26 16:30:35
Subject: Do you see 3d printers bleeding companies like games workshop dry in a few years?
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Fresh-Faced New User
Belgium
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Orock wrote:I dont know if its been discussed before, but whats the general concensus on 3d printers.....
1st: 3d "printing", well that's kind of how plastic figs are made already ^^, either digital sculpt, or an actual sculpt that is scanned, then digitally cut if needed, then sprues are made on computer and finally sent to a machine that engrave the metal mold; and those metal molds are used to make the pastic figs. the producers are mostly in China/ HK.
2nd: you could already mass produce fakes in resin if you wanted.... that's how a lot of the small companies/sculptors -notably in France- are making their figs basically; you have "indie" mold makers/figurine casters. Metal or plastic you can't do at home but resin you can without huge investments.
tbh, I think people who want to sell fakes just bulk import fakes from China; it's cheaper.
I don't really see how 3d printing makes it all that much easier.
On an individual level, even if you somehow gets the 3d scans of the internet or sth, the costs in materials to just make a few space marines will be too high to be worth it.
Basically that's like saying publishers will go bankrupt because you can just print books on your inkjet printer at home.
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![[Post New]](/s/i/i.gif) 2012/08/27 08:40:30
Subject: Do you see 3d printers bleeding companies like games workshop dry in a few years?
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Lord Commander in a Plush Chair
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The sorts of things that break in electrical and mechanical devices aren't plastic buttons but more specific parts inside. The fact that someone has a 3D printer doesn't mean that they will start doing DIY repairs. First you have to change our culture so that people do try to repair things instead of just replacing them because the whole appliance is so cheap.
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![[Post New]](/s/i/i.gif) 2012/08/28 14:17:29
Subject: Do you see 3d printers bleeding companies like games workshop dry in a few years?
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Hunter with Harpoon Laucher
Castle Clarkenstein
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Over and over and over and over.
No, I don't see this thing doing a damn thing to affect miniature makers. You can already copy minitures without the need for the spiffy new toy.
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....and lo!.....The Age of Sigmar came to an end when Saint Veetock and his hamster legions smote the false Sigmar and destroyed the bubbleverse and lead the true believers back to the Old World.
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![[Post New]](/s/i/i.gif) 2012/08/28 14:29:55
Subject: Do you see 3d printers bleeding companies like games workshop dry in a few years?
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Veteran Wolf Guard Squad Leader
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mikhaila wrote:
Over and over and over and over.
No, I don't see this thing doing a damn thing to affect miniature makers. You can already copy minitures without the need for the spiffy new toy.
An interesting point but 3D printing would have some aedvantages.
First of all it isn't all that easy to get a good copy out of a silicone RTV mold unless you have some practice. It isn't all that hard but you do have to spend some time and money learning how to do it. This is one reason I tell people who want to learn "just to make some bits" that it isn't really cost effective. A 3D printer would make this a lot easier and less labor intensive.
Currently you need to mix and pour the rubber and then wait 24 hours for the mold to cure. So it takes some time. After the mold is done you need to mix the resin, pour the resin, and then wait another 30 minutes or so for the resin to harden. It is a time comsumong process which would supposedly be speedier with a 3D printer. Now obviously I can pour a lot of moulds very quickly which speeds up the process per model.
But the best thing about 3D printing is that you will be able to share "moulds" with people by distributing your files. This will be very convenient.
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3500 pts Black Legion
3500 pts Iron Warriors
2500 pts World Eaters
1950 pts Emperor's Children
333 pts Daemonhunters
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![[Post New]](/s/i/i.gif) 2012/08/28 15:06:03
Subject: Do you see 3d printers bleeding companies like games workshop dry in a few years?
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Veteran Inquisitorial Tyranid Xenokiller
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I've seen this thread a few times and here's my two cents so I don't have to come back. The printing will eventually get cheaper, and GW will not be able to sue everyone who buys one, so they'll just have to sell the patterns to make their citadel miniatures to continue to profit from DIYers. Perhaps they'd even try getting their hands on a printer that's specific for resin models, pre-program it, and then sell it so that it makes their models. I personally do not see GW going under from this type of technology, I see an expansion of the hobby not seen before because the miniatures will become vastly cheaper, easier to personalize by conversion, and GW will be forced to open up new avenues of 40k by expanding the hobby, ie. New armies such as Ad. Mech, Chaos Mech, Exodites,RT, and other Xenos, as well as expanding greatly on armies that are otherwise neglected - like SoB. Armies will also become much, much, MUCH bigger, and even terrain (an aspect that has been HIGHLY neglected imo) will suddenly explode because anyone proficient (or knows someone- or even hires someone) in autoCAD will be able to design, craft, and then paint an entire gameboard, no matter how complex and intricate off their computer for a vast reduction of price and time. Also, even if for some reason GW goes under, the era of printing your own models means one thing: the hobby itself will never die so long as there are those who continue to play it. The future is bright indeed in that light....
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This message was edited 3 times. Last update was at 2012/08/28 15:12:10
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![[Post New]](/s/i/i.gif) 2012/08/28 15:19:15
Subject: Do you see 3d printers bleeding companies like games workshop dry in a few years?
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Dakka Veteran
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I think even when the technology gets to a certain point, it won't drive companies like GW out of business. They'll just have to adapt to it (which yes, is hard to believe).
But I don't think it's unreasonable to consider the possibility that at that point in time model companies will start selling digital blueprints at the cost of maybe 4 times what a kit costs. Or maybe even blueprints that are only one time use.
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5000 points (Blue rods are better than green!)
5000 points (Black Legion & Pre-heresy Sons of Horus) |
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![[Post New]](/s/i/i.gif) 2012/09/02 00:03:11
Subject: Re:Do you see 3d printers bleeding companies like games workshop dry in a few years?
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Gargantuan Gargant
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Do you see 3d printers bleeding companies like games workshop dry in a few years?
No.
Technology and materials already available allow us to reproduce miniatures and books, for decades now, and they haven't put a dent in Games Workshop. In fact, between FineCast and Ibooks they are charging the same for content that is significantly less expensive for them to produce.
Reproducing/Pirating anything takes specialized knowledge and time to develop skills that most people are not willing to dedicate. As a whole we are too lazy/busy to be bothered to do stuff for ourselves and are willing to pay someone else to do it for us, cheaper,faster,better than we can do for ourselves.
Do you bake your own bread, or do you buy it premade and presliced for you ?
Make your own Pizzas from scratch, or call Dominos ?
Make 2 part RTV silicone molds, properly mix resin in the correct ratio, cast your own figures, or make a few clicks on the interenet and have some delivered to you ?
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This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2012/09/02 00:03:53
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![[Post New]](/s/i/i.gif) 2012/09/02 16:36:03
Subject: Re:Do you see 3d printers bleeding companies like games workshop dry in a few years?
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Shas'la with Pulse Carbine
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their price is low because they're out of date.
The price on CD's is low because competition forced manufacturers to cut costs as they sought to gain access to the consumer. As demand increased the cost to manufacture lowered.
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![[Post New]](/s/i/i.gif) 2012/09/02 17:03:32
Subject: Do you see 3d printers bleeding companies like games workshop dry in a few years?
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Scuttling Genestealer
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Here's a video of a 3D printer. This is INSANE.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aghzpO_UZE
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![[Post New]](/s/i/i.gif) 2012/09/02 17:17:32
Subject: Re:Do you see 3d printers bleeding companies like games workshop dry in a few years?
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Regular Dakkanaut
Ohio
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A few people have been saying 3D printed parts aren't strong enough for regular use. This is false. Several different companies are printing stuff in a number of different metals. 3D printing allows for a complex internal geometry while still maintaining the strength of the metal used.
3D printers can also make molds and mold cores. Those could absolutely be used by companies/people to do minis.
I'd expect places like Kinko's to offer 3D printing services well before the tech becomes common in homes. Without a really expensive printer, the best you could do at this point is create some interesting bases.
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![[Post New]](/s/i/i.gif) 2012/09/02 17:27:48
Subject: Do you see 3d printers bleeding companies like games workshop dry in a few years?
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Nasty Nob
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lord_blackfang wrote:We have this thread every week. Nope. 3d printers won't be mainstream enough for the prices to get reasonable until they can make sandwiches.
Id kill for that printer.
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ERJAK wrote:
The fluff is like ketchup and mustard on a burger. Yes it's desirable, yes it makes things better, but no it doesn't fundamentally change what you're eating and no you shouldn't just drown the whole meal in it.
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![[Post New]](/s/i/i.gif) 2012/09/02 17:52:32
Subject: Do you see 3d printers bleeding companies like games workshop dry in a few years?
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Fixture of Dakka
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No, because quality and efficiency still have a long way to go before we finally reach a similar level between 3D Printers and Injection moulding.
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BlapBlapBlap: bringing idiocy and mischief where it should never set foot since 2011.
BlapBlapBlap wrote:What sort of idiot quotes themselves in their sigs? Who could possibly be that arrogant? |
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![[Post New]](/s/i/i.gif) 2012/09/02 18:20:04
Subject: Re:Do you see 3d printers bleeding companies like games workshop dry in a few years?
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Fixture of Dakka
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Home made 3D printers are at about the same level as what Atari 5200 was when video games first started coming to the Television.
They are over a few thousand bucks, and you can get the programs to make them and replicate some of the parts for them.
-To answer the question?
GW and other gaing companies already use this sort of technology. CAD printing is out there and you can get in on it for a few thousand bucks too.
http://blog.makezine.com/2011/11/30/sweet-fdmfff-3d-printed-wargaming-minis/
http://www.rapidreadytech.com/2012/08/rapid-manufacturing-gets-wyrd/
http://www.makerbot.com/blog/tag/miniatures/
http://www.examiner.com/article/will-3d-printers-be-the-downfall-of-games-workshop
http://www.chickensinenvelopes.net/2012/07/wargames-companies-and-3d-printing/
And, as usual- GW takes the piss. They would rather bury thier head in the sand and throw a Standard package, "Lawyer with a C/D letter to the issue and act like it doesn't exist..." at anyone else who shows the slightest bit of initiative. ( Because of course.. THEY are "The Hobby". And of course if they didn't invent it, it doesn't exist.)
http://technologyspectator.com.au/emerging-tech/applications/3d-printings-disruption-potential
http://greyhawkgrognard.blogspot.de/2012/06/games-workshop-takes-legal-action-over.html
http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2012-05/31/3d-printing-copyright
http://www.beastsofwar.com/warhammer-40k/battle-3d-printing/
The Honey Badger says..... DOOM!!!
How about an Ultrasound Fetus paperweight? Muh ha ha ha!!!
http://www.portlandpulp.com/video/3D-printer-turns-ultrasounds-into-ultra-creepy-paperweights-165614816.html?ref=morestories
Bottom line- It is the up and coming thing. You people talking like its just in the garage need to go back, turn it down a notch and go do your homework.
Heres one of a few hundred companies using it. Oh, and by the way- I called this last year or so.
Cash is king.
http://www.cadspan.com/
http://www.gizmag.com/go/2578/
http://www.3dsystems.com/
Got a figure? Got some plans or a program for some 3D CGI graphic figures? You'll later on be taking the program to someone like Kinkos, or Staples, or someone who has one of the facilities and they will more or less be doing the printing for you. Expect to pay a few bucks, because these things are in the early stages, and Joe Average is not really the one you want fooling around with these. Especially when your looking at the production facilities, the materials, and the resin/ silicon that will be needed to do the work. We won't even get into the OSHA issues you will bring upon yourself.
Just so you know? They are well past worrying about games.... Games? Pfft. Lets talk about- Medical and Industial application.
Game applications for this is a kids stuff waste of the type of money that they really want to be making with this technology.
They are looking HARD at this process for Medical and Industrial applications. Very hard.
http://www.3dsystems.com/ (One of numerous companies to use as an example of a base application of the technology.)
This is what you look at on Google. "Medical application of 3D printing."
http://www.google.de/#hl=de&gs_nf=1&cp=34&gs_id=2u&xhr=t&q=Medical+application+of+3d+printing&pf=p&rlz=1R2ADRA_enUS470&sclient=psy-ab&oq=Medical+application+of+3d+printing&gs_l=&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&fp=a0a0c449790ff430&biw=1366&bih=566
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-16907104 - This is a Jawbone.
http://www.uprint3dprinting.com/applications/3d-printer-medical.aspx - This is for medical instruments
http://www.healthymagination.com/blog/3d-printing-takes-shape-in-medicine/ -This is the road ahead that Some universities are heading.
Of particular note in this conversation is this on the page halfway down the page-
" Scientists at Wake Forrest University have already grown a mini liver from human cells and researchers in Japan are experimenting with 3D printers to bioprint organs."
18 Billion dollars in THAT particular conversatrion is a chicken-feed number.
Have a look at where the road ahead is going-
http://www.ted.com/talks/anthony_atala_printing_a_human_kidney.html
In conclusion, 3D printing is well past the garage, and well on its way to your Friendly Local ...Medical/ Military Industrial Complex.
Oh, and by the way.... I haven't even discussed weapons yet.
Heres what you get for Google for "3D printing application for weapons"
http://www.google.de/#hl=de&gs_nf=1&cp=12&gs_id=30&xhr=t&q=3D+printing+application+for+weapons&pf=p&rlz=1R2ADRA_enUS470&sclient=psy-ab&oq=3D+printing+application+for+weapons&gs_l=&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&fp=a0a0c449790ff430&biw=1366&bih=566
Dr Frankenstein says to Think Happy Thoughts... We are doing this for your own good...
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This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2012/09/02 18:33:09
At Games Workshop, we believe that how you behave does matter. We believe this so strongly that we have written it down in the Games Workshop Book. There is a section in the book where we talk about the values we expect all staff to demonstrate in their working lives. These values are Lawyers, Guns and Money. |
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