There now site called Shapways (http://www.shapeways.com) that give access to 3D printer and other additive manufacturing technologies.
It is expensive but not out of reach for a one time purchase. Here are some examples I found.
Dice
http://www.shapeways.com/model/126266/thorn_dice_set_with_decader.html?gid=mg
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_mFjy4EWzmtg/TTr70nZblPI/AAAAAAAABJY/P1f82mwKD0E/s320/photo_19422_shapeways.jpg)
Miniature
http://www.shapeways.com/model/139668/nyarlethotep_bloody_tongue___mini_version.html?gid=mg
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_mFjy4EWzmtg/TTr70s2Nw9I/AAAAAAAABJQ/QWgEjnW37f8/s320/photo_19821_shapeways.jpg)
Those dice... whoah. They look awesome. I'm not sure the surface of my tabletop would like them, but they do look neat.
The Steampunk d20 looks really cool. I wonder how accurately weighted these dice are?
Actual minis produced by Shapeways still aren't that great of quality.
It's rather telling that most minis on the site don't actually show the final product, but instead, show the 3D model (as above).
Here's a sample from someone on the Paizo boards:
http://picasaweb.google.com/fanguad/ShapewaysMinis?feat=directlink (http://picasaweb.google.com/fanguad/ShapewaysMinis?feat=directlink)
Quote from: kythri;434401Actual minis produced by Shapeways still aren't that great of quality.
It's rather telling that most minis on the site don't actually show the final product, but instead, show the 3D model (as above).
Here's a sample from someone on the Paizo boards:
http://picasaweb.google.com/fanguad/ShapewaysMinis?feat=directlink (http://picasaweb.google.com/fanguad/ShapewaysMinis?feat=directlink)
I do 3d modeling, and I don't believe that the Nyarlathotep from the first post is a digital 3d model. The one you linked to is crap, sure, but the Nyarlathotep looks good. The close up shot shows what looks like the pixelated effect 3d printing gives- it looks to be made of blocks rather than smooth. The 3d model would have looked smoother, and would have no such artifacts. Even without the 3d model being set to smooth, the look is very different; it would look like a bunch of linked quads rather than a bunch of stepped cubes, which is how it looks.
According to the site, the dice are physical (metal), but show the 3d models they came from.
Quote from: Monster Manuel;434420I do 3d modeling, and I don't believe that the Nyarlathotep from the first post is a digital 3d model. The one you linked to is crap, sure, but the Nyarlathotep looks good. The close up shot shows what looks like the pixelated effect 3d printing gives- it looks to be made of blocks rather than smooth. The 3d model would have looked smoother, and would have no such artifacts. Even without the 3d model being set to smooth, the look is very different; it would look like a bunch of linked quads rather than a bunch of stepped cubes, which is how it looks.
According to the site, the dice are physical (metal), but show the 3d models they came from.
I disagree. I do modeling with Rhino, Zbrush and Blender. To me that Nyarlathotep looks like a render; there's a lack of depth to it. I haven't tried all of shapeways various materials yet, but I certainly think you could get away with printing dice even if they have that "graininess" associated with the deposition printing.
Shapeways is a good service, and I do believe that their z-resolution is going to improve as they upgrade their tech. If you want to do minis, there are two companies I have personal experience with and recommend (you will pay more for their service, though) and have a master that is very close to re-cast quality with very little work.
moddler.com
prototech.com
I have some work coming back from moddler soon, based on the render below; when it comes back, I'll post a pic.
(http://lh5.ggpht.com/_bfepjYAQlfE/TR6ah9YfGSI/AAAAAAAAAH4/z2Gv03zz688/IS_Bolter.jpg)
What are those dice made of?
RPGPundit
According to the site, the ones in the picture are stainless steel, so they're not straight out of the printer with paint or anything.
Speaking of the site, look at the larger image of Nyarlathotep on the site. You can really make out the stepped cubes look I was talking about around the face and on the skin blemishes. The background, which does indeed have no depth could be photoshopped.
They look interesting but I don't know how usable they would be.
RPGPundit
3D printing may be in its infancy today, but I am really looking forward to its future incarnations.
I like the idea and I know I could give them plenty of business but...
From the pictures their product doesn't look high quality
If I am wrong then let me know, I can throw some business their way
here is a place that does custom dice:
http://www.customdice.com/
I've been really tempted by some of the spaceship minis they have for sale... but I'm skeptical about the materials.
Metal or hard plastic I'd be fine with... but this stuff seems to be of a softer sort. I don't want bendy bits, warping, or soft details.
So nice as the sculpts are... I'm waiting for some improvements.
Quote from: Simlasa;434950I've been really tempted by some of the spaceship minis they have for sale... but I'm skeptical about the materials.
Metal or hard plastic I'd be fine with... but this stuff seems to be of a softer sort. I don't want bendy bits, warping, or soft details.
So nice as the sculpts are... I'm waiting for some improvements.
yep. I saw some of those spaceship minis and I was interested but I am not sure about the material either
Quote from: Spinachcat;4349383D printing may be in its infancy today, but I am really looking forward to its future incarnations.
(http://www.shapeways.com/modules/udesign/utils/openfile.php?id=171190&f=photos/photo25703.jpg)
(http://www.shapeways.com/modules/udesign/utils/openfile.php?id=171191&f=photos/photo25702.jpg)
(http://www.shapeways.com/modules/udesign/utils/openfile.php?id=171275&f=photos/photo25720.jpg)
(http://www.shapeways.com/modules/udesign/utils/openfile.php?id=171192&f=photos/photo25701.jpg)
(http://www.shapeways.com/modules/udesign/utils/openfile.php?id=171865&f=photos/photo25860.jpg)
Not too shabby, although detail isn't too fine.
So does anyone actually own those dice? How usable are they?
RPGPundit
One of the mailing lists I'm on has an SF vehicle sculptor who is happy with his smaller than normal scale vehicles. (15mm, I think.) If he's happy then they're probably good at least for that purpose.
I do not own the dice, I was hoping someone else did so I could find out how well they roll.
Quote from: Monster Manuel;434608According to the site, the ones in the picture are stainless steel, so they're not straight out of the printer with paint or anything.
Actually, they
could be straight out of the printer. There are 3D metal printers that do "laser sintering" to build objects; basically welding a bunch of tiny blobs of metal together.
Quote from: Silverlion;435068One of the mailing lists I'm on has an SF vehicle sculptor who is happy with his smaller than normal scale vehicles. (15mm, I think.) If he's happy then they're probably good at least for that purpose.
That's probably John Bear Ross, his designs are some of the best of what can be done with digital design and rapid prototyping. Several small start ups are using the process as well to create aftermarket components for existing kits. Mark Mondragon of Dream Forge games is making awesome large scale wargame mechs.
Although its a slightly different process, Wargames Factory and Forge World design products digitally, which are then used to directly create molds on a CNC machine. Although their earlier products were less than stellar, Wargames Factory infantry had made great strides in quality with their later offerings.
Digital design will obsolete traditional "green" mini sculpting this decade. Designers can create more quickly, accurately and with less practical experience than its takes to learn to sculpt well with green stuff. As services like Shapeways improve and proliferate, it may become as economical for you to have all of your minis printed rather than buying kits, challenging the established business models of Games Workshop and other miniature manufacturers.
Quote from: Angry_Douchebag;435098challenging the established business models of Games Workshop and other miniature manufacturers.
And thus the Internet upends yet another business model and industry. Obviously it isn't quite there yet but neither was Print on Demand a years back. Now booksellers and publishers are feeling the heat.
Wonder how long it will be before you can take an old discontinued miniature, put it into a 3-D scanner, and get a new one printed. Would be nice to get some of those old Grenadier ~20mm figures upscaled to the new ~30mm scale.