• Registered: 2005-03-28
  • Posts: 480

Topic: Still looking for a sculptor?

There are interesting things happening with computer modelling these days. For example, look at this thread on the Reaper mini boards:

http://www.reapermini.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=26127&st=15

  • Registered: 2005-03-29
  • Posts: 330

Re: Still looking for a sculptor?

Man, those are sweet.

-Bren

  • Registered: 2005-03-28
  • Posts: 416

Re: Still looking for a sculptor?

Yep, they aren't bad at all. A few more armour types and weapon options and they'll make for pretty decent Vobians...

Anyhow. It does seem like things are progressing towards a point where you don't absolutely need a decent sculptor and a pile of greenstuff to make infantry models any longer -- just an ace CAD designer and an expensive workstation tongue

  • Registered: 2005-03-28
  • Posts: 480

Re: Still looking for a sculptor?

It's not just progressing, it's here. It helps to have a decent sculptor as well. The really, really cool thing about these is that the model gets reposed in the CAD software, so you don't need a new sculpt for a new pose. While that's of limited appeal to RPGs or painters it's awesome for wargamers. Then, if you have a sculptor on the team he can customise the models a bit and remaster instead of doing all the grunt work.

  • Registered: 2005-03-28
  • Posts: 416

Re: Still looking for a sculptor?

smokingwreckage wrote:

It's not just progressing, it's here

I don't think so actually. Perhaps it could be, but it isn't, not for infantry minis. Most companies still produce those from hand-sculpted originals. CAD modeling is already well on the march in vehicle heavy smaller scales (Reaper's CAV is a prime example), but at least some companies doing that still sculpt infantry by hand. All this AFAIK, of course. Could be wrong.

As to these particular minis... While they certainly appeal to me, they simply lack the level of detail to appeal to the majority of "skulls, spikes and chainsaws" crowd (not that they'll even hear about minis such as these before they at least partly graduate/degenerate out of it :wink:). Furthermore, they don't have the acid test potential -- they are aliens after all. The challenge will be CADing up a good human figure, face and all.

  • Registered: 2005-03-28
  • Posts: 480

Re: Still looking for a sculptor?

On re-reading, I see what you mean.

I think that right now, CAD could be awesome for fully-enclosed power armour, except to the extent that reposing in CAD would highlight the fact that, for example, a Space Marine can't really move his arms much at all. There's a couple of places on those minis I linked to where you can see quite clearly shortcomings of 3D modelling, familiar if you play many 3D shooters. The torso doesn't twist right for example. All of these things can be overcome with enough horsepower and enough hours modelling.

The way I see it CAD could be really useful for precision sculpts or for getting multiple reposes, but at full fantasy-miniature collector levels of detail I doubt it would be faster than traditional sculpting.