Tyler McDowell

25 minutes ago, Simon said:

You're not thinking it through.

 

Look to those people doing Patreons for miniature STLs.  One, they're doing it for MUCH larger target audiences.  Two, they're doing it either as a small portion of a larger offering of design files or are doing a large and ever-increasing library of designs.  And they're already doing it.  They're the competition.  You want super hero minis?  Have them create some for you.  Don't want to pay that much for them? You may be starting to see the issue.

 

So you're suggesting that DOJ should hire in an STL designer to create a product that they can sell - something completely outside of their wheelhouse. Something that the vast majority of their market wouldn't even understand the purpose of. That product would likely sell in the double digits.  Possibly only single digits.  Total.  Not enough to pay the designer...and certainly not enough to deal with the headache of those buying the STLs and not realizing that they're just the printer files and not actual miniatures....or those that buy the STLs thinking that they'll get usable, nice minis off of an FDM printer. If there was some untapped general market out there for super heroic miniature STL designs, the very Patreons you cite would already be designing for it.

 

As for the cost of printers (for those reading along and thinking "hey!  $189 for a resin printer sounds like something I can wrangle!") - especially in 3D printers, you get what you pay for.  Lower end resin printers are fraught with issues (I would not recommend using one without serious ventilation)...and typically require other systems to properly cure and finish the printed product.  

I have thought it through and it is a long shot.  You are right that most creators are catering to a large audience with fantasy and warhammer type figures.  You are trying to put words in my mouth that I am not saying however.  I am not saying to do it.  I am asking is it worth considering?  I will let other people with the knowledge on how to get products developed and to market make the decision on if to do it.  

As for 3d Printing... I have had excellent results with my $189 printer for over 2 years using resin that cleans up with water and cures in sunlight. I have added a small uv curing station from Amazon for about $30 I believe just for convenience.  Ventilation is not an issue with flexible dryer duct tube, a inline fan, and a window.  So yes, there are some extras that are needed.  Just like pencils, paper, and dice are needed for playing an RPG.  

At this point I am done.  To discuss it further with you is futile as you have your opinion that it is not worth pursuing and my opinion is to ask if the idea is worth exploring.  It isn't for me to say yay or nay about if it happens

2 hours ago, Simon said:

That's my point, though:  you're talking about a product with an insanely low margin that requires high sales volume to justify its development...and marketing it to the fraction of a small portion of a shrinking RPG community that focuses on HERO System supers...and then further limiting the potential buyers to those few who are into 3D printing...and limiting even more from there to the one or two who are both into 3D printing and have resin printers.

Could be.  But if you look at the Patreons of people doing miniatures for 3d printing, they are doing fairly well.  Kickstarters for just descent miniatures seem to do well.  Granted most do fantasy or Warhammer type figures.  But there has to be enough people 3d printing to support sites like MyMiniFactory and others.  If desktophero wasn't making money they wouldn't be in business still.  Going the Kickstarter route also lets Hero gage the interest in superhero miniatures without the full risk of development.  If it covers just the cost of development, having he figures on DrivethuRPG would cost how much?  It also builds interest in the game system overall.  Offer a merchant license on a lifetime or monthly basis makes the miniatures available to people that are not into 3d printing and broadens the market to people that play superhero games with miniatures.
As I said, it is just an idea.  Folks who deal with developing new products can take a look at it and judge for themselves.  I said all I wanted to say.

3 hours ago, Simon said:

There are a number of ways to get custom-designed STL files, from working directly with a designer (multiple Patreons that support this) to sites like Desktop Hero (https://desktophero3d.com).

 

The main issue that I see is that most FDM printers are going to lack the level of detail/quality that you're going to need at that small of a scale -- the end product is simply not going to look like what you want, leaving you with resin printers as your best option.  This limits the potential market for miniature designs for the HERO System DRAMATICALLY...for a product that you would not be able to market for more than a few dollars.

A good resin printer is as inexpensive as FDM printers these days.  A mars 2 pro comes in at 189 on Amazon and I have been printing miniatures for Fantasy and Sci Fi for a couple of years.  

I am just throwing the idea out for people to consider as maybe something Hero Games might develop as a product or as someone has mentioned to get interest in the Hero patreon.  It is something that once made and potential paid for with a Kickstarter, Hero can put the files in the store or on DrivethruRPG.  There really isn't any other miniatures available and frankly all the sites like Desktop Hero just suck for supers.  

39 minutes ago, bluesguy said:

Have you contacted Hero Forge about offering more Super Hero options?  They have been pretty responsive to requests.

Yes.  Never heard back. 

19 hours ago, Beast said:

well there is Hero forge and Eldritch Foundry for building stl files for your 3d printer

 

I have looked them both over many times.  I don't see much in the way of classic superhero options and nothing to match Champions characters.

Something I have wanted for years is miniatures for champions based on the characters from the game.  With 3d printing and kickstarter, this looks like something that could be a viable product.  

Add me to the list of people wanting hardcovers, at least for the main books.  My hang-up is that I can't handle paper/pages being bent and wrinkled.  I end up with multiple copies of books that I really like "just in case".  If one gets what is in my mind damaged, I have to hide it from myself and use a different copy.  Hardbacks for me is much easier to deal with and less expensive in the end.