A novel idea for miniatures...

[LoneWolf23]

I'm not much of a miniature collector, but I understand that a common flaw of miniatures is their fixed apperance, which sometimes hinders the rpg experience.

Then I remembered one thing: Aren't most miniatures about the size of a classic 5' GI Joe figurine? Figurines which came in multiple appearances, but were posable, came with interchangeable accessories, and in some cases, alterable appearances?

Wouldn't it be neat if a toy company made D&D miniature Figurines like that? Say, male and female versions of the core classes, plus some prestige classes?

Either that, or make multiple versions of the same type of figurines, each with a slightly different appearance, following an "upgrade" pattern of armor designs? This could work like in Diablo II when characters upgrade their armors, altering their appearance with each new type of armor.

 

[alsih2o]

most minis are just over an inch. 25-30mm. and cheap.

but lots of folks here would DIE over poseable minis.


me included.

 

[Umbran]

but lots of folks here would DIE over poseable minis.

Yeah, but if your "minis" are five inches high, how big does your battlemat have to be? A poseable figure might be a neat gimmick for some, but it's not particularly useful for gameplay.

 

[Breakstone]

Unless you yourself are gigantic!

Yeah!

 

[coyote6]

FWIW, WotC was doing d20 Modern demos at Gen Con SoCal using GI Joe figures. I don't recall the exact scale of the grid they were using, but I don't think it was scaled up as much as the figures were.

(The figures were mounted on clear round plastic bases, too, so they weren't always falling over.)

 

[Davelozzi]

I don't recall the exact scale of the grid they were using, but I don't think it was scaled up as much as the figures were.

I believe d20 Star Wars recommends using 2" squares instead of 1" if you use action figures.

 

[Richards]

Lego people have the advantages of poseability, customization, and being relatively the same scale as most figurines. We've been using them for years now.

Johnathan

 

[Bloodstone Mage]

Lego people have the advantages of poseability, customization, and being relatively the same scale as most figurines. We've been using them for years now.

That's what I'd love to do. I can't find my medieval Legos, though...

It seems to me that it would be a great idea if Lego and Hasbro/WotC went into the venture of making D&D Legos. It would create another extension of the D&D brand that could reach new audiences, young and old. I understand, though, that due to legal and corporate circumstances, such a event won't possibly occur, but it would be pretty cool if it did.

But yeah, that's just my tangent rambling.

Back on the main topic, customizable mini's would make me give miniatures another try. I wouldn't know how it would, and the expenses a company would have to pay to make it happen could be unrealistic. But I'm not in the gaming/mini industry, so I don't know.

 

[Doppleganger]

How about using 5 foot squares, and department store mannequins? Then you could alter their appearances with wigs, real clothes, and historical replica weapons. And you could use real barns, taverns, and castles for battlemaps. For spells like fireball, you could use gasoline and real fire. Your miniature "box" would be an eighteen wheeler with all the mannequins carefully packed inside.

 

[Dirigible]

most minis are just over an inch. 25-30mm. and cheap.

Except 40K Inquisitor models, I think.