JVisgaitis
Explorer
We're looking at branching into other areas this year and I would like to pick the brains of the EN World faithful. . .
Alternatives to WotC Minis
- Thread starter JVisgaitis
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Mr Vergee
First Post
I think all of the 'yes'-choices are valid. Reasonable prices and good quality are a must, not being randomized is a great plus for the customer, not the company though. So I'm afraid this will have to reflect on the price anyway. But even then, if you can only buy what you really want (like with unpainted figs), you're prepared to pay a bit more.
I only use the figs for roleplay enhancement anyway, not for any miniature game, so being able to make my own selection is a thought that appeals to me.
I only use the figs for roleplay enhancement anyway, not for any miniature game, so being able to make my own selection is a thought that appeals to me.
jsewell
First Post
ABSOLUTELY. I hate the way WotC "M:tG-ized" miniatures. Right now, I use plastic army figures (with pushpins in their heads to identify them), because I don't want to spend the amount of money I've spent on Magic. I know you can get individuals on e-bay, but, unless you buy alot from the same person, shipping kills you.
Jdvn1
Hanging in there. Better than the alternative.
Yeah, it's easier to keep track of who's who with mini's as opposed to nickels or beads. I'd buy them and I'm kind of indifferent about randomized packs. I don't collect the mini's to play D&D Miniatures, I buy mini's because they enhance the game.
Random Acts of Madness
I'm definitely all up for good, unrandomized (pre-painted) minis, on par with later WotC releases. (Heck, a good un-painted one will grab me too, although I'm waaaay behind in my painting.)
Other than the Star Wars minis (which I buy initially for the obsessive-compulsive packaging-collection for the Museum Room), I never buy randomized packs, instead preferring to frequent those stores that break up many packs to sell the figures individually, including trading/selling rares. (Admittedly I did get the two starter sets, but only for the Tiles, not specifically for the figures.)
If it helps any, I'm far more interested in Monster minis than PCs. However, I suspect you're going to be tempted to only make monsters from your own print books, which I'm just not all that likely to buy -- the creaking shelves are getting too full of stuff I'm not reading as it is. No offense intended, guys.
I'm definitely all up for good, unrandomized (pre-painted) minis, on par with later WotC releases. (Heck, a good un-painted one will grab me too, although I'm waaaay behind in my painting.)
Other than the Star Wars minis (which I buy initially for the obsessive-compulsive packaging-collection for the Museum Room), I never buy randomized packs, instead preferring to frequent those stores that break up many packs to sell the figures individually, including trading/selling rares. (Admittedly I did get the two starter sets, but only for the Tiles, not specifically for the figures.)
If it helps any, I'm far more interested in Monster minis than PCs. However, I suspect you're going to be tempted to only make monsters from your own print books, which I'm just not all that likely to buy -- the creaking shelves are getting too full of stuff I'm not reading as it is. No offense intended, guys.
Li Shenron
Legend
I voted maybe.
I don't think minis are necessary to play the game, although the combat parts very often need some sort of visualization on a map, unless the group wants to play with simplified combat rules. For the raw purpose, any object of the appropriate size can do the job.
Of course, to have little figures for all characters and monsters is nice, as is to have a miniature environment instead of a paper map. But if I wanted to have that, it will need to have quite many figures, maybe more than a hundred (over time), so they would have to be very cheap. The WotC minis are quite cheap (1$ each?) although not very cheap, considering how much an optional they are.
Anyway, randomization and rarity are two ideas that completely keep me away from WotC minis. For a while I have seriously considered buying some of WotC minis, but only on the secondary market (then I realized it was ridiculously expensive).
Randomization is for me, as a customer, a capital offense. I simply don't buy something before knowing what it is.
Rarity is a method of increasing the market value of something far over its material value. Since rarity is set by WotC at production, it is completely artificial (in comparison for example with stamps, which aren't printed with a planned rarity, but become rare because of uncontrolled circumstances), and as such it makes me feel cheated. Also, rarity-based collections are just the kind of hobbies that can drive little kids crazy, and I sometimes think they should be forbidden for under-18.
For these reasons, I have so far resisted in buying any of WotC minis, even if they look pretty nice and I am tempted... I just think I would feel somehow irresponsible if I feed that kind of market
I don't think minis are necessary to play the game, although the combat parts very often need some sort of visualization on a map, unless the group wants to play with simplified combat rules. For the raw purpose, any object of the appropriate size can do the job.
Of course, to have little figures for all characters and monsters is nice, as is to have a miniature environment instead of a paper map. But if I wanted to have that, it will need to have quite many figures, maybe more than a hundred (over time), so they would have to be very cheap. The WotC minis are quite cheap (1$ each?) although not very cheap, considering how much an optional they are.
Anyway, randomization and rarity are two ideas that completely keep me away from WotC minis. For a while I have seriously considered buying some of WotC minis, but only on the secondary market (then I realized it was ridiculously expensive).
Randomization is for me, as a customer, a capital offense. I simply don't buy something before knowing what it is.
Rarity is a method of increasing the market value of something far over its material value. Since rarity is set by WotC at production, it is completely artificial (in comparison for example with stamps, which aren't printed with a planned rarity, but become rare because of uncontrolled circumstances), and as such it makes me feel cheated. Also, rarity-based collections are just the kind of hobbies that can drive little kids crazy, and I sometimes think they should be forbidden for under-18.
For these reasons, I have so far resisted in buying any of WotC minis, even if they look pretty nice and I am tempted... I just think I would feel somehow irresponsible if I feed that kind of market
I'd really love to have non-random, pre-painted plastic miniatures of about the same cost as the Wizards miniatures, and to have a big range of them.
Really, really love it to happen.
Failing that, a lot of pre-painted orcs and goblins and human warriors would be absolutely great for those of us who want to run some mass combat.
By "looking at branching into other areas this year" does that mean you've already assessed the cost of making these miniatures?
I'm sure that if you make the miniatures, and I think they're a good deal, I'll be tracking their progress on my website.
Cheers!
Really, really love it to happen.
Failing that, a lot of pre-painted orcs and goblins and human warriors would be absolutely great for those of us who want to run some mass combat.
By "looking at branching into other areas this year" does that mean you've already assessed the cost of making these miniatures?
I'm sure that if you make the miniatures, and I think they're a good deal, I'll be tracking their progress on my website.
Cheers!
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Flyspeck23
First Post
I voted "Yes, as long as they are reasonably priced.", and that's weird. Two years ago my answer would've been "I prefer to paint my miniatures myself, so I don't care about pre-painted."
Wonder why that isn't the case anymore...
Wonder why that isn't the case anymore...
Keeper of Secrets
First Post
I like using minis, actually, I think it helps visualize things and keep everything straight in everyone's mind. Sometimes people are not exactly sure where everyone is in the room and it leads to some confusion (especially if there are a lot of PCs and numerous monsters).
Now, that being said, I suppose you do not actually need minis, per se, but markers or colored tokens or something else would be appropriate so long as everyone has an idea of what is going on.
Now, that being said, I suppose you do not actually need minis, per se, but markers or colored tokens or something else would be appropriate so long as everyone has an idea of what is going on.
JVisgaitis
Explorer
X-Marks! said:
No offense taken at all, but let's be honest and realistic here. Regardless of how popular our print line becomes, paying for sculpted miniatures based on our own IP just wouldn't be a lucrative idea unless we're selling print runs in the 10K range which, should come as no surprise, just isn't the case. Violet Dawn is pretty much a subset of something in an already fragmented market. Would I be tempted? Hell yeah, but what I am proposing are miniatures based off the monsters in the SRD and compatible with the worlds most popular roleplaying game. Basically, a line of minis that everyone would have an immediate use for which would focus on both monster and character figures.
MerricB said:
That's partially my desire for a product like this. If you need 30 skeletons for tonight's game, you should just be able to buy a skeletons set.
MerricB said:
We've been looking at several different areas for a long time now and miniatures are the top of my list. I know what it would cost to set this up. Its not something that we are definitely going to do, but is something that we would do if all of the conditions were right. Right now we need to weigh the risks involved and see if this would be a lucrative venture for us.
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