D&D Minis: What's missing most?

[smootrk]

The thing is that you probably won't get it all. You could get predictable. You could get cheap, but both will probably not work, at least not from wizards themselves: Going away from boosters to anything more predictable in the type of figure you get will mean that they suddenly have many more products, which means that they have more of a hassle with it, which will increase their costs and hence, the price we have to pay. In addition, it will force the shops to track dozens of products instead of just a couple. This will probably mean that some shops will not have sell them.

Too, this will lessen the sales for wizards, as there's no more overhead (you buy what you want, and nothing more. Doesn't work with boosters). To compensate, prices would go up.

In general, if a product can be profitable a business will produce it or carry it. Overhead, distribution, stock issues, display issues, etc. are all just factors that can be addressed individually by both the production end & the retail end. Many business oportunities come from exploring an area where most other businesses don't want to bother with the hassle, or otherwise cannot figure out a way to explore the market.

If WOTC does not produce these types of products, it will likely be only a matter of time before other business entities explore these niche markets, most likely by the makers of the metal mini's by changing their focus a little. Since they already have sculps and molds they would likely just adapt and add an art department to paint them. Plastic is a lot cheaper than metal.

 

[was]

I'd just like to see a better distribution. There are far too many 'rare' pieces.

 

[JoeGKushner]

Plastic is a lot cheaper than metal.

Not the initial set up which requires a much much larger investment.

 

[smootrk]

Not the initial set up which requires a much much larger investment.

As it is with any new production line. I am somewhat ignorant of the process for either metal or plastic molding, but the metal mini makers have existing sculps and molds that may lessen the startup costs. There are also companies that still produce plastic army figures (old skool kind); they might be another prime candidate for a business that could adapt and get into that market.

 

[JoeGKushner]

As it is with any new production line. I am somewhat ignorant of the process for either metal or plastic molding, but the metal mini makers have existing sculps and molds that may lessen the startup costs. There are also companies that still produce plastic army figures (old skool kind); they might be another prime candidate for a business that could adapt and get into that market.

For some reason, I doubt the market is large enough to warrant that type of investment from a company that makes plastic army men.

 

[Kae'Yoss]

I'd just like to see a better distribution. There are far too many 'rare' pieces.

I like the way the numbers come together now.

And don't forget, that rare figures get extra attention - they can have complexer sculpts and more paint stops.

Take a look at the current figures (Nevermind the older sets - designation of rarity worked differently there, and the figures were far less detailed. Before Aberrations, a large figure was automatically a rare. Now they can be uncommon) Things like the Balor or Roper cannot be anything but rare. Less rares would mean less place for things like that.

 

[werk]

Specialty 'booster/blister packs' of common monsters used.
Like 10 (Orcs/goblins/kobolds/dwarves/elves/humans/whatever) with shaman and leader.
or 10 soldiers and 10 archers...something like that.

Something to make it more useful to non-collectors, like myself, that only use them for gaming.

 

[JoeGKushner]

Specialty 'booster/blister packs' of common monsters used.
Like 10 (Orcs/goblins/kobolds/dwarves/elves/humans/whatever) with shaman and leader.
or 10 soldiers and 10 archers...something like that.

Something to make it more useful to non-collectors, like myself, that only use them for gaming.

http://www.crystalcaste.com/

They have prepainted goods of all sorts including gladiators, cops, victorian era figures and others.

 

[smootrk]

For some reason, I doubt the market is large enough to warrant that type of investment from a company that makes plastic army men.

I would have said that about those weird sculps of movie monsters or Spawn villians... but alas, there seems to be enough of those things sold to make someone some money. I guess that I have a bit more optimism when it comes to this. Every gamer I know would like more, cheaper, and easily acquired masses of mini's for use in their games.

 

[Kae'Yoss]

Every gamer I know would like more, cheaper, and easily acquired masses of mini's for use in their games.

I'll quote Merric's Law of Miniatures again.: "Non-Random Packaging, Cheap Prices, and a Large Range of Figures: Choose two."