Doppel Is A Physical Digital Miniature!

Instead of a giant case of miniatures, you could soon be using a handful of programmable LED minis. These new gadgets, currently on Kickstarter, allow you to display your character's custom image on both sides of a twin-screen standee.

And it's not just visual--these minis also make noises! You can have character specific sound effects from sword clashes to spellcasting.

Designed for a 1-inch grid, these minis represent regular medium-sized creatures. It will set you back about $160 per mini (each with a charging case) on the Kickstarter, although the eventual retail price will apparently be closer to $280.

The Kickstarter cites compatibility with D&D, Star Wars, Fate, Vampire, Numenera, Pathfinder, and Cypher System, although I'm not clear what's required to make an image compatible with a game.

You can find Doppel on Kickstarter here for the next 3 weeks.

 

[MarkB]

The character imaging software only being able to run on iOS or Android is a put off too - why would I start using RPG image software on my Android, when all that I own and use is on my Windows PC. Maybe I missed something there -hope I did- because it just doesnt' make sense that the software can't run on MacOS or Windows and can't be uploaded to the miniature device via a USB-C.

If you're going to be uploading the image anyway, uploading from your PC to your phone and from there to the mini is only one extra step. And it seems like the idea is to be able to update the image live at the tabletop, whether you're in your own home or elsewhere, so using a mobile device is the obvious choice.

 

[CyberCoyote]

Finally realized what I can use all my old ipods for.. just need a stand.

 

[Tormyr]

I found the perfect character for this.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

I feel like this is a pretty bad implementation of a mediocre idea.

Like, not only is classic 21st century wastefulness - always need more tech waste, right? More lithium batteries and bonus charging cases and so on is super-cool! but it's also insanely overpriced and as many people have pointed out, impractically designed on a variety of levels - screen angle, size, shape, etc.

I strongly suspect someone in China could put together, just from off-the-shelf parts, something that worked better, was more power efficient (there's really no need for sound effects, or app integration, or a continuous bluetooth connection), and cost literally less than 10% the price. If they intend to sell at $280 they sure are just begging someone to absolutely gigantically undercut them.

Like, you can get a functional 3D printer for $280 now, you can almost get one for $160. And I'm pretty sure that'll work better for most of your "personalized mini" needs than a weird chunky little advertising screen thing that barely fits in the 1"x1" grid and costs about as much as a new Nintendo Switch!

Honestly when I saw the product I expected the price to be like $15 to $30, and it's ten times that. I mean, even a colour tamagotchi (remember those?) is only $40 to $60, and that's doing a lot more than this is - the tamagotchi can take photos and stuff for god's sake!

 

[General_Tangent]

While researching this project I found this project which I thought I'd posted the link to but I hadn't.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/anyminis/the-anymini-an-electronic-miniature-for-tabletop/description

 

[Zaukrie]

I feel like this is a pretty bad implementation of a mediocre idea.

Like, not only is classic 21st century wastefulness - always need more tech waste, right? More lithium batteries and bonus charging cases and so on is super-cool! but it's also insanely overpriced and as many people have pointed out, impractically designed on a variety of levels - screen angle, size, shape, etc.

I strongly suspect someone in China could put together, just from off-the-shelf parts, something that worked better, was more power efficient (there's really no need for sound effects, or app integration, or a continuous bluetooth connection), and cost literally less than 10% the price. If they intend to sell at $280 they sure are just begging someone to absolutely gigantically undercut them.

Like, you can get a functional 3D printer for $280 now, you can almost get one for $160. And I'm pretty sure that'll work better for most of your "personalized mini" needs than a weird chunky little advertising screen thing that barely fits in the 1"x1" grid and costs about as much as a new Nintendo Switch!

Honestly when I saw the product I expected the price to be like $15 to $30, and it's ten times that. I mean, even a colour tamagotchi (remember those?) is only $40 to $60, and that's doing a lot more than this is - the tamagotchi can take photos and stuff for god's sake!

It literally replaces hundreds of pieces of plastic.... So I'm not sure how it's more wasteful. That said, I'm no real fan, but I think you're making the wrong argument.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

It literally replaces hundreds of pieces of plastic.... So I'm not sure how it's more wasteful.

That's simply not true. You're projecting an imaginary thing that isn't this specific thing. This is intended to replace essentially one (1) mini per session - it can be changed out which it's replacing, but the idea that even a dozen plastic minis are more wasteful than this piece of junk with its lithium batteries, electronics, LED screens, speakers and charging case is ill-conceived. Anyone who is telling themselves this thing will replace "hundreds of minis" is absolutely deluding themselves, frankly. It'll probably cease functioning within single-digit years at most. It'll certainly be obsolete with in a decade or so, either replaced by a much cheaper, similar tech, or AR.

 

[Zaukrie]

That's simply not true. You're projecting an imaginary thing that isn't this specific thing. This is intended to replace essentially one (1) mini per session - it can be changed out which it's replacing, but the idea that even a dozen plastic minis are more wasteful than this piece of junk with its lithium batteries, electronics, LED screens, speakers and charging case is ill-conceived. Anyone who is telling themselves this thing will replace "hundreds of minis" is absolutely deluding themselves, frankly. It'll probably cease functioning within single-digit years at most. It'll certainly be obsolete with in a decade or so, either replaced by a much cheaper, similar tech, or AR.

I think I'll just politely disagree.