Miniatures Forum? Please vote!

[Negative Zero]

i think that the idea of adding more forums is a bad one. at first when this same thing came up for chi-fi/fantasy movies, i thought it was a good idea. but now i find that i never really go to that forum. i forget all about it. a thread with a properly labeled subject in the general forum should be fine for just about whatever you need.

adding more forums will actually decrease the number of viewers for threads, without improving the content IMHO. of course there will always be people who don't want to see them in a general forum, but people who don't want to, and still go reading it, are the sort that you can't please anyway.

anyway, just my thoughts

~NegZ

 

[S'mon]

Personally I think that threads on ephemeral/tangential subjects like the latest sf movie indeed ought to be in the General forum. The point of a minis forum would be to preserve valuable threads in a lower-turnover setting. I have no objection to all kinds of stuff continuing to be posted in General (for higher readership but lower staying-power) even when dedicated boards exist, but that's not EN World policy.

I find the whole thing a bit depressing. The minis board pointed to is a minor games manufacturer's own board with almost zero activity, hardly a substitute for an EN World board. I guess I tend to think that the argument for a minis board is pretty self-evident, although I've tried to give it here, and there have been insightful supporting comments on this thread.

If the test for creating a new board is "there's too much discussion about X in General, let's stop them posting there by creating a new board for X!" then there won't be a new minis board. I don't think that should be the primary criteria. Oh well.

 

[Painfully]

I think it warrants a one month trial at the least to see how things go. Minis are certainly a part of D&D, especially with 3E. At the same time, I think there are other good mini sites out there, and if you are seriously into it you have to go elsewhere.

What the ENboards can offer is a forum that most 3E D&D gamers will be able to learn or discuss more than just basic techniques. It may eventually lead to a stronger interest in the marketplace forum, as good mini painters might auction their work on Ebay and such.

I think it's sure to gather interest from new gamers especially. And minis are certainly a part of D&D much more than many of the other posts I see in the General Forum.

I think it deserves a trial period. If traffic is really low just boot it off.

 

[Plane Sailing]

I don't think it is worth it at present, because there is so little actual talk about it.

Most of the forums start because a particular topic in the general discussion forum starts generating a lot of traffic - this happened with House Rules and Story Hour way-back-when, and "fantasy and SF films" just recently.

A number of people have mentioned interesting topics in this thread, and I recommend just talk about the on the General board - and if there is enough interest, a new board will appear

(There are few things as sad as a board with nothing happening on it - look at the Realmscrafters, for instance...)

Cheers

 

[Zander]

The boards aren't democratic. While I'm in the majority in wanting a minis board, it's not for us to decide. It's up to Morrus. Hopefully, he will take the majority's view into consideration, but the decision is ultimately his.

Perhaps we should ask Morrus what he thinks.

~~~~~

(OT) Hello, Krusty! I try not to get drawn on the painted/unpainted debate. It boils down to aesthetics and de gustibus non est disputandum (taste isn't arguable). I had practical topics in mind, such as what grid size to use and conversion tips for plastic minis. Take care.

 

[S'mon]

The boards aren't democratic. While I'm in the majority in wanting a minis board, it's not for us to decide. It's up to Morrus. Hopefully, he will take the majority's view into consideration, but the decision is ultimately his.

Perhaps we should ask Morrus what he thinks.

I did post the suggestion to Meta first, then I posted this poll to see how much demand there was.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(OT) Hello, Krusty! I try not to get drawn on the painted/unpainted debate. It boils down to aesthetics and de gustibus non est disputandum (taste isn't arguable). I had practical topics in mind, such as what grid size to use and conversion tips for plastic minis. Take care.

Base sizes is a rarely-discussed topic that has a big effect on play, as it determines how many opponents will fit around a target, and this may not fit with the standard 3e rules. Eg, I use Citadel/Warhammer floorplans at 20mm = 5' scale and most of my figures are based for the Warhammer game - regular humanoids on 20mm bases, larger humanoids on 25mm bases, ogres and trolls on 40mm, and giants on 45mm. The result is that only one ogre fits into a 10' corridor, which helps the PCs a lot. I give ogres CR 3 as well - it worked fine at lower levels, but now the 6th level PCs are demolishing them rather easily. Any advice/opinions - most of my ogres won't fit onto a 25mm base?

Another thing that minis brought home to me - 9' tall ogres are very nearly the size of 10.5' tall hill giants, yet hill giants are massively more powerful. Seems slightly odd.

(Might as well use this thread to discuss minis while it's here...)

 

[S'mon]

Base sizes is a rarely-discussed topic that has a big effect on play, as it determines how many opponents will fit around a target, and this may not fit with the standard 3e rules. Eg, I use Citadel/Warhammer floorplans at 20mm = 5' scale and most of my figures are based for the Warhammer game - regular humanoids on 20mm bases, larger humanoids on 25mm bases, ogres and trolls on 40mm, and giants on 45mm. The result is that only one ogre fits into a 10' corridor, which helps the PCs a lot. I give ogres CR 3 as well - it worked fine at lower levels, but now the 6th level PCs are demolishing them rather easily. Any advice/opinions - most of my ogres won't fit onto a 25mm base?

Another thing that minis brought home to me - 9' tall ogres are very nearly the size of 10.5' tall hill giants, yet hill giants are massively more powerful. Seems slightly odd.

(Might as well use this thread to discuss minis while it's here...)

Well, after typing that I had an epiphany (one of many I'm sure, if we ever do get a minis forum!)
I looked at my ogres - I had 1 "giant ogre" from Citadel on a 40mm plastic base that was easily 10.5' tall at 25mm scale - ie a hill giant! So, he's now officially my hill giant mini. Meanwhile I had 4 significantly smaller Chronicle ogres, around 8'-9' tall in scale. And these were on cardboard 40mm bases. Some hacking with my wife's good fabric scissors later (*ulp*) these are now on roughly 25mm bases - making them more rules-adherent, and a lot more dangerous in dungeon corridors. Plus I can now use whatever 25mm-based large humanoids I have around (minotaur, chaos champions, etc) as backup ogres, for those ogre horde parties !

My big giant figs - trolls, Ettin, 'hill giant', frost giant etc - are still on 40mm bases. The 3e rules seem to say most should be on 25mm bases (5'x5' in Monster Manual) but this doesn't seem either practical or plausible. With their massive damage potential they should remain decent threats even on their big bases. Thoughts?

 

[kengar]

Heck Ya!

I voted yes. Folks who regularly paint minis and make scenery for RPGs as opposed to wargames are in a definite minority on most other forums related to the topic.

One potential use of a Minis forum would be suggestions on where to find minis for certain types of creatures & characters. Standard D&D type minis are rarer than you think. I good deal of GW minis are "hybrid" modern & fantasy (orcs with guns, etc.).

I find that miniatures, counters, etc. are indispensable for combat in 3e. There's too much to keep track of with distances and cover to rely on just verbal descriptions.

Painting & Scenery building aren't for everyone. They're a hobby by themselves, really. But using them in RPGs is an integral part for many people. I think a forum for that would be really cool.

BTW, I LOVED the beholder zombie! Reminds of a roper mini I made from sculpy. When I get home, I'll take a picture and try to post it.

 

[Sodalis]

ho wis this for a reason?

Hi guys- maybe someone can help me...

I am looking for a mounted knight (FP armor with a lance) on a covered or armored horse.

I am building a centerpiece for my sister's wedding and need the knight to complete the work: it is a hexagonal castle with a mounted knight protecting the palace gates. her theme is "knight in shining armor"

The proportions have to be perfect (not OK, or good, or great- but perfect) and the more details the better.

Thanks a bunch

edit:just to add- These are the most magnificently painted minis I have ever seen in my life. Especially the entry #3- Razheem the Incensed. Beautiful...

 

[KnowTheToe]

i think that the idea of adding more forums is a bad one. at first when this same thing came up for chi-fi/fantasy movies, i thought it was a good idea. but now i find that i never really go to that forum. i forget all about it. a thread with a properly labeled subject in the general forum should be fine for just about whatever you need.

adding more forums will actually decrease the number of viewers for threads, without improving the content IMHO. of course there will always be people who don't want to see them in a general forum, but people who don't want to, and still go reading it, are the sort that you can't please anyway.

anyway, just my thoughts

~NegZ

exactly what I said and I liked NZs way of putting it better.