After receiving some great feedback here and on Dakka-Dakka, the general consensus, (two or more mentions of the same issue) so far seems to be.
Make for easy weapon swaps:
Will do…. I will make a few blank arms without weapons.
Make all three helmets available as options for each figure:
Yep, all three will be included with each mini, for both heavy weapon and assault minis.
Energy heavy weapons need to be supported by free arm:
I will rework this, I agree the left arm needs something to do
Some issues with the size or design of the shoulder pads:
I probably won’t make huge changes to these, it’s a design decision that defines the minis silhouette but I think they could use some tweaking to make the minis less top heavy while maintaining a heavily armored look.
Need to re-design the sword to more medieval two handed sword look:
Easy fix… will do. I will show an option and you can give a thumbs up or down.
Need to redesign the auto-grenade launcher to be more interesting:
Agree, but I’m completely uninspired here…. If you have examples of what you would like to see or a direction for me to take these in please speak up. (More input please) I will show an option and you can give a thumbs up or down.
There are a couple of comments that reference them feeling like CAD models or stiff or what I call wooden. Simply meaning, that they lack life and movement or individuality. I must agree to some extent that this is true. It’s a side effect of making what I call a troop choice model rather than a character model.
I can pose these as dramatically as any hand sculptor but the nature of making a multi-part, posable mini to represent a mass troop means that there is a certain amount of generic feel to them. I could make these as dynamic as a character figure but then you would have sixty minis that all look over posed, like a space ninja attack. I would also need to charge a bit more for each mini because I would not be able to swap parts from one mini to another, so every mini would be an individual print. This would likely quadruple the cost for each print and mold.
Keep in mind that the ability to pose these will gives you the freedom to make them more dramatic if you choose, and it also keeps a line of twenty from looking like clones. Making accessory packs will allow me and you to add bits, pouches, etc. that will also humanize the minis. I don’t mind doing dramatic character models if you don’t mind paying the price the market is charging for them.
Overall, so much great feedback, thank you!
Reading the posts here and on Dakka, there have been a few mentions of shoulder pads and the foot size. I don’t want oversized clown feet but there was a great suggestion for an overshoe or ankle armor that I think worked out well.
I widened the stance, added ankle armor and made some very slight tweaks to the shoulders. My desire was to ground the mini a bit and deal with some top heavy issues.
Which grenade launcher do you like for the assault troops?
1 2 or 3?
Next up, the sword.... which do you prefer?
Please let me know what you think, nothing is set in stone so if I make changes that you don’t like, just say so :)
All the best!
Mark-
I follow you @ TGN and am happy that you're taking feedback. On the grenade launchers.. I have a military background and other than maybe a m79 (thumper), those aren't bulky enough to "feel" like grenade launchers. They feel more like gyrojet type of weapons.. which is fine.. but if you want grenade, a few notes.
ReplyDeleteFirst, most grenade mechanisms require heavier spring components, meaning larger internals, which results in a bulkier assembly for the main body.
Second, most rotary grenade launchers are break open or the cylinder swings out.. either way, the casings are rather large and require a great deal of clearance to freely cycle and clear.
Third, most grenade launchers that are semi auto and man portable have almost no barrel.. they are far closer to an oversized Nerf gun than an actual pistol. They are stubby for sure.
Fourth, when dealing with the design of the grip and handhold remember that pistols are designed to be held that way because they are light and have smaller levels of recoil. Grenade launchers of almost every variety are held like a shotgun or assault rifle, with the exception that they do not require the barrel and recoil absorption to be linear since it does not recoil like a normal firearm. Meaning, the stock can be (and often is)dog-legged or cantered to offset the arc that you typically have to fire the grenade in.
Fourth, this should've started mid-number three, but remember that grenades are typically fired at an arc... even if it's a slight one. This means that they are often held a little lower and built in such a way that it angles upward. The barrel will seem slightly tilted upward to allow a more natural firing position.
From a design standpoint, I would recommend keeping the grenade launcher low-tech. Unlike energy weapons, grenades don't have a whole lot of room to grow in basic functionality. Their payload might change and become more sophisticated as might the charging mechanism, but by and large I would personally like to see it seem familiar to our existing notion of a grenade launcher.
I love the changes to the models, should make them more sturdy on bases, as far as the grenade launchers go, 1 looks like a combi-bolter from 40k, 2 looks like a bolt pistol, and 3 looks awesome, maybe change it to look more beefy (looks like a grenade pistol right now to me)
ReplyDeletechanges to three I might suggest could be make the magazine slightly more squat, and extend the gun out slightly. from there you could give it a tommy gun gun handle, a rifle grip, or make it look like a HUGE caliber pistol kinda thing.
CHEERS, and thanks for all the awesomeness sure to murder my paycheck after this stuff goes on sale!!!
I have to agree with the above comment. I like stubbier grenade launchers...have you seen the grenade launchers from Infinity the Game? Those are freaking sweet looking. You might find some inspiration there without outright copying them.
ReplyDeleteMust say that the widening the stance and adding the ankle armor makes a huge difference. Awesome job there. Man, I cannot wait till these are released.
grenade laucnher: #3
ReplyDeletesword #2
Any chance you might do some test drawings without the raincoat? It looks a bit too WW1'ish with it. And guys in hightech armour don't need raincoats.
I have to agree with the above comments on the grenade launcher, it just doesn't quite seem to have the heft that you would expect from a grenade launcher, but #3 looks like it's going in the right direction.
ReplyDeleteI also thought of these two TF2 Fan-made grenade launchers when you said you needed inspiration.
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1155
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=814
I also have to vote for the #2 sword. I like how it has a subtle medieval feel to it, but at the same time it has a aesthetic that sets its apart from most other "medieval space swords".
nice
ReplyDeleteThe ankle armor and shoulder armor tweaks work nicely. I'll vote #2 GL and #2 sword.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of the GL, would there be a different way to mount it? A small swivel mount in the left shoulder pad? Multiple barrels protruding from the backpack like a tank's smoke grenade launchers? Right wrist mounted so they never have to take their hands off the sword?
The heavy weapons: don't get me wrong, they are rocking models, I just keep thinking they're going to be knocked over backwards when they fire, power armor or no. They're leaning backwards, on their back foot instead of leaning forward into the recoil on their front foot.
GL #3 but stubbier
ReplyDeleteSword #2 but also like #4
Maybe add the guard from #3  to #2 as options.
GL #3 and DEFINITELY sword #3 - looks awesome!
ReplyDelete