May 27, 2016 | By Faith
Despite the revolutionary nature of 3D printing technology (on all levels), the basic challenge remains: how can 3D printing become more relevant to our everyday, domestic lives? Through designs and services, innovators all over the world are providing some incredible suggestions. As far as consumer products go, it’s the gaming industry that continues to provide a brilliant access point for users of 3D printing technology around the world.
Enter Printable Scenery: an NZ-based model and gaming provider, who are doing just that through the offer of a high-quality, modular terrain system. Currently funding on Kickstarter (until 27 June 2016), the product already has a substantial following - and is crucially designed to be produced via any home-based 3D printer. After presenting a small number of options over the last year, ‘Apocalypse Ruins’ is the first major model development from Printable Scenery, and stands as a modular, ‘devastated terrain’ collection for 28mm-15mm table top gaming.
These 3D printable lands are used by those fascinated with Warcraft and role-play gaming. Table-top terrains have been a popular medium of choice for players for hundreds of years, and in themselves even hark back to the strategic, table-top planning of historical battles in the middle-ages and beyond. By creating scaled-down worlds, these scenes give gamers the opportunity to re-live and re-enact history through play – and Printable Scenery allows users to remix both the past and the future by way of 3D printed terrain in a seamless and elegant way.
By introducing a new standardized size template of 50mmx50mm and 100x100mm (2" and 4" respectively), all 3D printed models from Printable Scenery sit cleanly next to each other on any sized table or board. And to make things even easier, the company has already recalibrated much of the existing Printable Scenery range to this format, and is looking to bring as much of the range as possible into this format in the coming months.
‘Apocalypse Ruins’ consists of three individual theatres – all of which can be fully customisable by gamers. From the highly successful dungeons and caverns of ‘Stone Ruins’ (boasting over 100 different ruined sections that can be assembled in a myriad of ways) through to the modular trench system and ruined French farmhouses of the ‘WWII Ruins’ theatre, Printable Scenery have provided a stunning selection of high-quality 3D print options for play. The system manages to reach beyond history by also offering ‘Sci-Fi Gothic Ruins’ as a way to imagine the future of a number of doomed cities and Warcraft terrains.
All 3D printable sculpts are rigorously tested by Printable Scenery to meet their high standards, in order to deliver great looking modules that are cost effective and require little to no tidying. Like with any Kickstarter campaign, users can look forward to receiving their items via a number of varied pledge options. With a number of excellent combination pledges (depending on your personal choice of gaming theater / terrain style) - as well as 'The Everything' pledge, there's no doubt that these products are fantastic value for money regardless of how much you're willing to spend. As an added extra, there are some bonus items available which can only be acquired via the combination pledge - just for that extra incentive.
Whilst the 3D prints look great, it will be interesting to see how the interface between buyer and seller will work in terms of Printable Scenery’s approach to providing the print files themselves. It’s a challenge for 3D printable product – but if this process is embraced as thoroughly as the modular terrain’s fantastic aesthetic, Printable Scenery supporters will have very little to worry about. Now excuse me while I get back to commanding and conquering…
Posted in 3D Printing Application
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Love it, I think I need to buy a printer