I didn’t quite enjoyed this, not sure why, maybe I was tired, maybe it was what it was discussed in the first part.

On the slightly off topic segment, in my opinion we live in a universe of limited resources and nothing human will do will change that, if nature needs to blow up a massive sun to make gold humanity will most probably need to do the same, nature does use the easiest way to do anything after all, if it could do it easier it would, governments are not there just for wealth distribution, they exist for two reasons first because people want somebody else to take the responsibility for actions that have deep impacts and secondly because there are people that feel the urge they need to control other people lives, either beneficially or otherwise. I do hope though that in the future humanity will spread around a bit, so far we are crowded in too few places in our own planet leaving a vast part of it untapped, cheaper and faster transportation would help tremendously there.

Now on the real wargaming thing, I feel we need to define what wargaming is, what is the hobby and for what we are in, exilis failed in my opinion because there was no reason whatsoever for the wargaming aspect of it, the app itself was playing the game and you did not need the miniatures for anything, so why buy them? for the codes? why play the game then? its the same reason why most wargame companies have not gone bankrupt because of vassal and all other online wargame “simulators” even though they are free, do not need painted models and one can play from any distance to any other opponent, its not what our hobby is about, RF chips on our models? sounds quite gimmicky without any real application beyond helping a certain company stop conversions and force you buy specific models (I don’t care how well your GS work was, the chip says this is a tactical and not a sternguard).

What technology I see possible to have a impact on our tables is indeed 3D scanning and printing, when it reaches great levels, it would potentially allow companies to either have digitally sculpted or traditionally sculpted but 3D printed models to sell either to individuals with 3D printers or to LGS that can print on demand, that would even free up self space for more table space and allow LGS to have an expanded range of games they can support.

Otherwise the technology in our hobby will have to have a support role, while the rpg app would find an audience because RPG are not wargames and for the most part people play them without miniatures, in many cases not even withmaps and tokens, the wargaming is not about a virtual tabletop once you reach that point its something else.

Don’t get me wrong there are some good ideas, at first NFC sounds like a plausible idea for digitally managing your game roster, but has to take into account conversions and other odd situations, colour 3D printed models could be a good solution to prepainted models, giving the option to get a grey or primed model or an “officially” coloured one (maybe a few variants thrown in?) if you do not want to bother wit the painting aspect of it, 3D printed models would most probably come in already assembled format, but could also come in parts form for those wanting conversions, manipulation of the model from the user before printing would not be out of question, in a controlled environment.

Technology can be a benefit for everything in my opinion but only if it is applied to the parts that need improvement, when applied to other parts, it changes what the essence of the thing is so much that ceases to be what it was and that may drive people away.