Reply To: Open gaming mini license

[phaidknott 7023xp 0]

The main problem I see with so much 3D printing is “how” do the traditional sculptors make a living from it (ppl like Kev from Hasslefree for example)?

As the STLs can be freely shared (and doesn’t seem to have the stigma of the old “recasters” of old getting reported by the community), I can’t see how they could maintain a revenue stream high enough for them to make a decent living. A lot of the current sculptors who just sell the STLs (and doesn’t manufacture a physical product) are certainly talented, but I wonder how many still have a “day job” to make ends meet (while the income from STL sales is a bonus income).

I certainly see it’s going to make a difference as we see sculptors from 2nd and 3rd world economies coming into the market in the same manner we saw call centre work get outsourced to these cheaper markets (and possibly the demise of a lot of vets from the Nottingham lead belt from continuing to sculpt for a living).

All in all I’m not seeing everything here as a positive. But technology evolves, and perhaps traditional sculpting and manufacture of minis is just going to evolve towards 3D prints for all of our minis.

But for me the whole 3D printing is another hobby, and I can only just about keep up with painting these things (nevermind manufacturing them. But then there’s been some 3D printing things I would LOVE to have obtained (like the recent Bloodbowl stadium kickstarter complete with seated fans and scoreboards), but I can’t justify the time to produce the things when I could be catching up with all the painting I need to do 🙁