Stuff I'd like to see...bits

[Hells_Clown]

So I was painting and putting figures together and was thinking, "I have a small "bits box" with left over arms and heads and some shields and a couple bases and what not, but wouldn't it be neat if a mini company, oh say like Reaper fer instance, just sold packages of bits? Especially bits that would fit on their figures. Specially for the odd conversion where ya don't want that mini to be holding a shield or what not, but want them to have a staff or hold a severed head. Ya don't see packages of severed heads for sale often. That would be a nifty way for folks to have all the parts they needed to do this or that and not have to buy another complete figure just to chop it up to use the parts elsewhere."

 

That's more or less what I was thinkin'. Anyone else insane like I am and think that's a nifty keen idea? B)

[SOldcorn]

Hmm instant bits box, no need to spend years hacking bits of models and throwing the rest into a groing box of rubbish while thinking one day I will use that mangled bit of pewter. I like it. :)

 

Stuart

[Morgan Devalis]

I would not mind the occasional elf head that I do not have to hack away from another mini. ;)

[Froggy the Great]

It could work. The problem there is that with the scale flux across the 25mm Heroic line, you'd have to be careful about what you use with what, and to really work, there'd have to be a consistent head/neck, arm/shoulder, hand/wrist, waist, and hip/leg interface, so that all the bits would fit together nicely. Really, it's only with things like GW plastics that I can see this working well at all.

[Mengu]

There are already numerous weapons packs (including some shields), adventuring packs, treasure, familiars, and skulls (from pots as well as a blister), and more miscellaneous packs on their way. You can (or should be able to) order bits from the online store for those multipart miniatures.

 

However I wouldn't mind more shields (not that I don't have plenty from other sources) as long as they are interesting, and some heads as mentioned. But most of all I would like to see some casualties.

[CripDyke]

sure, you're right, that stuff exists, but we're still lacking our

 

Magical Effects

 

pack...and the weapons packs don't include arms. Maybe if they put out a random limbs pack as well as the

 

Magical Effects

 

pack that someone had an idea for a while ago; that might go a long way towards creating the instant bits box Hell's Clown wanted. Jeez, I wanted to think of whoever came up with the idea of a

 

Magical Effects

 

blister, so that i could thank them, but right now I can't remember who it was. Oh well, it's good enough, i suppose to just shout out: Hey, whoever thought of the

 

Magical Effects

 

pack - thanks. I know it hasn't come out yet, but it was a truly great idea. I'm still waiting for that

 

Magical Effects

 

blister myself. Hope I'm not waiting too much longer.

[Mo Sinister]

It's an interesting idea, and has its merits, but there are inherent problems to it.

 

1) The universal joint. All joint interfaces would have to be uniform. This would limit the creativity of the sculptor. Basically, it would really water down the dynamic poses. Everything would be a barbie doll like stiff.

 

2) The gaps. No matter how well joints would fit together, you'd have to putty the gaps.

 

3) Limitations on extensions, be they arms, legs or what have you. A mini torso wearing chainmail would look silly with a bare arm. It'd also look out of place with a plate graphic or sleeved.

 

BUT THE WORST of my fears, is the "cheapening" of the sculptor's talents. It's hard enough to make adventurers (built with "switchable" gear) look good in the virtual world (just look at Everquest...some of those combinations look ridiculous), let alone in a physical medium. Add on top of that a bunch of potential hacks (apologies to those who actually have talent at conversions) who want to customize their creations into an array of absurd/lurid/impossible positions? I'm sorry if I offend, but how long would it take for the immaturity to take root and we're all forced to look at sculpts grabbing crotches, left and right arms being intentionally switched, women's heads put on men's bodies?

 

I hope I have not offended anyone by looking at the negative vs. the positive possibilities of this idea. I just see a much higher potential for what I'd call "abuse" as opposed to anything as artistic as a sculptor's complete rendering of a miniature.

 

~Mo

[LonCray]

I have to politely disagree with you, Mo Sinister. What you call 'abuse' probably describes most of my paint jobs in terms of what it does to the sculptor's vision - but I keep painting them anyhow! Why? Because I enjoy it. And those folks who want to do conversions, regardless of their actual skill, are doing it for fun. I could care less if somebody bought the entire Reaper line, lined'm all up, moved all the heads and feet one fig to the left, and painted'm up. So long as that person had fun doing it, more power to them. I think the sculptor lost power over their rendering the moment they sold the green to Reaper (or whoever) and allowed their fig to go out into the cold, cruel world. Does Sandra Garrity lose sleep because some of the folks buying her minis paint them very badly? I doubt it. I can't believe the sculptors are going to worry about folks doing conversions on their figs either.

I came into mini painting from 1/35th armor modeling. There are a number of lines of plastic or resin heads in 1/35th scale specifically for conversion purposes. Maybe because it's easier with plastic, but I've seen an awful lot of conversions in that scale - there are some folks out there that won't put a figure into a 1/35th vehicle without changing it in some way. I'd love to see more heads and hands and such from Reaper.

[pae]

Well, it would certainly make it easier to build your own "Trogdor, the Burninator"

 

 

The origins of Trogdor

[Mengu]

Conversions are an inseparable part of the hobby. I think it's simply smart for a miniature company to serve those people who like to do conversions. There is no such thing as a universal joint unfortunately. Even multiple parts made for each other don't form a perfect joint. Puttying the holes is again a part of the prep work on a miniature. As for a mini wearing chainmail with a bare arm, although it can be envisioned, it is possible to sculpt chainmail over the arm if the hobbiest wishes to take those extra steps.

 

I'm getting more and more into bending, hacking and drilling miniatures, and I find that I enjoy it. Playing with greenstuff is a bit frustrating but that's only because I'm fairly new at it. Despite the frustration, I'm not discouraged yet though.

 

I do not see as much conversion work going into Reaper miniatures as the evil empire, but it's a slightly different clientele. I think the initiative can be taken by Reaper to encourage conversion more (and it is done so by all the weapons and adventuring packs that are out).

 

Anyway I'm babbling... On a side note, I like the Magical Effects idea.

[Enchantra]

I think having bits would be great. Say miscasts that rEaper would normally melt down again or throw away, those could be sold for parts perhaps to help build up bits boxes? I have a small dish that has a rat in it I clipped off the scrolls in one of the treasure packs. (I HATE rats!) I also have numerous pieces from weapons packs.

 

 

for the severed heads, just use up reaper paints, and remove the aggitator. Voila! Instant severed head!

[Chairman Aeon]

Hands and heads. Different heads and hands with different stuff in them. "Look at my elven freebooter with flintlock and whip." "No, you mean my human rogue with two rapiers."

 

Iain.

[Mitchell]

Rafm used to have a line where you would buy one figure that had three different heads and six different arms. Granted, they didn't always look that great, but if Reaper did it on a limited scale, and where it wouldn't interfere with the overall quality of the figure, why not?

The elf prince comes with two swords, and it appears that you have to attatch his hands after the purchase (I don't have him yet, but he's on my short list). If this is the case, how much nicer if he came with extra hands holding a pair of axes, one holding a bow with one empty, and maybe a couple more with something else?

As long as the figure still looks good, this type of flexibility could be the difference between me buying or not buying a figure, and the extra fifty cents or dollar that it would cost wouldn't be that big of a deal. Not every figure lends itself to this sort of thing, but when you can throw an extra head/hand/arm in a pack and make it look good, why not?

[Hells_Clown]

There'd be no way to make everything fit perfectly, true, but they don't have to. We already take that risk when we make conversions now. We cut, file, putty, etc to get the fit we want. I just think it would be nice to have ready made bits that were made to fit Reaper figs like that Other company does. There would have to be two scales, DH and Warlord but there are already weapon packs in the two sizes. The sculptors would not have to change anything they do now. They would make the figures with the intent that they would stay as they are. If we want to convert them, that's our business.

 

We've all seen those figures that are just about right for a diorama or a PC for an RPG but if only they didn't have that {fill in the blank} it would be so much better. This way it would be a look easier to get the figure we really want. It would offer endless possibilities for conversions as well as having the odd limbs weapons, armor, etc for battle scenes and the like.

 

Reaper already makes things like treasure piles, I would think extra arms, legs, heads and such would be far more useful.

 

But that's just me.

[Digital M@]

I agree that this is a good idea. I would imagine a "bits" blister pack would sell slightly less than the treasure packs. If the treasure packs have been successful, then I would imagine the bits would be as well. OK, I have to admit, I have done no market research and am really just talking out my butt, but this is my .02.