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1 year ago ::
May 08, 2012 - 12:42PM
#51
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Let me see what's inside the Dungeon boxed game coming out, that's probably what I want continued.
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1 year ago ::
May 08, 2012 - 4:27PM
#52
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Date Joined:
Jan 23, 2003
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Here's how I think Wotc should fix the minis situation:
Step 1: Create a large "core set" made mostly or wholly of repaints. After 1300+ sculpts, there are very few monsters missing from the line. Why Make a new illithid when there's already like 8 to pick from? Most people just want basic monsters to be easily found, so using existing sculpts and keeping them in production for 2-3 years would ofset the costs. They can use the dungeon command rules.
Step 2: Figure out how to package them so that they are randomized, but still 100% visible. I think most people would rather buy a box for the one or few minis they need that take the gamble of blind boosters. But this also takes care of the main problem with Dungeon Command, in that stores can have a wider variety of minis on less shelf space.
Step 3: In every pack, put 3 identical copies of a random monster, one PC mini, and 4 random other monsters. This helps increase the usefullness of each pack. You only need to buy 2 packs to get a full troop of skeletons (for example) as opposed to 20 or so boosters of Lords of Madness to wind up with that same troop.
Step 4: Create smaller expansion sets. These are where all the new sculpts and highly specialized minis -such as Dark Sun monsters- can be produced.
I really think this model would work for them and for us.
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1 year ago ::
May 08, 2012 - 6:34PM
#53
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- Senior Volunteer Community Lead
- Sesquipedalian
Date Joined:
May 20, 2001
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I like randomizing. It's like opening presents when you don't know what the present is.
Plus, it allows us without a ton of money to get the really rare stuff. That elder red dragon? Hard to find, and expensive when you do. Aspect of Tiamat? Forget it. I pulled them from random packs and didn't have to pay a ton of money for them.
Now, when WotC did semi random packs, I saw one Elder Green Dragon visible. I bought it and it's a good thing I did as I never saw an Elder Green Dragon since. Oh, I've seen the other, "less desireable" visible minis in great quantities.
They should keep the randomization, but rather than a broad spectrum of monters, have a more specific monster pack. Say, an orc pack with randomized common, uncommon and even a rare mini. You might not get that rare "orc general", but you'd still get a pack of orcs. There could be a pack of skeletons. Pack of kobolds. Pack of Lizardmen. And so on.
Spoiler:
Show
Of the two approaches to hobby games today, one is best defined as the realism-simulation school and the other as the game school. AD&D is assuredly an adherent of the latter school. It does not stress any realism (in the author's opinon an absurd effort at best considering the topic!).
It does little to attempt to simulate anything either. (AD&D) is first and foremost a game for the fun and enjoyment of those who seek the use of imagination and creativity....
In all cases, however, the reader should understand that AD&D is designed to be an amusing and diverting pastime, something which an fill a few hours or consume endless days, as the participants desire, but in no case something to be taken too seriously.
For fun, excitement and captivating fantasy, AD&D is unsurpassed.As a realistic simulation of things from the realm of make-believe or even as a reflection of midieval or ancient warfare or culture or society, it can be deemed only a dismal failure. Readers who seek the later must search elsewhere. - Gary Gygax. 1e DMG.
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1 year ago ::
May 08, 2012 - 7:01PM
#54
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Date Joined:
Jan 30, 2012
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I like randomizing. It's like opening presents when you don't know what the present is.
Plus, it allows us without a ton of money to get the really rare stuff. That elder red dragon? Hard to find, and expensive when you do. Aspect of Tiamat? Forget it. I pulled them from random packs and didn't have to pay a ton of money for them.
Now, when WotC did semi random packs, I saw one Elder Green Dragon visible. I bought it and it's a good thing I did as I never saw an Elder Green Dragon since. Oh, I've seen the other, "less desireable" visible minis in great quantities.
I never did see the sets that had semi-random minis. I honestly cannot say if I would or would not buy them, as I never saw them when they were sold in stores. I suspect I might buy ones that had cool visible ones and steer clear of ones that had visible ones I did not want. I could be way off base, and I am curious if I would buy them or not. I know 100% without a doubt I'd have bought the green dragon one! I do know I was always against truly random mini packages and never bought one ever.
They should keep the randomization, but rather than a broad spectrum of monters, have a more specific monster pack. Say, an orc pack with randomized common, uncommon and even a rare mini. You might not get that rare "orc general", but you'd still get a pack of orcs. There could be a pack of skeletons. Pack of kobolds. Pack of Lizardmen. And so on.
This is a great idea. I think this would work even if they used some old sculpts in the mix. I think this may even work if they used mostly old sculpts, as there will always be new and old players alike wanting a pack of orcs, kobolds, skeletons, zombies, goblins, etc. You could even take it a step further and have somewhat more exotic packages such as devils, demons, archons, giants, etc.
Do you have an opinion on what campaign settings should be printed in D&D Next? If so, please cast your votes in this poll!
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1 year ago ::
May 08, 2012 - 9:32PM
#55
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Long time minitures collector. I think back to 1981. Outside of the priority of books and dice that I needed to buy with my strawberry picking money was a mini to represent my Magic-User. Almost immediately thereafter, I focused my restaurant dishwasher paychecks into licensed minis from Grenadier. Why? Because all of the iconic D&D monsters they dutifully reproduced from the Monster Manuals.
Fast forward two decades later, I salivated at more truly faithful representations of both mundane and obscure monsters that only WOTC can reproduce. I spent at least a thousand dollars from the release of Dragoneye to Unhallowed on random boosters looking for beholders, githyanki, red dragons, ropers, iron golems, and the like.
And then I stopped collecting. Why? Because the minis being rendered in plastic weren't mini's I recognized. There were Diligent Soldiers of Ki Strike, and Mutated Pariahs of the Everlasting Flame, and Baneful Dipomats of Many Hands (tongue in cheek). Huh? Where were the flinds, korred, modrons, and quicklings? I didn't get it.
Other companies focusing on metal minis can and do reproduce such exceptional non-licensed character mini's, why was WOTC producing so many player character or NPC minis in their offerings? Like I said, I didn't get it and I stopped collecting.
I hope someone at Wizards can just take a few seconds to pull an old 1981 copy of the Fiend Folio off the shelf and look at it with young eyes with the thought, "Hey, a huecuva, penaggalan, or son of kyuss would be cool."
Nobody else can do these monster mins but WOTC can.
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1 year ago ::
May 10, 2012 - 2:40PM
#56
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Date Joined:
Feb 14, 2007
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I do have a collection of about 500 D&D Miniatures, but I got them very inexpensively off of someone who didn't want them anymore.
Why have I never bought them? They were randomized.
1- You *did* buy them
2- You *can* buy non-random D&D miniatures
3- The randomization influenced some buyers to buy massive amounts, which lowered the overall cost of miniatures, allowing you to get a set inexpensively.
I'm sick of people complaining about randomized sets, especially since non-randomized DDM's were so easily obtained. I mean, of *course* everyone prefers non-random... until they see the huge price difference. Randomization increased sale, not decreased them, allowing the cost per miniature to be much lower. Same thing with Wizkid's stuff. Sales-wise, WotC's non-random miniatures did disasterously poor... but I'll at least attribute that mostly to the market already being flooded by their earlier mass sellings.
I actually wish WotC luck selling miniatures, but I think their best option is to give all D&D players a good, solid reason to own their own *army*.
... I have a few ideas on how they could do that 
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1 year ago ::
May 10, 2012 - 3:02PM
#57
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Date Joined:
Sep 29, 2003
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How do you guys feel about miniatures? What do you want to see or not see regarding them? Keep in mind, I am aware they are discontinued but the release of D&D Next would be a good time to bring them back if WotC found enough player support for them. What do you guys think?
Having played for 30 years minis have always been a part of the game. I have dozen upon dozens of Ral Parthra, Granadier and old TSR Minis. Plus I also played Warhammer and continued to buy Reaper and other wargame minis and more recently have acquired friends Mage Knight minis so honestly having or acquiring miniatures has never really been an issue for me. I never really got into the modern D&D minis game nor really had a desire to do so. That's not to say I don't own any or used them. I bout like 200 of them (mostly common and uncommon) with cards from ebay for like 50 bucks and they have seen plenty of use.
I think that they were a great way for players and DMs, who were new to the game or didn't come from an old school mini heavy or wargamer background, or who can't paint or don't want to paint metal minis, to acquire a good collection of minis to use in the game. But the problem was that as a game in it's own the D&D minis didn't meld well with PnP D&D, not enough standard monster and creatures to be effectively used in the game, so often people using them would have to proxy half the encounter with other minis. If in addition to the standard game sets if they released PnP sets (or DM sets) which were more geared towards the PnP D&D gamers’ needs the D&D Minis would have been more widely embraced by PnP players.
"We are men of action, lies do not become us" ~ D.P.R.
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1 year ago ::
May 10, 2012 - 3:23PM
#58
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Date Joined:
Jan 13, 2012
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I think it would be great if you could order any single miniature in any amount from wizards mix and match any way you like with minimum order of like ten. They could be the amazon of next day miniatures. I would be happy to buy more if I could get just the ones I want. I really dislike random packages of things I would be happy to pay a bit more and avoid the random trash.
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1 year ago ::
May 10, 2012 - 5:31PM
#59
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- Senior Volunteer Community Lead
- Sesquipedalian
Date Joined:
May 20, 2001
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I think it would be great if you could order any single miniature in any amount from wizards mix and match any way you like with minimum order of like ten. They could be the amazon of next day miniatures. I would be happy to buy more if I could get just the ones I want. I really dislike random packages of things I would be happy to pay a bit more and avoid the random trash.
You can. There's already a secondary market for minis. Third parties are making money from them, and people like third parties being supported by WotC.
Spoiler:
Show
Of the two approaches to hobby games today, one is best defined as the realism-simulation school and the other as the game school. AD&D is assuredly an adherent of the latter school. It does not stress any realism (in the author's opinon an absurd effort at best considering the topic!).
It does little to attempt to simulate anything either. (AD&D) is first and foremost a game for the fun and enjoyment of those who seek the use of imagination and creativity....
In all cases, however, the reader should understand that AD&D is designed to be an amusing and diverting pastime, something which an fill a few hours or consume endless days, as the participants desire, but in no case something to be taken too seriously.
For fun, excitement and captivating fantasy, AD&D is unsurpassed.As a realistic simulation of things from the realm of make-believe or even as a reflection of midieval or ancient warfare or culture or society, it can be deemed only a dismal failure. Readers who seek the later must search elsewhere. - Gary Gygax. 1e DMG.
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1 year ago ::
May 10, 2012 - 5:38PM
#60
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My take on the minatures is that if the cost of plastic and the huge steel molds that had to be used (used to work in a plastics factory myself) are too much, go with a cheaper material. Go with balsa wood, go with metal (or paint if its strong enough) coated plaster of paris. The molds on these are made of hardened ceramic way cheaper than a 100 lbs. chunk o' steel that is laser carved to the shape of the mini. Oh and by the way they likely had one 1000 lbs. steel mold that had 10+ minis produced at one time (the same mini or possibly different ones). There are numerous ways to lower the cost. Moving the labor from india to china would work to cut a few dollars off.
Personally I'd like to see adventure boxed sets that would have a sandbox type area detailed out with the denizens of that area included as minis. So if you had a forest area with a village you would have what 5-7 common goblins and or orcs (because you won't encounter more than that during a single encounter). Then you have a few commoners (because you are very unlikely to use these during combat, maybe even just have a few guards). Then have maybe 1-2 boss monsters and a couple of random animals like wolves, or dire rats. Then release adventures that re-use these same areas. Say a Balor is uniting the goblins and orcs. So and adventure booklet would include the adventure, a fold out map of the Balor's lair, and the Balor mini in a clear bubble plastic on the front. Then you'd fold the cost of the Balor partially into the sandbox set, as well as into the adventure. Then because the sandbox set has 3-4 of the same 'common' goblin the cost would offset that of the other rarer minis. You could have multiple adventures in the same sandbox area. You might have a wizard that comes to town and starts lording over the commoners, and they allow the goblins and orcs to come in as slave drivers and 'guards'. The adventure would have a cool 'wizard' mini that came with it.
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