| Post/Author/DateTime | Post |
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| #1jsepetaSep 04, 2014 20:03:16 | When is 6E due, 2017? Asking for a friend.
On a more serious note, thanks for bringing back prepainted minis. I wish they were not randomized, because that makes them more expensive and frustrating to collect, and less handy as tools for DMs except through secondary markets like Ebay. Again WOTC should be making it easier for DMs to run campaigns, but is instead putting their emphasis on generating profits when they could be balancing both those needs. It was discouraging to see the line of official minis get cancelled, especially in retrospect because you created some seriously FANTASTIC adventures and environments for 4E. But bringing minis back as collectibles runs counter to our needs.
As a participant in the Reaper Bones Kickstarter campaign, I will likely spend the next several years painting the 300+ minis I received as rewards, so I'm not in the market for more unpainted minis. But I like the fact that your new unpainted minis are boxed for encounters, as I had suggested to Bill S. several GenCons ago (he scoffed at my sensible idea). However, they're organized for AD&D modules that haven't been on the shelf since the late 1980's. And the unpainted minis are overpriced -- $50 for 4 unpainted miniatures? I'm sorry, I made a conscious decision not to play Warhammer. I wish I could have sat in those meetings when someone suggested $4 of white plastic could be marketed using a 30 year old module to show a value of 10x what one might expect. Even the retail Bones minis give you a lot more for a quarter of the cost.
What is still needed is a $20-$25 set of painted minis, boxed with a written encounter for pickup D&D sessions. Why not package a bunch of related minis, including appropriately mixed powers (4E) style to provide a challenge for parties levelled 1-5? I don't see how a well-designed package of Kobolds, Goblins, Orcs, Gnolls, Skeletons, or even the froglike Kuo-Toa would fail to sell. They don't need to be randomized; they should be designed to be useful/sellable in gaming stores for the next decade. If you choose to release updated sets with new colors when a new Monster Manual is released, great. But right now you're ignoring the fact that what would help the D&D brand MOST would be to expand your audience. What better way than to make it easier for DMs to run sessions? Having to learn a bunch of new rules in a series of new books doesn't make D&D more fun. But having new enemies to spring on players every week keeps the adventurers involved, and wary of what the DM will spring on them next. |
| #2hunterian7Sep 08, 2014 14:00:48 | I love ransoms prepainted minis. I hate visible, non-random mini sets. I'm a collector and all the more, all the better- random style. |
| #3Angel7Sep 08, 2014 14:57:05 | I agree that non-random pre-painted sets would be awesome for DMs. Being able to purchase complete encounter sets or even packs of creatures ie: goblins, skeletons, zombies, etc would be a great accessory, especially for army/encounter building. Sadly, this does not a business model make. |
| (Reply to #3)jsepeta |
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| #5NimrodVanHallSep 12, 2014 0:39:52 | Of you want non random minies Games Workshop has awsome ones. You meed to pain them yourselves though. |
| (Reply to #5)zguillotine |
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| #7jazman13Sep 15, 2014 17:19:57 | Look into dungeon command. The sets come in themes and for what you get its well worth the money IMO. I own all 5 sets and they are a great assest to a new DM. My friend went out and bout the goblin themed set. While I know this isnt exactly what youre hoping for, maybe it will help you out. |
| #8AtomicPopeSep 22, 2014 0:54:38 | The arguments in favor of "non-Random" pre-painted minis in 4e were rather simple - built encounters using model sets. There are plenty of monsters and modules that use specific sets of monsters to build an encounter. Having a "goblin" set of 5 goblins with a Hobgoblin and Bugbear would be better for most DMs than a random set with no Bugbear. The problem is the design staff would have to figure out what monsters "paired" better with others and what monsters were sold solo or random. Right now, I can't see myself paying for random monsters when I can buy Reaper Bones and get exactly what I want.
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| #9NovacatSep 22, 2014 1:22:46 |
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| #10Angel7Sep 22, 2014 11:46:34 | Another option is Reapers Legendary Encounters. They're non-random and pre-painted. It's pricey but nice to get exactly what you want. I've already purchased multiples of zombies, skeletons, and bugbears to avoid going the random route. I'd like to eventually have a good representation of most of the iconic, classic monsters without multiple commons of incredibly obscure humanoids with 5 part names that will never see the game table. As for the business model conversation, I'll politely retract my original statement. In all fairness, a company doesn't know how successful something will be until they try it, and I think non-random pre-painted sets of multiple monsters for army building and quick encounter set ups would do very well. |
| #11DLfanSep 25, 2014 16:56:42 | I could not agree more. I hated the random mini packs and stopped buying after getting my 60th dwarf. I want the bady guys as a DM. My players could go buy and paint a specific mini for their character but I tend to run large battles so it is important to have lots of orcs, skeletons, goblins, etc. It would also be nice to have a non-rare pack of demons and devils so high level play could be better represented. |
| #12LordSalemOct 15, 2014 20:02:32 | Without an skirmish game...no tournaments and similar stuff like the 2003 D&D Miniatures game; randomizing miniatures is plain stupid. If the actual miniatures are focused in RPG games, then packages of premade thematic warbands work best IMO. Dungeon Command almost did. Tiles and Minis are the stuff the DMs may need; not another board game.
Oh yeah..I must say that 4 randomized miniatures by booster is a total armed robbery and I believe this since Paizo started with their own collections. I remember when the Harbinger booster at least had 8 miniatures. Again...when there was a reason to be randomized. Thankfully I have a good bunch of those.
I guess WotC/Hasbro have some serious issues of Marketing.
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| #13DaveyJones6913Nov 08, 2014 20:01:49 | what about that 'attack wing' game? it seems the same minis from the icons of the realms series will be released as expansion packs to that game. the first wave has a pack of 6 sun elf guard troops and the second wave has a pakc of 6 hobgoblins.
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| #14The_JesterNov 23, 2014 11:50:46 |
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| #15DaveyJones6913Dec 11, 2014 18:02:01 | that attack wing stuff is out now...
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