"Help With Miniatures Wargame Logistics" Topic
4 Posts
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AlexChase | 01 Mar 2016 6:48 p.m. PST |
Hello TMP! My name is Alex and I'm designing a sci-fi miniatures wargame called Nova: Galactic Conquest. The design phase of the game is going great, with my last series of public playtests coming up at ConQuest Sacramento at the start of April. I come to you not to ask about the design, but instead to see if anyone has advice on the production of the game. The game will have a lot of components. My idea at the moment is to first create a two-player starter kit, which will contain a Faction Deck for each player (30 cards each), a miniature for each card (or perhaps multiple generic minis that can be denoted by stickers ala Imperial Assault), some cardboard terrain, dice, tokens, and a rulebook. Most of the stuff like dice, tokens, simple terrain and the book I can handle easily enough. For the cards, I'm planning to hire professional artists and have each card feature unique, high quality art. However, the miniatures are where I'm getting held up. How should I go about getting the miniatures created? My main thought has been to contact manufacturers and ask if they are willing to create custom miniatures in bulk for such a project. The process, in my mind, would go finish design -> launch kickstarter -> if funded, purchase art and minis and distribute. Has anyone had any experience with similar projects? Anyone that can give me general advice or steer me in the right direction where I might be misguided or have a misconception? |
Pictors Studio | 01 Mar 2016 7:33 p.m. PST |
I would find a sculptor, get a quote on how much 60 minis will cost you to have sculpted. See if that is feasible for what you want to do. If it is then contact a manufacturer and see how much it will cost you to make master and production molds for those figures and how much each casting will cost you. Then you will have an idea about how much to ask for in the kickstarter to get started. There are a number of sculptors on here. They post looking for work from time to time or you could post to see if one is available. |
Ottoathome | 02 Mar 2016 7:12 a.m. PST |
Your first step should be to make sure for the size of the effort you want to make, to lay in a capitalization budget of $50,000. USD That means $50,000 USD in the bank with no claims on it and that you don't mind if you lose it. 60 minis will be at about $500 USD minimum for a decent quality mini will be $30,000. USD Then there will be the costs for mold making casting, shipping etc. That's another $10,000 USD or so. Then advertising etc. You might be able to get some cash flow going by selling off castings of the first 10 to people who are avid for it, but don't count on much with death of "All quit…" Oh yes, then there's the time factor, that is getting the sculptors attention. Printing cards professionally to glossy standards will be about another $20,000 USD when all is said and done, so maybe you should think of more like $80,000 USD in capitalization. |
Lovejoy | 02 Mar 2016 10:10 a.m. PST |
Alex, the first thing to consider is the material you are wanting them produced in. As you probably know, typically miniatures are made from either pewter, resin, PVC plastic, or HIPS plastic. All have very different plusses and minuses, and which one you use would affect the whole production process, from sculpting right through to distribution. Which are you planning to use? |
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