Editor in Chief Bill | 06 Apr 2017 10:38 p.m. PST |
Lots of people worry about the 'graying' of the hobby, but what about the graying of the manufacturers? Are you worried that as the manufacturers age, there will be fewer and fewer companies left? |
Project Vehemence | 06 Apr 2017 11:43 p.m. PST |
Pendraken seem to be doing a great job of passing on a business, father to son. I think new technology will be the way forward, and new tech usually comes with a younger crew. Maybe the old spin-cast style will start getting 'grey', if they havent already! |
shaun from s and s models | 07 Apr 2017 1:11 a.m. PST |
it is a concern as when we did shows we aged as the customers did and very few were younger than us when we started, who will take over the masters ect? |
GeoffQRF | 07 Apr 2017 4:18 a.m. PST |
I haven't got enough hair left to go grey |
YogiBearMinis | 07 Apr 2017 4:25 a.m. PST |
I tend to agree that the future is plastic and 3D printers, but it is a valid question. I get sad every time I think about the Perry twins getting older. |
Black Scorpion | 07 Apr 2017 4:33 a.m. PST |
Any updates on my news story banner advert request Bill.? I want to give you more money to put more banners up. This is a good thing you should reply to. |
rustymusket | 07 Apr 2017 4:59 a.m. PST |
I worry more about video games making figures undesirable. But we still have real books and some bookstores. Hopefully figures will continue on, also. |
Extra Crispy | 07 Apr 2017 5:46 a.m. PST |
Video games have been around since the 1980s. If they haven't killed minis yet, they won't |
Legends In Time Skip | 07 Apr 2017 6:10 a.m. PST |
There will always be a creative element in every trade that will inevitably raise the bar above their predecessors. If there are less Mfg's the ones that are left will have covered for those that fell by the wayside. |
Editor in Chief Bill | 07 Apr 2017 7:16 a.m. PST |
Any updates on my news story banner advert request Bill.?I want to give you more money to put more banners up. This is a good thing you should reply to. I am working my way down the long list. Please be patient. |
Buck215 | 07 Apr 2017 7:34 a.m. PST |
Hair coloring. Works for me, should work for the manufacturers… |
IronDuke596 | 07 Apr 2017 8:02 a.m. PST |
This kind of statement was in vogue in the 80s for gamers as well as manufacturers. I shouldn't worry too much. |
IUsedToBeSomeone | 07 Apr 2017 8:15 a.m. PST |
As manufacturers retire their ranges get bought up by other companies. Virtually nothing seems to completely disappear in the wargames world (barring the mystery of Peter Laing's moulds of course) Mike |
Hafen von Schlockenberg | 07 Apr 2017 8:46 a.m. PST |
And Dragontooth--but that was a conscious decision by the maker. And then most of the masters were lost--but that was due to a fire. 19th Century Miniatures/Old Glory 15s is one that seems to be moving fairly smoothly to the next generation. |
Weasel | 07 Apr 2017 8:49 a.m. PST |
We have more figures in more scales for more periods available now than at any time ever before. And heck, I can still buy old as dirt Laserburn or Ral Partha figures brand new. Plenty of kids in the gaming stores, some of them will enter the business. |
Black Scorpion | 07 Apr 2017 8:58 a.m. PST |
"I am working my way down the long list. Please be patient." Thanks for the reply Bill, I know you're busy. Just let me know. :) |
Tgerritsen | 07 Apr 2017 11:59 a.m. PST |
I make video games for a living, and play them in my off time, but my passion is for physical table top gaming. I wouldn't worry about video games killing physical gaming. People talked about that being a possibility when I was back in high school and that was over 30 years ago. If anything table top gaming of all stripes is more popular now than ever. Gen Con was a fraction of the size it is now and Adepticon would never have happened. I think the hobby will definitely change, but it's not going away any time soon. |
robert piepenbrink | 07 Apr 2017 12:34 p.m. PST |
Hmpf. When I started in historical miniatures, The old geezers were 15 or 20 years younger than I am today. I know LOTS of dead wargamers. The hobby seems to continue. And modern manufacturing and communication technology may make being a hobby manufacturer less physically demanding. But despite Black Hat's confidence, I can think of a lot of lines I can't buy now, though it's worse on the fantasy and SF side, and a bunch of rules that are long out of production and not really replaced. I say again, buy armies both sides and as close to all in one chunk as you can afford, and I add buy at least two copies of any really satisfactory rules. Lines--GW Squats--and Ollie Scrunts--Eureka Teddy Bears, Command Post 30's, Minifig 30's WEG Star Wars, Mike's Models 15's. Rules--On to Richmond, Retinue, and earlier editions of almost any of the numbered sets. I approve of copyright, but you ought to pay for it like property tax, so if you leave something out of print or out of production, it costs you at least a little to maintain your claim. |
rmaker | 07 Apr 2017 1:15 p.m. PST |
Historifigs (ex-Ultimate, ex-Scruby) is on it's third generation. |
Frontline Tim | 07 Apr 2017 2:59 p.m. PST |
I have brought back together IT miniatures WW1 and WW2 figure ranges the WW2 have been out of production for quite a while but as said above many "lost" ranges come back to life. I suppose they will move on when I sit at the great gaming table in Valhalla as my kids don't seem interested in carring the flag forward, but perhaps that might change. Anybody know what happened to the Sussex miniatures ranges of 25mm Franco-Prussian and ECW?. |
Rudysnelson | 07 Apr 2017 3:06 p.m. PST |
Sometimes sons do not want to follow our foot steps which the case for me. Both manufacturers and retail stores face the same problem. Also, a son taking over does not mean the business will remain successful. It is easy to name stores and distributors where this succession was a failure. No definitive answer. Each situation will be unique. |
LeonAdler | 08 Apr 2017 1:40 a.m. PST |
Im planning a Viking style funeral myself, all those moulds should make a nice blaze lol Grey? I should be so lucky now grey and baldy thats really a sign of age……………. Frontline Tim never heard of a Sussex Miniatures before and I been down here for 35 years or so. Tell more please. robert piepenbrink if theres any MM your particularly after I have a few around ( painted and unpainted)( ex MM manager/designer). L |
IUsedToBeSomeone | 08 Apr 2017 1:50 a.m. PST |
I don't have any children so it won't pass on that way…. Current plan is to sell off the Wargaming ranges in 15-20 years and concentrate on Toy Soldiers as I'll still be able to see them! Mike |
Frontline Tim | 08 Apr 2017 12:22 p.m. PST |
LeonAdler Many years ago 25 at least and before I started in resin, I was a middle man at shows with other companies ranges. One if which was Sussex miniatures, I can not remember if they were even based in Sussex. If memory serves me, they were run by two guys and there was a falling out with a dispute over ownership of the moulds. Then they fell of the radar, they were very nice figs a little static but they would still be compatable to todays castings. I did see a few ECW figs on a bring and buy some years ago, I whish I'd picked them up and I could have posted some pic's |
LeonAdler | 08 Apr 2017 1:10 p.m. PST |
Thanks Tim, must have passed me by but then I was probably heavily into 15's so not paying attention. Know the feeling Mike ( Black hat)everytime I switch back to working on 6's I think……jeez thats small lol L |
Old Glory | 08 Apr 2017 2:24 p.m. PST |
I have always believed, that just like the "elephant grave yards" where all the elephants go to die in the Tarzan movies, there are "toy soldier company graveyards" where all the toy soldier companies eventually make their way to die---irristably drawn by an unexplainable knowledge of their own coming demise??? Occasionally among the rotting ruins of said companies, can be found the bleached white bones of a few determined masters who would not, or could not accept the lonely death of their beloved creation and choose instead to accompany them on their final trek and ultimate resting place. 🤔 Regards Russ Dunaway |
LeonAdler | 08 Apr 2017 11:42 p.m. PST |
I see the nurses have let you onto the internet again Russ lol L |
Old Glory | 09 Apr 2017 11:17 a.m. PST |
Noooooooooooh. I'M NOT GOING BACK --AAAAAARRGGG--- NO, NO YOU CAN'T MAKE ME --- NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!! |
forrester | 09 Apr 2017 1:59 p.m. PST |
I've seen a few examples of companies I've taken for granted coming to the point where their founder is on the verge of retiring. Not every range gets taken up by an eager buyer. Its inevitable when some of them have been trading for decades. |
LeonAdler | 09 Apr 2017 2:02 p.m. PST |
lol@Russ …………time for my pills as well…….thank you nurse………. L |
Tumbleweed | 10 Apr 2017 6:01 p.m. PST |
For every new mold that is made, another one is put on a shelf in a garage or basement, never to be seen again. But then some of that old stuff we used to make back in the day was pretty awful, so no great loss. |
LeonAdler | 10 Apr 2017 11:17 p.m. PST |
Lots of whats made today could be described as awful………….lol L |
Tumbleweed | 13 Apr 2017 12:38 p.m. PST |
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Bad Squiddo Games | 05 May 2017 6:06 a.m. PST |
It's only greying if you look in the wrong places… The hobby from my perspective seems to be growing faster than ever before. It is definitely changing though, and there is definitely something in that the bulk is moving away from pure historical to fantasy, sci fi and those merged with historical (orc ww2 for example). I run Bad Squiddo Games as a freshish faced 27 year old, and plenty of people I work with or know from the industry are around the same age, many now even younger. I specialise in historical but branch out all over the place. Children aren't on the menu, but I intend to do this far beyond my own graying, and when I eventually don't look both ways crossing the road I'm sure I'll have a load of mould vultures ready to pick up and carry on :D Hopefully, if the world hasn't died in nuclear war or anything by then anyway. Annie Bad Squiddo Games |
LeonAdler | 05 May 2017 2:35 p.m. PST |
Certainly is changing ( always has been )less and less demanding genre and rules seems to be thing, unfashionable to put in thought or effort. I go to conventions these days and I see of lot of display games using bought terrain tiles ( which they cant even be bothered to flock out the joins), off the shelf buildings and for all I know off the shelf painted figures. Always been thus but maybe even worse? Maybe Im just getting older and grumpier lol L |
ced1106 | 14 May 2017 2:31 a.m. PST |
Which manufacturers? As someone who follows KS projects, I'm seeing plenty of miniature companies offering miniatures. Most of them are fantasy, but Westfalia was able to release Prussian armies thanks to KS. |