Extra Crispy wrote -
"I think we're going to see the end of casting as we know it, and soon.
Baueda has already switched and now sells 3D prints. Mantic is releasing STLs of their Armada ship models as well as selling kits.
There will be an old guard that keeps buying castings, but eventually designers will just sell STLs and people will print what they need. The economics are simply too compelling, and once the printers are more plug and play, there will be no reason not to switch. Even those who can't have one will have friends who do."
Thanks Mark for recording your thoughts, I think these things are coming, or will come to pass.
Matter of fact, I spent a few hours last night filing and sanding away on some metal figs for a coming game project – that benchwork diversion is just something in my blood now after the past 50+ years of doing it (hopefully I've avoided the lead content over all that time too).
In a few years, maybe we'll be talking about "heavy-weight gamers", no, not all the overweight types, but guys who still enjoy pushing around retro lead-castings.
I just like the good ole hefty feel of metal figures……most other gaming…just for lightweights now. ;)