Battleground Games Forum
Games Workshop => Warhammer 40K => Topic started by: Destecado on May 31, 2012, 04:20:22 PM
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Interesting article from wired.com.
Clive Thompson on 3-D Printing’s Legal Morass (http://www.wired.com/design/2012/05/3-d-printing-patent-law/)
I felt it worth posting for what it may portend for the future of gaming and the gaming store.
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Great article! I had no idea the 3D printers were getting so affordable... that reminds me of the youtube video I saw recently where they scanned an adjustable wrench with a laser and "printed" a working copy. Pretty awesome stuff.
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It's really legally questionable GWs original takedown notice.....since it sounds like the designs the guy made were not direct copies of GW models. And 90% of IG stuff is a direct copy of WW1 tanks and such anyway, so...........they got nothing.
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Eh, GW is a bunch of blowhards.
But.
While the idea of printing one's own models seems awesome (there is cost involved), the idea of no BG is pretty much the opposite.
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Eh, GW is a bunch of blowhards.
But.
While the idea of printing one's own models seems awesome (there is cost involved), the idea of no BG is pretty much the opposite.
So obviously BG needs to buy and rent out a 3-D printer :)
Wait, I'm not sure if I've thought this cunning plan through....
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so bare with me here... how does a 3D printer work? Does it just print out 3D images or (in this case) actual "models" and what kind of toner/ ink does it use?
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So obviously BG needs to buy and rent out a 3-D printer :)
It's been considered a time or two before.
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You create a 3d model in a modelling program such as autocad or autodesk inventor and it builds the model from the ground up. The one I had seen/used back in high school used a special powder and bonding liquid to print out the model in the printer. Problems at the.time was they were fragile especially if it wasn't solid but hollow inside.
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So obviously BG needs to buy and rent out a 3-D printer :)
It's been considered a time or two before.
I'm pretty sure the first thing Derek would do if that happened is print out another Chase.
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If I could clone myself all of these ridiculous "problems" popping up lately would disappear. That's for sure.
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It would be nice if i could make replacement parts for my Thunder Hawk. Just another thing for GW to get their panties in a twist over since they wont make me replacement parts.
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When 3d printers break the 300 dollar mark, we'll have, like the author noted, a whole new argument over digital rights. And GW will either have to adapt or cease to sell models. Imagine if they could sell the designs, so that you could print your own 'legit' GW model.
We already see this in America, where GW places a good deal of demands on their independent retailers and in the officially sponsored events. Models must be X% GW material. Models must conform to rules A, B, and C.
I could easily see GW selling the designs, implementing some sort of mark (which they could copy right and circumvent the patent issue), and saying that in order to be included at any official event, the model must bear that. It wouldn't be perfect, and there'd still be those who found ways around it, but, it could work.
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For what it's worth, I just printed myself some "Heart and Checker Marine" shoulder pads for my Lamenters on a 3d printer that I have access to. They came out well, here's a picture with just a quick black wash to bring out the detail:
(http://www2.picturepush.com/photo/a/11848890/640/11848890.jpg) (http://picturepush.com/public/11848890)
Not bad costwise, I made 20 shoulder pads for $4 worth of material, and about 3 hours of print time.
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But I do.
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What 3d software did you use? AutoCAD? I am thinking of getting my school district to buy a Dimension 1200 for the robotics team. I would so use it to make warhammer crap.
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I used Solidworks, simply because that's what I know. The Dimension printers are awesome, probably wouldn't do this level of detail, but for structural parts like your robotics team might want, it'd be great.
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It's really legally questionable GWs original takedown notice.....since it sounds like the designs the guy made were not direct copies of GW models. And 90% of IG stuff is a direct copy of WW1 tanks and such anyway, so...........they got nothing.
Not only that, the DMCA as cited in the article should not even apply in this situation.
That is the problem - corporations have the deep pockets for attorneys so individuals can't afford to fight of frivolous legal threats or lawsuits.
That is unless one is well off or can get the interest of the law centers that provide free legal services for these situations.
MarkG
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My boss and I had a conversation about 3D printing today. Turns out 3D printers are under fire for being able to produce viable firearms.
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My boss and I had a conversation about 3D printing today. Turns out 3D printers are under fire for being able to produce viable firearms.
the anti-guns have been talking about that for years, the bottom line is the plastics used in 3D printing wont hold up to any kind of slide action or thermal abuse from normal shooting.
i suppose you could use one to make a throw away plastic gun like the one Malkovitch used in "in the line of fire" but other than that they're pretty useless for firearms
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For the record, I am a huge supporter of 3D printing GW related or not. I truly feel it is the wave of the future. In regard to firearms, they do have 3D printing in metals, which is super exciting for auto parts and the like. While it is still restricted to the strength of the base metal powder and not nearly as strong as a machined piece, the base material I would imagine would lend enough strength for low caliber ammo.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6Px6RSL9Ac
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Hmm, it seems that 3d printers are pretty close to being able to print 3d printers. I don't know about you but that makes me nervous.
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That makes me feel things are awesome.
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Like everything that changes the world it will used, abused and associated with evil according to some people. Just like when the internet first had porn added too it; people will feel that a use of a 3D printer for things that a particular person does not find ethical is destroying the world. The bottom line is that 3D printing has the potential to remove huge cost from business and will make a huge impact. This will be similar to the change from CDs to digital copies of albums. No more cost to package and distribute; you just have to sell digital copies of blue prints. Eventually the mail will just be used for printing media, and spam credit cards.
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Here here (or Hear Hear? Never sure which)
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What 3d software did you use? AutoCAD? I am thinking of getting my school district to buy a Dimension 1200 for the robotics team. I would so use it to make warhammer crap.
Mr. D, your not the only one from WHS who reads these forums! If metal fab gets a 3d printer, you should hook me up (wink wink)
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Battlegrounds , please get a 3d printer.
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Battlegrounds , please get a 3d printer.
Maybe someday. It would require me and every other employee to know how to use it an answer all sorts of questions people had about it.
It would also take a considerable amount of thought to find out what we can and can't do, how to make money off of it, and what to do when people aren't happy / satisfied with how their design comes out.
Right this minute it's screaming "GIANT HEADACHE" and not "GIANT DOLLARS."
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you could make your own products. like basic troops for every 40k faction , and sell them in the store for cheaper than gw sells them. im sure that would turn a profit considering i alone would eat that up
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They would also have to claim bankruptcy when GW sues them in to the ground...
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They would also have to claim bankruptcy when GW sues them in to the ground...
What's wrong with selling Astro Marines models?
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They would also have to claim bankruptcy when GW sues them in to the ground...
What's wrong with selling Astro Marines models?
There Space Guard and Imperial Marines, I promise!
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Anyone recognize anything about #4?
http://ringoblog.com/ring-by-type/sterling-silver-rings/gun-rings-jewelry/
specifically: http://ringoblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/gun-rings-jewelry-1.jpg
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so bare with me here... how does a 3D printer work? Does it just print out 3D images or (in this case) actual "models" and what kind of toner/ ink does it use?
It prints out actual models. It doesn't use ink, it uses raw materials like plastic or metal.
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so bare with me here... how does a 3D printer work? Does it just print out 3D images or (in this case) actual "models" and what kind of toner/ ink does it use?
It prints out actual models. It doesn't use ink, it uses raw materials like plastic or metal.
think of the scene in the 5th element where they are reconstruction the 5th element (milla jovovich) in the tube, it's down layer by layer from the ground up... that is more of less what 3d printing does. it uses the plastic or whatever material is being used for printing and layer by layer it builds the model from the ground up
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I so want to print my own Lilu!!
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I so want to print my own Lilu!!
Oh gawd lol *facepalm* At least if they perfect biological printing it will prompt "regular" women to stop being so god damn flakey
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Or be the end of males as women will no longer need us.
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More time for Warhams, sounds good to me.
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Well chase, if BG did get a 3D printer, learned how to use it. Your could do many profit and non-profit things.
1 Make terrain
2 Have people pay for use of it to make replacement parts for models
3 like the pictured showed earlier, allow people to design their own shoulder pads to print out.
4 Print out new chairs
5 Make your own custom design models to sell (D&D, warhammer and other miniture games)
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4 Print out new chairs
Sadly it wont print reinforced Steel just yet
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http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1351910088/3doodler-the-worlds-first-3d-printing-pen
Wow, with a little work, you could do some fun projects on large scale tanks ect