TerraScapes: Caves and Grottos - Redux - Tabletop Terrain

April Update - Fungal Forest pieces
almost 5 years ago – Tue, Apr 27, 2021 at 03:04:15 PM

If you read the last update, I proposed updating the Fungal Forest (FF) pieces into 3D printable scatter pieces.  These pieces are available as an alternate reward to the metal minis originally proposed.  If you still want the original metal minis proposed, that is a possibility still.  For anyone who wants these updated 3d printed pieces, I can begin fulfilling them this week.  I will be sending all backers of the FF a message prompting you all to decide which you would prefer.

General speaking all pieces are atleast 50-100% larger than their metal counterparts and all have an integrated base with myco root textures.  In some cases multiple pieces will be supplied rather than a singular piece. I also modeled some new pieces to add to the set to help round things out.  All pieces will be printed solid on a 2k-resin printer at a 20 micron layer height.  Compared to their metal counterparts,  they really are impressive!  The following are all printed examples of what you'll  receive.  If you backed all 8 of the original FF pieces and want to opt for these scatter pieces, you'll receive 14 revised scatter pieces instead.

The Giant Toadstool got an upgrade to the details.  After increasing the size, it permitted some further details to the gills and stem.  This piece will be provided in 3 parts; a cap, a stem and a base.

Both the Trumpets and the Teacups will come in 2 pieces.  One piece will have 2 mushrooms integrated on the base and the other will have 3.   All of these pieces are printed with the integrated bases.

The Ink Cap also received a notable size boost.  This one may just be my favorite of the bunch.  The textures really paint up nicely.  The size boost also permitted me to go in and update the details.  This scatter piece comes in 3 pieces; a cap, a stem and a base.

I gave the Dead Man's (DM's) Fingers a big size boost.  It also comes the base fully integrated as 1 piece.  I also modeled a totally new piece to accompany the old Devil's Fingers.  These are real life mushrooms.  When they first fruit they appear as an alien looking pod.  The pod then bursts open to reveal some devilish fingers!  I couldn't help be create a pod to go along with these.  I imagine many a party falling prey to this mini trickery!

  King Boletus got both a little size boost and a second scatter piece!  Now the entire life cycle of the Bolete is represented with these 2 scatter pieces.  Their bases are integrated as well.  The spore clouds also got a size boost.  One piece features 2 mushrooms, will the other features just one.  They stand up surprisingly well for how top heavy they appear.  They really require more than clumsy player's jostle to topple them!  They come in 8 pieces; 2 bases, 3 stems and 3 caps.

For anyone who decides on making the switch to these resin printed scatter pieces over the originally planned metal minis, I'll also throw in a free Truffle Tree!  If you ordered multiple sets you will get multiple Truffle Trees.  If you only order 1 or 2 FF minis, I'll still send you a free Truffle Tree.  This amazing piece is about 3 times the height of a mini.  Though top heavy, it too is very stable.  It comes in three pieces; a cap, a stem and a base.

Please send me a message and let me know if you want these resin pieces in stead of the metal pieces.  I will begin printing these all in quantity for fulfillment immediately.   Even if you are still waiting on your Caves and Grottos pieces, these will arrive early and separately.   The CnG pieces require special treatment when shipped and so they would come in a separate box anyways.  It will take time to print them all as I only have 1 printer.  

At the time of writing this, we are in the process purchasing our first home.  If everything goes well we will be closing on May 19th.  This will impede in the rapid fulfillment of the Fungal Forest pieces but I'll do my best to keep that printer running and those pieces shipping.  The house will need some TLC before we move so expect some delays near the end of the month.  We should know any day what our future holds.  When I find out, I will reply to this update and let you all know.

With regards to the CnG pieces,  I do have some good news.  The one laborer who was on leave due to medically issues has been given the OK to return to work.  I will keep you all posted once we start getting some pieces rolling out again.

I wish you all the best.

-David H.

Production resumes and Inventory is complete.
about 5 years ago – Wed, Feb 17, 2021 at 04:12:35 PM

Thanks all for your continued patience.  I finally received word that our production partner is back at it.  They informed me that they have a 3 month window wrap up the project on their end before the summer hits.  I have been reluctant to post this update until I was sure things were under way.  Though slow to the draw, they are good people and I am determined to see this through with them.  I know some of you have pleaded with me to find another partner to help finish this up, but that is just not in the cards.  

Financially speaking,  the project is still in the Black as long as I continue working on commissions and other paying projects in the interim.  I am proud to say that after everything,  the delays and bumps in the road, that I am still able to see this project through to the end.  This past year has been difficult on so many of us.  To be quite honest, my greatest challenge has been having my kids home from school this entire time!  I was not prepared for the workload their remote schooling would have on me!  Most days don't have enough hours to do it all.  One foot in front of the other.  We will get there.

I will be making a Fungal Forest update sooner rather than later.  For anyone who still wants the original metal minis, they will be fulfilled normally.  However, their fulfillment largely depends on the pace of the production partner.  In the next update I hope to show off the revised Fungal Forest pieces that I will offer as resin prints.  These pieces will be larger than their metal counterparts, and I hope you'll see that their value to be greater as well.  When I originally designed these pieces, I really wanted them to be larger, but was limited by the casting methods.  I am looking forward to seeing an actual Forest of mushrooms, rather than some giant "mini" mushrooms.   If you would like to follow this progress,  please stop by my Discord channel MiniGrinder Studio.

Lastly, I have finished doing an intensive inventory of the units that have been delivered to me.  As you can see in the pics below, there is ALOT still here!  I am also working on a google sheets that I can share with you all so you can see when I receive more units for yourself.  More on that in the next update.  for now, seeing is believing.  Here are pictures of all the units I currently hold.

The only things not pictured are the pieces that I have in the process of being painted.  This includes about 10 Flowstone 3 pieces, 1 painted full set and 3 primed partial sets.  I hope these images alleviate at least some of your concerns.  I know I keep saying that we are close, but that is because we are!  Once production wraps, everything will start flowing.  I want so very much to go on with creating awesome content, but I can not even think about KS until this stake is removed from my heart.  I know that with every month many of you lose confidence in my ability to see this through.  There are many of you who have shook my hand, who know me well enough to know that I will deliver through hell or high water.  I can not thank you all enough for your continued patience and support.  

Sept 2020 update - this one is a doozy...
over 5 years ago – Sat, Sep 12, 2020 at 11:44:16 PM

So let's get the big news outta the way first...

 Last Sunday I lost the top half of my index finger in an accident.  It was not a clean dismemberment, as it was ripped off.  IDoc says it is healing well, for which I am very thankful for.  My luck is that I lose a finger to show me how well my body responds to such a trauma!  I am relatively fine both physically and mentally otherwise.  I will still be able to paint rewards (and minis) so no worries there in the long run.  My goal is to finish at least 1 full set every week, even with this disability in mind starting this coming week.   

I've talked with the production team and everything is still halted due to COVID.  This for me is even sadder news.  I was really hoping on it wrapping up this summer, but it is what it is.  Wish there was better news on this front.  

Here's are pics from John Turner.  He was backer #1 and so was the first one to receive their painted rewards.  He was kind enough to throw together some of his 5 Full Sets and take some pics! 

There was an issue with some paint flaking in transit.  I am working on a solution for this before I send out the next set.  Admittedly, the pieces could have been protected better.  One solution is to take a hit on shipping and individually wrap each piece.  I am also searching for a better way to seal each piece.  I was hoping to get away with a spray sealer, but I may have to go with a proper polyurethane.  I simply can't and won't send out any more "oofs" like this.  

I'd also like to invite any of you to join me on my Discord Server.  We can talk shop, share pics of hobby stuff, or even vent your frustration with me.  I'm game for it all!  If you'd like to join follow the link: https://discord.gg/mvCAfgd

I hope you all are well in these troubling times.  Personally, if I can make it to 2020 without losing any more limbs, I'll still considerate it a win.  A mere nub from my finger is such a small pittance for passage into 2021.  I know it may look bleak now for the project, but we are so very close and all I can say is that no one is giving up on our side.  Hope to hear from you on Discord and take care!

David H.

August Update
over 5 years ago – Tue, Aug 04, 2020 at 12:08:09 AM

I must first apologize for taking so long to post another update.  It's been a rough couple of months here and my mentally faculty has been drained from all the current events.  I have found it hard to juggle both home life, my health, quarantine life, commissions and this project.  Days have turn into weeks and weeks have turned into months.  I realize there is no excuse for delaying an update, but I hope you'll understand, it's been a helluva thing this summer.  My day to day business is handled through Facebook, and the negativity there has really dampened my heart and soul.  So I decided to remove that app from my phone in an effort to get myself in a better mental state.  So far so good...

I am still painting up the painted rewards albeit slower than I anticipated.  I am without kids this week so I hope to get a lot more done during this time.  I am happy to report that the primer is sticking to the pieces rather well after a 3 day bath in a auto-grade de-greaser.  I have also been trying to get my studio back into order so I can do some broadcast some live stuff.   I'll most likely do a live broadcast showing you guys how I have been painting these pieces.  I'll post the link to that vid when I am ready to broad cast.

Now for the bad news... I've talked to John from the production team.  He tells me that "the Don" did return to work, but after 3 days was forced to quarantine himself along with 1 other.  They were exposed to COVID-19 and it was from a source outside of the production house.  No word on if they were tested or not, but after being exposed they are taking every precaution.   A month or so ago I was assured that production would wrap by the last day of summer.  Due to these circumstances, I would be surprised if John and his team were able to deliver by that date.  I must stress that, while we are WAY behind schedule, neither one of us will ever give up on fulfilling this project 100%.  I would have liked to have accomplished this before the end of the world, but I am here to say that it will take more than a global pandemic to stop me from getting Caves and Grottos out to you.  

On a lighter note, I will also be starting livestream broadcasts of the RPG I am writing.  I'll be running demos remotely over the internet.  I'd like to invite any of you to join me and checkout my game.  If you'd like to play, you will only need a internet connection and a smartphone or a computer with a mic.   For one session I do plan on running a game on some painted CnG tiles (before they are shipped out).  I mean...  I gotta test the sealant works!  I'll be sure to post a link for that one too!  Send me a message if you are interested!  You can download the beta PDF's here:

https://mgstudio.myshopify.com/collections/natural-one/products/beta-natural-one-a-tabletop-role-playing-system

I do owe you all some extra updates, so I will try my damnedest to get sorted and produce something positive for all of you to enjoy.  Until then, stay safe and take care.

June 2020 update pt.1
almost 6 years ago – Tue, Jun 02, 2020 at 07:54:02 AM

Well I had hoped that I would have more to show you all at this point but I guess this update will have to come in installments!  I will try and commit to another update mid-month which should be more appealing to you all.

First off production is still taking its time ramping back up due to pandemic.  That is pretty much out of our hands at the moment.  With summer on its way hopefully this will start back up to full swing soon.   I wanted to reassure everyone that I am still financially able to wrap this project up.  I know that this is in the back of your heads and I just wanted to stress that shortfalls at this point and forward are not due to finances but rather my balancing act with managing my life.  

I have spent a lot of time putting together a dedicated priming station and clearing shelf space for primed and painted pieces.  Setting up this workflow is extremely important as it is hard enough juggling and slingin' paint at 35 pieces let alone 350 or so at a time.  

I cleared off my back porch and the shelves in the dining room to make room for this essential function of fulfilling rewards.  The back porch is perfect for priming/sealing as it gets full sun for most the day and it is right in between my other workstations; the kitchen and the garden lol!  I also moved my vat of degreaser up to the back porch as well so I can keep the chemical stuff outside of my home!  I also have another plastic container for rinsing too so I am not rinsing the degreaser off into my garden or anything.  The only downside to this location is that I sometimes have to wait for the weather to get anything done out there.  

The wife is a real trooper, I gotta say!  I boxed up everything in the dining room shelves and made the space available for this side of the project and didn't witness a single furrowed brow.  The idea is that I'll have plenty of space to transfer primed pieces while they wait for paint and for finished painted pieces waiting to be boxed up.  

I wanted to have the first handful of sets painted up and ready to share with you all by this update, but I have been sidetracked with everything that is going on and I am still trying to source some paint in larger quantities so that I don't have to fart around with dropper bottles and squeezey-tubes.  I am hot on the trail for what I am looking for and expect to be slingin' paint by the end of the week.  

With the priming/painting/sealer station up and running I won't stop painting when I run out of full sets to paint.  I will continue paint up any partial sets while I wait on more pieces from round two with the production team.  This way when I receive those pieces at least half of every full set is already painted and ready to go!  

I don't want to get you all excited prematurely here as life and everything else had been throwing every gremlin they can at me since this project started.  That said, I am making a beeline to fulfilling this project fully by the last day of summer.  I simply need to move forward with my life.  Nearly everything necessary to commit to this is in place.  It is just a matter of going through the motions at this point so wish me luck!

Lastly, I just wanted to let everyone know that I am back into good health.  I appreciate everyone's concerns  and well wishes too!  More than anything, I appreciate everyone's patience with this project.  It was never meant to go on this long.  You all have been totally supportive at every step.  Without your positive motivation I would have gone nuts a long time ago.  You all rock!  Stay tuned for pretty pics by mid month!