TerraScapes: Caves and Grottos - Redux - Tabletop Terrain

Fulfillment slated for the end of summer.
almost 8 years ago – Thu, May 03, 2018 at 10:51:27 PM

Fulfillment has been pushed back to summer's end.  I realize that this is not want anyone wants to hear, myself included! I've just gotten off the phone with the head of the production team.  Do to unforeseen circumstances, molding will not be completed until the end of June. 

TerraScapes is not the only project and obligation that they are handling, and in the last few months the team has even been met with some serious health issues.  I know some of you may see these as excuses, but I'm just trying to be as transparent as possible.  Because of these issues the team has basically been a man down and overall production has bottlenecked us into the predicament we've now found ourselves in.

Here's the plan to get things back on track.  In June I will be camping out in the shop for a week to help speed up the molding process.  The pieces were dropped off months ago, but circumstances put my project on the backburner.  I'm going to do everything in my power to get that pot boiling up again, by taking part in both the molding and production process personally. 

So the new time table is to finalize all molds by the end of June.  The outcome all depends on how well my 7 day stay at the shop goes.  I will keep you all updated on us knocking them out.  After that its on to production.  The man down is the guy that would have been casting the pieces over the course of a month and a half.  Since he's down and out, I'm going to be spending some weekends at the shop to help pick up the slack.  

I still am very much confident that TerraScapes will be seen on your tabletop before too long.  I wish it were sooner, and that is why I'm personally joining the production team to help speed things up.  Wish us luck!

-David H.

Giant Toadstool test print video
about 8 years ago – Tue, Mar 27, 2018 at 02:44:39 PM

G'day Spelunkers!

I made a thing! I sculpted this piece in zbrush and printed it on a cr-10.  It's important to note that the pewter casts will be molded from a better print on a MUCH better pro-grade printer.  But for all you folks itching to get these STL files, I thought you'd like to see this progress.  In fact I am just about ready to release these files to the appropriate backers!

It's printed at 50mm/s with a shell at 1.2mm, and layer height of 0.1mm.  It's all underhang so lots of clean up.

I'm going to base it tonight and paint it.  Checkout my FB MiniGrinder Studio for pics!

TerraScapes: CnG prototypes finalized and heading to production.
about 8 years ago – Thu, Feb 15, 2018 at 02:02:43 PM

It's been a wild ride since we funded this campaign at the end of last year.  Since then I've been working with John at Effin Cool Minis to get these pieces ready for molding and ultimately fulfillment.  It was decided from studying the pre production pieces, that we should beef up the load bearing stalagmites to help prevent bubbles forming in the tips, which may deform them.  When that decision was made, it only made sense to go back alter the height of each piece so they were ALL as close to 1 inch high, as I could possibly make them. 

In the following picture you can see that I used greenstuff and cardstock to level up any load bearing points on the tiles.  The tiles are still fundamentally similar to the prototypes we all saw during the campaign, with addition of even more details in some of the cases.

In the next image, I've primed all the altered areas in black.  Layouts in general are more level and even a little more stable than before!  I am quite happy with these results.  

 There are three pieces which may have to be altered further to insure they cast without deformation consistently.  I'll be speaking with John today about them to see what we can do.  Here are the proposed changes to these pieces in picture form.  Note in the image, the white foamboard represents where I may have to add more to the tile.  You can ofcourse expect these tiles to both look and work the same as before!

 I am committed to making this tabletop resource as awesome as I can before it goes to mold.  I don't just want something amateurish to hit your table this summer, but a brand that excites you and your compatriots whenever you delve into the deep!  

As of this moment we are still on schedule to start fulfilling by the end of June.  I am sure there are a few more hiccups and hurdles on the way, so just cross your fingers and roll that Nat 20 for luck!

-David Higgins, creator

Survey Reminders sent!
over 8 years ago – Thu, Dec 28, 2017 at 01:09:26 PM

This is just a reminder that I will be locking down your surveys the 31st of December.  If I dont have your address and shipping fees I will find it difficult to ship out your rewards when it comes time!  Please take the time to fill out our survey.  Hell, if you're feeling frisky pick up some more Add-ons!   

Thanks for all your support!  

-David H.

Fungal Forest - Spore Cloud - 3D Proof
over 8 years ago – Wed, Dec 20, 2017 at 06:28:47 PM

 I hope everyone's holiday season is going well.  I've had some what of a Rollercoaster ride myself this year.  During this time of the year I entertain as Santa Claus for private home visits and schools!  I guess Terrascape's is made in Santa's Workshop!  During my down time I have had the time to explore zbrush for the first time.  I have not 3d sculpted since my days of using sketchup 8 or so years ago lol!  The first model I worked up using the program is what may just be a template for a miniatures project down the road.

 I took the time to practice  with this model and learn the basics of the program.  I felt it was wise to be somewhat practiced with the program before sculpting the Fungal Forest pieces.  If said minis project ever surfaces with this piece, it will be dwarf related.  I have long had the urge to create and design a race of dwarves which have east indian cultural attributes, customs and dress.

 Once I felt this figure template was mostly complete, I decided to dive back into the Fungal Forest pieces.  It's my aim to distribute the 3D files sometime in February if at all possible.  Wish me luck in that endeavor!  I want to use these pieces too!  my campaign is currently in a cavernous fungal grove so it would be nice to have these pieces sooner rather than later lol!  

 I hope you are happy with where I took this piece.  It's a bit more detailed than the concept, but I really wanted to make this piece look biologically functional in a way that promotes more varied gameplay.  Maybe its not just a scenic piece, but something which has defensive capabilities too. 

So lets hear it!  What do you think of Fungal Forest's first finished proof?