Got a crazy idea again!

[Decipher]

Since the dice has been such a huge hit and a lot of fun offering an actual product to extend the life of the original HeroQuest game, I've toyed around a lot with reproducing the original HeroQuest miniature set. So, pondering with the idea since 2017, I've decided to plunge into it and I am going to give the project a green light. With a little bit of time, personal education and probably a bunch of trial & error, I will be reproducing the entire original miniature set sometime by Fall of 2021 as long as the world doesn't implode. These will not be made in China, these will be made right here in the USA. It's a lot cheaper for me to buy the equipment and make them myself then contract a company to do it, even in China.

The process:
Each original figure will be 3D scanned by a company in California. They will send me the 3D mesh CAD prints which I will use to mill a mold to use in a plastic mold injection machine. So, technically, the miniatures should be exact duplicates of the originals other than the color. The best part about it is not only can I do the originals, but I will be able to also make all of the expansion miniatures as long as I can get them 3D scanned. Which some of them I will have to rely on some of you folks here on the forums because I don't have them all. I know its a terrifying idea to loan out a super rare miniature to a stranger for a few weeks but if I can generate enough interest to do this, we'll have unlimited POWER!

...sorry, I felt like Lord Sidious for a second there.

We'll have unlimited miniatures!!!

Even better than that, we will have access to character miniatures that we don't have right now. I personally know awesome 3D model artists on DeviantArt who can make just about anything we want too.
Lastly, I can offer these way cheaper than if a third party company does them because I will be doing these personally.

Just wanted to give everyone a heads up for my plan. I'm sure by the time I can actually get this all ready, the new HeroQuest will be rolling out and my miniatures will sit idle in a box and losing money but I honestly don't care. I just want to do everything I can to extend the old game for as long as possible.

[Kurgan]

What will distinguish these reprints from the originals? Just wanting to head off any concerns about passing off bootlegs as the real thing...

Maybe two beveled edges around the base? (NA has no bevels, EU has 1)

[j_dean80]

I have all the originals, what I’m looking for are the special sculpts and new monsters that look like HQ.

[whitebeard]

I'm concerned that this type of professional for profit reproduction of HQ IP will backfire on the entire community and result in Hasbro / GW teaming up for a broad push and DMCA takedown of all of the HQ artwork we have on the Inn. You do not own the IP that is the figure sculpts and you should not be selling reproductions. Painstakingly doing handmade batches (a labor of love) for desperate buddies on the Inn is one thing. The way you have it worded here is an enterprise.

[Kurgan]

whitebeard speaks the truth. And the more I think about it, the more I tend to agree.

The other thing is let's be perfectly honest... the reason anybody wants to buy bootlegged HQ dice... whether 3d printed, or carved out of wood is this:
most of the dice out there, unless they've never been used, are beat to hell, they're yellowed, and the black has worn off of the monster shields. They look like crap if they've been played with in so many cases (and that's how all unvarnished wooden dice will look after being played with for a decade or more)... but this is NOT so with the plastic miniatures.

There are no shortage of miniatures either with a HQ set or loose all over Ebay. And if you want to print your own, STL files are readily available. These are not rare, and in fact, if someone is really going for high quality, they will spend as much as the originals to acquire near identical copies. And let's face it, not as many people care about the "rare" miniatures (like the Frozen Horror) as care about the core set, and there are tons of orcs, goblins, skeletons, chaos warriors, etc. on ebay that aren't broken (and we all know even painted ones can be easily stripped).

Compared to the dice, this is a much higher risk for far less reward. I mean why stop there? Why not copy the entire game and release it... the resources are all there. But it WOULD, as in the post above, invite unwanted scrutiny from the companies involved that still retain the right to protect their property. I made a big deal about people who were selling reproduction cards, using designs taken blatantly without permission from the Inn. Imagine my own hypocrisy if I didn't speak up if someone did the same thing with say, original designs of miniatures featured here.

We could use higher quality scans of real miniatures (and for new pieces in the classic style) in digital format for those wishing to brew their own, but better not to open a can of worms by selling high quality "reproductions." Let's put that energy into original creations that won't be open for abuse.

[Pancho]

Did you know that we can get all of these figures already on Etsy. The Frozen Horror figure for example is less than £5 there. https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/8057352 ... A805735201

I’m interested to know why Etsy can get away with selling these, and yet Decipher is being warned off. And whether it would be a worthwhile project anyway, if something similar already exists. Unless I’m missing something?

[Decipher]

I'm a little lost for words. What is the difference between me reproducing miniatures and other people doing the same thing? People have been recasting, 3d printing and reproducing the miniatures for years and everyone seems fine with it till now.

It's fine though, I'll simply design new ones and avoid the whole copyright thing altogether. Thanks all.

[ajjohnsen]

I'm a little lost for words. What is the difference between me reproducing miniatures and other people doing the same thing? People have been recasting, 3d printing and reproducing the miniatures for years and everyone seems fine with it till now.

It's fine though, I'll simply design new ones and avoid the whole copyright thing altogether. Thanks all.

Decipher I'd be really on board with getting the minis from the Elf and Barb quest pack from you. I never had any of them growing up and cant afford to spend a thousand dollars for them now. I think your idea is great, and seeing as how the reproductions on Etsy etc are terrible quality while also clearly labeled as "Heroquest" I'm not seeing the issue

[Pancho]

I'm a little lost for words. What is the difference between me reproducing miniatures and other people doing the same thing? People have been recasting, 3d printing and reproducing the miniatures for years and everyone seems fine with it till now.

It's fine though, I'll simply design new ones and avoid the whole copyright thing altogether. Thanks all.

Decipher I'd be really on board with getting the minis from the Elf and Barb quest pack from you. I never had any of them growing up and cant afford to spend a thousand dollars for them now. I think your idea is great, and seeing as how the reproductions on Etsy etc are terrible quality while also clearly labeled as "Heroquest" I'm not seeing the issue

I wouldn’t say they are terrible. I’ve only bought one figure so far and it was very good quality, but I may have just got lucky. I agree that Decipher should go for it if he has the means to create minis that are as good or better.

The Etsy giant wolves look like they are pretty poor quality, which is frustrating for me as they are the only figures missing from my collection. So I’d also be interested in getting some of the minis from the Elf pack (maybe from a few of the other expansions too).

[Kurgan]

I didn't mean to soap box...

I'm a little lost for words. What is the difference between me reproducing miniatures and other people doing the same thing? People have been recasting, 3d printing and reproducing the miniatures for years and everyone seems fine with it till now.

It's fine though, I'll simply design new ones and avoid the whole copyright thing altogether. Thanks all.

There's a fundamental difference between someone creating their own, for their personal, private use... vs. someone mass producing them for sale under Hasbro's nose.
I want you to stay out of trouble, and I want this great community to be around a long time, hence my concern! So while it may be possible to create perfect replicas of what Games Workshop was putting out back in the day, it's not a wise idea to put those out there where they will cause confusion and invite possible negative repercussions to the fandom. In the meantime, Hasbro did invite us to petition them for more stuff, maybe that could include re-issuing the classic minis for this and the rare expansions?

Original creations are something we can all enjoy, no problems with that.

The OP was about reproducing the game system/KK/ROTWL miniatures, which are in no sense rare or expensive. If one searches for HeroQuest STL files, they'll find numerous examples online that can be printed on any 3d printer (resin tends to produce the best results), and they can be easily printed, etc. Whether these one-offs are worth it, are up to the individual. You don't have to pay somebody on Etsy to do it for you. (At least prior to Covid), local libraries in my area had 3d printing services which were quite affordable.