RE: [rp-ml] 3D Printing of Video Game Characters

From: SiderWhite (siderwhite@worldnet.att.net)
Date: Thu Dec 13 2007 - 03:14:04 EET


Terry:

You've hit the nail on the head - speed is the key - all the World of
Warcraft people I've talked to said they would love a model but they do not
want to wait 30-60 days for it, especially around Christmas time - they must
reduce their cycle time and maintain quality for it to gain momentum!

Glenn Whiteside

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-rp-ml@rapid.lpt.fi [mailto:owner-rp-ml@rapid.lpt.fi] On Behalf
Of Brock Hinzmann
Sent: Wednesday, December 12, 2007 9:54 AM
To: Terry Wohlers
Cc: RP-ML
Subject: Re: [rp-ml] 3D Printing of Video Game Characters

I expect you are right, Terry.

Perhaps this helps to put into context the piece I wrote on The Personal
Factory Redux in March and distributed on the RP-ML a couple months ago.
Will this be enough to kick-start the involvement of a corner
neighborhood service (Fed-Ex/Kinko) or to get equipment makers like HP
or Epson or their competitors involved in the RP/M industry?

Is Microsoft supporting this new project directly? It could be a boost
for the use of its 3-D design service (an alliance with Dassault
Systemes [http://www.microsoft.com/ISV/Dassaultsystemes/]). Could Google
jump in here with its 3-D Warehouse and SketchUp?

Brock

Terry Wohlers wrote:

> Hi Brock,
>
> You are right: there are technical issues associated with model
> preparation that could adversely impact a high volume, low margin
> business, such as this. FigurePrints will need to streamline the
> process and I'm sure that Ed Fries and his staff are working
> diligently on it.
>
> How quickly will it take off? FigurePrints/Blizzard and Electronic
> Arts (likely next year) will motivate Microsoft, Sony, LucasArts,
> Ubisoft, Activision, Nintendo, and others to follow. In the short
> term, the challenge will be to fine-tune the file processing and part
> finishing steps, and then build capacity. FigurePrints will need to
> turn the jobs more quickly. I suspect that many customers will not
> wait 30-60 days.
>
> Regards,
>
> Terry
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> *From:* Brock Hinzmann <mailto:bhinzmann@sric-bi.com>
> *To:* Terry Wohlers <mailto:tw@wohlersassociates.com>
> *Cc:* RP-ML <mailto:rp-ml@rapid.lpt.fi>
> *Sent:* Tuesday, December 11, 2007 4:34 PM
> *Subject:* Re: [rp-ml] 3D Printing of Video Game Characters
>
> Thanks, Terry.
>
> I noticed this in our local print version of the Mercury News, but
> the
> electronic version you cite is better and provides more details. For
> instance, neither the print version or the FigurePrints Web site
> (as far
> as I could tell) correctly identifies that they are using a Z-Corp
> printer, although you can tell from the pictures.
>
> I recently visited a local Z-Corp VAR to discuss 3-D printing of
> figures
> from Second Life and found some of the same issues, such as some
> parts
> being too small to print reliably. Some aspects of the virtual world
> designs, such as hair or clothing, can be only one datapoint thick,
> which means they have no volume. Also, some visual representations of
> avatars are not in one piece, such as arms or legs that extend
> beneath
> the clothing, but are not connected by datapoints to the rest of the
> body/figure. Such design features need to be corrected before the
> figure
> will print in one piece. Looks like these guys have figured out
> all of that.
>
> Any speculation about how quickly this application might take off?
> I was
> at another virtual worlds meeting recently, where a representative
> from
> a Chinese company showed a large model of a Second Life avatar
> that had
> been done by hand from pictures taken from different angles. Is this
> competitive?
>
> Brock Hinzmann
>
> Terry Wohlers wrote:
> > The idea has been discussed over the past few years and now it's a
> > reality. Ed Fries, who led Microsoft's video game business, is
> rolling
> > out FigurePrints (www.figureprints.com
> <http://www.figureprints.com>
> > <http://www.figureprints.com>) today. The more than 9 million
> > subscribers of World of Warcraft (WoW) can now order a 100-mm
> > (4-inch) tall model of their personalized character from the online
> > game. The models are manufactured on a 3D color printer from Z
> Corp.
> > According to the article at the following link, Fries was
> inspired by
> > an Electronic Arts' exhibit at the E3 show last year. The exhibit
> > included 3D printed figures from EA's new Spore game.
> >
> >
>
http://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2007/12/ed_fries_gets_back_into_business_wi
th_one-of-a-kind_world_of_warcraft_3-d_character_model_printing.html
> >
> > Fries has partnered with Blizzard Entertainment, the makers of WoW.
> > Blizzard is expected to promote the FigurePrints service inside the
> > game. The cost: $100 plus $15 for shipping.
> >
> > Due to demand and other factors, the service will not be rapid.
> > Delivery will take 30-60 days from the time an order is placed.
> Even
> > so, this exciting new application of additive fabrication (AF) will
> > introduce 3D printing to millions of people. Until now, the
> estimated
> > 2.3 million commercial CAD installations worldwide have been the
> > source of data for 99 percent of the parts produced by AF
> technology.
> >
> > Regards,
> >
> > Terry
> >
> > ************
> > Terry Wohlers
> > Wohlers Associates, Inc.
> > OakRidge Business Park
> > 1511 River Oak Drive
> > Fort Collins, Colorado 80525 USA
> > 970-225-0086
> > Fax 970-225-2027
> > tw@wohlersassociates.com <mailto:tw@wohlersassociates.com>
> <mailto:tw@wohlersassociates.com>
> > http://wohlersassociates.com
> >
> >
>



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