Their latest endeavor Dice Miner is a dice-based game that was pre-sold through a Kickstarter campaign. Because of the high expectations Kickstarter funders have, an early visual of the product was necessary to show off the new game to potential backers.

In order to create these visual components, Atlas Games sought out our 3D printing services to prototype the game pieces they needed, and were able to utilize 3D printing for fast and cost-effective solutions from early prototyping to final-stage designs.

Jeff Tidball, Chief Operating Officer of Atlas Games, has a deep passion for games. For a look behind the scenes at Atlas Games’ newest creation, we interviewed Jeff to find out how the advantages of 3D prototyping was critical for Dice Miner’s Kickstarter success.

Could you give us a quick summary about Atlas Games as well as your latest game, Dice Miner?

Atlas Games is a tabletop game publisher with a 30-year history and deep catalog of board, card, and roleplaying games. We’re best known for card games like Gloom and Once Upon a Time. Dice Miner is a dice drafting game with 60 custom dice and a unique mountain component that organizes the dice across each game’s three rounds, showing which dice are available to choose at any given time as the game unfolds.

What was the purpose of using Shapeways to make prototypes for Dice Miner?

Dice Miner’s Deluxe Edition will have a plastic PVC mountain, so we used Shapeways to prepare early prototypes of that component. We used Shapeways for two purposes. First, to playtest using components as close as possible to the final version, to make sure they performed as we expected at the table. Second, to evaluate their producibility while holding physical objects, as opposed to needing to evaluate them only on screen, or in our imaginations. 

How did you come to the decision to use 3D printing instead of other manufacturing methods?

Other manufacturing methods, to produce only one or two copies of a component like Dice Miner’s Deluxe Edition mountain, simply do not exist. (Maybe we could have hired someone to hand-sculpt one? I don’t even know.)

Did you already have technical knowledge in 3D printing? If not, was there a learning curve to getting into this technology?

Prior to Dice Miner, I had done very little 3D printing for a previous game’s miniatures prototype, also with Shapeways. However, we had the help of a consultant we had hired to create our plastic components, so we were able to use his model directly to produce the prototypes we used. So there was not much of a learning curve, but that’s because we had hired folks to help us already.

What material(s) do you print in and why?

We went with [Versatile Plastic, which are] cheap and fast for our game components. We were looking solely at form and function, rather than having any particular materials requirements.

How much time and/or cost were you able to save by prototyping with Shapeways versus using another method?

I don’t really have anything like that [to compare], since the other options don’t really exist. I suppose you could think about the complete disaster that would arise if a $3,500 mold was created wrong — having a physical prototype can help avoid that instance. Although it’s a small change, spending one or two hundred dollars to hedge against that downside seems pretty reasonable. Creating early prototypes also helped us get an advanced copy to an outside previewer, which helped illustrate to potential campaign backers how the game is played. Waiting for copies of the game from the production line would have simply been impossible. Without a preview of the game, I suspect fewer backers would have been comfortable joining the Kickstarter. Again, no hard-and-fast metrics, but I suspect we’d have left money on the table without being able to preview the game in that way.

Not only was Atlas Games able to succeed on Kickstarter, but they surpassed their goal by almost $80,000. Our 3D prototyping solutions were instrumental in this process by providing a simple and cost-effective means to creating a visual preview of the game.

And more importantly, game fans would now be able to “draft the dice” in Dice Miner with the empowerment that they helped make the game happen by supporting it on Kickstarter!

Are you creating a new game or product for an upcoming Kickstarter campaign? Find out how Shapeways can help with your rapid prototyping needs today.

The post How 3D Printing Helped Atlas Games Achieve Kickstarter Success appeared first on Shapeways Blog.

3D printing allows artists and designers access to a higher level of creative control where they might have been limited by traditional manufacturing in the past. Here are just a few ways 3D printing facilitates the process of board game creation:

Fast and Professional Prototyping

Once you have developed the concept of your game, you can start bringing each part to life by creating prototypes of your ideas. Creating a 3D design for the board, pieces and accessories not only means they can be easily reworked and refined but also reprinted any number of times. Creating prototypes will allow you to communicate your ideas to play testers and investors while you continue to develop and refine your game. And the faster you can produce the prototypes for your ideas, the faster you can improve and perfect your design. You can also test your design in multiple materials, anywhere from plastics to metals, to find which one suits your game the most.

Creating the Board

The landscape of your game can be as simple or complex as your game needs it to be. 3D modeling easily allows for forming geometric shapes or creating pattern-based boards, and using 3D printing gives you greater freedom to explore more intricate details. The board can be designed with interlocking pieces, structure and scenery models, and can even integrate electronics. Depending on your needs, 3D printing allows for the aesthetic and functional ideas to come together smoothly with a polished appearance.

Creating Original Game Pieces

There are a multitude of custom game pieces available for download on 3D model websites, but an original game idea requires original pieces. 3D printing makes it possible to create completely unique pieces in any printable materials. You can pair your game aesthetic to one or multiple materials for a uniformed design. Or create collector’s versions with game pieces printed in different materials. If you want to learn more about key features of game designs that have withstood the test of time, check out our article on game design here.

Play Testing & Sharing

Because creating prototypes with 3D printing is much faster than using traditional manufacturing techniques, the process makes it much simpler to create playable versions for play testers. 3D printed parts can make the experience of playing the game smoother and clearer to people who are exploring it for the first time. Your play testers will be able to test your game idea by using real, physical objects, leaving less room for miscommunication during the feedback process. Having the digital files for all of the game’s printable pieces also means you can share your game with anyone anywhere in the world as they can upload the files and print their own through Shapeways.

Lower Start Up Costs with 3D Printing

The start up costs for creating a board game from scratch can be daunting if you’re adding in new equipment and materials. Crafting a board game by hand that looks professional requires a considerable amount of time especially considering the likely need to create several versions before arriving at a final design.

Making use of 3D printing technology and directing your manufacturing needs to Shapeways will allow you to cut down on those costs and put your efforts directly into designing and creating your final product. Ready to start building your own original game? We’d love to help!

The post How to Create an Original Board Game Using 3D Printing appeared first on Shapeways Blog.

Whether your game time involves traditional board games like Monopoly and Clue or you are an RPG (Role Playing Game) enthusiast engaged in dice-based fantasy like Dungeons and Dragons; the application of 3D printing can be a perfect fit.

Let me explain!

Perhaps you are a game designer looking to find ways of adding unique playing pieces to you game prototype. A quick review of existing board games provides a clear insight into how 3D printing can offer a great path to success.

The Aesthetics of Game Piece Design

No matter the board game, playing pieces have two key features that make them ideal for 3D printing:

1) Game tokens are never articulated

2) They are always a single bright color

Why is this? Functionally, these two design parameters have been part of the manufactured gaming category for decades because both design choices make the playing pieces simple to move around the board and visually stand out to each of the players.

Whether one is looking at the “pawns” of Sorry or the silver object pieces of Monopoly, the essential play pattern of a board game requires players to easily identify all of the objects on the board (or “field”). And because board games require a higher cognitive level (compared to building blocks or action figures/dolls) the market is almost always an older child or adult, removing much of the risk of toy safety issues.

Not Just Classic Games, But Ancient Games!

Even going back to ancient games like Chess, the success and popularity of the board game was directly dependent on players being able to quickly recognize both their own pieces and their opponents. Likewise, visual identification within your own pieces is just as essential. Reviewing a Chess set, while the material for the pieces can vary from metal, porcelain, wood to plastic; the shape of the individual pieces are unique.

Like the colors of the two opposing “armies,” shape in game pieces like Chess help players (and spectators) to quickly identify each type of piece and likewise their unique abilities/moves. A queen’s silhouette looks nothing like a rook, and good luck mixing up a knight and a pawn visually!

An even more simplistic example that also supports the need for uniform shape and color is Checkers – or even Chinese Checkers. Both games consist of “armies” of a single color attempting to outwit the opponent’s pieces and move across a game field. Unlike Chess, Checkers in all of its forms has one unified shape for all of the pieces. Color is the single factor used to identify your team versus your opponents.

In modern manufacturing and licensing, there have been a fantastic amount of Chess and Checkers sets that break these basic visual rules, and to be honest, doing so often leads to versions of games that are surprisingly more difficult to play.

As an example, in licensed Chess sets where the traditional-shaped pieces are replaced by characters from a specific intellectual property (i.e. Star Wars, Super Heroes, Harry Potter, etc) adding colors and unique shapes to every piece may make them visually fun to look at for a fan, but at the same time it makes them exponentially more difficult to identify during play. While these sets are fun to collect and display, attempting to play out a game with multi-colored, multi-shaped pieces adds to the difficulty of playing the game itself.

Why Simplistic Design is Needed for Game Pieces

The goal of a board game is to win, and winning takes more than strategy, skills or luck; it also takes focus and concentration. Simplifying the game token shape and using uniform single colors is a proven tactic for successful game design. This is the reason that manufactured games for the last 80 years have embraced this aesthetic technique. Likewise it is the reason handmade game sets going back thousands of years have also utilized this concept.

The human eye is instinctively drawn to color and shape and those are two of the major advantages to 3D printing game pieces with Shapeways.  3D printing is maximized when a single color and single shape are generated. The board game category is literally dependent on this design choice.

And 3D prototyping is in no way limited to designing playing pieces. Take a quick look at almost any board game and you will note that almost every part of the game that is not “the board” (usually made of cardboard or mashed pulp) is also a simple shape molded in a single color.

From the hotels and houses of Monopoly, to the large white spinner of Life. The list goes on and on. Weapons in Clue, avatars in Dungeons and Dragons, question pie pieces in Trivial Pursuit. Even the dice used in board games are in single colors and basic shapes. The very nature of board games and the need to quickly identify all items on the field invariably call for the use of single colors and easily identifiable shapes.

Both of these design aesthetics are maximized with the power of 3D printing. And because no two games use the same tokens, pieces, avatars or spinners, there is a constant need for new design cues, visuals and shapes in the game category. Every game created needs its signature icons. And the very nature of playability requires these icons and pieces to be single colored and simple in shape.

3D Printing’s Core Competencies are an Ideal Game Design Solution

The flexibility and customization of 3D printing has empowered designers using the technology to see their imagination take physical shape. In a product category like gaming, the ability to prototype unique single-color pieces and game tokens is not only an advantage, it is essentially required.

So, if you are a game designer looking to inspire and wow players or potential retailers, Shapeways’ 3D printing technology not only provides an easy-to-use prototyping solution for unique game pieces, but is one that embraces and maximizes the very design ascetics that have made board games popular and fun to play for thousands of years!

The post Game Design and 3D Printing – A Perfect Partnership appeared first on Shapeways Blog.

Games give players the ability to inhabit other worlds and so their characters in these worlds are completely unique and subject to personalization. 3D printing allows for a new level of freedom in customization from the original design of the character to creating one’s own props, accessories and consoles. It also facilitates prototyping in the development of original games and has the option of being easily shareable with people all over the world via digital files. As the gaming industry evolves, customization is already a crucial component to immersive gaming experiences and 3D printing makes that possible at a never-before-seen level of efficiency and precision.

1. Custom 3D Printed Miniatures and Game Pieces

Customizing one’s character for any game is the first step in creating an experience that is unique to the player. You can have a say in your 3D printed miniatures at any stage in the design process whether you know how to 3D model or not. There are companies that offer customization services through digital scanning that could infinitely expand the possibilities. For example, Miniature You developed an app that allows one to scan his or her face and print it straight onto one of the hundreds of figurine options in the application library.

You can also choose from a multitude of open-source downloadable designs to work from. Or if you’d rather design the character yourself from scratch, you can always try modeling at a beginner level with programs like TinkerCAD. Owning a 3D printer isn’t necessary as you can prototype and print designs through Shapeways. You can have the same character in different positions, seated or in fight mode, for example, and that character can evolve as the player sees fit. This also goes for your character’s props, and the landscape of your gaming world. The possibilities in customization are endless.

Whether you need one game piece or 10, with a 3D file you can print the exact number of pieces needed and continue to reprint them as many times as you’d like.

2. 3D Printed Gaming Mods and Accessories

            Customization isn’t limited to personalizing the world of the game, but also can be used to enhance the context and comfort of the game play experience. There are hundreds of innovative and functional 3D printable bracket mounts, console add-ons, controller chargers and stands and much more. Add-ons like controller grips that help make the controller easier to handle or add style and fun to its original function are popular products. With new gaming devices regularly out in the market, gamers will continue to look for creative solutions to enhance their gaming experience. Because 3D printing allows for so much flexibility in creating unique accessories, every gamer’s needs can be catered to much more easily.

3. 3D Printed Ergonomic and Accessible Pieces

            The use of 3D printing also means it is easier to make gaming more accessible to people who have specific physical needs. The DOTS RPG Project produces 3D printed tactile symbols and braille dice for the visually impaired, so that they can participate in games independently. Any tabletop or board game and its accessories could potentially have versions catered to different special needs allowing for even more people to enjoy and participate in these games.

4. Creating Original Games with 3D Printing

            3D printing is a multi-faceted resource as it not only allows for boundless customizing but also for the prototyping and production of completely original game ideas. You can create your own chess set with your version of the pieces, you can also create your own game completely from scratch and share it with the rest of the gaming community by making the files accessible for others to print and try out.

The gaming industry is a constantly evolving world and the needs of gamers evolve with it. The versatility of 3D printing means that solutions for these needs are more accessible than they have ever been. Already building a new game and ready to test the market? Let us know how we can help with your prototyping and customization needs.

The post 4 Ways The Gaming Industry is Evolving with 3D Printing appeared first on Shapeways Blog.

He started out as a fan of Roleplaying Games (RPGs), which are decidedly more than just games. They allow players to participate in a collaborative storytelling environment. Players are given agency in creating their own characters, while connecting with a larger community. Its unique narrative structure creates more than mere escapism into fantasy worlds. It builds bridges between different cultures, fortifying social skills and forging strong friendships.

Berberette was inspired by a friend, De Juan Daniels AKA “D”, to make Roleplaying Games more accessible to the visually impaired. “Roughly nine years ago, I attended my very first gaming convention in Richmond, VA. I signed up for a Changeling role playing game session, and that’s where I met D.,” says Berberette, “D absolutely blew me away with his amazing storytelling ability and fluidity with the game rules. Man, he was one of the best game masters I’ve ever played under… and D was completely blind.”

Through his bourgeoning friendship with D, Berberette learned of the challenges that visually impaired players face. There were no accessible roleplaying books available, and most of the game book PDFs were not properly tested for accessibility.

As Berberette explains, “I taught myself braille and raised money for a braille embossing printer and translation software. And I began translating small gamebooks and other gaming aids into braille. This was a great start, and was definitely raising awareness, but I discovered that braille dice weren’t really available. And let’s face it… gamers need dice! So, I started designing dice and my 3D model guy, Sterling Pittman created the files needed for 3D printing.” And the DOTS RPG Project was born.

The project is a labor of love for Berberette, and it shows in the clean design of the dice. The DOTS RPG dice 3D model files are available on Thingiverse and there’s no markup on the dice in his Shapeways shop. “This is a purely altruistic project… I don’t make a single penny of profit, and honestly have no desire to,” he says, “I don’t have the funds readily available to go through the injection mold process to mass produce the dice. But, I still needed a means to make high-quality dice.”

“I taught myself braille and raised money for a braille embossing printer and translation software. And I began translating small gamebooks and other gaming aids into braille. This was a great start, and was definitely raising awareness, but I discovered that braille dice weren’t really available.”

Though he lacks 3D printing experience, Berberette was able to bring the project to life through Shapeways. “Shapeways made it so easy to upload and sell 3D designs. So, I uploaded our first set and placed an order to see how they would turn out. I was shocked, in a good way, when my dice came in. If someone had handed these to me out of the blue, I never would have known that they were 3D printed… I mean, the quality is amazing! The other great thing about Shapeways, is they have great support, and a wonderful community that makes designing and selling things very easy.”

The Shapeways green d20 die is noticeably cleaner than competitor’s prints.

And the dice have been thoroughly tested by Berberette, even to the point of comparing the accuracy of rolls with a traditional injection-molded die.

“Basically, I rolled the Shapeways printed d20 and a Game Science d20 500 times each through a dice tower,” Berberette states, “The results were pretty amazing. There is a 5% chance for a d20 to land on any side, and based on my rolls (which are not scientific) the Shapeways dice (probably due to a larger surface area) deviated from the 5% by only 0.58%. Meanwhile, the Game Science d20 deviated by 0.82%. Again, I’m sure the Game Science die is way more precise, but the Shapeways die performed really well.”

“Shapeways made it so easy to upload and sell 3D designs. So, I uploaded our first set and placed an order to see how they would turn out. I was shocked, in a good way, when my dice came in.”

Berberette’s hard work is really paying off, as a blind player attests: “These dice are fantastic! I’m totally thrilled with the amount of time and effort you put into the designs. I’ve got a couple of blind buddies of mine who play various RPG’s, and I’ve been introducing them to your dice as well. This is really groundbreaking stuff you’re doing!”

The response from visually impaired gamers has been overwhelmingly positive. This tweet was retweeted over 7,000 times and got over 9,000 likes!

Sadly, D passed away in February. But Berberette is helping to keep his spirit alive through DOTS and helping other visually impaired players. “I am extremely grateful that before he passed, I was able to place braille gaming books and dice in his hands for the very first time.”

And as for the future of the DOTS RPG Project? “Currently, our main goal is simply raising awareness. I’m hoping to get the news out to the entire gaming industry that there is a huge need for accessible gaming materials,” says Berberette, “I want to create accessible materials and tools that enable visually impaired gamers to play roleplaying games without the assistance of a sighted player. The key to that goal being accomplished, is raising awareness so that making accessible products becomes part of the normal game design process.”

Berberette is working hard to take DOTS to the next level… “We are currently on our third revision of the braille dice based on feedback from visually impaired testers. And we have some incredible design ideas from my friends Joe Iovino and Jess Dempsey.”

“I’m hoping to get the news out to the entire gaming industry that there is a huge need for accessible gaming materials.”

Want to help? Do you know a visually impaired player that could use some dice? Berberette says he’ll do whatever he can to get them out to them. “We have a Dice Sponsor program. Through this, people who would like to sponsor dice can simply order dice from our Shapeways shop. And they can mail them directly to me, and I will get them to those on the waiting list. We also take PayPal donations and any funds we raise will go to the design, purchasing, and distribution of accessible gaming materials.” Details can be found on the DOTS RPG Project “Heroes Wanted!” page.

For more information on DOTS:

DOTS Dice Shop at Shapeways

Twitter & Instagram: @DotsRPG
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DOTSRPG/
Website: dotsrpg.com

create something new

The post Helping the Visually Impaired Get in the Game appeared first on Shapeways Blog.

The Polycount contest categories are:

• Sculpture
• Jewelry
• Toys
• Gadgets
• Props and cosplay

Submission Guidelines:

4 steps to follow:

1. Design a Dota® 2-themed model to be printed.
   Using your favorite 3D modeling software, design a character, product or hardware based on Dota® 2. Check out these for inspiration.
2. Upload your design to Shapeways and make sure that it’s ready to print.
   Sign up for a Shapeways account, open up a free Shapeways shop (if you don’t already have one). Here’s a tutorial that will walk you through the process.
3. Describe and tag your design to enter the Valve License agreement
   In your model’s ‘Description’ field, tell us about your Valve product. Enter the tags ‘dota 2’ and ‘polycount’ then read and accept the licensing agreement. 
4. Share a WIP (work-in-progress) thread in the contest category forum you’re entering in. A WIP thread must be made and maintained in the contest sub-forum for your discipline to show progress and avoid pre-made designs being used, including a link to the final product on Shapeways.

A note from the Shapeways team: While it is not required as part of your entry and will not impact your chances of winning, once you’ve entered let us know by sharing your entry on Twitter or Instagram with @Shapeways. We’re excited about seeing your entries and want to help spread the word as you finish them!

Head over to Polycount now to get started.

ENTER NOW

Sniper from DOTA 2 by designer Bilal Khan of Miniature Den

General rules:

The contest starts once announced on Monday, February 19th, 2018.

The contest ends on April 29th, 2018 at 11:59 PM PST.

All winners will be announced within two weeks of the contest end.

Shapeways is the sole judge of the contest and their judgment will be final.

Winners will be chosen based on the following criteria:

• Printability – Getting a good 3D print takes a more than just sculpting up a great design. Study the guides Shapeways offers to give you the extra details you’ll need to know when setting up your entries.
• Creativity – The potential for designs and objects is endless. Surprise us all with a great idea and you may find yourself a winner.
• Artistic merit – A great idea and printability are important but how well your design is executed and presented will be judged as well.

To be eligible to win:

1:  All participants must be registered to both Polycount and Shapeways websites before the end of the contest.

2:  A WIP (work-in-progress) thread must be made and maintained in the contest category sub-forum on Polycount for your project, with the final version linked to your Shapeways shop:

• Sculpture
• Jewelry
• Toys
• Gadgets
• Props and cosplay

3:  You’ll be asked to opt into the Valve license agreement as these designs can be sold to the public from your Shapeways store.  Shapeways is an official partner with Valve and have set up a page that will probably answer a lot of your initial questions; all the nitty-gritty details of how the license works are there.

Please note: Current partners, contractors, and employees of Shapeways are not eligible for participation in this contest. For the official contest rules, please follow this link.

Prizes:

There will be a winner and runner-up in each contest category.

The winners will get a Wacom Intuos 3D (which includes the fabulous ZBrushCore for free), $250 in 3D printing credit to Shapeways, and an awesome trophy.

Runners-up will receive $50 in 3D printing credit to Shapeways.

Resources:

How to make your 3D model 3D printable

FAQ for Model uploads

How to open a shop and place your model for sale

YOUR PRIZES AWAIT

Tinker from Dota® 2 by Mostly Jewelry

The post Announcing the Shapeways Dota® 2 3D Printing Contest on Polycount! appeared first on Shapeways Blog.

Last week we were at the Las Vegas Open, a premiere tournament for the most popular tabletop wargames. We called on community members to stop by and show us their coolest custom minis, and you did not disappoint!

Here are a few of the best 3D printed bits we saw at LVO:

Our Contest winner was this incredible steampunk tank painted by Quentin Ponath. Vehicle insignia by Pop Goes the Monkey.

Some scary/amazing Knight Titans by Christopher Price, with Gadgets + bits.

Space Marines with custom insignia, painted by Michael Linke, with 3D printed bits by Pop Goes the Monkey.

A spectacular recreation of the Dota® 2 battlefield, printed by our partners Whiteclouds in full color sandstone as part of the Valve + Shapeways licensing partnership.

The Shapeways Crew!

Inspired? Create your own

The post These Were the Coolest Custom Minis at the Las Vegas Open appeared first on Shapeways Blog.

This week, Tutorial Tuesday is for beginners. If you’ve never designed a 3D model before, then this post will show you how to get started. We’ll start with showing you how to design simple 3D models with a free program called Tinkercad, and then how to send those models to Shapeways for 3D printing. It’s easier than you might think! Get a cup of coffee and join us. You’ll have designed and ordered your first 3D design before you’re done with your coffee.

First steps

If you’re completely new to 3D printing, then one of the best ways to get started is with Tinkercad, a free 3D modeling program that runs right in your web browser. The Tinkercad user interface is extremely intuitive — just drag, drop, modify, and combine 3D shapes to create a 3D design which can be exported for 3D printing. To use Tinkercad, you’ll have to set up an Autodesk account, which is free and only takes a minute. Go to www.tinkercad.com and sign up now before reading any further, so you can play along.

OK, let’s get started!

When you log into Tinkercad for the first time, you’ll start inside the Learning the Moves Tinkercad Lesson, which teaches you how to navigate around and move 3D objects. If you’re an absolute beginner, we recommend working through this and other Tinkercad Lessons to learn the basics. Click on the step arrows in the upper left for instructions within each Lesson, and to move ahead to the next Lesson.

There are a LOT of Tinkercad Lessons, and some of them are more technical than others. Don’t feel like you have to complete them all right now. When you’re ready to exit the lessons and make your own design, click on the multicolored Tinkercad logo to go to your main Designs page, and click on “Create New Design.”

Designing a Model

To jump in right away, simply drag objects from the right sidebar in Tinkercad onto the blue Workplane, then use the “handle dots” on your objects to change their size or shape. For detailed instructions and tips on how to do this, watch Tinkercad’s beginner-friendly video Introduction to Tinkercad Beta.

Tinkercad switched to a new ground-up redeveloped Beta version last year, and there are lots of new features that make designing in Tinkercad even easier than it was before. If you’re already a Tinkercad pro and just want to know what’s different in the new Beta that came out this year, check out the Tinkercad video Updates: TinkerTour and Tinkercad Beta or the Tinkercad Beta Participant Guide. If you’re completely new to Tinkercad, the video Tinkercad Beta – New Features: Shape Controls is a good place to get started learning about the powerful new Beta features.

For a comprehensive one-stop-shop introduction to Tinkercad, including beginner and intermediate videos, links to 3D models and projects made with Tinkercad, check out the Tinkercad Jumpstart resource page on Thingiverse.  While you’re there, be sure to learn about the key Tinkercad tools Align, Ruler, Workplane, Group, and Hole — they are the secret to creating interesting Tinkercad designs.

Tinkercad models on Shapeways

Tinkercad seems like a simple program, and it is, but you can still use it to make beautiful 3D models. Here are three products on Shapeways that were made with Tinkercad: on the left, a metal Shapeways Keychain made by Shapeways user The Void; in the middle, a simple but elegant Y Ring made by moyer; and on the right, a practical Hario Skerton Coffee Grinder Bottom Bracket made by erin.io.

So, how do you get your Tinkercad models to Shapeways for 3D printing, or even to sell in the marketplace? First, click the Export button in the upper right of your Tinkercad window, then export your model as an .STL file. Then, open a new browser window and navigate to the Shapeways upload page, and click “Upload a 3D model” to get started.

Pay close attention to the size of your model — its size will have a big impact on the cost and printability of your design. Large objects cost more to print, and models with very small design features may not print reliably. You can use the “Ruler” tool in Tinkercad to measure and scale your object before exporting, or, after exporting, use the Scale button on your model’s Shapeways page to change the size of your model. You should be able to order a small physical 3D print of your first Tinkercad model in Strong & Flexible nylon plastic for less than five dollars!

Share your work and join the discussion

We love to hear from you, and we’re here to answer any design/printing questions you have. Want some advice on aligning objects? Exporting to Minecraft? Importing 2D images into your designs? Let us know in the comments.

What’s more, if you make your Tinkercad design public, then you can share it with others. Click on the “list” icon that is third from the left in the top menu bar, then click on the “gear” icon near your design and select “Public.” Then, just copy the URL for your design and share it in the comments below to show off your design.

Better yet, you can easily make your design public on Shapeways so that your friends and fans can order prints of their own. If you’d like to do this, go to your model page on Shapeways and choose “Edit product with this model”, then check “Offer for sale to others” and “Display to the public,” and fill in category and pricing information. Share the URL in the comments, and maybe you’ll get your first customer!

print your 3d model

The post The Best of Tutorial Tuesday: Beginner 3D Design With Tinkercad appeared first on Shapeways Blog.

These first-person puzzle games took an innovative concept and meshed them brilliantly with a tight, well-written story that was equal parts disturbing and hilarious. While the first Portal® would have been a simply fresh idea at the time, the sardonic tone the game is known for is mainly the result of the game’s antagonist, the AI GLaDOS. This artificial intelligence with a complete disregard for human life but ultimate regard for science and sick burns made her — and the game — an instant classic. It’s such a fixture in the gaming sphere that fans of it in our creator community have wasted no time in bringing the most memorable characters and symbols from the game into the third dimension. Check out some of the most interesting, clever, and fan-art-tastic Portal® merch Shapeways designers have to offer.

Approved Aperture Science Decorative Apparel

Portal Companion Cube Cufflinks by Sandman Artistry

The Weighted Companion Cube will never try to stab you…

If GLaDOS was the embodiment of all that is evil in the Portal® universe, then the Weighted Companion Cube was the singular ray of hope. The one shining example that things might be alright for Chell, the game’s protagonist. Then GLaDOS made you incinerate it.

Regardless, this little cube is unanimously one of the most ubiquitous Portal® creations seen here on Shapeways, and it just makes sense that we’d start off the best Companion Cube wearables we could find, like these cuff links from Sandman Artistry. They’re available in a variety of different precious metal platings, the above picture showing off their looks in 14 karat gold. Whichever one you’d pick, you’re getting an incredible amount of detail that will give you that hint of gamer bling for the next time you want to get all fancy.

design for valve

Weighted Companion Cube Pendant by NiqueGeek

…Also, it cannot speak.

Sure, having a great pair of cuff links to celebrate the love between human and weighted cube is nice, but cuff links aren’t a solution for those who want to profess their love for the cube every day. For those people, NiqueGeek has given them this beautiful pendant. Like Sandman, Nique has made this piece available in several different metal finishes, but the stainless steel pictured here really gives it the most character, looking like it does at the end of Portal® 2. However, this version is condensed into a much more manageable size that you can carry around your neck every day. And you will definitely feel its weight — it comes in several solid metal finishes, giving it heft just like the companion it’s representing. Truly a celebration of love.

Aperture Science Laboratories Pendant by Andrew Bougie

Does not qualify as an official badge.

The Aperture Science logo. Simple. Perfect. Bringing it into jewelry just makes sense, and this piece by Andrew Bougie shows just how beautiful that simplicity can be. Available in a wide variety of materials, this piece is better suited to reminiscing about your fond times with the game than it is showing your pride in a company like Aperture Science. You know, the company that created lemon grenades? That consistently demonstrates the dangers of technology? You can’t trust them any further than you can throw them (without a gravity gun, of course).

Seriously, the center of their symbol is an octagon — just like a stop sign. Maybe take the hint and don’t sign up for an extended stay at the Enrichment Center, no matter how much cake you are promised.

GLaDOS Earring by Prexus

Making a Note Here: Huge Success

After all the hell she put you through, GLaDOS still does remain one of the best-written, most intelligent, and funny villains of any video game, ever. She’s the guiding, mocking force that consistently reminds you how replaceable you are, even while she tries to bolster your courage (giving you advice and trying to kill you aren’t mutually exclusive, you know).

This earring, brought to us by Prexus, is a perfect replica of the hanged lady herself, brought to life by the wonders of 3D printing. We’re not sure what she’d have to say about it, but we’d like to think that she wouldn’t immediately incinerate it.

inspired? try it yourself

Approved Recreational Materials

Companion Cube Dice Set by Tiny Tokens

They are sentient, of course. We just have a lot of them.

Dice are a prerequisite for any fan of tabletop gaming. And Tiny Tokens makes a set of dice for those DnDers who are also Portal® fans! Seven dice, each made to look like a companion cube. How perfect is that? They all look like they would fit in at Aperture as well, but unfortunately, the only shape that makes any kind of practical sense is, of course, the cube. Can you imagine trying to stack icosahedrons on top of one another?

Anyway, these dice are available in a range of materials from the metallic plastic pictured here to a wide range of colored steels. And in case you were curious like we were, the heart represents the highest number on all of the dice except for the d4.

Portal Gun by mingles 3D:

Do not look directly at the operational end of The Device.

Making 3D printed custom LEGO-compatible toys is a thriving business for creators on Shapeways. As such, people like Michael Inglis have decided to make some truly awesome custom pieces with it. Case in point: this LEGO-sized Portal® gun. Playing with LEGO minifigures always made you feel like you were some kind of overlord, be you good or evil. And now you can send your own version of Chell into the twisted hallways of Aperture Science. But this time it’s with LEGOs and your imagination. It’d probably be a good idea to skip that whole incinerator thing, though. Plastic and uncontrolled blazing fire don’t necessarily mix well.

The detail on this piece is wonderful, even though it’s so small. It’s as exact of a replica as you can get at this scale, and giving it a paint job worthy of the piece itself really makes it pop.

Portal ID Card Holder by MyGadgetLife

Aperture Science: We do what we must because we can.

And finally, for those who need a security lanyard to profess their love for their favorite soulless scientific corporation, MyGadgetLife has you covered. This little snap-in card holder fits a credit-card-sized badge perfectly, with the Portal® logo on the back. It’s a perfect combination of modern-era security systems and nerdy accoutrements. Also, props to MyGadgetLife for mocking up the best fake photo ID as possible to fit in on this piece. It almost looks official, until you realize that GLaDOS would rather dip her circuits in acid than give Chell any kind of recognition that she’s a member of Aperture Science, even if she’s a glorified lab monkey.

Science to Be Done

The future looks great for the Shapeways + Valve partnership. The well of innovations and ideas from the Shapeways creator community never runs dry, just like their love for their favorite games. However, there’s one thing we can’t help but notice didn’t make our list — your model!

This partnership is still a new thing to us in general. So if you’ve created something based on a Valve property, share it in the comments! It just might make it into an article like this one. Until then, happy creating!

start making

The post The 7 Coolest Portal® Creations on Shapeways — For SCIENCE! appeared first on Shapeways Blog.

There are a ton of great things happening in the 2018, but today I just want to bring your attention to just a few of the really cool things we know for sure are either happening or will be part of the cultural zeitgeist for this year. I’m incredibly excited, and I hope it rubs off, because these things have me really amped up for the new year in tabletop games.

Lay Waste(Land) to Your Table

via Modiphius

As I mentioned before, the announcement of a tabletop version of the Fallout universe being put together by renowned TTG company Modiphius felt too good to be true. Then I looked at the miniatures, and I knew it was too good to be true. However, despite all my self-assurance that something this awesome couldn’t possibly exist in a world this damaged, Fallout: Wasteland Warfare is getting ready to drop in March 2018.

While the original release date was November 2017, it’s not like Modiphius has kept a lid on what exactly they’re working on. If you’ve been keeping tabs on their Instagram like I have, you’ve seen the new updates and character models that the designers keep steadily releasing for our hungry eyes to gobble up. For any tabletop gamer who’s also a fan of the Fallout series, this game is pretty much the greatest thing ever. Pre-orders are available now, so pick it up today and get ready to turn your game room into a post-apocalyptic wasteland!

D&D’s Mainstream Critical Saving Throw

Celtic Dice Set by eondesigner

If you’re a fan of Stranger Things or other shows like Harmon Quest, then you know that Dungeons and Dragons is coming back in a big way (and the Shapeways designer community is so, so ready). Shows like this have been popping up around the new media landscape, leading many to hear a bit more about D&D than they ever thought they would in the 21st century. After all, the game got a really tone-deaf movie back in the ’90s starring Jeremy Irons alongside Shawn Wayans, so wouldn’t that give it license to just kind of limp away into obscurity?

I’m here to tell you, with a gleam of childlike glee in my eyes: Nope!

Actually, D&D is getting a new movie and I’m praying to Bahamut it’s handled a bit better than the last one. However, that’s neither here nor there. What is definitely both here and worthy of your attention is how much fun the Internet is having with the classic game once again. Shows like Save or Dice, Critical Role and Dice, Camera, Action! have made pen-and-paper RPGs no longer a stereotypical activity nerds did in their basements. Here, they’re playing it for all of the world to see, and it’s incredibly engaging. Dungeon Masters craft worlds for players to inhabit, and those players breathe life into their characters and have amazing adventures. It beats the hell out of daytime TV, that’s for sure.

Sure, this all is doing a ton for D&D’s brand presence, but what I’m really interested in is the hope that this resurgence of one of the most iconic tabletop RPGs out there leads to a trickle-down effect of new players trying more games like it in the future, bringing more new blood to the TTG community. And if some just end up sticking with D&D, that’s fine too. There’s a mystical peddler in the Shapeways Marketplace that they need to meet.

The Greatest Action Movie of All Time Is Getting Its Own Board Game. You May Freak Out Now.

via Facebook.com/BigTroubleGame

There are some that may say that Big Trouble in Little China isn’t the greatest action movie of all time. While those people are wrong, I can still respect their opinion (I guess). However, you can still smugly look them in the face and ask: “Where’s your John Wick board game?”

BTiLC: The Game looks like a mash-up between stat-based dungeon crawler board games like Betrayal at Baldur’s Gate and Munchkin. However, the writing and quests you complete have the same braggadocio-laden tone and swagger that ol’ Jack Burton himself has. Pit yourself against the minions of Lo-Pan and save Little China (and the world). Or die trying and literally go to hell and back to complete your quest. Either way, it’s going to be one awesome ride. Expect Big Trouble in Little China: The Game sometime in the next couple months.

Creators, tabletop gamers, citizens of the Internet — with just three points, I’ve highlighted a small taste of the greatness 2018 has to offer: traversing the wastelands once more at my game room table, getting way too into D&D, and watching a grown man’s head explode in the back alleys of Little China. With so much more yet unannounced, so much more out there just waiting for the right opportunity to land on our collective radars, I’m incredibly excited to see what’s next.

What about you all? Do you have a game or other rumbling in the tabletop universe you’d like to share? Let me know in the comments, I’d love to hear about it. Until next time, happy gaming, and happy creating!

The post Bringing the Future to the Table: Tabletop Games You Should Be Excited About for 2018 appeared first on Shapeways Blog.