Topic: SPORE Creature Sculptor (Action Figures)

[papaboom]

http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=21597

Z Corporation and Electronic Arts have announced that gamers will soon be able to create full-color, 3D "Spore Sculptures" of their Spore creatures, using a special technology called ZPrints at newly-launched website Spore Sculptor.

Z Corporation already has an agreement with Harmonix to provide a fundamentally similar 3D sculpture service for Rock Band custom characters.

It has updated the Spore Sculptor website with details and ordering information for the process, which uses special 3D sculpting machines to create figures (up to four inches tall) from Spore characters submitted by users.

The creators note that creatures with long or thin extremities or large, poorly-supported appendages are not suitable for the ZPrints process, which will cost $49 per creature.

"At its heart, Spore is a tool for creativity. Since launch, fans have made more than 40 million Spore creatures, vehicles and buildings," said Patrick Buechner, Vice President of Marketing at Maxis.

He added: "We wanted to give players a way to extend their in-game creativity to the real world. The flexibility of the in-game creation tools allows an almost limitless variety of Spore Sculptures."

[Darth Grievi]

FINALLY!

[Grangan]

FINALLY!

QFT

[IamMe]

Oh dang, $49 per creature?

(Hm, should I ask for Fallout 3, or for a Plastic Figure of my Zohr for Christmas...)

I was kinda hoping for the ability to create like, 5 without spending a fortune.

[Yannick]

"At its heart, Spore is a tool for creativity. Since launch, fans have made more than 40 million Spore creatures, vehicles and buildings," said Patrick Buechner, Vice President of Marketing at Maxis.

So now they want to profit of your own creativity

[Doomsday]

Oh dang, $49 per creature?

(Hm, should I ask for Fallout 3, or for a Plastic Figure of my Zohr for Christmas...)

I was kinda hoping for the ability to create like, 5 without spending a fortune.

That will drop eventually, but 3D printers and their supplies are expensive still. Free trade and an open market will drive the prices down, assuming there is enough of a demand for similar technology (i.e. using a 3D printer to print collectibles).

I am assuming they are using a 3D Printer, anyway (makes the most sense since 49$ for a PLASTIC figure is a bit much... if it was ceramic or something...).

[NGW]

Overpriced IMO, espescially if we can't have figures made of more..unsavory creatures (come on, an anthromorphic penis monster figure is worth $50, you know it).

If only it was easy to make a GOOD looking Krystal in Spore, I'd so be up for a good Krystal figure..if only because it's likely the only way to get one.

[wydraz]

Haha, "Action Figure". Right. That thing would probably break if you sneezed near it.

I may get one, but I'm getting a glass case for it first!

[Xenomorph]

Only for Canada and the Bloody US of A

[papaboom]

Haha, "Action Figure". Right. That thing would probably break if you sneezed near it.

I may get one, but I'm getting a glass case for it first!

To be fair "action figure" was my addition not theirs.

[Lippy]

List of the thin parts that they can't recreate well:

Fleurbine, Featherbluster, Marshcara, Peacrock, Featherferns, Grasstachio, Coverleaf, Florsage, Whipwhick, Bonestickler, Segmentenna, talkgazer

Like others have said, it's still early tech for the common man, and right now it's just a novelty.  Eventually 3D printers will be as common as regular inkjet printers.

NASA has a bunch of rapid prototyping machines that use a variety of methods and materials, including titanium, and they're trying to sell off their EBF3 (electron-beam freeform fabrication) machine technology to the private sector.  They use one on the space station to create emergency replacement parts on site.  Pretty impressive stuff.

It's very exciting technology, especially RepRap.

[Yannick]

List of the thin parts that they can't recreate well:

Fleurbine, Featherbluster, Marshcara, Peacrock, Featherferns, Grasstachio, Coverleaf, Florsage, Whipwhick, Bonestickler, Segmentenna, talkgazer

Like others have said, it's still early tech for the common man, and right now it's just a novelty.  Eventually 3D printers will be as common as regular inkjet printers.

NASA has a bunch of rapid prototyping machines that use a variety of methods and materials, including titanium, and they're trying to sell off their EBF3 (electron-beam freeform fabrication) machine technology to the private sector.  They use one on the space station to create emergency replacement parts on site.  Pretty impressive stuff.

It's very exciting technology, especially RepRap.

Wow, some of those are really commonly used parts.

[Grangan]

You know?  This topic is scary.  It seems like the gloomy mood that's swept over the forum has kept people from having any fun.  A while ago this announcement would make everyone delighted, but look at the ridiculous "They would break if you sneezed"  "WAAA!  WAAA!  They can't make mine!" posts.

[Lippy]

Grangan, more people would have fun if the technology was better.  Are you saying we should all be excited to spend $50 for a small, fragile, 3D model of our creature just standing there?  I would only consider spending that much if it was less fragile, larger, or if I was allowed to pose my creature myself.  Just standing there in the same pose as in its creature card is boring.  If I was to have one of my creatures made, I want it to be in an interesting pose.

[Snork]

You know?  This topic is scary.  It seems like the gloomy mood that's swept over the forum has kept people from having any fun.  A while ago this announcement would make everyone delighted, but look at the ridiculous "They would break if you sneezed"  "WAAA!  WAAA!  They can't make mine!" posts.

Scary? Why would anyone want to spend that much money for a Sculpture that's limited in design?
Answer that, Its not about 'having fun', a while ago, people would still have the same reactions.