Topic: Econoliner: Corridors - NOW WITH PROTOTYPES!

[Tamer]

Looking great Doc. I can't wait to see some of these printed!

[DocOutlands]

You and me both!!  I've got a couple more wall-tiles I'd like to get designed, 2 different columns for making stacked displays (and thus some detail redesign on EVERYTHING), and maybe some loose "spot decorations" like sloped footers, machinery boxes, and the like. Ideally, i'd like to get 4-6 extra pieces designed to specifically fit into the set.

Which brings me to another thought that I need some serious input from everyone who is even remotely interested in owning some of these.  We will be running a crowd-funding campaign, most likely via Kickstarter, to raise the capitol needed to make these walls happen and be available for retail sale.  Are you, as potential backers, interested in having access to exclusive backer-only designs, either an exclusive panel or machinery/detail parts?

[Tamer]

I would think that would be cool Doc.

[DocOutlands]

One of the GI Joe Community folks on Facebook asked about building rooms out of the modular wall system.  I asked my artist to prepare a quick look at the possibility.   For the roof to be placeable and removable, you will need to use 2 or 4 of the (not shown) connector bars with "ears" that fit into the indentions along the sides of the wall panel.  You can then drill holes for dropping in LED light fixtures.  (There's an incorrect detail on the door, but the artist was trying to get everything together for me quickly to address Nathaniel's question.  It will be corrected before we release the final view.)

Now, if backers are interested, we could create a ceiling panel with pre-designed LED placement options, but then the end-user is limited to lighting based on what our design-team comes up with! 

[DocOutlands]

I have a meeting tonight with a potential financial backer who has expressed interest in substantially aiding this project in getting started.  So instead of finishing up the update and posting it here, I'll be finishing it up to deliver it as a presentation to him!  While his support would not negate the need for a crowd-funding campaign, it *may* very well allow us to get one or even two master-parts made and a mold produced for prototyping and limited production.  This means we would be able to show pictures of the actual products in use during our fund-raising period.  Stay tuned!

[hemble]

The modular interiors look great mate I can't wiat to see the actual display once it's done.

Ron

[DocOutlands]

We were able to meet with our potential backer today before he had to leave town again and showed him our plans.  He asked questions, we had answers.  We had pictures.  We had detailed information on how much financing each of three approaches to the project need and what the monies would go for.  I believe he was pleased to note we plan to continue with our Kickstarter campaign, regardless of the level of financing we might receive from him.

He does understand the collector-community mindset, albeit from a diecast vehicle and antique vehicle mind-set.  I believe that helps.  He's also familiar with my work.

So, overall, it went quite well.  He said he would be in touch with us later in the week.  In the meantime, we remain committed to not relying on the appearances of golden eggs and will be moving ahead with our crowd-funding plans.


(Ron, that's pretty much the running feeling!!  If we can get 2 panels made to cast & show off, we'll be screaming with joy!!)

[DocOutlands]

Column/arch set.

[smeagol92055]

Those arches would be GREAT for Cloud City dioramas! And that's great news with the potential backer.

[Tamer]

So when is the plan to print some of these puppies! I am eager to see what they look like in the flesh so to speak.

You are getting us all very excited Do. Keep it going. Off to the front page.

[wraithnine]

would love it if you could design a sort of barracks/base set mate

[DocOutlands]

"Living Area" has been the most consistent response so far, whether it is "barracks," "office," "apartment," or the like.  The next most popular response has been "warehouse space."  I think a "base/garrison" set could easily include squad-bay, dorm housing, office, and storage walls.  In fact, I was looking at a "crew-quarters" layout this week.  Keep the suggestions flowing, folks!

Tamer, I hate to keep pouring out design after design without *doing* anything, but as we make our designs to verify what the system can do, we get so excited that we have to share!  I've mentioned our discussion with a possible backer that we just had.  This morning, another angle occurred to me.  We *could* use that backing to have all of our panels 3D-printed in the grainy "WSF" material simply as a rapid prototyping step, with one panel printed in the very slick (and very expensive) "ultra frosted detail" in order to show a finished product.  That would let us show the full array of parts in prototype form in the advertising video.

Our project team consists of a project manager, a CAD artist, a QA/QC specialist, a production assistant, and the VERY important comptroller.  In addition, we may have an "Angel backer" - we should know more on that later this week.  Out of all those, I'm the only one active in any way in the various customizing communities.  Our team-members are all Star Wars fans.  Our possible backer is a toy-collector.  So, we are bringing love of the subject and knowledge of the industry with us - in spades.  This will happen.

[DocOutlands]

Today's first update:

We've designed the floor panels and the tops & bottoms of the columns to interlock from multiple angles so that your floor and wall can meet at any angle and still look good and function properly. Bonus - the top of the column has the same interlock as the bottom so that you can use a floor-tile as a ceiling-tile and still have a secure connection. The final column will have to be split along the vertical to allow us to put details on all 4 faces, so a little glue-work will be required.

This evening, we are going to see about prepping a couple of panels for a low-quality test-print and start dressing up all the panels with the new detail updates.

[Tamer]

I think its time to print something up! Perhaps at least on item to get folks stirred up more if you have the funds. Personally, I think it would be a good idea to get just one item or two out, up for printing, and see what response you get before doing a bunch of other designs. I like em, and love the potential for all of them, but really liked the idea of doing a test print I just read. I also think that the better the quality of that initial test print perhaps the more orders you might get too. I am basically just going from the successful campaigns of both Galactic Merchants and now Custom Space Trees. Keep it coming Doc.

[DocOutlands]

Well, Tamer, you - and I hope everyone - will be pleased to know I sat down with our artist this morning and put together a prototype set to have Shapeways print for us.  As soon as I can arrange the finding, we'll have 2 panels and a column printed out, along with a corner connector (for both wall-to-floor and wall-to-wall inside corners) and the two flat connectors that secure adjacent panels.  As it stands, Production Platform 3 has *almost* enough funds on-hand to manage the prototype printing ourselves.  The bad thing is it will take at least 2 weeks from the time we order the printed items until they reach us.  In the meantime, we are cleaning up all our designs to meet the details that need to be consistent on every panel - size, connection slots, column footers, and the like.  Because of the lagtime we've got now - since "We'd really like to see samples in your hand with real action figures standing on them" is an increasingly common comment - I'm taking some of the pressure off my artist to continue producing update-worthy material.  Of course, an animated "walk-through" is something the entire development team agrees needs to happen as soon as possible.  I'm now working on the logistics side of the project - finishing up our Kickstarter connection, seeking out experienced advice on crowdfunding, designing the campaign video, and other "support" efforts.  In addition, I need to catch up on some pending orders in the store!  Naturally, everyone on our project team hopes to see the same success as Galactic Merchants and Twelfth Parsec have had.  But achieving that means we have to wait a little longer until we have the right pieces in place so that we are not fumbling along aimlessly.  *I* know we know what we are doing and *I* know we can pull it off.  But we have to convince everyone *else* of those same two facts.  And that is going to take some time.