Icons and Miniatures

I've put together a little comparison between the color-icons and the miniatures (many are still unpainted). Both work well, but I love finally seeing miniatures for each of the Solar Echoes characters--they really bring the game to life!

Handbook for New Recruits (part 3)

The Union Guard Handbook for New Recruits also includes full-color character map icons for your battle scenarios. Union Guard agents are always practicing their tactics, and using a full-color avatar on the battlemap is second only to having your own painted miniature. These map icons can be easily cut out and folded to represent your movements and decisions on the battlefield, and are even used in the Union Guard war room when planning complex strategies. In the past, only black-and-white icons were used, but thanks to recent improvements and allowances in the ISU budget, the Union Guard is releasing these color icons to you!

Union Guard Handbook release!

The Union Guard Handbook for New Recruits is now available at RPGnow! This booklet contains the amazing full-color art of John Fell for each of the alien character races, plus new emblems and full-color map icons.

Inside you'll find:

* 7 new works of full color art by John Fell for each of the alien character races
* Alien character details including cultural details and a list of physical traits and racial talents
* New emblem designs by John Fell for each alien character race, the UG and ISU, and 4 criminal organizations, with descriptions for each
* New border art by John Fell incorporating emblem designs
* Full-color map icons for each character race, ready to print for quick use
* Union Guard advice to help new recruits adjust to alien diversity

Preview the new handbook here: 

Union Guard Handbook at RPGnow.com

Handbook for New Recruits (part 2)

Knowing the racial emblems is one thing, but if you're going to serve as an agent in the Union Guard, you need to know the emblems of some of the biggest threats to the stability of the Union. The three most dominate criminal organizations in the universe are detailed in the handbook, and you would be wise to memorize their emblems--if you happen to spot someone tattooed with one of these, or if you see a criminal organization's insignia scrawled nearby, report in immediately. A quick-thinking agent can avert a potential disaster by recognizing the presence or involvement of one of society's most dangerous foes. The handbook even includes the emblem and details of the mysterious "Immortals" cult--a cult responsible for the disappearance of a number of civilians and several Union Guard agents!

Handbook for New Recruits (part 1)

Are you new to the Solar Echoes universe? The Union Guard is preparing a small handbook for new recruits which will help familiarize you with the seven alien races that are part of the Interstellar Union (ISU). This handbook includes full-color art of each alien race with information about their physical traits, abilities, and culture. Emblem designs for each race are also included for quick recognition--no longer will you mistakenly wander into a restaurant hoping for a vegetarian meal to find yourself surprised that it is a Krissethi establishment serving only meat. No longer will you commit an unintentional offense by asking about the strange honeycomb tattoo on someone's neck. You can even learn a little history through the cryptic words of the ancient Human language on their emblem. But there's even more included in the new handbook...

Miniatures and why we love them! (part 5/5)

Another benefit of 3D printing miniatures is the odd poses, shapes, and detail that is possible. Some of the limitations of traditional miniature production limit designs, and even require the assembly and gluing of pieces together. With 3D printing, supports can be printed to allow for extreme design options, and these supports can be easily cut away (Shapeways will do that for you and clean up the miniature before sending it.) Another bonus to using Shapeways is that I can print in different materials, and their more expensive and highly detailed material, “Frosted Ultra Detail Plastic,” is transparent. This was the perfect choice for the gelatinous, amoeba-like alien character, the Omul, and I designed the figure with this in mind. The pose of the insectoid Chiraktis would definitely require assembly and gluing with traditional casting methods, but with 3D printing, this amazing sculpt was done in a single piece, with fantastic results. In conclusion, 3D printing has enabled me to finally bring miniatures to the Solar Echoes game, and I hope everyone enjoys them, whether buying a full set of low-detail miniatures or ordering a high quality plastic print of your favorite Solar Echoes character for your very best paint job. The next time you play Solar Echoes, this miniature can be your in-game avatar!

 Solar Echoes Miniatures at Shapeways

Miniatures and why we love them! (part 4/5)

As I developed the Solar Echoes game, I originally looked into producing miniatures the traditional way, pricing companies that make casts and use a process called injection-molding, among other methods. For a small company like Corefun Studios, this method was far too expensive and required very large upfront costs. When an investor provided a 3D printer, I began to realize that making miniatures for Solar Echoes might actually be affordable, and looked into finding the best way to design the miniatures. At first, I thought a traditional sculptor would be the way to go—I planned to 3D-scan the physical sculpt and then input that data into a 3D printer. But after talking with people on various forums, I realized that going directly to an artist talented in 3D sculpting would produce the best detail. I found Jeremy Gosser at Time Portal Games, and he introduced me to Shapeways—a company that prints 3D sculpts that can be ordered online and then mailed directly to your doorstep. Jeremy worked with me in designing the 3D sculpts, and then I uploaded the data for each figure to Shapeways. I've been very pleased with the results, and the cost of the lower-resolution miniatures is the same that you would find for traditionally cast miniatures sold at Reaper Miniatures, averaging around $6 a figure.

Shapeways 3D Miniatures