The minis will not be a sea of unpainted gray

[Dad_Scaper]

While I can't answer that question myself, I can say generally that I am impressed at your restraint in contributing on the boards, old-timer. I thought, when I picked my user name in 2007, that I'd never be posting anyway, so it didn't matter if it was dumb.

[Bonesaw]

It's a deal-breaker for me.

Compared to when I first collected Hersocape when it was on the shelves at WM and accumulated a gigantic collection and played countless hours on EPIC-sized boards, I have three kids now and don't have the time or desire to paint miniatures. I also can't see incorporating gray-shaded stuff into the lush traditionally colorful stuff either.

What a shame.

I would love to know why in the past painted Heroscape, was priced affordably and now it can't be done? Inflation aside, what has changed exactly?

[ProtoFury]

This has been discussed ad nasuem in the big 2.0 thread. Plenty of pro/anti sentiments voiced, and the reasons for the change spelled out over and over in that thread. I think the bulk of it is in the 40s pages before there was finally a moratorium on the topic.

[Bonesaw]

Well I read from page 30 through 50 and didn't find any explanation.

[AMIS]

Apparently it's to keep costs down.

It's all down to keeping costs down to make sure kids can buy it...over the internet...with their parents credit cards...ehm...remember when this first came out, plastic prices were about a quarter of where they reside today...since all other game manufacturers do it why shouldn't Hasbro's following the lemming law...Arena Of the Planeswalkers wasn't painted either so why would Heroscape 3 be painted...painting costs in China has risen...it's covid-19's fault and all other such arguments without a real explanation.

The fact remains they will not be painted. Like it or lump it, it's the way it is.

I still think painting sucks but whatchagonnado?

Shame it's a deal breaker for you...I personally will wait to see how difficult they're going to make the sculpts to paint and then probably buy into it and grumble forevermore.

[Master Roshi]

Originally Posted by AMIS

Apparently it's to keep costs down.

It's all down to keeping costs down to make sure kids can buy it...over the internet...with their parents credit cards...ehm...remember when this first came out, plastic prices were about a quarter of where they reside today...since all other game manufacturers do it why shouldn't Hasbro's following the lemming law...Arena Of the Planeswalkers wasn't painted either so why would Heroscape 3 be painted...painting costs in China has risen...it's covid-19's fault and all other such arguments without a real explanation.

The fact remains they will not be painted. Like it or lump it, it's the way it is.

I still think painting sucks but whatchagonnado?

Shame it's a deal breaker for you...I personally will wait to see how difficult they're going to make the sculpts to paint and then probably buy into it and grumble forevermore.

Yeah I don't really like painting figures myself, but I'm willing to do it since I can see we'll be getting a lot of interesting content. When it was first announced and we had little information, I was skeptical about the unpainted figures, but now they've shown enough content for me to be onboard

[Dad_Scaper]

The cost of producing painted minis has, I am told, skyrocketed. It would be expensive, and the AH people, including Craig and Encarmine, have both said that they want to see this package at a price point that will get it into the hands of people. So, not priced - in comparison to the amount of content - like a luxury item.

[Bonesaw]

I speculate that it will hit on the expensive side anyway and people will be scratching their heads why, when the minis aren't painted. If there is this supposed huge cost savings, it should drop the package to the something near any other box of plastic toys, but I bet it won't.

[Dad_Scaper]

On the one hand, there is the money spent up front to get the minis designed. On the other hand, there is the money spent for every set ever sent to a shop or to a consumer, that must (this argument goes) be painted.

I don't understand where people are getting this idea that those two pots of money - one fixed and knowable, from the start, and the other capable of going up and up and up, over time - are anything like each other.

[brak88]

Originally Posted by Bonesaw

I speculate that it will hit on the expensive side anyway and people will be scratching their heads why, when the minis aren't painted. If there is this supposed huge cost savings, it should drop the package to the something near any other box of plastic toys, but I bet it won't.

It's been stated an estimate of $400 if it was to be pre-painted. It wasn't exact in whether that would be the cost of everything or just a ROTV sized set worth of stuff. I'm guessing $200~ for everything. I just think of it's going to be $300 plus, people would just want to pay the extra $100~ for painting, but that's purely guessing on my part. I think they still look great and easy to distinguish from a distance regardless.

And that's considering purchasing through a crowdfunder vs. what the MSRP would be. Also, shipping for Haslab is not included.

[Dad_Scaper]

People can get it painted in the aftermarket if they want. It’s really not hard.

My own sense is that the $400 for painted is low, based on my conversations.

The industry standard for this type of game now is unpainted minis. They don’t have to stay unpainted; that’s up to individual people and their willingness to invest time and effort, or money, into getting them painted. Either do that, or if it’s that unpalatable, then just don’t get it. It’s a personal choice.

[caps]

Unpainted minis are definitely the industry standard. I'm not sure the last time I saw a game with painted minis (Arena of the Planeswalkers had painted planeswalkers, and that was over six years ago now). Unmatched puts a wash on their figures and that's it.

That's a good option for people who don't want to paint, by the way. Just put a wash on it to give the mini some texture/depth and bring out the shadows and such--do the whole mini in one go.