Suggestions for the C3V

[MegaSilver]

The Hobbit Heroclix?

[Xotli]

We seem to have devolved into a bit of a Star-Wars-nerds vs Lord-of-the-Rings-nerds mentality. Let me just try to balance it out a bit by pointing out that a) I have seen every single Star wars movie, most of them multiple times, and I don't find the Zettian Infantry too iconic, and b) I have seen every single Lord of the Rings (and The Hobbit) movie, most of them multiple times, and I don't find the elven archers under discussion too iconic either. I know many of you guys have such an encyclopedic knowledge of these films that you can't help but think of them when you see these figures. I completely respect that, and you should all be very proud of it. I'm just trying to point out that it is possible for people to be fans of the movies and still not be locked into that view of certain figures. Just try to recognize that, just because you find these figures too iconic to use for anything else, it doesn't mean that everyone else feels the same way. Honestly, I feel that way sometimes about reusing D&D figures. No matter what anyone suggests we do with (say) gnolls, or kobolds, I'm always gonna see basic D&D monsters. But I try to understand that many other folks don't see that at all, and I try to respect that alternate viewpoint.

Originally Posted by Just_a_Bill

If there's truly no other choice, and the day comes when the team is forced to put more obvious characters from other properties into the game, then I guess ya gotta do what ya gotta do. But until then, can we explore other options first that don't dilute the visual distinctiveness of Heroscape?

Excellent. What alternate sculpts would you suggest for the Zettian Infantry?

[Just_a_Bill]

Originally Posted by Xotli

Excellent. What alternate sculpts would you suggest for the Zettian Infantry?

What are my options?

Seriously though, maybe there was an alternative and maybe there wasn't. I don't know. But that's water under the bridge. My point is actually trying to look forward more than backward. If a design gap needs to be filled and the sculpt options are limited, then that falls under my statement above of "ya gotta do what ya gotta do."

On the other hand, when it's a case of "Hey, look at those miniatures over there! What can we make with them?", then maybe that's not the best reason to cross the line with iconic figures. Based on what I've read in this thread, it's possible that's the case with the LotR elven archers, for example. If so, then I'd rather see different units get green-lighted.

I only use the super battle droids as an example of the visual element and the feelings they elicit. I wasn't trying to say the ZIs should not have been created. (I like the ZIs, and am making my own proxies for them.)

[Xotli]

Originally Posted by Just_a_Bill

What are my options?

I dunno; your use of "but until then" seemed to imply that you knew of some other options, so I was hoping you'd tell me.

Let's just remember that any figure that we choose for VC has to be:

• available
• numerous
• cheap
• the right scale
• pre-painted
• plastic
• not too cartoonish
• not too iconic
• fit on a standard size Heroscape base
• not deny any surrounding hexes

and possibly others I'm not thinking of ATM. Our options are always limited, just by the nature of Fanscape. Sometimes we're flexible on one or more of these points, and some folks are going to disagree with us. I'm sure some folks think Bramcephys is too cartoony, or are annoyed by the necessity to mod Racheim to avoid denial issues. It's just the nature of the beast. We do the best we can, but we all have to remain flexible.

[Lazy Orang]

Originally Posted by Xotli

We seem to have devolved into a bit of a Star-Wars-nerds vs Lord-of-the-Rings-nerds mentality. Let me just try to balance it out a bit by pointing out that a) I have seen every single Star wars movie, most of them multiple times, and I don't find the Zettian Infantry too iconic, and b) I have seen every single Lord of the Rings (and The Hobbit) movie, most of them multiple times, and I don't find the elven archers under discussion too iconic either.

But what about the Gondorians? Because honestly they're the only ones that concern me.

Originally Posted by Xotli

I dunno; your use of "but until then" seemed to imply that you knew of some other options, so I was hoping you'd tell me.

Let's just remember that any figure that we choose for VC has to be:

• available
• numerous
• cheap
• the right scale
• pre-painted
• plastic
• not too cartoonish
• not too iconic
• fit on a standard size Heroscape base
• not deny any surrounding hexes

and possibly others I'm not thinking of ATM. Our options are always limited, just by the nature of Fanscape. Sometimes we're flexible on one or more of these points, and some folks are going to disagree with us. I'm sure some folks think Bramcephys is too cartoony, or are annoyed by the necessity to mod Racheim to avoid denial issues. It's just the nature of the beast. We do the best we can, but we all have to remain flexible.

With Bramcephys it's mostly the fact that his proportions are so ridiculously out when it comes to his tiny (in comparison to his body size) legs that there is no way he could ever stand up.

[Xotli]

Originally Posted by Lazy Orang

But what about the Gondorians? Because honestly they're the only ones that concern me.

Those are the elven archers under discussion, no?

Originally Posted by Lazy Orang

With Bramcephys it's mostly the fact that his proportions are so ridiculously out when it comes to his tiny (in comparison to his body size) legs that there is no way he could ever stand up.

Too cartoony, right. That's what I said.

[mac122]

Originally Posted by Xotli

Those are the elven archers under discussion, no?

The figure second from left is one of the Elven Archers. The Gondorian Archer is second from the right.

[Evar-Scarcarver]

Ironically, I recognize the elf archer as a member of the LotR universe immediately, while if I had not been told, I would not have known about the Gondorian. I think it's because there is more memes with elves in them.

[bellahdoll]

Originally Posted by Evar-Scarcarver

Ironically, I recognize the elf archer as a member of the LotR universe immediately, while if I had not been told, I would not have known about the Gondorian. I think it's because there is more memes with elves in them.

Giving the perspective of someone who is not too familiar with LotR, I agree with this. While I'm not opposed to using the elf archer, I do indeed recognize where it is from with no difficulty (as many people do with nearly every C3V figure). The Gondorian, on the other hand, really just looks like a generic armored soldier to me and I didn't recognize it at all. I'm not convinced the Gondorians are at all iconic to the general population.

[TheAverageFan]

Yeah those elf archers are straight out of LotR... wait... that one's Syvarris... oh...

~TAF

[Smithy Winfred]

So back on the topic of suggestions for the C3V design team: Has there ever been a push to make a official C3V lore/fiction, or maybe a themed "master set" in the line of the old C3G master sets, where they had a set of figures and a story that went with a sort of campaign mode? I really appreciated the lore in the classic HS stuff, as well as the cool bios for a lot of the C3V units, but it would be cool to see an actual story threaded through it all. The names of the waves especially bother me, simply because I have no idea what "crevcor's commission" is, but I'd be interested in finding out. Just a thought.

[Xotli]

Originally Posted by Lazy Orang

The figure second from left is one of the Elven Archers. The Gondorian Archer is second from the right.

I don't consider either one too iconic, although (ironically) I agree with Evar-Scarcarver that the the one on the left is slightly more Lord-of-the-Rings-y than the one on the right. But, as I say: I personally would consider either fair game.

Originally Posted by Smithy Winfred

Has there ever been a push to make a official C3V lore/fiction, or maybe a themed "master set" in the line of the old C3G master sets, where they had a set of figures and a story that went with a sort of campaign mode?

There is a fiction-writing team, although I admit to not knowing very well what they're up to these days. The main reason we (meaning C3V) have never attempted any sort of master set is that we have no terrain to put in it, so it wouldn't really feel like a master set. If that ever changes one day, we would certainly consider doing something along those lines.