Integration

CLASSIFIED · 10-25-2011, 03:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roshan

This is where action figures are going to go in the next 10 years (at least from the collecting side of things). 3-D plastic printers are going to become affordable for personal use in the next 10 years. Customizers will become better and better at the process of printing figures in this manner. Eventually, Mattel and Hasbro will have to recognize this issue and start to sell figures straight to the consumer via CAD files that can be printed at home, thus saving them the expense of overseas production and shipping yet continuing to profit off of the use of their properties. Just like the piracy wars with movies and music, this will become a major legal issue that these companies will have to overcome or fade away. It will be a hey day for casual collectors who will be able to simply print a Pimp Daddy Destro instead of paying $2000 for an original for example.
The after market values of uber rare figures could drop depending on the quality of the printing of these 'customs'. But they're going to be able to look the part if not feel the part. If you don't think you will be able to do these things with a printer in your own home in 10-15 years, you're fooling yourself. They do it this way now with rapid prototyping at the major toy companies in the present day. Every year the technology becomes cheaper and better to be able to make these things.

Who paints the figure?

10-25-2011, 03:11 PM	#13
CLASSIFIED Santa Claus Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Parts Unknown Posts: 2,400	Quote: Originally Posted by roshan This is where action figures are going to go in the next 10 years (at least from the collecting side of things). 3-D plastic printers are going to become affordable for personal use in the next 10 years. Customizers will become better and better at the process of printing figures in this manner. Eventually, Mattel and Hasbro will have to recognize this issue and start to sell figures straight to the consumer via CAD files that can be printed at home, thus saving them the expense of overseas production and shipping yet continuing to profit off of the use of their properties. Just like the piracy wars with movies and music, this will become a major legal issue that these companies will have to overcome or fade away. It will be a hey day for casual collectors who will be able to simply print a Pimp Daddy Destro instead of paying $2000 for an original for example. The after market values of uber rare figures could drop depending on the quality of the printing of these 'customs'. But they're going to be able to look the part if not feel the part. If you don't think you will be able to do these things with a printer in your own home in 10-15 years, you're fooling yourself. They do it this way now with rapid prototyping at the major toy companies in the present day. Every year the technology becomes cheaper and better to be able to make these things. Who paints the figure? __________________