8th Ed. A new Lizardman miniature company....

[Rikard]

And gee, the guy who owns it sounds familiar....


So I've seen a lot of different people now saying all Slann are dead, tehenhauin is dead too and let's just say all does not look peachy (one so far has said people have taken it out of context and got their info wrong).


Regardless, being the stubborn cold blood I am (also old blood), I was/am thinking quite heavily about an alternative.



For arguments sake, let's say Lizardmen DO get squatted, what does this mean from an IP/copyrite side?
- It means other companies suddenly have a lot more freedom with their Lizardman sculpts.
What I'm suggesting is this...



How would you all feel if I had a crack at my own Lizardman range?
It is a long shot and until the dust settles and I've read a lot more about the subject, I'm not going to commit to anything. But if I do it would be a slow process, I'm just one person with no casting facilities or equipment.
-However it IS something I'd be keen to try.

I'll poll this later on, probably when we know exactly what the ET and 9th ed have in store for us all, but I just wanted to leave this here to give you all something to think about/raise points and opinions on.

 

[Mr Phat]

I was counting on it would happen, and hoped that it would be you.

Also, as a Entrepreneur and innovation graduate I might be able to support it.
That said: I have no experience with international markets, and you might have better knowledge
on how this exact type of market works.
Just putting it out there!

Would be happy to contribute with concept design, rules and/or boring stuff

 

[Scalenex]

I do not believe GW will axe the Lizardmen, but if they do axe the Lizardmen and you wanted to start your own company, the forum would be behind you.

Also, I could help you with your books as I am an accountant, assuming you are American. I know very little about European accounting standards.

 

[Skinquisitor]

Hey man!

I have acces to 3d printer, and have contact to manufacturer if you are thinking in mass production (min pcs theyll produce ~1000). I saw 40k marines from this manufacturer, it was pretty good. Also, one of my friend is working on his own wargame, so he gathered all the info/contacts he needs, I can ask him for more info. I have one condition for my help: there must be an old blood modell with great weapon!

 

[n810]

I suppose Ed (Trollforged) would happily welcome you back.
His casting have gotten quite good lately.

 

[Rettile]

oh yeah, Rikard on the miniatures, the whole forum on the rules. That would be epic.

I'm almost hoping GW really squats us: at least our army would get some love from someone

 

[The Red Devil]

For arguments sake, let's say Lizardmen DO get squatted, what does this mean from an IP/copyrite side?
- It means other companies suddenly have a lot more freedom with their Lizardman sculpts.

As things stands right now, I do not thing we will be "squatted", but for the sake of the discussion.

Even if GW remove Lizardmen from next version, it does not automatically open up their IP. There is more factors than just "selling it" that play into this. And only a lawyer can argue about these parts.

It would make it easier for third parties to release models, but I doubt they can actively sell them under "Lizardmen" name or as Warhammer Fantasy figures.

With other words, they would need to be sold exactly the same way as people currently get around this.

Even if GW sack Lizardmen, they most probably would pursue the IP, especially if the store is selling it as for use with their game, since this dilute their brand, and indicate that they have approved the models.


On a side note:
I would love to have more choice in models!

 

[Rikard]

I was counting on it would happen, and hoped that it would be you.

Also, as a Entrepreneur and innovation graduate I might be able to support it.
That said: I have no experience with international markets, and you might have better knowledge
on how this exact type of market works.
Just putting it out there!

Would be happy to contribute with concept design, rules and/or boring stuff

Designs are always good, I have next to no experience either.

@Scalenex
That's a really nice offer, I'm based in the UK though (channel islands) so no idea on the full differences between the two.

@Skinquisitor
Thanks mate, playing it slow at the moment, will wait and see, definitely don't want to do anything like a kickstarter, just want to start off small if anything.

@n810
It's been taking me ages, but I've been talking with Ed, I'm aiming to send him several pieces at once, rather than one at a time.

@Rettile
Don't jinx it, would still like my lizards to remain. D:

@The Red Devil

Me too, seems highly unlikely.
Wouldn't be carbon copies or obvious ones (like Oxayotl in my av), but more subtle/notceably different like the Gor-rok version I've been doing.

 

[Purehammer]

I'd certainly be interested in a range produced by your good self as I personally feel your models have a higher degree of realism than GW's.

Also I feel that as the editions have gone on our lizards have become to look and feel a lot more lightweight.

 

[StarFyre]

looking good Rikard

 

[Kcibrihp-Esurc]

I'd certainly be interested in a range produced by your good self as I personally feel your models have a higher degree of realism than GW's.

Also I feel that as the editions have gone on our lizards have become to look and feel a lot more lightweight.

I'd at least be willing to give them a look into, if we do get sacked then we might make our own 9th ed. rulebook using the Wishes for 9th page

 

[Overlord of Serpents]

I have a good amount of experience play-testing and working on rules for tournaments in the states, I will gladly aid if you require assistance pushing forward Lizardmen books/fluff/rules/units that are balanced in the event GW abandons us, though I've come to firmly believe we're safe.

 

[Kcibrihp-Esurc]

Would be happy to contribute with concept design, rules and/or boring stuff

And Scalenex will write fluff for us! Well, the fluff that for enemies or else we won't have any special characters... 'Cause Scalenex has a tendency for his characters to die, horribly, often leaving you in tears

And N810 can do the artwork!

 

[RipperDerek]

I would love a line of Rikard minis, and currently would almost certainly buy a variety of them.

But, I also don't want to mislead you - if Lizards go away, I'm probably leaving Fantasy, at which point I would no longer be a potential customer.

 

[Scalenex]

Would be happy to contribute with concept design, rules and/or boring stuff

And Scalenex will write fluff for us! Well, the fluff that for enemies or else we won't have any special characters... 'Cause Scalenex has a tendency for his characters to die, horribly, often leaving you in tears

And N810 can do the artwork!

I have been reading a lot of Elf fluff. N'kari and Morghur have tried and failed to kill the same Elves so many times despite coming back "stronger than ever before" that I might as well call them Sideshow Bob. I don't like writing about the same battle being fought over and over again.

Lizardmen can pass on names and titles of fallen heroes of yore onto new leaders. Thus the Lizardmen can have consistent special characters and I can kill them with impunity. Everyone wins.

Well, hypothetically. Even if GW chooses not to hit the reset button after the End Times, it seems the Lizardmen are NOT going to be exterminated thanks to dues ex machina bubbles.

 

[Raptor_00]

I think something like this could be pretty successful with a kickstarter campaign. It could get you the capital to start producing miniatures and even do printed books if you wanted.
I'm no copyright lawyer, but I'd think if you produced your own game GW would have a harder time going after you for making Lizardmen that are for Warhammer. If it was another generic fantasy battle game you made, you'd probably avoid what has happened to a lot of other small companies that blatantly made warhammer items and advertised it as such.

 

[spawning of Bob]

A new Lizardman miniature company....
... with eggshells for everyone. Hooray!


I can help with the conceptual art. There will be this very serious oldblood general who is in a constant state of face palm because his skinks just ran away, giant bow missed, troglodon burped etc etc

 

[Raptor_00]

Even if GW keeps Lizardmen as an army and even if they update them regularly I'd be interested in new 3rd party lizzy sculpts to have a more customized army. I think there's a market for it.

 

[Rikard]

I think something like this could be pretty successful with a kickstarter campaign.

I appreciate the faith, seriously, there's no accurate way of saying how much that means to me (the level of trust you're showing ), but I don't think I'd be even close to matching/considering a kickstarted campaign even if I didn't have all the current troubles I'm still trying to juggle. :/

I've also seen the bad reps some people/customers get for not being able to deliver on time, I'd hate to have to deal with that, though not from a point of my reputation, but the knowledge of all the people I had let down.



For the moment, it's certainly best if I keep doing what I do best, tinker and churn out the occasional piece.


I have been writing some brief fluff for post end times Lizards though (mainly stuff to fit in with the way my lizard sculpts have been going), might post it at some point.

 

[Fhanados]

If your fluff is as good as your sculpts I may have a stroke. Too much greatness cannot be contained in one vessel and exposure can be hazardous.