For $100 on the Tactics Kickstarter, we get every mini unlocked in the Kickstarter, unpainted, plus the game and everything else. But for $150 more, we would get that PLUS every mini unlocked in the Kickstarter painted (so, you'd end up with two sets of minis, one painted, one unpainted).
$150 for a second set of minis with some paint slapped on them by a person on an assembly line in Asia? I have to say that seems like crazytalk, although I do appreciate the effort that went into making the option available to people for whom it's not crazytalk.
I see there are 8 people who have already taken the offer so far, so maybe I'm the one who's crazy...
But major hat tipps to >G for offering the package for people that want it. Hey, if it makes stretch goals easier for my little base level pledge, then I'm all for it.
Up to 19 backers so far, in 20 minutes. I'm not surprised miniature painting is expensive. I also wouldn't be so dismissive of Chinese workers; there are some poorly made Chinese goods, but I doubt Greater than Games works with them. I do see some missing details (Legacy's lantern looks off, and I hope he gets his grey hair).
Also, the miniatures look much better than the prototypes, independent of the paint job.
I think I'd rather - if I didn't wan to paint them myself - put an ad up at my friendly local game store or at an art school to paint a second set for me.
To each their own. I'm glad that some people have the option if they want it.
its crazy, when you consider that for the extra 90 bucks your paying for the second set of minis, you could pay someone that much to paint them for you.
but if people want it… ill post some pics of my work and you can pay me the 90 dollars and send that second set my way to paint
The recently finished Arcadia Quest Kickstarter had two pledge levels: $100 for everything and $400 for everything painted. I believe there was a similar price jump on the Guardians Chronicles superhero miniatures game as well, so it seems to be in line with what the hobbyists are expecting to pay...
All that being said... I can't justify it to myself. I pay a lot of money to be lazy on a lot if occasions, but this hobby is already a rather superfluous expense already as it is. I'll just keep my unpainted minis until I get inspired enough to paint them or lazy enough to stop caring hahaha
I know that some people aren't the biggest fans of Boardgamegeek, but it is a great place to get the word out about this. If the >G guys are ok with it, I would recommend posting the pictures of the painted minis on BGG. The more people that see them, the more potential backers we will have.
(I would be sure to include a note that they are just a "prototype paint job" and that the finals will be even better quality)
There are actually several pictures on the Kickstarter page that could be profitably posted to BGG. Any of the pictures of the actual prototype boards would fit their guidlines.
I don't have the money for that backer option, let alone to paint minis myself, but $90 to get 20+ miniatures painted, even if not expertly, doesn't seem totally outlandish to me. It's under $5 per miniature, after all, and if the Citizens and Unity-Bots options are really full sets of minis, it goes up to an absurd 40+ minis at the same cost.
And don't forget, there's plenty of people to whom miniatures are just a prop, not a hobby to pour dozens of hours into. If you were never going to paint them yourself, then the choice becomes color or no color.
Now if they add a pledge-level or add-on for just Ra painted, I might go for it, but quite frankly I'm still trying to justify my current minis-only pledge to myself.
It doesn't seem unreasonable at all. Small numbers of manufactured things cost much more per unit than large numbers. You can't compare this to any mass-produced painted item.
If you can paint the miniature for less than $5 each in time & materials, or find someone to do it for you that cheaply, that option is available, as it always was.
There are 49 people at that pledge level now. I'm thinking about it, but I've found mini-painting fun in the past and might want to do it myself. It would cost probably $150 in just materials, though, not to mention time (which is the way more expensive part).
Because, check out Dat Bunker! That's not some half-assed assembly line paint job, that's a professional painting. And I am totally getting them painted. I can't tell them apart very well when they're all grey.
My wife was all "do you want them, I'll get them for you." But she's drunk right now, so we'll see what she says tomorrow. Pricing the number of miniatures to paint it isn't a bad price.
I think I like the $120 wait and just get the painted ones option better.
The ones used for advertising are usually hand painted by someone that does it for a living. The ones that usually come to the customer tend to be assembly line painted.
