N-scale Mechwarrior Online Battletech Projects Thread

Well you guys know now why I was pulling double time on the Serenity last week. I got a few new projects that will put her on the backburner for a short while.

One of these is to expand my N-scale collection of 3025 non-unseen mechs. And with Mechwarrior Online, I found a ready source of upgraded art just itching to see 3D life. Always loved Alex's work.

So first mech I did was the infamous Capellan Cataphract. Shapeways frosted Ultra-Detail did a pretty fine job all things considered (minus not sending me all the toes which I need to fix).

Basically all I had to do was sand off a bunch of print lines, fix a few gaps, glue some bits, and add some magnets for easy disassembly for molding later. Really wish I hadn't run out of primer at the end. Should be able to fix that tomorrow.







I'm using this first guy as a learning experience which taught me how shapeways actually prints stuff, at what resolution, and how I need to alter the geometry of the models to take full advantage of it. I might be able to even do some of these in standard scale but I'm still hunting for an even finer resolution for that. All things considered, I gotta say she turned out really great.If anything, I underestimated the detail that could be added.

Working on the Jenner next, and I'm certain she'll be of even better quality.

Re: N-scale Battletech Cataphract Project

And an update. New toes in a week or so. Working on adding details to the Jenner now in Blender.

Re: N-scale Battletech Cataphract Project

That's really cool.

Did you have to break up the 3d model in any way, or do they do that themselves? Source of the model, out of curiosity?

Also that Atlas on the far left, good lord... :confused

What's the other Atlas from?

Re: N-scale Battletech Cataphract Project

I had to rip the model from the game and clean it up for printing as well as make sure all the little bits were broken up.The whole model was for volume pricing so I knew the total cost.

I'm currently doing that with the Jenner but also adding in extra concept art detail now that I know Shapeways can handle it.

Re: N-scale Battletech Cataphract Project

80.00 to print that thing? Shows your love for battletech lol It does look good though.

Re: N-scale Battletech Cataphract Project

Masters are always expensive, and it will probably cost about as much to get her molded (not to mention the cash I just sank into some silicone degassing and pressure casting stuff).

Hopefully I'll break even on the garage kit end though, best case I could fund the next one.

Jenner is printed and currently being cleaned up and prepped for molding.



And broken down into kit parts.

Looks really good. I could never understand why they didn't release them as an ongoing series of N scale figures, especially since the table top game is still pretty alive. Then again they've done the same with Shadowrun.

It has to do with the fact that Microsoft has owned the video game rights since the late 90's. You can bet that you will pretty much never see miniatures made directly from the video games, because you have to pull a double license for VG and table top.

So if you want it, you gotta garage kit it.

Yeah the shadow run figures they put out a few years ago were really nice but it only lasted one series and now they're worth money (they were 3.99 at kb toys at the time lol).

Whoa!!! Where did that Atlas model come from?!!!! That is Awesome!! (not to be confused with the Awesome Mech, LOL) anyways, I'd love to get one of those. I just backed the Robotech Kickastarter just for the mechs. I hope they are generally the same size as the Battletech minis...well N-scale that is.