Let's go back a bit first

It's been more than a year since I started this crazy project:

On the one hand with the creation of a self-business (a bit scary), especially when you just quit your job, just after becoming a twins father... You can imagine the particular context that it can give, especially on the family level... BUT, that's another story!
Then on the financial level, it is clear that it hurts to have to live only on your savings during one year, without going into details... So I'm counting on this first project to get me back on track and be able to finalize it, so that I can move to many others!
Professionally, this project has brought me a lot of knowledge (3D modeling, 3D printing, website, advertising, networks, field reality), but also on self-management (motivation, work time, priorities).
As well as on the world of "wargaming" in general, which is far from being a world of "care bears" (on a professional level). Working in the entertainment industry, and in particular in gaming, also brings its share of competition and "sharks" or even jealous people, ready to do anything to sink you.

WAIT, there are also very nice people!! and certainly more than in other professional environments! I clearly feel more at home now, than in the catering business as a pastry and cook Chef, where I spent more than 25 years... BUT that's (again) another story!

Let's get back to the point: There are a lot of people on the "clothesline" as we say in french, among creators of scenery and figurines (in France or elsewhere), especially since the world of 3D printing has become more democratic in recent years, with home machines, also helped by the COVID crisis.

Anyway, where are we with this project now?

The Grimness Fortress

This is the name given to my first Kickstarter campaign: in other words, the crowdfunding system of my first 3D printable sets and thus the marketing of my 3D digital files, with personal or commercial license, to allow professionals of 3D printing to sell my sets in physical version.

Yes ma'am, just that! And it's also the name given to the "medieval-fantasy-trendy-grimdark" fortress that is at the center of this project.

Why using Kickstarter and not "Ulule" (french) or other?

I chose Kickstarter because it's the pioneer platform of crowdfunding, but I know that other platforms deserve attention, like "MyMiniFactory", which I plan to use for my campaign pledges management and maybe for others campaigns.

Why not using "Ulule" which is French? Simply because my designs are not only interesting French speaking people and also because I like to practice english, even if having to translate everything on social networks is quite laborious, I grant you... On the other hand, I will certainly lack visibility in the French-speaking world by going through Kickstarter, but to compensate that I use Facebook groups.

Of course, from a purely commercial point of view, Kickstarter remains (I think) more advantageous than Ulule, if only by the number of users. It is said that Kickstarter is used by 90% of Americans but I have some doubts, because many other nationalities use it.

October 4, 2021

That's the launch date of the Kickstarter campaign!

And yes, this is it, I will finally be able to share the marketing page describing my project to the world, after more than a year of hard work, interspersed with moments of uncertainty and doubts, but which also reinforced me in my decisions, with the very motivating idea that "living from your passions is even more interesting than living them".

I'm getting a bit excited, but yes you will finally be able to access my digital files, allowing you to print in 3D this unique, massive (28mm scale), functional and detailed fortress, with a "Dark Fantasy" or "Grimdark" spirit. What is Grimdark? Basically, it's a universe a bit more "Dark", "gore" and "dystopian" than the "dark fantasy"... BUT that's (agaaiinnn) another story!

3D modeling the project

For those who followed the project from start, it was basically intended for SLA resin 3D printing: It was without counting the price of resin, which finally remains higher than the plastic filament, used in FDM printing and especially without counting the size of the project at 28mm scale! (About 1m²)

So here i am, all motivated, launched body and soul in the 3D modeling and arrived at the end of the project, I say to myself: But wait there... Seriously?... Didn't you get a little too much excited about resin printing?! Do you realize the size of that thing?! People will never want to print all this in resin at 50 euros the bottle!...

Well, I'm exaggerating a bit, but the fact is that the price of resin is (in general) higher than the plastic filament "PLA", which is made of corn... So here I am, in total confusion, telling myself that this is it, I made the mistake of my life, I screwed up... I should have listened to "the others" telling me that big scenery should always be printed in plastic and not in resin!

Well, you know what, as I write these lines, the trend is really reversing and proving my basic idea was "kind of" right... Because now I am often asked if it is printable in resin... Yes it is!, but it will be expensive... BUT..... That's (agaiiiinnn) another story!

So here I am, "forced" to rework ALL my 3D modeling, supposed to be printed in SLA resin (with supports) and now make it compatible with plastic FDM... You might say that my moral has visited my socks for a few days, as we say in french... Anyway, here I am "forced" to optimize everything and so I might as well do it right and decided to adapt the modeling without supports needs, which always pleases the users and becomes almost mandatory to look serious and competitive in this world of "sharks" and "clothespins"... (yeah well I just lost some in the room... you weird french guy)

FDM printing tests

So I set myself the goal of printing a good piece of the fortress in FDM, so I can present it on the Kickstarter page.

Great! Except that I wasn't really interested in FDM printing at that time (or i must say pissed off), since I was only planning to be on resin market... Anyway, I'll skip the details but FDM and I were not friends! So after a lot of hard work and advice (thanks to Eric, from la boîte à rabiot), I was finally able to do my tests in acceptable conditions.

Here is now the result with one of the presentation videos of the project, where you can see the tests done with PLA+ "Sunlu" gray. Everything is printed with a 0.4 nozzle size and a 0.2 layer height, with my "Creality Ender 5" and "Prusa MK3S+" printers.

You can also watch this video

From the Youtuber "Gaminggeek", to have his opinion on my scenery, an idea of the Kickstarter funding page and also watch his painting tutorial on one of the fortress towers.

Kickstarter Campaign

See you on October 4th at 4pm (Paris time / 2pm UTC time), to participate in the funding of the project and maybe unlock other set files with stretch goals!

Don't forget to register on the pre-launch page to benefit from a special rate for 24 hours!

Then, everything will depend on the financial result of this campaign, hoping to create many other projects, faster and even more optimized thanks to the experience gained with this one.