Saturday, September 17, 2005

Heroclix Rant

I don't rant when Wizkids designs a sculpt or dial differently than I would. I don't rant when WK expects me to pay for their product rather than having free things given to me for "supporting the game". I don't rank about "set retirement", because, well, who cares about tournaments when there's fun to be had instead by just enjoying the game.

But I do rant (and am) about WK missing the boat on obvious add-ons that would enhance the game for everyone and which occur to almost any person who plays the game even once.

Today's Heroclix Missed Boat? 3D Barriers.

Many figures have "Barrier", the ability to create temporary blockades in four contiguous squares. This mimics what we've all seen in comic books: Green Lantern throws up a force shield, Terra creates a rock pillar, Mr. Freeze shoots a wall of ice, Dr. Fate gestures up a whopping big protective ankh.

Instead of little generic cardboard squares that say "BARRIER" on them, can't WK take some of that clear plastic they (and we) love so much and use it to make 3D barriers? I'd buy them. A lot of players would.

They'd be easy to make, because there's no dial and the sculpts wouldn't complicated. They would come in sets of four, because "Barrier" affects four squares at a time.

For mystics: yellow translucent ankhs

For Lanterns: green translucent blocks (or palms, if you wanted to get cute with it)

For "cold" characters: bluish-translucent ice walls

For "force shield" characters: translucent blocks.

Similarly, a set of 3D "Smoke Cloud" markers should be made; that would look great!


Come, now! As far as polymer extrusions go, it doesn't get much simpler than that, Wizkids! I'd happily pay as much for a set of four barriers as I would for a box of boosters, and they are a lot easier and cheaper to make....

8 comments:

Amy said...

Can I assume, then, that you have both sets of 3-d objects that came out?

It's an interesting idea... and certainly one I think WizKids could go with, given their enthusiasm with putting transparent plastic on damn near every sculpt in Fantastic Forces and Icons that can justify it.

Improving the map was a baby step -- I think we can see stuff like this in future sets.

Anonymous said...

Ok.

First an HBO series with a minor character named Scipio debuts. Then we have a JLU episode revolve around an absorbascon.

Is everyone in Hollywood is now reading your blog? What further nods can we expect from tv-land? Is an Emmy appearance forthcoming?

Zaratustra said...

I'd suggest you use Icehouse pieces or similar game counters as barriers.

Anonymous said...

Until an official product comes out, perhaps you could use an inkjet to print shapes (of your design) on transparency film, then cut out the shapes.

Granted, that'd be flat, but it'd be cooler. You could even use images from comics, scanned and scaled to an appropriate size.

Scipio said...

Zara--You know, I actually thought of using Icehouse pieces (which are very attractive). They ain't cheap though, and for less I can get colored Amac boxes from Container Store.

Candy- do play the game. YOu'll enjoy it.

Derek-- maybe they didn't want me to sue them, LOL!

ANon--the transparent paper idea? VERY smart. I just may try that!!!

Scipio said...

"Is an Emmy appearance forthcoming?"

The good news is, I'm presenting the Award for "Best Use of a Nuclear Bomb as Plot Device".

The bad news is, I have to co-present with a giant red ore-crusher named "Roger".

*sigh*

Anonymous said...

"ANon--the transparent paper idea? VERY smart. I just may try that!!!"

Also, if you can make a stand of some sort, you could stand them on edge, so that they'd be flat, but would stand up in the vertical dimension.

That'd be good for Green Lantern hands and such.

For an Ankh, you could use two pieces. Print a gold band about an inch wide and several inches long. Cut that out, and use that as the main portion of the ankh, including the loop. Use a second section as the cross-piece. Cut slots in both pieces at the intersection, so they can fit into each other. If you do it right, the cross-piece will help the ankh stand up.

As a base, you might use the thin sheets of colored foam sold at craft stores. Just cut out a matching shape and attach the transparency film somehow.

Scipio said...

Sorry, Candy;

Lashina was in the FIRST character donation, #1-37.