test content
  • Games
  • Social
  • Arc News
  • Support
  • Zen
What is the Arc Client?
Install Arc
Forums > Home› Feedback› The Art of Star Trek Online

STL Files for 3D Printing

dinoyipidinoyipi Member Posts: 141 Arc User
edited January 2014 in The Art of Star Trek Online
The recent "Starship Models" giveaway gave me an idea: Cryptic could make available STL files (3D image) of the playable starships. Players could send these files to a 3D printing company (or to his/her own 3D printer, if the player happens to have one), and a real-life model of the starship would be "replicated".

I thought about suggesting a C-store add-on to get the STL file ("Replicator Schematic: Starship Model" to make it sound Trekky), but I figured that would be far too easy to pirate, so my suggestion is to just offer them for free in the first place.
For personal reasons, I've left Star Trek Online.
Post edited by dinoyipi on

Comments

  • tacofangstacofangs Member Posts: 2,951 Cryptic Developer
    edited January 2014
    While I would love to work with someplace like Shapeways to have players be able to print out ships from STO, I think we would be very hesitant to hand out 3d model files of any of our stuff. Even in .stl format, there is potential that those models would be used in many other, unintended ways.
    Only YOU can prevent forum fires!
    19843299196_235e44bcf6_o.jpg
  • entnx01entnx01 Member Posts: 549 Arc User
    edited January 2014
    tacofangs wrote: »
    While I would love to work with someplace like Shapeways to have players be able to print out ships from STO, I think we would be very hesitant to hand out 3d model files of any of our stuff. Even in .stl format, there is potential that those models would be used in many other, unintended ways.

    What if Cryptic had complete control?

    1) Player orders "Replicator Order: Starship Model" from C-Store.

    2) Cryptic prints the starship, either in-house or via a specially-equipped company (as closely as possible to player's customization on STO).

    3) Cryptic mails the starship model to the player.


    That way the player never has the file (for any potential future 3D printing abuse), never can decode how to make the model (of course, in the words of BranFlakes and meant more precautionary here..."Never say never!"), and can't use that decryption to make other models. If this is the main concern, Cryptic having complete control should eliminate that problem.
  • qultuqqultuq Member Posts: 989 Arc User
    edited January 2014
    dinoyipi wrote: »
    The recent "Starship Models" giveaway gave me an idea: Cryptic could make available STL files (3D image) of the playable starships. Players could send these files to a 3D printing company (or to his/her own 3D printer, if the player happens to have one), and a real-life model of the starship would be "replicated".

    Bet the "Starship Models" company wouldn't like it too much either. But that is a cool idea. If we had some dedicated fans, I bet we could produce something like that. But Cryptic or AMT or CBS or someone probably wouldn't like us doing that too much either. Anyway you cut it, someone is going to think they are loosing money.
  • entnx01entnx01 Member Posts: 549 Arc User
    edited January 2014
    qultuq wrote: »
    Bet the "Starship Models" company wouldn't like it too much either. But that is a cool idea. If we had some dedicated fans, I bet we could produce something like that. But Cryptic or AMT or CBS or someone probably wouldn't like us doing that too much either. Anyway you cut it, someone is going to think they are loosing money.

    Unless they all get a piece of the 3-D Printing revenue pie. ;)
  • ashkrik23ashkrik23 Member Posts: 10,809 Arc User
    edited January 2014
    Forget ships. I want models of my characters.
    King of Lions rawr! Protect the wildlife of the world. Check out my foundry series Perfection and Scars of the Pride. arcgames.com/en/forums#/discussion/1138650/ashkrik23s-foundry-missions
    ashkrik_by_lindale_ff-d65zc3i.png
  • atatassaultatatassault Member Posts: 1,008 Arc User
    edited January 2014
    tacofangs wrote: »
    While I would love to work with someplace like Shapeways to have players be able to print out ships from STO, I think we would be very hesitant to hand out 3d model files of any of our stuff. Even in .stl format, there is potential that those models would be used in many other, unintended ways.
    I've already tried ordering Starship minis from Shapeways; You can't print ST ships at 1 inch scale; pylons, etc, get way too small and break. At 2 inches+, models like the Galaxy other (deceptively) large volume ships get really expensive.

    Also, the way STO handles starship kit bashing would not be very good for shapeways; Artsy 3D models that have polygonal structures protruding into the "interior" of the ship (There really isn't an interior, mathematically speaking, to these ships, because of the way kitbashing is handled), which cause weird problems when converting to STL or another volumetric model file.
  • crusty8maccrusty8mac Member Posts: 1,381 Arc User
    edited January 2014
    Just curious - how much would it cost to actually print out a 3D model?
    __________________________________
    STO Forum member since before February 2010.
    STO Academy's excellent skill planner here: Link
    I actually avoid success entirely. It doesn't get me what I want, and the consequences for failure are slim. -- markhawman
  • UnknownUnknown
    edited January 2014
    This content has been removed.
  • steamwrightsteamwright Member Posts: 2,820
    edited January 2014
    Don't know if it is 3D printable or not, but I'd go for a Nanov from New Romulus as a variation on the gel squishy stress ball. That or a beanbag Nanov. Just a conversation piece to have around your desk. Such a critter, at least, should have licensing limited to PWE/Cryptic.
Sign In or Register to comment.