test content
What is the Arc Client?
Install Arc

3D Printing Sunset

ambassadorkael#6946 ambassadorkael Member, Administrator Posts: 2,679 Community Manager
edited November 2023 in Galactic News Network [PC]
Captains,

For the last six years, we’ve been thrilled to partner with Gameprint to bring your Star Trek Online ships to life. Getting to hold the ships you customized in your hand or have them on your desk is a dream come true, and many of our developers have large collections of their own. Unfortunately, we’ve reached a point where the business case for this program no longer makes sense. We’ve agreed with the wonderful folks at Gameprint to stop offering 3D printed, STO Starships on October 31, 2023. Since the program is not being shut down immediately, we wanted to give you all time to get any last orders in that you wanted. If you have a ship your desperate to immortalize, now is the chance. We want to extend a thank you to Gameprint for this incredible service. Live long and prosper, Captains.

Kael
Post edited by baddmoonrizin on

Comments

  • sadrielfettsadrielfett Member Posts: 104 Arc User
    Is there a link for this somewhere?
    *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
    --Sadriel Fett

    "There are few problems in the galaxy that cannot be solved by the suitable application of concentrated phaser fire."
  • inferiorityinferiority Member Posts: 4,399 Arc User
    Is there a link for this somewhere?
    Not a link, but look for the "Print" button inside the Ship Customizer ingame.
    - - - - I n f e r i o r i t y - C o m p l e x - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
    Everyone has a better name and Youtube Channel than me...  :/
  • ironender17#3842 ironender17 Member Posts: 2 Arc User
    I know sometimes the ships take weeks or months to make. If we make our ship right now and it arrives with an issue after the 31st, will we still have customer service protection and be able to receive a replacement?
  • gileslestradegileslestrade Member Posts: 86 Arc User
    I read this as we can't print our own ships anymore. But will the gameprint website still have the customizable "captures" for us to buy?
  • captwcaptw Member Posts: 492 Arc User
    I read this as we can't print our own ships anymore. But will the gameprint website still have the customizable "captures" for us to buy?

    from what I'm reading on the Facebook group which has the owners on it, looks like the entire operation is ending on the 31st. I really hope either A, they put on a massive sale on the prints so we can get the ones we really want before they go away for good, or B, STO finds another avenue to get us these ships... and maybe to print our captains as well.
    lHut1H2.jpg
    "I rather believe that time is a companion who goes with us on the journey, and reminds us to cherish every moment... because they'll never come again. What we leave behind is not as important as how we lived" Picard to Riker
  • sianmink#4049 sianmink Member Posts: 7 Arc User
    Easy option would be to replace the print button with one that exports an .STL of your custom ship for personal use.
  • xaviermace86xaviermace86 Member Posts: 64 Arc User
    Easy option would be to replace the print button with one that exports an .STL of your custom ship for personal use.

    The problem with that will be the people expecting it to "just work", which it won't. 3D game models rarely convert to good printable STL's as-is, even ignoring needing to scale them. Between holes, needing supports, and smaller bits needing to be beefed up to be printable, it's just going to cause Cryptic a ton of headaches that they get nothing for. The Breen ships, for example, are a nightmare.

    Don't get me wrong, as somebody's who's printed a LOT of my own Star Trek stuff, I'd love this option. But I don't see it happening.
  • psiameesepsiameese Member Posts: 1,650 Arc User
    Does Cryptic Studios have plans to seek out a new vendor for 3D printing?
    (/\) Exploring Star Trek Online Since July 2008 (/\)
  • > @sadrielfett said:
    > Is there a link for this somewhere?

    https://gameprint.integralrealitylabs.com/gameprint/startrek

    Here’s the link!
  • > @"ambassadorkael#6946" said:
    > Unfortunately, we’ve reached a point where the business case for this program no longer makes sense.

    Kael,

    I understand if it costs more in labor to make new ships 3D-printable vs. the revenue that Cryptic is generating. However, have you considered protecting the money you have already invested by allowing GamePrint to continue customizing & selling ships that have already been uploaded to their website by October 31st? This would allow you to continue to generate revenue for many years and even recoup any losses you may have incurred since so many of these ships designs are timeless, like the Enterprise ships, Voyager, Defiant, etc. With the loss of Eaglemoss, this service is filling a void with the fan base. GamePrint is regularly 2-3 months behind on production due to so many orders continually coming in, so it seems like demand is high for these products. It seems like you would still have profit to gain from the investment you’ve already made in making so many ship models 3D printable, if you would allow them to continue selling what’s already there!

    Thanks for your consideration,
    AdmiralJoseph7
  • atatassault#7865 atatassault Member Posts: 24 Arc User
    Can GamePrint at least reveal their process that enables them to print in color? So that we can do it ourselves, for ourselves?
  • crm14916crm14916 Member Posts: 1,532 Arc User
    Too expensive! I'm sure in 50 years when the process gets more universal and "everyone does it" it might get cheaper... But honestly in this economy of $5/gal gas and $4/loaf bread, I can't afford to spend a few hundred dollars each to print my favorite ships... "You don't know how it feels when your son tells you to sell his bicycle to pay the electricity bill..." (Good Ship Lifestyle - Chumbawamba, 1997)
    "Equipped with his five senses, man explores the universe around him and calls the adventure science." - Edwin Hubble
  • sadrielfettsadrielfett Member Posts: 104 Arc User
    > @sadrielfett said:
    > Is there a link for this somewhere?

    https://gameprint.integralrealitylabs.com/gameprint/startrek

    Here’s the link!


    Thank you. Exactly what I needed.
    *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
    --Sadriel Fett

    "There are few problems in the galaxy that cannot be solved by the suitable application of concentrated phaser fire."
  • sadrielfettsadrielfett Member Posts: 104 Arc User
    Perhaps, also having this as an option on the Console side of the house would've made this an even more lucrative enterprise (pun intended).
    *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
    --Sadriel Fett

    "There are few problems in the galaxy that cannot be solved by the suitable application of concentrated phaser fire."
  • bebay1423bebay1423 Member Posts: 1 New User
    Stop Right there Kael...i got a proposition for you guys, let’s keep the option for us to download a file and make it cost Zen…that was my original plan was to get a file of my flagship and go to my local library (cause they have a 3D printer) and print it there. Here are reasons why this would work: 1. they make a profit cause we would have to pay to get Zen. 2 my library would make money from me at least cause i have to pay to use said printer. 3 people would have a way to mess with the model on places like Blender and Unreal Engine as well
  • fleetcaptain5#1134 fleetcaptain5 Member Posts: 5,051 Arc User
    I can't say that this is very shocking to me.

    I've always found the prices too high for what would be rather small ships. And for many models printing was never available in the first place, so yeah. This doesn't really affect me in any way.
This discussion has been closed.