I'd say any type of commoner minis would be great. It's easy to get a warrior figure holding a sword twice his size, but commoners seem to be rare.

I'd like to see some giant insects, like ants, wasps, etc...

Sardan wrote:I think the monsters that are fairly unique to D&D and aren't humanoids:
Rust monsters, displacer beasts, owl bears, beholders, those sorts of things.  I find it difficult to find decent minis for those types of creatures

Ditto.  Among the minis I sell, the well-known but uncommon monsters sell much better than anything else.  There are plenty of orcs, goblins, and skeletons but gargoyles, trolls, beholders, manticores, griffons, and such are often harder to find.   I would give heavier weight to creatures in the Monster Manual over MMII or Fiend Folio.  

And they don't need to be in wierd poses or with other creatures.  Also, no assembly required is vastly superior over minis needing wings attached or those requiring a slot base put on.  I don't even like minis where you pick which weapon or shield to glue on.

Finally, and I know I am asking a lot, but I wouldn't be surprised if there isn't a profitable market for someone wanting to manufacture miniature paint too.  That stuff is expensive!  Whoever is currently mixing the stuff is making a killing!  Maybe I just don't know where or how to buy.

Thanks for all the responses.

So the list would be (so far, as I do hope I get more on this topic):

1. Folk,

2. Common, low-level monsters for D&D etc.

The common thread being no funky poses, appearing alone and no assembly required.

My next question is, you have $5 in your pocket to spend. Say the above is available (or add to the list), what would you actually spend your money on? If a miniature was produced it only works if people buy it (at least at some production quantity).

P.S., I'm thinking of making a poll, would anyone like to add some more suggestions for entries?

Thx so far!

Probably craftsmen first, then commoners, then nobles, then the village idiot.

Howdy,

Anomaly Miniatures wrote:I'm interested to find out what would-be / existing miniature you often find yourself saying 'I wish there was a 'X' type of mini' (or perhaps I wish I had more variety in this 'X' type of mini).

I have two points I'd like to bring up:

1) Before deciding what sorts of miniatures you want to create, decide what scale you will create them at.

I'd ask that you consider making miniatures in a scale comaptible with old school miniatures, i.e., 25 mm (from sole of foot to eye level for humanoids).

Many of the miniatures being produced today are on the whole useless for those with established collections. All of the classic mini's that precede today's 28 or 30mm "Heroic Scale" miniatures look ridiculous alongside the more commonly available classic oldschool Ral Partha, Grenadier, and Heritage miniatures. So while people are buying up huge amounts of these old school mini's on eBay, there are no currently produced mini's that are compatible.

This is especially pertinent to this audience of collectors - compliment the old rather than throw it out.

The Acaeum member 'otherworld' has embarked on a project similar to yours. His models are beautiful and are done in a style that says oldschool but really they are not. They are just too big to really be oldschool.

Had they been compatible with the scale of the old ranges of miniatures, I would have bought them up in a snap.

Of course, the whole issue is mainly with humanoids and or creatures tied closely to the size of humans.

I once photographed a WotC barbarian figure attacking my old Ral Partha clay golem but the scale of the barbarian at 28mm 'Heroic' made him about 8' 6" tall. The golem at 25mm scale was 8' tall. The barbarian was taller than the golem by 6"! In order to put the scale right for the photo, I put the camera right behind the golem and put the barbarian 12" away! It is hard for players to think of a clay golem as threatening when their character miniature is 6" taller than it. Indeed, during the game the player was surprised when the golem demolished his character in 1 round!

2) What you are really shooting for: There are scads of creatures for which a figure has *never* been done. I have seen dozens of sculpts for commoners (including a copule of current lines), characters of any sort, umber hulks, giants, goblins, orcs, ogres, dragons, mind flayers, trolls, maniticores, slimes, oozes, etc. Another set of these is simply boring.

How about some sculpts for creatures for which there are no sculpts, whether in production or out of production?

Here are all of the AD&D monsters I have been unable to find an accurate (in terms of scale and appearance) miniature for (of 1004 possible figures I have been able to find miniatures to represent 573 or ca. 57%). Admittedly, some just don't translate into miniatures or are just not practical (e.g., respectively, cerebral parasite and blue whale). Others, there are miniatures for but your chance of finding one of these OOP rarities is virtually nil (e.g., Snake, Giant, Amphisbaena - C22 by Citadel). Finally, some are in a context not so useful for tactical representation (e.g., a chatting gynosphinx instead of one standing or threatening to attack or a mastadon with a huge howda when you need a wild mastadon):

Afanc
Agathion
Algoid
Al-Mi'raj
Anhkheg (the recent Hasbro platic one is pretty short)
Apparition
Ascomoid
Aspis, Cow
Astral Searcher
Atomie
Aurumvorax
Babbler
Baboon
Baku
Barkburr
Barracuda
Basidrond
Bat, Doombat
Beaver, Giant
Bee, Giant, Bumblebee
Behemoth
Berbalang
Blindheim
Bloodthorn
Boalisk
Bodak
Boggart
Booka
Bookworm
Bowler
Brain Mole
Buckwan
Buffalo
Bunyip
Camel, Wild
Caryatid Column
Cat, Elfin
Cat, Hellcat
Cat, Wild
Caterwaul
Catfish, Giant
Cattle, Wild
Cattle, Wild, Bull
Cave Cricket
Cave Moray
Choke Creeper
Cifal
Clubnek
Coffer Corpse
Crane, Giant
Crayfish, Giant
Crimson Death
Crocodile, Giant
Crysmal
Daemon, Greater, Oinodaemon (Anthraxus)
Daemon, Greater, Ultrodaemon
Daemon, Lesser, Derghodaemon
Daemon, Lesser, Hydrodaemon
Daemon, Lesser, Yagndaemon
Daemon, Mezzodaemon (a recent Hasbro one has 4 arms not 2)
Daemon, Nycadaemon
Demodand, Farastu (Tarry)
Demodand, Kelubar (Slime)
Demodand, Shator (Shaggy)
Demon, Lord, Juiblex
Demon, Lord, Kostchtchie
Demon, Lord, Lolth (in spider form)
Demon, Major, Nabassu
Demon, Minor, Babau
Demon, Minor, Bar-Lgura
Demon, Minor, Rutterkin
Demon, Prince, Fraz-Urb'luu (Prince Of Deception)
Demon, Semi-, Alu-
Demon, Semi-, Cambion
Denzelian
Devil, Arch-, Baalzebul
Devil, Arch-, Dispater
Devil, Arch-, Geryon
Devil, Arch-, Mammon
Devil, Arch-, Moloch
Devil, Duke, Amon
Devil, Duke, Bael
Devil, Duke, Hutijin
Devil, Duke, Titvilus
Devil, Least, Nupperibo
Devil, Least, Spined
Devil, Lesser, Abishai, Blue
Devil, Lesser, Abishai, Green
Devil, Lesser, Abishai, Red
Devil, Lesser, Abishai, White
Devil, Princess, Glasya
Diakk
Dire Corby
Disenchanter
Dog, Elven (Coshee)
Dog, Moon
Dog, Wild
Dolphin
Dragon Horse
Dragon, Cloud
Dragon, Faerie
Dragon, Mist
Dragon, Oriental, Li Lung (Earth Dragon)
Dragon, Oriental, Lung Wang (Sea Dragon)
Dragon, Oriental, Pan Lung (Coiled Dragon)
Dragon, Oriental, Shen Lung (Spirit Dragon)
Dragon, Oriental, T'ien Lung (Celestial Dragon)
Dragon, Oriental, Yu Lung (Carp Dragon)
Dragon, Platinum (Bahamut) (hasbro version is too big)
Dragon, Shadow
Dragonfish
Dragonfly, Giant
Drelb (Haunting Custodian)
Dune Stalker
Dustdigger
Eagle
Ear Seeker
Eblis
Eel, Electric
Eel, Electric (Marine)
Eel, Giant
Eel, Weed
Elemental Princes of Evil, Cryonax — Prince of Evil Cold Creatures
Elemental Princes of Evil, Imix — Prince of Evil Fire Creatures
Elemental Princes of Evil, Ogremoch — Prince of Evil Earth Creatures
Elemental Princes of Evil, Olhydra — Princess of Evil Water Creatures
Elemental Princes of Evil, Yan-C-Bin — Prince of Evil Aerial Creatures
Elf, Aquatic
Elf, Grugach
Enveloper
Eye Killer
Eye of Fear and Flame
Eye, Floating
Falcon, Large
Falcon, Small
Firedrake
Firefly, Giant (Firefriend)
Flail Snail
Flightless Bird
Flind
Flumph
Fly, Giant, Bluebottle
Fly, Giant, Horsefly
Foo Creature, Lion
Forester' Bane (Snapper Saw)
Forlarren
Fox, Hoar
Froghemoth
Frost Man
Galeb Duhr
Galltrit
Gambado
Gar, Giant
Garbug, Black
Garbug, Violet
Gargoyle, Marlgoyl
Genie, Dao
Giant, Fog
Giant, Verbeeg
Gloomwing
Gnome, Deep, (Svirfneblin)
Goat, Giant
Goldbug
Gorbel
Gorilla Bear
Grig
Grim
Grippli
Grue, Elemental, Chaggrin (Earth)
Grue, Elemental, Harginn (Fire)
Grue, Elemental, Ildriss (Air)
Grue, Elemental, Varrdig (Water)
Gryph
Guardian Familiar
Hag, Sea
Haunt
Hawk, Blood
Hawk, Large
Hobgoblin, Marine (Koalinth)
Hollyphant
Hordling
Hornet, Giant
Horse, Wild
Hound of Ill Omen
Huecuva
Hybsil
Imorph
Invisible Stalker
Ixitxachitl
Jackal
Jackalwere
Jaculi
Jaguar
Jelly, Stunjelly
Jelly, Symbiotic
Jermlaine
Kamadan
Khargra
Killmoulis
Kraken
Lamprey, Giant
Lamprey, Land
Lava Children
Leech, Giant
Leech, Throat
Leopard
Lich, Demi-
Lizard King
Lizard, Giant
Lizard, Giant, Ice
Lizard, Giant, Minotaur (Hasbro one is poorly done)
Locathah
Luck Eater
Lurker Above
Lycanthrope, Foxwoman
Lycanthrope, Seawolf, Greater
Lycanthrope, Seawolf, Lesser
Lycanthrope, Wereshark
Lynx, Giant
Magnesium Spirit
Mammoth
Mandragora
Mantari
Mantis, Giant
Mantrap
Masher
Mastodon
Meenlock
Mephit, Fire
Mephit, Lava
Mephit, Smoke
Mephit, Steam
Mihstu
Miner
Minimal
Modrone, Base, Duodrone
Modrone, Base, Modrone
Modrone, Base, Pentadrone
Modrone, Base, Quadrone
Modrone, Base, Tridrone
Modrone, Hierarch, Decaton
Modrone, Hierarch, Hexton
Modrone, Hierarch, Nonaton
Modrone, Hierarch, Octon
Modrone, Hierarch, Primus
Modrone, Hierarch, Quarton
Modrone, Hierarch, Quinton
Modrone, Hierarch, Secundus
Modrone, Hierarch, Septon
Modrone, Hierarch, Tertian
Mold (any - although there is a rare Grenadier Wizzards & Warriors sculpt)
Morkoth
Muckdweller
Naga, Water
Needleman
Nonafel, "Child"
Nonafel, "Parent"
Obliviax (Memory Moss)
Octopus, Giant
Oliphant
Ooze, Crystal
Opinicus
Osquip
Otter
Otter, Giant
Otter, Sea
Pech
Penanggalan
Pernicon
Phantom
Phycomid
Piercer
Pike, Giant
Planetar
Poltergeist
Porcupine, Giant
Portuguese Man-O-War, Giant
Prehistoric Creature, Anatosaurus
Prehistoric Creature, Ankisaurus
Prehistoric Creature, Ankylosaurus
Prehistoric Creature, Antrodemus (Allosaurus)
Prehistoric Creature, Apatosaurus (Brontosaurus)
Prehistoric Creature, Archelon Ischyras
Prehistoric Creature, Baluchitherium
Prehistoric Creature, Brachiosaurus
Prehistoric Creature, Camarasaurus
Prehistoric Creature, Camptosaurus
Prehistoric Creature, Ceratosourus
Prehistoric Creature, Cetiosaurus
Prehistoric Creature, Compsognathus
Prehistoric Creature, Dacentrurus
Prehistoric Creature, Deinonychus
Prehistoric Creature, Dilophosaurus
Prehistoric Creature, Dimetrodon
Prehistoric Creature, Dinichtys
Prehistoric Creature, Diplodocus
Prehistoric Creature, Elasmosaurus
Prehistoric Creature, Euparkeria
Prehistoric Creature, Gorgosaurus
Prehistoric Creature, Iguanadan
Prehistoric Creature, Kentrosaurus
Prehistoric Creature, Lambeosaurus
Prehistoric Creature, Mamenchisaurus
Prehistoric Creature, Massopondylus
Prehistoric Creature, Megalosourus
Prehistoric Creature, Monoclonius
Prehistoric Creature, Mosasaurus
Prehistoric Creature, Nothosaurus
Prehistoric Creature, Ornitholestes
Prehistoric Creature, Paleoscincus
Prehistoric Creature, Pentaceratops
Prehistoric Creature, Plateosaurus
Prehistoric Creature, Plesiosaurus
Prehistoric Creature, Podokesaurus
Prehistoric Creature, Pterosaur, Giant
Prehistoric Creature, Stegosaurus
Prehistoric Creature, Struthiomimus
Prehistoric Creature, Styracosaurus
Prehistoric Creature, Tanystropheus
Prehistoric Creature, Tennodontosaurus
Prehistoric Creature, Teratosaurus
Prehistoric Creature, Triceratops
Protein Polymorph
Quaggoth
Quasi-Elemental, Lightning
Quickling
Quipper
Qullan
Ram
Ram, Giant
Raven
Raven, Huge
Ray, Manta
Ray, Pungi
Retch Plant
Retriever
Revenant
Rhinoceros
Rhinoceros, Woolly
Rot Grub
Rothe
Sandling
Sandman
Screaming Devilkin
Scum Creeper
Sea Horse, Giant
Sea Lion
Selkie
Shadow Mastiff
Shark, Giant (Megalodon)
Shocker
Skeleton, Animal
Skulk
Skunk
Skunk, Giant
Slaad, Lord, Ssendam
Slime Creature
Slithering Tracker
Slug, Giant (like the size of a small house as in the MM)
Snake, Fire
Snake, Giant, Amphisbaena (rare casting C22 Citadel)
Snake, Giant, Sea
Solifugid, Giant
Son of Kyuss
Sphinx, Criosphinx
Sphinx, Hieracosphinx
Spider, Giant, Water (Marine)
Spriggan
Squealer
Squirrel, Carniverous Flying
Squirrel, Giant, Black
Stench Kow
Stone Guardian
Strangle Weed
Su-Monster
Sundew, Giant
Swan
Swanmay
Swordfish
Tabaxi
Tasloi
Tentamort
Terithran
Termite, Giant Harvester, Soldier
Termite, Giant Harvester, Worker
Thork
Thought Eater
Thunder Beast
Thunderherder
Tiger
Tiger Fly
Tiger, Sabre-Tooth (Smilodon)
Time Elemental
Tirapheg
Titanothere
Toad, Giant, Ice
Transposer
Tree, Black Willow
Tree, Hangman
Tri-Flower Frond
Trilloch
Triton
Troll, Spirit
Turtle, Giant (see also Dinosaur, Archelon)
Turtle, Giant, Sea
Turtle, Giant, Snapping
Tween
Twilight Bloom
Umpleby
Urchin, Black
Urchin, Green
Urchin, Land
Urchin, Red
Urchin, Silver
Urchin, Yellow
Ustilagor
Vagabond
Vegepygmy, Thornie
Verme
Vision
Vodyanoi
Vortex
Vulchling
Vulture
Vulture, Giant
Wasp, Giant
Webbird
Whale (any sort)
Whale, Narwhale
Whipweed
Will-O-(the)-Wisp
Wind Walker
Witherstench
Witherweed
Wolf, Dire
Wolf-In-Sheep's-Clothing
Wolfwere
Worm, Purple (many have been done but all too small)
Worm, Mottled
Worm, Rockworm (Thoqqua)
Worm, Tenebrous
Worm, Tunnel
Xag-Ya
Xaren
Xeg-Yi
Yellow Musk Creeper
Yellow Musk Zombie
Yeth Hound
Zombie, Monster
Zorbo
Zygom


Futures Bright,

Paul

Paul

Out of interest and to keep the ball in play -when you're on a campaign which of the considerable list do YOU find yourself commonly wishing there was either a) a figure for at all, b) a better figure than exists?

1 or 2 examples perhaps. Also, continuing that line if it is b) above, could you link an example figure and what you feel is wrong with it? What is it missing in your eyes? Character is a common complaint (I remember the early Citadel figures -plenty of it). Or is it just to busy, or no focus on it being what it is meant to be rather than a sculpting showcase?

Howdy,

Anomaly Miniatures wrote:Out of interest and to keep the ball in play -when you're on a campaign which of the considerable list do YOU find yourself commonly wishing there was either a) a figure for at all, b) a better figure than exists?

a) Jubilex, Lolth in spider form, Nycadaemon, Giant Crayfish, Froghemoth,  Giant Ice Toad, Giant Wasp, etc. All from my above list.

b) Purple worm, ankheg, gynosphinx, and giant slug.

All have been done but are way below their properly scaled size or in non-tactical poses. I mean, if it is a miniature for gameplay it is going to be used for combat, right? Non-tactical miniatures are just for dioramas and show.

Here is an example of a properly scaled but improperly posed Reaper figure (at least for tactical purposes):



Here is a better tactical version but now moves away from the female gynosphinx:



There is a great Archive one but it is way too small. Same for the Grenadier one.

There is a Dragontooth one but that is way too rare and I am not even sure if is the right scale. I'd have to find one first. (I believe lucyjoice has one.) Here it is:




Futures Bright,

Paul

Those are 2 good suggestions, but just to look at this from an economic point-of-view:

1. How many pumpkin headed bugbears or gynosphinxs would you buy? 1 I would imagine at most.

2. How many people place these into play in the 1st place? I don't believe they are very common.

So from a production stance it would be a creating a specialty figure that few people would buy and when they did they wouldn't buy many.

The reverse of course is the thug-scenario or other group based figure (n.b., 'group'). A flexible MOB, used frequently in one capacity or another and usually several are bought.

These comments are in no way meant to eclipse the wonderful feedback so far, but whatever I produce, it needs to make money and the surest path to do that (and so continue making the miniatures people can use (inc., the low frequency ones) is to offer something that everyone uses, often and in larger numbers.

Looking at the issue from that perspective, what would you suggest?