How difficult would it be to 3D print your character?

I have no idea really about that subject, but I feel like if you could grab the 3d model then it would be relatively simple.

What do you guys think? And do you think you would do it if you could?

Print, easy.
Paint, hard, really hard.

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Originally Posted by Arcaloid

Print, easy.
Paint, hard, really hard.

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So it would be easy to get one without colour?

I just wonder how you would pull the models.

Not as easy as you'd think, but if you can rip the model, it's "possible". You'd have to make it what they call watertight, where there are no open spaces, and 2d polygons don't work unless you thicken them enough. Some of the better software can do that now, instead of doing it by hand, but it's still not quite just "rip file, send to print, awesome model!"

As for textures and color, the more expensive printers can do it (by expensive, i'm talking same cost as a car, a good new car), but there are some online services that can do it, not exactly cheap though.

It just seems like an intriguing idea. Though obviously difficult from the looks of it to accomplish.

Are we thinking of what WoW had a while back with their FigurePrints? that would be nice if SE offered something like that, i wouldn't mind ordering one of my character if they offered a service like that.

This is a really cool idea. I bet my left leg this is gonna be a big thing in the coming years. Games allowing you to download a 3D-printable schematic of your char in the gear and position of your choice, like a 3D screenshot.

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Originally Posted by Pikken

This is a really cool idea. I bet my left leg this is gonna be a big thing in the coming years. Games allowing you to download a 3D-printable schematic of your char in the gear and position of your choice, like a 3D screenshot.

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I dont know why, but something about Square just makes me think that they will never do anything like that.
They really like to keep their assets to themselves and release only whatever they specifically want you to have.

But who knows, I could be wrong.

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Originally Posted by Pikken

This is a really cool idea. I bet my left leg this is gonna be a big thing in the coming years. Games allowing you to download a 3D-printable schematic of your char in the gear and position of your choice, like a 3D screenshot.

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Haha It's actually an intellectual property nightmare for companies that like to sell merchandise, and SE is no stranger to that

Games Workshop is probably sweating bullets over this, considering their history and current business model.

If anyone finds a way to rip models from the game, please let me know! I could definitely prepare it for printing.

I'm pretty certain this is something square will never do because of the route they have chosen to take with "clipping".

If you look at a WoW character model - The gear is just a re-skin texture on the characters body, all the changes is the hair/shoulder armour, from one character to another. Nothing here clips on the character.

When you look at a FFXIV character, each piece of gear is uniquely modelled and designed, and things occasionally push through each other. Ever seen a long haired character in a White Mage robe? Every seen a player with a staff and a wide brim hat? Ever seen a miqote sit down and watched her thigh push into her waist?

Unfortunately there are so many design problems with FFXIV character models that printing them off would be more of an advertisements of their flaws then a sumptuous sculpture of superior skill.

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Originally Posted by SarcasmMisser

Haha It's actually an intellectual property nightmare for companies that like to sell merchandise, and SE is no stranger to that

Games Workshop is probably sweating bullets over this, considering their history and current business model.

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Yeah, I wonder how these IP rights work. I doubt I'm breaking any rules if I print a (2D) screenshot from a game and put it on my wall? Or maybe I can't, anyone know? :) If I can, extending this to a 3D version seems like it would be the same. And 3D printers WILL be in every home sooner or later.

And some game company will deliver this service for free and after that I wonder if anyone else can try to make money on it...

This one for the Cosplayers (Asda=Walmart) -

http://your.asda.com/news-and-blogs/3d-printing-on-tour

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Originally Posted by Pikken

Yeah, I wonder how these IP rights work. I doubt I'm breaking any rules if I print a (2D) screenshot from a game and put it on my wall? Or maybe I can't, anyone know? :) If I can, extending this to a 3D version seems like it would be the same. And 3D printers WILL be in every home sooner or later.

And some game company will deliver this service for free and after that I wonder if anyone else can try to make money on it...

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I honestly don't think I'm qualified to really give a decent answer, but it is as you said something that is going to happen. Maybe it will play out how the music industry adapted to and fought digital distribution, ie decades of incredibly messy battles to retain power over IP.

Also certain texture feel is created in-game by lightning and post-processing, and those would not exist on the pulled model. You'll probably have to do a lot of adjustments on the model before sending to print.

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Originally Posted by Pikken

Yeah, I wonder how these IP rights work. I doubt I'm breaking any rules if I print a (2D) screenshot from a game and put it on my wall? Or maybe I can't, anyone know? :) If I can, extending this to a 3D version seems like it would be the same. And 3D printers WILL be in every home sooner or later.

And some game company will deliver this service for free and after that I wonder if anyone else can try to make money on it...

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Technically, you would be infringing SE's right to make derivative works. Just one of the many of rights that are bundled up in US Copyright laws (which are very similar on an international front).However, you wouldn't be sued or anything because you're not using their copyright for commercial purposes. Your use would most likely be considered "Fair Use" based on the fair use factors.

A company, on the other hand, is a whole other story. They would have to take a license from SE even if they provided the service for free because it's one less service SE could potentially offer to a consumer base.

Maybe SE will do a XIV line of Play Arts of characters in the AF armors of the jobs (since SE makes figures). Maybe you could choose your face and whatnot so it's your character (but likely generic height and stuff, would need a lot of molds for the varying height of characters and bust sizes of females and whatnot). You'd have a pose-able figure to play with/let sit on your desk/shelf for display.

I doubt it would happen, but never know. Would be nice to have, even though some of the joints are annoyingly visible (*cough cough* Chun Li's knees)

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Originally Posted by Rostum

If anyone finds a way to rip models from the game, please let me know! I could definitely prepare it for printing.

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Do you have a 3D printer? Or is it just that you know about things in that area? (Colour me intrigued)

Would probably be best to export models to some 3D program, and pose/tweak them there.
There's ways to get models from in-game, but it was years, since i tried it, and there was quite a lot of extra work involved with it.

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Originally Posted by Zfz

Also certain texture feel is created in-game by lightning and post-processing, and those would not exist on the pulled model. You'll probably have to do a lot of adjustments on the model before sending to print.

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This is really important if you're looking into ripping game models. You would need the texture components and use them to reapply the detail in apps like Zbrush. Or you paint the details yourself with the help of photoreference which works but this will take time and isn't suited for beginners.

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Originally Posted by Nici

Are we thinking of what WoW had a while back with their FigurePrints? that would be nice if SE offered something like that, i wouldn't mind ordering one of my character if they offered a service like that.

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Saaame, I'd murder for them to do that. I'd love my Lala in 3D model form.