Figureprints lottery is over
by Mike Schramm 
Jan 16th 2009 at 8:00PM
Blizzard has posted on the official WoW site that the Figureprints lottery is over, and though there are no big news items over on the Figureprints site, all mentions of the lottery have disappeared also, so it looks like if you've been waiting for demand to clear up over there to order your figure, now's your chance. Figureprints is a company we've covered extensively here at WoW Insider - they'll make little custom statues of your character with a 3D printer. A print will run you $129.95, but if you're willing to pay for it, you can have a custom-made real-life souvenir of the toon you've spent so much time playing in game.The last time we talked to the guys over there they were working on all kinds of ways to make printing the figures easier and better, and it looks like they've found a few: Blizzard says that better methods have led to increased production, so even if you haven't heard from your lottery entry yet, odds are that you will soon. Unfortunately, they still haven't landed on a way to print out Hunter and Warlock pets to go along with those figures (their site still says they're working out how best to do it), so if you want Battlecatlol to go with your Hunter, Hemanlol, you'll have to wait a while longer.
Of course, like Rossi, you might still be saying to yourself, "what's the point?" But if you do want one, now's apparently the time to come and get it.
Filed under: Priest, Items, Analysis / Opinion, Fan stuff, Virtual selves, Blizzard
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Jguy Jan 16th 2009 8:08PM
I would just like to say the picture is of Blush of Cenarius
blkmasta55555 Jan 16th 2009 8:08PM
Any mention of shipping to EU, etc.?
mirilene Jan 16th 2009 8:10PM
I won the lottery drawing back in sept. Got mine right after blizzcon.
Came out really good. I still have the complete Tier .05 set, so i decked my mage out in Sorcerer's Regalia with a Onyxia offhand and an Azuresong Mageblade. Looks pretty damn sweet. (and no, i didnt get into much raiding in BC /tears )
Gessilea Jan 16th 2009 8:11PM
If these things were cheaper - a LOT cheaper - I'd love to have one, but at $130 bucks? No way man. In this economy I've got better things to do with my money, like saving for if I get laid off. *shrug* To each their own.
Justin Jan 16th 2009 8:18PM
Yeah man they are pricey. But that comes with any custom made good.
Ugkul Jan 16th 2009 8:22PM
One day those 3-D printers might be more common and prices may drop ten fold...
I'd love one too but yeah, not going to spend on one just yet.
Gessilea Jan 16th 2009 8:27PM
It would be fantastic to have 3D printers widely available. The amount of fun I would have had as a kid with one of those is epic.
Satn Jan 16th 2009 8:59PM
3d printing is cheap, about $2 per cm^3 and less, the painting is where they make their money.
Satn Jan 16th 2009 9:24PM
nevermind, their printer uses colored epoxy, so it's dirt cheap to make these.
Just an overpriced toy that stupid rich kids will still buy.
jason Jan 16th 2009 9:55PM
There is actually a lot of labor involved. And they are very time consuming. The thing just doesn't print one out and you're done. They are very delicate when they are done and it takes a skilled person much like an archeologist to remove the dust and sort of un-bury the statue from the printer without breaking it. They may not come out right either or break in the process and have to be redone.
Also they use custom software to create these, you can't just take the wow model and hit print.
I listened to an Instance podcast when they had the founder of figureprints on and he explained the entire process. It was very interesting.
Jerrell Jan 16th 2009 8:19PM
At Blizzcon they had some amazing hunter/pet combos, which they did say they were working on. The were printed out individually, ie. not on the same base. Hopefully, sometime soon.
I got my figureprint just last week!! Mage in Aldor (t4). Think it came out pretty sweet!
Elmirah Jan 16th 2009 8:49PM
My roommate got one of these. Figureprints shipped the figure so that the dome was well protected in the packaging, but the figure was not (the dome comes sealed). It arrived at our doorstep in a battered box and when she opened it up, she found that the figure was - literally - in several pieces. The packaging for these things is hideous. Good luck getting one sent to you in one piece. On top of that, the quality of the pieces we saw inside was hideous. It was made of a porous material and the colors were all washed-out and awful looking, and there was little to no detail.
Maybe worth $50 for the novelty of it, but definitely not worth $130. She got her money back by taking pictures and sending them in, but I would NOT recommend anyone getting one of these.
Joelock Jan 16th 2009 8:54PM
Ive heard of shipping horror stories as well, and honestly think its more on the shipping provider ignoring the word "Fragile" but in every case ive heard of they've either replaced the piece at no cost or refunded the money. A Friend up in Montreal got one about 6 months ago and she loves it (Draenei Shaman in all the ZA "troll" Elemental gear + Matching Badge of Justice Gear)
perderedeus Jan 16th 2009 9:32PM
I received one of these shortly before BlizzCon. It came out nicely - I chose to get one of my main, a tauren warrior, and decked him out in Tier 1 gear, Quel'Serrar, Drillborer Disk... basically a blast from the past. The colors are a *little* washed out, but seriously not that bad, and the level of detail was impressive. The Might armor and the shield all have a number of spiky bits, and each were modeled faithfully. That impressed me the most.
With a tauren, you get a big figure for the money. Other, smaller races are sadly not as impressive :(
Ugkul Jan 16th 2009 10:54PM
They should charge half-price for gnomes!
Todd Jan 17th 2009 12:06AM
Ya had one made of my titan grip Tauren warrior. With the two huge season 2 swords the thing barely fits in the dome lol.
dreadpiraterose Jan 16th 2009 9:35PM
The price may be expensive and they may be cheap to make on the surface, but you're getting the start up and equipment cost, Satn.
- Kelly
The Convention Fans Blog
http://conventionfans.today.com
dreadpiraterose Jan 16th 2009 9:36PM
er, "forgetting" the start up cost
RetPallyJil Jan 16th 2009 9:37PM
My little RetPallyJil is looking balefully at me right now; woe betide any virus that comes after my computer ...
In short, FigurePrints rock. Everyone should have one.
Renix Jan 16th 2009 9:41PM
I won the lottery the other day just to find out they don't ship to the EU. Even after I spoke to them on the phone about it.
Oh well. One useless lottery win.
Q.Q
Meh. If someone wants my account with free lottery win reply to this first.