3D Printing FFXI Models - Neko-Sentai

Wintermute · 08-13-2013, 02:49 AM

I have noticed that other games have services (notably WoW) have services where companies can make a 3D print of your in game character using a 3D printer. I'm wondering if the same might be possible with FFXI character models and if anyone has tried it in the past.

For example, companies like Shapeways (http://www.shapeways.com/) will make 3D prints of objects for you if you provide a 3D computer model of the object you want (and it looks like they support DAE, OBJ, STL, X3D, X3DB, X3DV, and WRL formats).

Has anyone tried or thought about using such services (or any 3D printer) to print FFXI character models? I know it is possible with some work to get .dat files into .obj format, but if anyone has any experience 3D printing or who might be able to clarify what might be required to prepare an FFXI character (such as one you could mock up in Model Viewer) for 3D printing, I'd love to hear what you have to say.

I'll be researching this a bit on my own as well, so I'll post here if I find anything out.

Illianna · 08-15-2013, 09:35 PM

Depends on the printer model/software, but if you already have the object mocked up in the proper format and dimensions -it's not that difficult to print, and there's conversion software out there for moving from different formats. I've never worked with one that prints in multiple colors though, if you don't want to paint it I'm unsure how hard it would be to use one of those, or even if they exist. I've only used them in school or time critical fabrication applications where you're not worried about it looking great, since it's for prototyping or temp use. The costs have come down a lot, but it's still not practical from a mass production standpoint, at least outside of some niche markets. Still, if you're willing to pay to have your personalised character made, it should be a relatively simple, if somewhat expensive, process. I haven;t really messed with it recently, but when I first got into it it was cheaper to just find a 3d physical material artist to sculpt/whatever it for you.

08-13-2013, 02:49 AM	#1
Wintermute Postcount Manipulator Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: The Sprawl Posts: 2,003 Thanks: 130 Thanked 471 Times in 184 Posts	3D Printing FFXI Models I have noticed that other games have services (notably WoW) have services where companies can make a 3D print of your in game character using a 3D printer. I'm wondering if the same might be possible with FFXI character models and if anyone has tried it in the past. For example, companies like Shapeways (http://www.shapeways.com/) will make 3D prints of objects for you if you provide a 3D computer model of the object you want (and it looks like they support DAE, OBJ, STL, X3D, X3DB, X3DV, and WRL formats). Has anyone tried or thought about using such services (or any 3D printer) to print FFXI character models? I know it is possible with some work to get .dat files into .obj format, but if anyone has any experience 3D printing or who might be able to clarify what might be required to prepare an FFXI character (such as one you could mock up in Model Viewer) for 3D printing, I'd love to hear what you have to say. I'll be researching this a bit on my own as well, so I'll post here if I find anything out.

08-15-2013, 09:35 PM	#2
Illianna Stuck on Tiamat Forum Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Florida Posts: 185 Thanks: 18 Thanked 44 Times in 29 Posts	HMM Depends on the printer model/software, but if you already have the object mocked up in the proper format and dimensions -it's not that difficult to print, and there's conversion software out there for moving from different formats. I've never worked with one that prints in multiple colors though, if you don't want to paint it I'm unsure how hard it would be to use one of those, or even if they exist. I've only used them in school or time critical fabrication applications where you're not worried about it looking great, since it's for prototyping or temp use. The costs have come down a lot, but it's still not practical from a mass production standpoint, at least outside of some niche markets. Still, if you're willing to pay to have your personalised character made, it should be a relatively simple, if somewhat expensive, process. I haven;t really messed with it recently, but when I first got into it it was cheaper to just find a 3d physical material artist to sculpt/whatever it for you.