Hello, I've recently begun thinking about creating a line of super-detailed models with textures that could be customized by end users into virtually any configuration they want. These models would be large and complex enough to reuire shipment on one or more CDs. Some ideas include: - Castle: 75 to 100 pieces, including towers, wall segments, gates, stairs, inner courtyard building segments, etc. These could be mixed and matched to create many different scenes. Details include full room interiors, windowpanes, stairs inside towers, arrow loops, structural features, etc. - House: Modern Craftsman style home including built-in appliances, fixtures, etc. that could be assembled into one of many arrangements/floorplans - Ship: Pirate ship that could be built up as a small boat or a ship of the line - Aircraft: Fully detailed aircraft down to engine blocks, exposed wiring, instruments, etc. I'm thinking like a Cessna or something. All models would come on CD and include all textures/bumps/etc. I am considering charging $69-149 for each product, since each would be so extensive, the most expensive models having well over a gigabyte of content on them. What do you all think? Would you pay for this sort of product? What would you like to see made? Thanks in advance! Anthony

I am not currently interested by your product. But I thinked create a product that offers some same capabilities. And I think you must buy separately a low res one and include it freely in the full one. Because the complete product will be expensive, the low res is intend to be buy by people interested in the product but who have not enough money to buy the full one. Another advantage in doing that, people buying the complete product can use the low res figure rather than the full when the image does not need the high res one. Thing about create a image with several pirate ships on the horizon. May be the lower res model will be a good advertising for the full product. Because people may become more interested to buy the full product later. Even if its contains freely the low res one. Guy

I imagine your products would be very detailed and professional. That is the key: professional. Your products would most likely be worth the price. However, you would automatically price yourself out of the reach of most people here in Renderosity. "You'd be in the big leagues, friend." Ron

Keep it as generic as possible. Of the suggestions, I think the castle and the pirate ship would do best. The house must by definition be of a specific fashion and period, thereby limiting the size of your market (think how different a television, or a hi-fi is now, compared to even 15 years ago) The aircraft; similar. How many people will want a Cessna? The castle and the tall ship on the other hand could be fudged to work in several centuries, plus fantasy. Cost is a big problem. How about selling them in modules? Say $40.00 for the basic, then $25.00 for each of the add-on bits. Agree, a low rez taster might help. I think it's the kind of thing you do because you love it, not because you want to make money. But you've been there before Anthony, right?

I agree. I think most people here do this as a hobby and can drop $10-$30 without much guilt... but more than that... and you are targetting professionals with the money to blow on higher priced items because they are expecting a return on their investment. You don't even see prices like that over at DAZ, and they produce the highest quality products available for Poser (in my opinion). You have to think about your target audience. If you make it compatible with Lightwave or higher end 3D packages and sell it at 3DCafe, you might do better with that price range since someone who blows $500+ on a rendering package probably will have a larger budget for add-ons....but again... the hobbyst isn't really going to be in your target range. Just my two cents... which with inflation is worth about .00000001 cents now.

I agree with what others have said on the pricing, I'd say $40 - $50 is about tops for any item to get a quanity sale, once you get past that you are going to get into the market shrinking in proportion to the price. I'd suggest limiting a little, maybe a Pirate ship that would go to a ship-of-the-line to a sloop of war, and go from 1700 to 1820 in design, but wouldn't go down to rowboats. You could have a couple interiors that would work on all of them, great cabin, gun deck and so on. I'd guess people would be intrested in both putting the ship into the background, like you can do with the current excellent Victory for sale in the store and putting there Poser people in it for renders. The last is going to require removable sides for interior shots and poseable parts that move from Poser dials, like gunports that open and cannons that run out. Not to mention all the touches like breeching ropes and shot garlands and rammers and stuff! I also think castles and sailing ships will do better for you than modern aircraft.

I would be interested in a good looking and realistic castle. My request would be that you would also make buildings (homes, shops, etc.) that could make up a town to be put inside the castle walls. Just my two cents :) Jay

Castles are popular, but don't forget that we already have some for sale. Pirate ships would be second in interest. Houses are nice, but I think you might be too limited because houses are so time period specific. Modern aircraft, especially high poly, would appeal to a very limited audience. There are people out there who could really use them, but most people here prefer Sci Fi and Fantasy to modern. You might do better with Sci Fi ships instead. The prices listed above aren't too steep for me, but I'm spoiled and have no life outside computers. Most people do silly things like eat, go to movies, etc. and the price would cut into their budgets. It seems like a lot of people budget for 1 - 2 items per month, so up to $40 in Poser spending per month. Your stuff would be 2 months, minimum. (I'm not saying it wouldn't be worth it, but it would make people think long and hard before buying.)

The biggest concern I would have is having sufficient computer power to actually load these as well as populate them. A gig of stuff? That's a lot of polygons, even if it means all the extras. It sounds like stripped down, we'd still be looking at half a gig, and that would put demands on even the most extensive system. Maybe scaling them back and selling them in sections (a grand hall here, an armory there) would allow the flexibility as well as the price factor. I'm sure people here would love high-rez, high-detailed architecture, but as several have pointed out, price becomes an issue.

SHips would be great.... we were talking about that the other day.. especially a "ship pack" but what everyone is saying about pricing is on the mark. I would LOVE to have Dragon Studio but I simply can't afford 80 bucks. It's not to say maybe your product would not be worth it.. but as someone said (Ron, I think) you instantly put yourself out of range. Supply and demand says you must enter at the crossroads of desire and willingness to pay. I'm sure many would be wanting this product... but if you put yourself above it's ability to make money it does you no good to have it that high. Ultimately you could make more with a smaller price point simply because more would get it. Anz

You need to limit what you make and offer it in the $20 to $30 range, based on other peoples prices.

A big THANKS for all the feedback! I've done this as a hobby and am thinkingof expanding it. So your real world feedback is wonderful :-)

shouldn't this thread be in the "Product Showcase forum" ?

I have bought 2 cds so far.. one was the Dragon Factory, and the other was the Costume Shop from Daz. The trick is to put a whole lot of neato cool stuff in it and advertise the heck out of it and sell it for as reasonable a price as you can while still making some money on it - which isn't the easiest thing to balance. Good luck! " shouldn't this thread be in the "Product Showcase forum" ? " Shouldn't you be in the nit-pickers forum?

Dragon factory is a bargain at $82 and I'm gonna buy it soon. I realize that a lot of folks here (including myself, at this point) are hobbyists and most don't feel comfortable budgeting a whole lot of dough for it. Some do. I don't mind because I plan on going pro some day. What you described above is an very comprehensive, detailed and labor-intensive line of products and one that you should be paid for fairly. If your product lives up to the ideal you've set forth, your suggested price range is very reasonable. Like the others, I'd suggest a resolution scale, perhaps with an upgrade option: buy the structure models and lo-res textures without so many props or other items at one price, with the option to upgrade to hi-res and all items. Kind of like DAZ handle the Vicki and Mike upgrades. With regard to what to build: keep it universal and really customizable. You don't want to sell something that everybody is going to get burned out on right away. The castle is a great idea and I'd probably buy it myself. Also, when building, keep in mind that you could change the whole character of the place with a later release of "texture packs." What you build as a castle keep and dungeon now could be a Renaissance manor next year with a fresh coat of "paint". Best of luck to you.

"nit-pickers forum" Didn't know you had started one Petunia :)

WHY do many of these threads descend into bickering?

I saw the thread in Product showcase first & posted this there, I'm going to duplicate my comments here, in hopes Anthony might get more feedback on my list of suggestions (some editing) Castles and modern houses, (even a craftsman house) have been done many many times. I'd absolutely pay for a modular Pirate ship with decent interiors; lots of scenes come to mind I'd like to do, from sunken-ship/mermaid set to sea battles. I've seen a number of postings looking for good aircrafts with interiors, up to & including commercial aircraft. I don't know if such detail to the engine components is needed, though. Other possibilities might be; Trailers & campers, Ornate Victorian cottages, Painted ladies, or Brownstones, Convenience stores like 7-11 (stocked) or fast-food franchises, Shopping Mall, A movie studio with a variety of sets, Amusement park or carnival, 1950's diner or drive-thru, Casino with showrooms, nightclub or theatre, Incan or Egyptian stone town Showboat or southern plantation Hospital or medical center Etc, etc, etc. Just a few suggestions...... G Poser users would likely be happier with lower-rez meshes that render faster, and a price range under $35.00.

Excellent list of suggestions, leather-guy.

Yeah, I like 'em :-)

Any way to break the models up, so that the final price is in th $20 - $30 range? Something like the exterior as one item, and each of the interiors as another item. Maybe the props as separate packs. That way, your total price could be in the range you would expect for the professional work you intend, but the price of each package would be something that would attract buyers in the Renderosity marketplace. - JimX

Excuse me!!! Castles are just as time specific as houses and clothes!!!!! The problem is that most people are not concientious enough to do research. I've seen far too many castles with Norman windows, Roman arches, and Gothic columns (and other wild combinations). ::ptui!:: Putting a coat of paint on a mishmash and calling it "Tudor" is something even most fantasy artists know better than to throw to the unlettered masses. Even the Victorian follies weren't that sloppy and haphazard. Now a village from a specific time and place would allow for accuracy AND variety. Suppose that you did an Old West town. You'd need a blacksmith/farrier's, bank, church, school, saloon, inn, general store, barber shop, milliner, druggist, and a dozen houses of various importance and size. A medieval Chinese city, Victorian village, Rus trading town, Greek City-State, whatever, would have different types of structures, but the same sort of variety according to purpose AND you would have integrity in the assembly. Carolly

Hey Carolly I understand the point you are making, BUT the point for Anthony is that he would need to aim wide if he wanted volume sales. Castles are period specific, but nowhere near as specific as modern day, they took too darn long to build! Also it would be quite legitimate for, say a 18thC family, to be living in what is essentially a Norman castle or chateau. The buildings last for centuries, only the outhouses, stables, and some minor decoration would need to be changed. Sharen and Mike seem to be doing pretty well on the old west town idea.