FAQ :
The models look pretty fragile, will they stand up to tabletop gaming?
They should do! Trollcast plastic is pretty tough and strong as you can see from videos that Ed has posted. If they do break, teh breaks are very clean so it shouldnt be too difficult to fix. I'll probably do some experimentation with this to get a better answer though!
Some of these things look weird for weird sake, what gives?
Blame "The Doctor who monster book" I saw as a 4 year old kid. As I grew up Hard sci-fi authors like Robert L Forward and Olaf Stapledon became bigger inspirations. I'm also obsessed with deep sea life. I don't think my stuff is really that unique/original when you take all that in mind, it's just fairly uncommon in larger skirmish games. If I had to explain it, it's the appeal of the sillohettes - I really prefer them to more common designs. In Short? I love squiggly things!
Do you expect to make a living from this stuff?
Not really. I'm more than aware this is a very small niche and it's more of a personal hobby - and I have fairly low expectations for future sales. I'd just like to give the tabletop gaming world some unique and cool aliens.
What will the prices be like?
For starters I'm no Bob Naismith or Jes Goodwin and while I am happy with what I make I know my skills don't measure up to those sculpting giants and nor do I have the ability to create those high quality multi-part kits. The prices reflect this, you'll be able to get about 22-30 models for about £35 and that's the standard size of a game of PA.
When is your game coming out?
I really have no idea to be honest! Theres so much work ahead of me and it's all so new. The goal is to make 40 kits, that's 10 per faction. It's already taken nearly 2 years and I am just over halfway. Beyond that, I am working on the rules and I need to get artwork, and then these kits need to be moulded and cast up. I'd like to say give it another year or so but I can't give any guarantees.
How many Factions will there be?
I'd like as many as possible and have ideas for as many as 21 but I'd like to focus on the first four to begin with, if those go well and they sell then I will expand as much as I can. I would like a minimal of 10 and that's what I will try to achieve.
Some of the races sound more "Pulpy"?
Yep! I love my pulp sci-fi cheese. There is a race of alien plants because I was a huge fan of Day of the Triffids and always thought killer plants needed more exposure. Is an army of killer plants considered a garden though? There is a faction of giant disembodied brains inspired from those old 50's killer brain films as well as more recent stuff like Super metroid and Doom. There are a few other pulp style factions too but those are the two I really want to get made.
What are your biggest influences?
Classic Dr who episodes, 50's b-movies, hard sci-fi writers and deep sea documentaries that I watch when I should probably be sleeping.
What about the Tolathian sci-fi web show?
Like the miniatures-game, I always wanted to make my own sci-fi show since I was a kid - this will take years and years most likely. I'll post updates when I have them, but I'm starting right at the bottom and need to work myself up. In short : A very long time.
What are your favourite sci-fi aliens?
From Dr who I would say the Gel-Guards and Krynoids. In general? Triffids, the Crystaline entity from Star trek, the Vorlons from Babylon5.
