Digital Rewards Pack available now!
almost 3 years ago – Fri, Jul 14, 2023 at 10:24:58 AM

Greetings, Radiants! This update is all about the Digital Rewards Pack. As production continues on physical pledge rewards, we’re excited to begin delivering this pack of print-ready miniatures.

Getting Your Rewards

Yesterday we started activating the Digital Rewards pack in BackerKit. By now, you should have received an email from BackerKit if you:

• Pledged at the Miniatures & Figurines pledge level
• Pledged at the All-In pledge level, or
• Selected the Digital Rewards Pack as an Add-On

The email contains instructions to log into BackerKit and download your personal files for the miniatures. These files are linked to your BackerKit account and can be downloaded at any time, so there’s no rush to get them right away. Once you have the files, you will need to unzip them (which can be done on any PC or Mac). Then you’ll have access to your 3D-printable STL files!

Here are some notes on the downloads you'll see on BackerKit: 

• Each model is available in two formats: with and without supports. The miniatures in the photo above were printed using the pre-supported files, so we know they work! But many people will prefer to customize their own supports.
• In the initial batch of files we sent, some of the "standard" STLs had a file compatibility issue. Your BackerKit downloads page will now have an Updated Standard STLs file that corrects that issue.
• We're making some updates to the Bridge Four Display stand STL before we post it. Because it's too large for many home printers, we're splitting it into two files. We plan to have that posted by early next week.

We know that 3D printing can be a finicky process, so feel free to ask us questions in the comments below! If you're new to 3D printing, keep in mind that these are highly detailed models that will look best on resin printers (there are some good options under $300 from Elegoo, Phrozen and Creality). 

Always Another Secret

Most of the miniatures in the Digital Rewards Pack are also included in the Army Builders Pack. During the campaign, we announced that the Chull as a digital exclusive. When we finalized this pack, we decided to add a couple of surprise bonus miniatures! You’ll see an alternate pose of the male Shardbearer, and a new female generic Shardbearer with two poses based on official designs by Ben McSweeney.

These are a special bonus for the digital pack, created after we needed to lock designs for physical rewards. We hope you enjoy them!

Bring Out Your Inner Lightweaver

With more than 12,000 of you are receiving these files, we figure a bunch of folks are going to start printing and painting miniatures this summer. To ease you into the process, we connected with one of our favorite miniature painters, Elle Firespray.

Not only did she do a beautiful job, she also created step-by-step painting guides for the Chull and every character in the Army Builders pack! (The steps in the Shardbearer guide are applicable to all four Shardbearer poses.) High-res versions of the painting guides are included in the download links from BackerKit, but you can also preview them on our website:

• Priming Tutorial
• Chull Tutorial
• Alethi Tutorial
• Parshendi Warrior Tutorial
• Parshendi Archer Tutorial
• Shardbearer Tutorial

While you wait to receive your Official Paint Set, you can use any paint and primer you like (from manufacturers like The Army Painter, Citadel Colour, or Green Stuff World) if you want to get a head start on painting. Whatever type of paint you use, Elle’s guides should convey the right techniques to produce great-looking miniatures!

Sizing Up Your New Collection

One of the most frequent asked question during the campaign has been “how big are the miniatures”? Miniature scales are confusing and not 100% consistent across manufacturers. We also made one change during the campaign, adjusting down the size of our miniature bases (while maintaining the impressive size of our miniatures).

Our unpainted miniatures vary dramatically in height, from Lift (who’s in a sliding pose that makes her just 22 mm tall) to our generic Shardbearer (who’s 72 mm from the bottom of his base to the tip of his enormous Shardblade) but most are around 45 mm tall. We’ve worked to keep their relative sizes as accurate as possible, and every unpainted miniature has a 30 mm base.

Here’s how they compare in size to the painted figurines. For context, the final Kaladin figurine is 76 mm/3” tall here and the Shallan figurine is 72 mm/2.8” tall.

Always the Next Step

While we’re glad to deliver this first pledge reward, we’re continuing to work hard to finalize production and proceed to shipping. As we shared in our last update, fulfillment timing will be post-August. But next month we will be locking addresses, and we’ll send another update before we do. Thank you for your support, trust, and patience as we work to deliver this line of awesome collectibles!

Stormlight Collectibles June Update
about 3 years ago – Thu, Jun 08, 2023 at 01:36:28 PM

Greetings, Radiants! Stormlight Premium Miniatures are now in production, which means that today’s update is full of sneak peeks at the final product. We also have exciting news to share about the Digital Rewards Pack, and an overall timeline update.

Production Samples

After the lengthy pre-production and tooling phases of the project, we’re now seeing actual production samples! We’re really happy with how these miniatures look and feel. The detail is impressive, the proportions look great, and the material is high-quality.

Here’s a look at some of the miniatures from our 7-Packs, looking great even when they’re unpainted:

Here are a few more of our favorite protagonists, shown atop the Bridge Four accessory stand:

The Gargantuan Chasmfiend looks suitably imposing:

Painted figurines are also coming along nicely! Here’s a look at Szeth with Nightblood:

We’re very happy with these, and making good headway on our production quotas.

Clashing Storms

The most complex piece in this project is the Clashing Storms high-end statue. It’s also the piece that has required the closest supervision from Brotherwise and Dragonsteel. We’ve made adjustments to ensure the poses are dynamic, capturing a moment of midair battle. At the same time, we’ve worked to ensure the shapes and materials can stand up to shipping. The result is looking great:

This video is directly from the factory and this sample has not been fully approved by Brotherwise or Dragonsteel yet, but it’s getting very close! We’re adding subtle improvements like more airbrushing on Szeth’s jacket, while fine-tuning important details like Kaladin’s skin tone.

Whether you choose to display Kaladin and Szeth together or as individual statues, we’re confident you’ll love this premium sculpture.

Timeline Update

When the campaign closed last year, we immediately revised our delivery date from July to “late summer” 2023. Thanks to the tremendous success of the campaign, we added several unexpected stretch goals. It took extra time to get those characters right, and we’ve hit a few points in the process where achieving our desired quality took extra rounds of iteration and review.

We’re proceeding well, but overseas shipping is a time-consuming step, so we still don’t expect rewards to reach backers until after August. As we get closer to the end of summer, we’ll keep you updated on that date, and alert you when shipping addresses need to be finalized. But we’d like to assure you that this isn’t a case of indefinite delays or major challenges on our end. We’re on top of everything, and take our commitment to you (and Dragonsteel) very seriously.

Digital Rewards Pack

We’ve have good news for backers who purchased the Digital Rewards Pack that includes STLs of our Army Builder characters. We will be delivering those files in July! STL files (with and without supports) will be available to anyone who purchased that Add-On or the higher pledge levels.

Here’s a look at some 3D printed samples including multiple Alethi and Parshendi soldiers, two Shardbearers, and two Chulls (with and without rockbuds). We’ll provide these files next month, along with painting guides for anyone who wants to get a head start on their collection.

Thank You!

We’re grateful for your patience and positivity as we push this campaign across the finish line. As passionate fans, our goal has always been to do right by everyone in the Cosmere community. Thank you for your support, and please reach out to us if you have any questions. Journey Before Destination!

On to Production!
about 3 years ago – Thu, Apr 27, 2023 at 07:09:21 PM

Greetings, Radiants!

It’s time for another update on Stormlight Premium Miniatures, and today we’ve reached an important manufacturing milestone. Phase one of tooling is complete! That means our next step is actual production.

Building die-cast tools (the molds for our injection-molding process) is one of the most time-consuming steps of any mass manufacturing project. Now that we have a large batch of approved tooling, we’ll be able to start production and assembly on our figurines and many of our miniatures.

Photos from the Factory

The next part of the process is fun because it’s when we start to get more photos of how the final miniatures are going to look. Here’s a bunch of new photos, including our first close look at Wit. (He was the last miniature design that Brandon approved because it was really important to get him right!)

Here’s a first look at a production-quality sample of a Painted Figurine: Adolin in Shardplate!

As we wait for more painted figurine samples, we’re also reviewing and refining the resin statue. At the same time, other members of our team are working on the packaging and painting guide. We’re really happy with how everything is going!

What about STLs?

We’ve been hearing from a few fans who are eager for the Digital Rewards Pack, and those are our next priority. Up to this point, our focus has been on the physical rewards because manufacturing is such a labor-intensive, lengthy process. With everything going well on that front, we’re turning our attention to updating the STLs and doing some tests to make sure they’re compatible with a wide range of printers. You can expect more details on file delivery in our next Kickstarter update.

Along the way, we’ve also added a couple of variant poses to the Digital Rewards Pack and the physical Army Builders Pack! Now the Alethi Spearman and Parshendi Warrior each have a variant. That way, all six “army” miniatures are unique, no matter what pledge level you chose. 

Otherwise at Brotherwise

Delivering this campaign is our top priority, but now that most of the work is on the factory side, we’re busy developing more great products with Dragonsteel for 2024 and beyond. The biggest of those is the Stormlight RPG. For an update on that project (including the art process for this Azish Windrunner illustration), here’s a quick video from the Creative Director for that project, Johnny O’Neal:

The image above links to our TikTok page, and you can also view it on Instagram. We’re currently in version 1.1 of closed alpha playtesting, but backers of this Kickstarter will be the first people we contact when we move to larger beta testing. If you have questions about the project, feel free to share them here on on our Twitter account.

Thank You!

As always, thank you for your support …and for your patience as we work on your rewards. Right now our goal is to provide update articles every 4-6 weeks. Some folks would like more updates, while others only want to hear from us when there’s must-read news. You can always adjust your notification settings, and keep in mind that we’ll use the update title to communicate when there’s really big news. Between updates, you can also reach us anytime via email or direct message!

Manifesting in the Physical Realm
over 3 years ago – Wed, Mar 08, 2023 at 06:43:51 PM

Greetings, Radiants! Today we’re sharing a look behind the scenes of the Stormlight Premium Miniatures project. We don’t have any huge news and there are no action items for you, but we think it’s important to keep everyone updated on the project. We also enjoy the chance to show off what we’ve been doing and hint at what’s next!

Leading up to our Kickstarter, you might say that most of our work took place in the Cognitive Realm. As Brandon and Isaac said in our launch day video, this was a visual development project first, merchandise project second. Making awesome miniatures and figurines was our our most obvious mission, but it was just as important that these 3D models could be used for a range of projects. We love that these official character designs are now the basis for artwork in Book 5, the RPG, and more!

For the first couple of months after our Kickstarter ended, we focused on finalizing characters and adding new designs that were unlocked as stretch goals during the campaign. Since then, we’ve been working closely with the factory to bring our designs into the Physical Realm, a process that’s time-consuming but rewarding.

First Look at Prototypes

Right now our we’re conducting a final review of physical prototypes for every miniature and figurine. Once we have a Dragonsteel-approved 3D model, we work with factory engineers to ensure that nothing will be too thin or brittle once you shrink it down to an actual miniature. After that back and forth, the factory produces physical prototypes that show exactly how the product will look at that scale.

Here’s a look at one of our larger figurines: Adolin in Shardplate! He stands about 86 mm (3.85”) tall and we think he's looking pretty great:

The six painted figurines didn’t require any adjustments to the 3D models, and we look forward to showing off the painted versions in an upcoming update.

Here are some examples of the unpainted miniatures. Each has a 30 mm (1.18”) base and a lot of great detail. At this scale, we had to scale up some weapons and exaggerate some details to ensure that everything holds up well in production:

Even with these adjustments, we’ve been able to maintain more realistic proportions than most miniatures, and we’re really happy with how these are looking at the prototype stage. We’ve worked carefully to make sure character heights are as canonical as possible (while slightly increasing the size of some smaller characters like Lift, just to make sure every miniature has great table presence).

Finally, there’s the statue! Unlike the examples above, this prototype isn’t fully approved yet, but it’s getting close:

Kaladin and Szeth's final weapons will be zinc rather than resin (which will help ensure the spear shaft stays straight), and the base will be a translucent material cast to look like white jade. We’re still sharpening some details and making various tweaks to make sure everything looks as cool as possible.

What’s Ahead

We’ve already started the next step of our process: tooling. This is one of the most time-consuming (and expensive) steps in production, when we “cut steel” and produce die-cast injection molds for every piece of every miniature. Creating, testing, and refining the molds is a weeks-long process. Luckily, we’ve already kicked this off for our painted figurines!

We’ve also completed production painting guides for each painted figurine. Here’s a look at the paint specifications for Jasnah:

At the same time, we’re working on packaging graphics to make sure those are ready to go when production begins. We want to make sure every package feels like a display-worthy collectible in its own right!

Alongside all these final steps to ensure the success of this campaign, we’re already at work on our next big Stormlight project! Johnny O’Neal, the co-founder and Creative Director of Brotherwise Games, has assembled an all-star team of RPG designers, writers, and artists. The team is working very closely with Brandon Sanderson, Dan Wells, and Isaac Stewart to ensure that this game is true to the books, a blast to play, and brimming with gorgeous illustrations.

Playtesting will begin later this year, and backers of this campaign will be first in line to try out the Stormlight RPG! If you’re interested, please sign up here. We’ll also be sure to include tidbits of RPG news in future updates for this campaign.

Rhythm of Anticipation

Thank you for your support, and for your patience as we do everything we can to deliver these collectibles at the quality you expect from Dragonsteel and Brotherwise. We’re currently at the midpoint of this project, when we’re as far from delivery as we are from the Kickstarter. Fortunately, every day brings us closer and we’re still on track for late summer delivery if everything continues to go well.

We’re always eager to answer your questions, whether you want to ask them here, on Twitter, or our Discord channel. Thanks again, and stay tuned for future updates!

BackerKit closing this Saturday
over 3 years ago – Tue, Jan 24, 2023 at 05:20:41 PM

Greetings, Radiants! Tonight we're sending one more reminder that our BackerKit is coming to a close. We also have some updates to share, including new images.

BackerKit Deadline

We've extended past our original deadline of mid-January, but this Saturday the 28th is the final day to complete your order on BackerKit.  Most of you have already completed this process, but there are still about 1,500 folks who need to input their address and process shipping fees on BackerKit. Keep in mind that even if you don't want any Add-Ons, you still need to complete this step to receive your Kickstarter rewards. To sign in, just follow this link and enter your Kickstarter email address.

If your Kickstarter email doesn't work, click on the FAQ link and scroll to the bottom for detailed instructions. We'll make sure you get your rewards!

If you've already completed this step, there's nothing you need to do at this time! For example, if you have an address change anytime in the next 5-6 months, that's no problem. We'll send another reminder in the summer to confirm shipping addresses and you can update your address at any time by logging into your Backerkit account. 

Progress Updates

After a meticulous review process with Brandon and the Dragonsteel team, every character model is now approved. Here's a look at our Zellion, Rysn, and Taln miniatures, some of the last ones we finalized:

Last month we were focused on the engineering stage, where each sculpt was reviewed by the factory to ensure it's fully production-ready. Now we're in pre-production, taking one more look at sculpts before we reach tooling, the point of no return when we "cut steel" and make the molds for all these miniatures.

At the same time, we've been working hard on our "Clashing Storms" 1:10 scale statue. Here's an updated preview that reflects the final quality. While the overall design hasn't changed much since the campaign, our lead sculptor Leander Pokorny has been refining details and textures to ensure a premium look.

We're excited to make this gorgeous showpiece a reality!

In Other News...

This next month will be our last month of intensive work on the miniatures and collectibles before everything's fully in the factory's hands. As we move past the sculpt approvals, we're finalizing things like packaging files and paint specs. After that, it's just a waiting game through the months-long process of tooling, production, and shipping. But here at Brotherwise Games, we have plenty to keep us busy!

This week, we're headed to Dragonsteel HQ for a two-day Creative Summit to work on the Stormlight RPG. That project is still shrouded in secrecy, but we've been making great progress and have pulled together a truly first-rate creative team. We're developing an original game system that's purpose-built for Stormlight storytelling, but with elements that any RPG fan should find familiar. Once we can share more, we'll reveal news (and recruit beta testers) in these updates. Stay tuned!