Sep 7, 2016 | By Andre
One of the coolest things about crowdfunding is that sometimes when someone has a new idea (often with modest expectations) it becomes quickly known that others around become just as excited about the idea as the project creator.
Case in point is Dragonlock, a 3D printed dungeon gaming terrain system that aimed to raise $500 but ended up with a blistering $104,426 total during its run in 2015. Well, less than a year later the team that brought you the original is at it again with Dragonlock 2 and they’re off to an equally impressive start.
So what’s all the fuss really about? In short, it is a patent pending interlocking terrain system that lets you create modular, multi-level models from your RPG or war game on just about any filament based desktop 3D printer. So when you contribute to the project, you are provided with all the applicable STL (3D print) files to create your own set and can subsequently print as many duplicates to grow your village as large or as small as you want.
Calling it Minecraft, but in real-life, might be a stretch but that’s one of the first things that came to my mind when I started researching the project. And when you wonder about the worth of spending money for a file that you still need to make yourself, it will please you to know that a standard wall piece will only run about $0.25 worth of raw 3D printer material. For anyone that is used to paying an arm and a leg for hobby related kits this is a steal any way you slice it.
Part of the patent-pending design of what makes Dragonlock tick is the easy to store, interlocking E-Z LOCK system based on its derivative 10 years in the making. From a pledge perspective, the more you contribute, the more files you have access to. For starters, a $15 pledge will get you cobble stone tiles, $30 Timber Frame buildings, $45 Fieldstone buildings all the way up to fireplace, beds, and really everything else below (and the stretch goals) for $89.
From a 3D printing perspective, the sample 3D prints were done at 100 - 150 micron so they’re crisp and high resolution. Of course, custom settings will speed up your sets if you want to get going quicker. With the largest piece coming out at 4”x4”, most desktop 3D printers are capable of getting your set printed and PLA is a perfectly suitable material options for what looks like a system designed to print without supports.
And while the multicolor textures on display on many of the Kickstarter promotional photos, it’s likely that you’l need to paint or finish your own prints to give you the feeling of being transported into a medieval fantasy world. Lastly, if you can’t wait for the final delivery of all the pledge rewards in mid-2017, it is worth noting that thingiverse user donsamyo has been similarly themed pieces at a sustained, albeit slightly slower pace, and his pieces are free for anyone with a 3D printer to download and print today.
Posted in 3D Printing Application
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Wow, they reached their goal of $500 in 30 minutes? Amazing!/s
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