Printable Scenery Returns to Kickstarter with Apocalypse Ruins Modular Wargaming and RPG Terrain

As a tabletop gamer I remember quite clearly the first time that I heard about desktop 3D printing. A fellow gamer had come into the store that I used to manage and showed me a video on YouTube of a machine that could print 3D models out of plastic, layer by layer. It was one of the most amazing things that I had ever seen, and we both found ourselves excited at the prospect of being able to design and create our own gaming terrain and miniatures. It was evident that the technology wasn’t quite yet at the point where it could produce the level of detail that we would have liked; this was 2010 after all, but we both knew that eventually it would get there.

3D printed scenery before painting.

At the time we envisioned the top miniature wargaming companies releasing files of 3D printable terrain, and even custom accessories and figures. Unfortunately none of the major companies have gotten around to doing that yet, but that hasn’t stopped other companies and gamers from filling the void themselves. One of the first, and honestly best, 3D printable terrain companies is Printable Scenery, a group of New Zealand-based digital artists and animators who started up the company in between their day jobs working for the Wellington film and television production industry. They produce scenery that is nicer than most mass produced, traditionally manufactured terrain, and because it simply needs to be 3D printed, it’s incredibly affordable.

The scenery is completely modular.

Printable Scenery has just launched their second Kickstarter campaign for a new line of modular scenery that can be customized in hundreds of configurations. The Apocalypse Ruins system was designed to work with the standard 50 x 50mm and 100 x 100mm (2 inch by 2 inch) terrain building system, and they work especially well with any 28mm Wargames and tabletop role playing games. However the terrain is easily scaled up or down without losing too much detail, so they could be used in almost any scale game, even 15mm. There are three different styles available, and each set is available as its own base pledge level with several stretch goals available.

The Historic WWII Ruins include a modular French farmhouse set that includes a ruined farmhouse model and a modular trench system that looks incredibly period accurate. The set also includes reworked versions of their fences and the Stalingrad Ruins from an earlier set of terrain. The Sci-Fi Gothic Ruins (coughWarhammer40kcough) set includes a 14-piece trench system and modular gothic ruins that can be assembled into multiple building and structures. It also includes a reworked version of the Imperial Armoury building. And the final option is the Stone Ruins set that includes a massive 200-piece selection of modular parts that can be combined into dungeons, outdoor ruins or massive crumbling stone structures. The set will also include several ruined versions of their Winterdale fantasy buildings.

Just as with their previous, massively successful Kickstarter campaign for the full Winterdale Medieval Fantasy Citadel collection, the Apocalypse Ruins campaign was designed to hit its funding goal early and add a bunch of awesome stretch goals to choose from. With more than two weeks to go, the Kickstarter has already blown past its original goal and has raised more than $28,000, unlocking almost all of the stretch goals along the way. The stretch goals include amazing designs like a science fiction walkway and ruined walls, towers, archways and even a full Christian abbey. Printable Scenery is also including a ton of free bonus items like cavern tiles, hedges and even a full-sized Frigate.

The 3D printable frigate will be a free add-on for Apocalypse Ruins backers.

Backers of the campaign can select one of the three base sets for a $30 pledge, two of the base sets for $50 or all three sets and all of the bonus items for $88. You can check out the Apocalypse Ruins campaign on Kickstarter here, and you can learn more about the company and purchase any of their earlier 3D printable terrain files on the Printable Scenery website here. Discuss further over in the 3D Printed Terrain by Printable Scenery forum at 3DPB.com.

You can see the Kickstarter campaign video here: