Hello all you wonderful MakerWorld users! For this lovely month of March, here's what I have planned for you all. I'll be updating this post as the month goes on.For Everyone on MakerWorld:Bulwark Mecha - Available HereKC-96 (BYO Space Unit) - Available HereContainer Hauler - Available HereDeep Sea Explorer - Available HereRadiant Light (Spaceship) - Coming Soon!This uses a tiny LED to light up!Cargo Ship (Naval Unit) - In Progress, Voted by Patreon MembersIron Maelstrom (Naval Unit) - In ProgressAttack Helicopter - Not Started, Voted by Paid Patreon MembersGrabber Mech - Not StartedAnd more depending on time/inspiration!Thanks for your time! I'll keep this post updated with links, changes, and updates as March goes on.

You can add elevation contour lines and color changes to your 3D printed maps with a new script that I created. The Map Feature Modifier (MFM) script is compatible with Prusaslicer, OrcaSlicer, and Bambu Studio. It is also open source and free to use! Download it here.Elevation Contour LinesElevations contour lines (also known as isolines) show a path of constant elevation on a height map.Symbology Elevation ScaleUsually height on a map is colored along a scale as seen below.ESRIBringing Cartographic Map Features to 3D PrintingNow you can add both of these features into a 3D printed map with the free Map Feature Modifier!It is optimized for use with my free 3D printable maps. It even works on models that are not maps so you can add layered color changes in creative ways to other objects.I made a tutorial video showing how to use the Map Feature Modifier. All of the steps are also written to follow at your own pace on the GitHub repo. Normally I would write the content of the video in a post but I just started a new job and don’t have a lot of time lately so the video and Github repo documentation will need to suffice for now.How it worksI go into more depth on how the script works in the internals portion at the end of the MFM tutorial youtube video. I’ve written a short quick explanation below. Initially I tried simply replacing the T tool indices on spaced out layers to create the isolines but that leads to an oil slick effect when the top surface coincides with an isoline layer.Instead of being layer aware, I needed to increase of the granularity of the script to be feature aware. Each printing feature is tracked so that only the outer walls (or other user selected feature type) is recolored to create isolines. The order of the printing features must also be altered to print all the outer walls at once before switching to print the inner walls or other features so that toolchanges and color swaps are kept to a minimum. The existing toolchange and prime tower movements are also reused on demand so that new toolchanges will use the prime tower and toolchange to avoid wasted material and time from flushing. Map Feature Modifier ended up becoming a framework that can extract and reorder G-code into relocatable and modifiable G-code segments akin to assembly gadgets. It can run either within a slicer as a post processing script, a command line program, or a GUI app. I also added the feature for the GUI app to handle Plate Sliced 3MF which is sliced G-code that is compressed into a 3MF which is more friendly for normal users to import and preview the processed 3MF in the slicer.ThanksA big thank you the below individuals as well as the 3D printing community.Chris Harding for his work on TouchTerrain and letting me contribute to the project.Brian Kelley from Colorado for kickstarting my initial work on Map Feature Modifier.Joseph Sanzo and Khor Hon Wei for trusting me with their 3D printers as guinea pigs.Toybox Labs for filament to test.

Hello all! I get quite a lot of ideas and suggestions from you all and I really appreciate it!While I can't always respond to every idea or request, I do try to read them all and note down any ideas that I think would work well. Below is a list of ideas that I've had or suggestiosn I've received that I think would be great models. I'll see which ones I can work on and would appreciate if you left a comment letting me know which ideas jump out at you.Model KitsTanks:Tesla Coil TankWinged TankDouble Sided TankConstruction Units:CraneDiggerBulldozerSteamrollerMechs:Dual Saw MechGrappling Hook MechJaw MechAir Units:Supply Drop DroneCarrier CopterBomber PlaneVehicles:Dune BuggyFormula RacecarJeepATVAnimals:DragonWyvernTigerOther Designs:Customizable BeybladesPen Clicker FidgetThere are a handful of ideas that I am currently working on, I haven't included them in the list but I hope to share details with you all soon! Please let me know if any of the ideas above interest you or if you have a suggestion not on the list! Thanks all!

Hello Makers and Game Enthusiasts!  Today, I'm excited to share some insights, tips, and stories about bringing our 3D printed games from your printer bed to your family table. Whether you've printed Castle Capture, Skee Ball, Cosmic Connect, or any of our other designs, this post will help you create unforgettable gaming experiences. We hope these longer format blog posts will be fun to read, so let us know if this is something you like in the comments. Assembly as a Pre-Game ActivityTurn assembly into part of the fun! I've found that involving family members in putting together games like Castle Capture or Bank Heist creates investment in the experience before gameplay even begins."[Castle Capture was] another great print with no issues and my 5yr old son and I love playing it, thank you" - Feedback from a maker familyFor younger children, I recommend pre-assembling complex mechanisms but letting them help with simple snap-together parts or starting screws and letting the little ones tighten it. This balances frustration with accomplishment. They will have a better connection with the games that you make for them. Creating Memorable ExperiencesThere are a lot of ways to elevate your printed board game experiences with your friends and family. What is your favorite way to get everyone ready for game play?Creating AtmosphereFor games with themes, lean into the atmosphere:For Castle Capture, dim the lights and play medieval music in the background.With Cosmic Connect, use space-themed sound effects for successful moves. We use a sound effect app on our phone. During Bank Heist, wear cheap plastic "burglar masks" or detective hats.These small touches transform a simple game into an immersive experience for the fam.“Perfect print and currently being enjoyed by 3 generations - thank you for the great work” - From a Cosmic Connect maker. Rule Variations We Don't Include in InstructionsSome of our most popular house rules have come from the community. A lot of our games can be adapted to create your own house rules. Write down the rules ahead and make sure everyone understands the new rules. Here are a few favorites:Castle Capture EnhancedRescue Mission: If your character falls through a trap door, another character can rescue them by landing on the same trap door square in the next round.Royal Decree: Once per game, declare a "royal decree" that protects one of your characters from falling for one round.Skee Ball Challenge ModesTrick Shot Challenge: The first player to make two consecutive shots in the 50-point hole wins the game. Team Mode: Players alternate shots but contribute to a shared score.Wrench Racers AdvancedSaboteur Mode: One player plays as the saboteur, trying to block others working on their own pipeline.Timed Turns: Use a 15-second sand timer for each turn to add pressure.Making Games Accessible for All AgesOne of the joys of creating family games is seeing multiple generations play together. Here's how to adapt our games for different family members:For Young Players (Ages 4-7)In Cosmic Connect, remove the strategic element and focus on the fun of launching marbles.For Adventure's Edge, simplify by removing the negative outcome spaces.With Don't Fall Through!, ensure the kiddos know which sliders will help prevent them from falling through the holes.Create new traditions, like having the winner select the next game model to print, or print out a trophy that can be passed on to the champion of the games each game night. For Competitive AdultsAdd betting elements with non-monetary stakes (chores, picking the next movie, etc.)Create tournaments with multiple games in our collectionAdd time pressure to standard gamesStorage and Game PreservationTo ensure your games last through many family nights, consider keeping marbles or small game pieces in dedicated containers or bag so you don't lose them. We also recommend printing replacement parts for frequently used pieces before they wear out. Beyond the PrintThe true magic of these games isn't in the plastic pieces that we print, it's in the fun moments and memories they create. The giggling when someone's piece falls through a trap door in Castle Capture. The cheer when a perfect shot lands in Skee Ball. The strategic moves during a game of Wrench Racers.  We'd love to hear about your family game nights with our designs or from other makers! Share your stories, house rules, and traditions in the comments.  Happy printing and even happier playing!

Thanks to the help of the wonderful Maker supply team and their incredible kits available I have created this adorable abduction lamp prototype. Using the COB led strip available on the Maker supply store I wanted to create a lamp with an alien abduction theme where the space ship appears to be focusing a beam of light upon the cow to create the abduction effect.  I designed this to be easily printed and built with no prior building knowledge required, I plan to print and test within the next few days and look forward to sharing this cute idea once its built and shining bright.