How do you lot feel about possibly having Age of Strife branded items, sold at a small profit to help run the site? At the moment the idea we've been mulling is dice (all credit to Tim for this idea).

So I'm looking for opinions on whether dice are a good idea. Who would be willing to buy some custom branded dice, maybe in a rust colour with the logo in silver on them? There are a lot of options when it comes to getting custom dice made, the cheapest (and the one not requiring tooling costs) being laser engraving, and can range from having just one side branded to having a design on every side. I'm awaiting replies to requests for quotes I've sent out, but I've got some sample prices and they seem pretty reasonable, starting at about 20p per dice for 16mm.

I'm thinking maybe two options here. Big chunky dice branded for the meetup in August, 36mm with something like "Age of Strife 2008" on one side, orange with silver lettering, the sort of thing you might be tempted to have one or two of for special roles (or just to remember the trip); and gaming dice, 16mm in a range of colours with a smaller AoS logo on one side.

If I went ahead with both ideas, how many people would want a chunky dice, and how many would be interested in a block of 16mm?

Does anyone have any other suggestions? I'm not including a poll with these - I having replies from members about their opinions is much more useful for something like this.

Spack wrote:At the moment the idea we've been mulling is dice (all credit to Tim for this idea).

cheers mate.

and to get the ball (or should that be dice?) rolling...

Spack wrote:If I went ahead with both ideas, how many people would want a chunky dice, and how many would be interested in a block of 16mm?

i would want a pair of chunky dice (for Ld tests etc), and i would be interested in a block of smaller gaming dice (enough for a whole unit's attacks/shooting i.e. 20-30? depending on price).

cheers

~ Tim

Well... Given cost and shipping rates I am almost always game for something unique and cool. So I guess you can put me down for someone interested in a block of gaming dice.

As an aside, I think this is a great idea. Anything that can help keep the website operational is a good thing! We get the benefits of gaming material and the continued use of the website, while you get the needed funds to keep the website running. win/win in my book.

a pair of large dice and a block depending on price for me

Quick update: Dice.co.uk can do 36mm dice for £1.20 each for min qty 25 (will be cheaper for larger order, down to 90p for over 500), and 25p per die for 16mm (down to 20p if the order is for 500 or more). Colour samples are here: http://www.dice.co.uk/fs_spotdice.htm

Not all of the colours and sizes on the above page are available for the engraved dice. Here are the ones that are:

Opaque 16mm/22mm: Red, Green, Blue and Black with white spots; Yellow and White with black spots
Opaque 36mm: Red, Green, Blue, Orange, Purple and Black (I assume white spots, it doesn't say in the spreadsheet); Yellow and White with black spots

Pearl 16mm: Red, Purple, Green, Blue and Black with gold spots; White with black spots
Pearl 22mm: Red, Yellow, Green, Blue and Black with gold spots; White with black spots
Pearl 36mm: Red, Yellow, Green, Blue and Black with gold spots; White with black spots

Marble 16mm: Red, Blue, Green, Black with gold spots
Marble 22mm: Red, Green, Blue, Black, Purple with gold spots

Oblivion 22mm: Red, Yellow, Green, Blue, Purple and Orange with gold spots

All the dice have the spots pre-coloured, but the logo can be coloured as required after etching - would you want the logo the same colour as the spots, or a set colour such as silver?

From the available colours, the Pearl Red for 36mm might work reasonably well with the logo in silver. However, colour choice is flexible - it's the number of dice that dictates the price, so for example I can order 100 red + 100 blue for the same price as 200 red. This opens up all sorts of options, as it means members can have whatever colour they like from those available - I myself might be tempted to have 16mm in say pearl red, pearl blue, and pearl white.

so its just the size and quantity ordered at that size (with the same logo) that sets the price? interesting...

Spack wrote:All the dice have the spots pre-coloured, but the logo can be coloured as required after etching - would you want the logo the same colour as the spots, or a set colour such as silver?

could we have different coloured logos across the order (like we can have different coloured dice)?

the Orange Opaque look nice, and having the logo in White (to match the pips) might look good. maybe add in some Black Opaque (also with white logos) for special attacks too.
EDIT: just realised that you said Orange Opaque arent available for etching.
you sure they dont do Orange for etching?

~ Tim

You can have Orange Opaque in 36mm only on their spreadsheet. I'll ask them if they've missed 16mm out on the sheet.

I think the logos have to be the same colour as they're done in batches, but I can check on Monday once I've got more questions put together

Also, what would be the preferred position of the logo - on the 1 or the 6 side?

UPDATE: I've just noticed that the em4miniatures XLS files are the same ones Dice.co.uk sent me, so I guess they're the same company.

Spack wrote:You can have Orange Opaque in 36mm only on their spreadsheet. I'll ask them if they've missed 16mm out on the sheet.

cheers

Spack wrote:I think the logos have to be the same colour as they're done in batches, but I can check on Monday once I've got more questions put together

reason i was asking is that different coloured dice might need different coloured logos (picking one logo colour that will work with all the dice colours we want might be tricky).

have you seen this?
http://www.em4miniatures.com/acatalog/Custom_Dice.html
(i cant open the files as they are .xls)

EDIT: whoops, just saw your Edit.

cheers

~ Tim

LordMalekTheRedKnight wrote:have you seen this?
http://www.em4miniatures.com/acatalog/Custom_Dice.html
(i cant open the files as they are .xls)

It's the same company, just a different trading website

Oh, there is another option, but it's more expensive - dice can have ALL the faces customised. The price is per side, so a 36mm D6 would be £7.20 (gets cheaper the more ordered though), and a wider range of colours is available.

Spack wrote:It's the same company, just a different trading website

yeah, i just Edited my post.

Spack wrote:Also, what would be the preferred position of the logo - on the 1 or the 6 side?

if the logo replaces 6 pips then it should have a smaller effect on the weight of the face, right? (where as if it replaces just 1 pip that would be a greater weight difference)

1's are generally a bad thing, and 6's are generally good - i would rather associate the logo with something good happening. although for Ld tests... maybe replace the 1's on the big dice?

EDIT:

Spack wrote:Oh, there is another option, but it's more expensive - dice can have ALL the faces customised. The price is per side, so a 36mm D6 would be £7.20 (gets cheaper the more ordered though), and a wider range of colours is available.

yikes!

that is expensive. besides, what would we put on the other faces?

~ Tim
p.s. Chessexship to the UK

Ah, the old pip weight thing. Apparently the rounded corners have more of an effect - the dice that produce expected results for all faces tend to have sharp corners and painted faces, apparently Vegas casino dice are painted in such a way that the total weight of paint on each face is equal (the the 1 spot has 6 times as much paint in it as a single spot on the 6 face).

LordMalekTheRedKnight wrote:that is expensive. besides, what would we put on the other faces?

That had crossed my mind too - could have pips designed as little A logos

As to Chessex, I did take a quick look. They're a little more expensive per side, and I'm guessing shipping would cost more. I'll drop them an email to get more details.

Spack wrote:That had crossed my mind too - could have pips designed as little A logos

i think that might be a little overkill. i would rather simpler dice and spend the difference in Bugmans.
(or buy a box of figures!)

Spack wrote:As to Chessex, I did take a quick look. They're a little more expensive per side...

200-499 dice: $0.50 per side = 25p
500-999 dice: $0.42 per side = 21p

Spack wrote:and I'm guessing shipping would cost more.

shipping is via USPS, which isnt that expensive (IIRC its the same as we pay for airmail, i.e. 1.5x the cost of normal post, charged by weight). their website says they will give a weight quote too.

Spack wrote:I'll drop them an email to get more details.

i just emailed them this:

Hi

Which colours are available for custom etched 16mm D6?

What other size D6 can you etch?

What colours can the etched design be in? Will it have to match the colour of the pips on the rest of the dice?

many thanks

~ Tim

will see what they say...

cheers

~ Tim

LordMalekTheRedKnight wrote:

Spack wrote:As to Chessex, I did take a quick look. They're a little more expensive per side...

200-499 dice: $0.50 per side = 25p
500-999 dice: $0.42 per side = 21p

Dice.co.uk are 20p for 500-999, and also buying from Chessex would add bank commission rate for foreign currency too. It probably won't be much, but there will be a difference.

LordMalekTheRedKnight wrote:

Spack wrote:I'll drop them an email to get more details.

i just emailed them this:

Well hopefully one of us should get a reply

You could ship to my house and I will fly over with them if that helps. I am already picking up some GW stuff and bringing that over for a member. It actually helps me out because I am sure that the space that it frees up will be quickly filled with my wife's shopping.

That might be an idea Ben. BTW, I never did get a reply about hotel booking - are you going to organise it yourself, or do you want a room at the same place most of us are staying at?