Introduction and Its Features
Hero Forge® is a service that enables you to customize your own miniature with an online interface. You can choose from a wide range of poses, equipment, colors and facial expressions before printing the figure in great detail with plastic or metal. This has revolutionized tabletop gaming by making it feasible for hobbyists and game stores to create their own customized miniatures.
Despite having become increasingly popular in recent years, Hero Forge® is not the only option when it comes to 3D printing custom miniatures. From Desktop Heroes to Thingiverse and Animate3D, there are now many other sites that offer similar services – each with its own unique features and customization options. In this article, we’ll compare twelve alternatives to Hero Forge® and discuss the advantages of using them for your next miniature.
Current Status of Hero Forge in 2023
Hero Forge has become a well-established presence in the 3D printing industry over the past two decades, and its services remain popular to this day. The company now offers an expansive selection of miniatures ranging from Dungeons and Dragons characters to medieval warriors – all customizable with various poses, weapons, clothing styles, and more. In addition, Hero Forge has expanded into many other markets as well; most recently allowing customers to 3D print their own custom tabletop game pieces with low-cost plastics and resins.
List of 12 Hero Forge Alternatives
Eldritch Foundry
Eldritch Foundry is an online service that enables users to create highly detailed customizable miniatures for use in tabletop games such as Dungeons & Dragons or Pathfinder. The site features a large selection of parts and poses that can be combined to create a unique character. Eldritch Foundry also offers an online marketplace for users to sell their custom-created pieces and supports 3D printing as well, allowing models to be printed in colorful resin or plated metal.
Anvl.co
Anvl is another popular service that allows hobbyists to create customized miniatures using their browser or editor app. This software provides users with a library of pre-made parts that can be combined to create a unique design. Anvl also offers 3D printing services for high-quality prints in various materials such as brass, bronze and steel.
Desktop Hero
Desktop Hero is web-based software specifically designed to create custom miniatures with ease. The service provides users with an intuitive interface that enables them to build the desired character right on their screen by arranging parts and elements within it. Once complete, Desktop Hero will generate a file that can be 3D printed or used as stl.
Thingiverse
Thingiverse is one of the largest repositories for free custom miniatures available on the internet. It houses an extensive database of models in various sizes, game systems and genres, with larger-than-life dragons to iconic characters like Ryu from Street Fighter, all playable thanks to Thingiverse’s massive library. Models are often submitted by users who allow others to download and modify their artwork for personal use.
Creature Caster
Creature Caster is another software program focused solely on the creation of customized miniatures. This tool provides users with all the necessary features and elements to create an original character or creature, including texturing options and a wide variety of assets. In addition, Creature Caster also supports 3D printing services allowing users to have their pieces printed in plastic or metal materials.
Hero Mini Maker
Hero Mini Maker is a web application that allows you to create miniatures from existing 3D models. This program features an extensive library of pre-made figures and parts which can be dragged and dropped into the canvas for quick customization. In addition, you can further adjust elements such as size, color and texture with ease before printing on your own 3D printer or having it professionally printed in full detail.
PCGen
PCGen is a tabletop role-playing game toolkit that includes features to help generate custom figures. This program provides users with an intuitive interface in which they can create characters, enemies and monsters by simply inputting parameters such as race, profession and appearance. Furthermore, PCGen also allows you to customize the resulting models for printed miniatures before sending them off for 3D printing.
Little You
Little You is a service that enables users to create custom 3D-printed figures of themselves. The website provides an easy-to-use editor, which allows you to add features, clothing and accessories in order to adjust the model according to the user’s preferences before printing it out with great detail and resolution.
Animate 3D
Animate 3D is a powerful software program designed for creating animated scenes with customizable characters. This program offers a wide range of options, such as textures, lighting and animation, to help users create a unique 3D figure before having it printed in full detail. Animate 3D also supports online rendering services allowing you to print your creations directly from the web.
DesktopHero 2.0
The DesktopHero 2.0 software is a next-generation platform that simplifies the customization of customizable miniatures with ease. This program provides an extensive library of pre-made poses, parts and elements which can be combined and manipulated with minimal effort. In addition, DesktopHero 2.0 also supports the 3D printing of models in metalliferous materials such as brass and bronze.
Hero Forge Pro
Hero Forge Pro is a subscription-based software service for the creation and customization of miniatures for gaming purposes. This program features an expansive library of poses, weapons and equipment that can be freely dragged and dropped onto the canvas before having it professionally printed in full detail. Furthermore, Hero Forge Pro also supports the digital sharing of models and miniatures with your friends and family.
Hero Forge Color
Hero Forge Color is an add-on feature for the existing Hero Forge® service, which enables you to customize your creations with unique colors. This feature allows users to select from hundreds of vibrant color options when building their custom figures, as well as tint them during 3D printing using a wide range of hues.
Hero Forge FAQs
Q: What materials can be used with Hero Forge?
Hero Forge supports 3D printing in a variety of plastics and metals, including ABS, PLA, silver, bronze and brass.
Q: How detailed is the 3D printing from hero forge?
The resolution for the prints obtained from hero forge is very high, usually corresponding to a maximum resolution of 0.2mm per layer.
Q: How much time does it take for Hero Forge to deliver the print?
The turnaround time varies based on your location and order processing times; however, delivery can range from 3 days (for Express Shipping) or up to 2 weeks in some cases.
Q: Does Hero Forge offer a customer support service?
A: Yes. You can contact their customer support team via email or social media for any queries or help with your order.
Q: Can I make a custom model using Hero Forge?
A: Absolutely! The interface allows you to mix and match parts from the available library and even add additional elements, such as weapons and clothing, before printing out your unique figure.
Q: Is it possible to 3D print on the metal options offered by Hero Forge?
A: Yes. These metal options are printed using a process called electroplating and can be applied in conjunction with plastic or resin-based prints depending on customer preferences.
Conclusion
Hero Forge® has long been an industry leader in custom 3D printing services for miniatures, offering an intuitive interface and near-limitless customization possibilities that gaming hobbyists have come to love. But there are now many other options out there, each with its own set of benefits and features that may suit your needs better – from Creature Caster to Animate 3D and Little You.
By exploring the various alternatives available, you can find a software or service that best fits your wants and requirements for creating unique miniatures in full detail. No matter which option you choose, 3D printing custom miniatures is now a reality – and anyone can give their gaming characters and battles to life with just the click of a button!
