Thursday

Showcase: Tyranid Warriors.

Tyranid Warriors.
 Hey people, i'm almost at the end of the "old" circa 2007-2008 era showcases, I think trheres a couple more Imperial Fist Units, and then a couple of oddities, this is one of them.

My old Tyranid Warriors.







These guys were going to be the start of an army of tyranids. The colour scheme i went with in the end was black and pink. (based on an old car engine i saw in a magazine once!)

Anyway, i hope you like them!


Do you paint Tyranids? How did you pick your colour scheme?

As always thank you very much for visiting the site----------if you have any questions or comments please feel free to share them!----------You can help us out by joining us on facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/Scifiwargamers or Following us on twitter Here: @Marsekay-------If youre feeling VERY generous,by using the donate button or finally just browsing the site! ----------Thanks for visiting from the SciFiWargamers team.

Wednesday

Top 5 Space Marine Tanks.

 The Top 5 Space Marine Tanks.

Hey everyone, its time for another top-5 rundown. Today its the top5 Space Marine Tanks!

This time i thought i would allow forge world models into the count..

#5: Deimos Pattern Rhino.

 
I do not know about you guys but I think this model is 1000 times better than the standard Games Workshop Rhino, and they havn't changed all that much to do it! a great model and I am sure you will agree.


#4:Deimos Pattern Predator.



Just like the Deimos pattern Rhino above, i think this is a brilliant effort from the Forge World team. They have taken a very plain and basic, almost toy like kit in the original Predator, and adapted it into this lovely piece. Some say it looks a little silly with an almost Dalek like turret, but i still say its awesome!


#3: Space Marine Vindicator.



With that Huge cannon up front and that huge dozer blade, this thing just screams BEAST, its a combination of those two things that make this look very imposing. Take away the Dozer blade and it doesnt look half as good! This model is a HUGE improvement over the previous model, and i think that this one is also based on the old Forge World kit version. is there a pattern forming here? maybe..


#2: Land raider Crusader.




With all those anti infantry guns this thing looks cool as!, The Phobos variant is itself very good but this versions just meaty! I'm not much of a fan of it in game, but in the display cabinet? Yes please!


#1: Land Raider Spartan.


Yes thats right, The Land Raider Spartan is my favorite tank. What an awesome model this is, take an already awesome model, the Land Raider, make it even more huge and add more guns, get Forge World to design it and you have resin gold. This is a must have for any Space Marine player or collector! (its on my list before you ask!)

So there you have it, my top 5 Space Marine Tanks. Do you agree or disagree?

As always thank you very much for visiting the site----------if you have any questions or comments please feel free to share them!----------You can help us out by joining us on facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/Scifiwargamers or Following us on twitter Here: @Marsekay-------If youre feeling VERY generous,by using the donate button or finally just browsing the site! ----------Thanks for visiting from the SciFiWargamers team.

So You Want a Career In The Video Game Industry?

Careers in Gaming

 Hi guys, here is a guest post which i know a lot of you fellow geeks will find VERY interesting, this is written by a fellow named Aaron Walker.

DualShock 3 - Red & Black
DualShock 3 - Red & Black (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Those of us at a certain age may remember being warned by our parents that 'video game tester' isn't a real job. These days, not only is the generation gap slowly disappearing when it comes to video games, but there are also more career options in the gaming industry than ever before. Whether your skills lean towards programming, marketing or story design, if you're a video game enthusiast, there's a good chance a career in the industry might be right for you.

According to the Entertainment Software Association, the video game industry was a $24.5 billion a year business in 2011. CNBC reports that, in America, "there are more than 32,000 people directly employed by publishers and developers," and that, "on average, industry employees receive an annual compensation of $89,781."
So, how does one get a foot in the door of this lucrative industry?

Have the Right Skills
If you're interested in working in development, make sure you have the skills that employers want. Especially at smaller studios, multitasking is highly valued. You should know the basics of all aspects that go into a video game, including programming, level design, 3D modeling and audio.

Have the Right Education
As with most industries, a degree from a well-respected school can open a lot of doors. The Princeton Review publishes an annual ranking of the best video game design programs in the country. Top of the list for 2012 was the University of Southern California, followed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Utah.

Have a Strong Portfolio
A strong portfolio that demonstrates a working knowledge of both industry and technical aspects may be enough to make up for the lack of a prestigious education. Be active on gaming message boards. Start your own blog. Attend trade shows. Most of all, if you're a designer or programmer, start making games. Having a working demo of something you made is the best way to show your skills to a potential employer.


Know What Else is Out There
Just like every other business, video game companies need salespeople, marketers and admin staff to properly function. If you're not computer savvy, that doesn't necessarily rule out a career in the industry. You will need to work a little harder, though, to demonstrate your credentials. Companies will be looking for someone who knows the industry and preferably has professional experience. You may need to start in an unpaid internship position.
Your career in video games can take you anywhere, from a high-level marketing event in a Tokyo hotel, to a closed door lobbying meeting at a washington conference center. Breaking into the industry is no different than in any other profession. If you're passionate about gaming, have a strong drive to succeed, and are just a little but lucky, there's no reason you can't make it your life.

About the author:
Aaron Walker is a tech enthusiast who loves trying new gadgets, reading true crime novels, and hiking. He hopes to someday end up in a writing career combining all of his interests.


As always thank you very much for visiting the site----------if you have any questions or comments please feel free to share them!----------You can help us out by joining us on facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/Scifiwargamers or Following us on twitter Here: @Marsekay-------If youre feeling VERY generous,by using the donate button or finally just browsing the site! ----------Thanks for visiting from the SciFiWargamers team. 
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Tuesday

Write For Us!



Do you have an article locked away in that brain of yours that you want to share with the world? do you have a Rant about the latest 40k release but do not want the bother of setting up a blog to get it out there? Maybe you have an incredible painting tutorial you just HAVE to share..

Well worry no more! as of now we are taking submissions from people who would like to post an article either as one off's, a regular section or perhaps as guest posts from other blogs authors.

So if you have something you want posted then contact us at the following E-Mail Address: Marsekay1981-at-hotmail.com (Change the -at- to @) and we will do our best to get it out there (Providing it isnt overly scandalous!) As soon as we can.

As always thank you very much for visiting the site----------if you have any questions or comments please feel free to share them!----------You can help us out by joining us on facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/Scifiwargamers or Following us on twitter Here: @Marsekay-------If youre feeling VERY generous,by using the donate button or finally just browsing the site! ----------Thanks for visiting from the SciFiWargamers team.

Monday

Golden Demon 1988: Single Conversion Category.

 Golden Demon 1988: Single Conversion Category.

Hi guys, after the success of the last retro Golden Demon post Here (The Vehicle conversion and scratchbuilt category) I thought i would show you some more.

This evening i will be showing you the "Single Conversion Category" To be honest i think this just means Single miniature conversion.

Anyway here we go!

#Honourary Mention: Adrian Seller's Eldar Dreadnought (Now referred to as a WraithLord?)

Adrian Sellers Wraithlord.

 Wow what a beast, i think this might be a harlequin version! look at that freehand, and who is he supposed to be? Fred Estare??



#3  "Mauron The Green" by Mark Delicata.

Tiny skeletal familiars or massive dragon?

I'm not sure what the hell this thing is myself, its a large dragon with a couple of skeletal familiars reading a spell or something. Its interesting if anything...



#2 Daniek Nazer's Beastman?

Chaos Beastman, i think.

I'm convinced this is a Beastman, although, i could be wring! knowing GW in the 80's this could easily be a space marine. Really. I like the work on the base and the banner, the actual model itself however i think the details are not all that well defined!



And Finally #1 Paul Bensens Genestealer hybrid with Telescopic legs?

WTF is going on in this picture?

 Hmm, what the hell is going on here?maybe its the lighting but i really struggle to see what i am supposed to be looking at! It looks like a Genestealer Hybrid head, with a Space Marine Jump Pack, with some kind of multi telescopic leg arrangement... Oh and a nicely painted Freehand Banner.

So thats it for GD88's Single Conversion category. 

Do you agree with the order of the finalists? Personally i think third position should have won! I love that dragon!


As always thank you very much for visiting the site, if you have any questions or comments please feel free to share them! You can help us out by liking us on FaceBook using the "Like" button, using the donate button or just browsing the site! Thanks for visiting from the SciFiWargamers team.

The Top 5 Phillip K. Dick Movies

     The Top 5 Phillip K. Dick Movies
Guest post by Lovereading.

        Hi guys, we all know how various Sci-Fi movies influence many of our favorite companies miniatures or even have games based on them, ie Tyranids are based of the classic Giger Xenomorphs, and Fantasy flights X-Wing game is based on the Star Wars movie itself.


   Sadly i dont think any of the Phillip K Dick Movies have inspired many games yet? Lets have a Top-5 run down of those movies based off his books, this could give us an idea of what we would like to see, or will see, in the future!

Widely acknowledged as one of sci-fi's most important figures, Philip K. Dick wrote 44 novels and over 100 hundred short stories. Unsurprisingly the success of his literary work did not go unnoticed by Hollywood and a lot of his work was developed into films for the big screen. Here is a selection of five of the very best.

#5: Total Recall: The film adaptation of the Dick's short story We Can Remember It for You Wholesale is one of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s best ever roles and was so successful that it was recently remade with Colin Farrell in the lead role. The futuristic, dystopian setting are classic motifs from the great man's work and it it easy to see why Hollywood just couldn't get enough of them.

Total Recall
Total Recall (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

#4:  Minority Report: Tom Cruise took the lead role in this highly successful adaptation from the mid noughties. Steven Spielberg stayed pretty true to the original work, Re-Cog, and the director's realisation of this highly realistic future world from a story that was written way back in the 1950s just goes to emphasise how much of a true visionary the author was.
Cover of
Cover of Minority Report [Blu-ray]
#3: The Adjustment Bureau: This paranoid tale of a shady underworld of government types maintaining the world as it has already been written was a big hit for Matt Damon a few years back. Again coming from a short story written in the 50s.
The adjustment bureau movie poster
The adjustment bureau movie poster (Photo credit: neeravbhatt)

#2: Paycheck: Yet another example of just how timeless Dick's sci-fi was, this adaptation starring Ben Affleck proved yet again how Hollywood will never grow tired of the old master's work.

Paycheck (film)
Paycheck (film) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

#1 :Blade Runner: For many people one of the greatest movies of all times. This classic, adapted from the novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, got the thumbs up from the writer himself, who said that the film version was exactly the same as the world he had envisioned in his head when writing it.

Blade Runner
Blade Runner (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Guest Post by Lovereading – Helping you to find your next book

So thats it for the Top-5 Phillip K Dick Movies, What do you think? Do you agree or disagree?

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New X-Wing Board, Scenery Ideas and Purchases.

 New X-wing board Scenery project.

X-wings with their s-foils locked in attack po...
X-wings with their s-foils locked in attack position as they assault the Death Star in A New Hope (1997 Special Edition) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Hi guys, you probably saw my finished x-wing space board HERE but it looks a little plain.. what it really needs is some scenery.

In the basic core game box for X-Wing, you get some card cut out asteroids, which IMO dont cut it in a 3d miniatures game so what we need are 3d pieces!

Thus what i have done is purchased some interesting things, Heres what i picked up:

Lots of new stuff!
In this little lot is a few polystyrene balls to make asteroids and of course, The Death Star (obviously not in scale!) and a few asteroids (Theres some big balls not shown in the picture)
What i am looking forward to is making a wrecked YT-1300 out of the millenium falcon kit, this thing is ALMOST the same scale as X-wing. I think its at 1/230 and x-wing is 1/250.

I look forward to getting this going.

More photos as i get cracking!

Have you made any scenery for your X-Wing game yet?

As always thank you very much for visiting the site, if you have any questions or comments please feel free to share them! You can help us out by liking us on FaceBook using the "Like" button, using the donate button or just browsing the site! Thanks for visiting from the SciFiWargamers team.
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Sunday

Star Wars X-Wing: Starfield Board.

 Star Wars X-Wing: Starfield Board.

The Finished Board, sans scenery.

Hi guys, Today i built a new X-wing board, after buying some more "pets"

Super fast Weather Loach.


 This ones a "Weather Loach" and i thought it would be a lazy beast, sadly its the fastest thing ever when it comes out and i struggled to take photos... unlike this lazy sod.

Laziest most odd dog in the world, it has its own "invisibility cloak" and bottle toy.

Anyway! as its taking me a year and a day to produce my Hoth themed battle board, i thought i would knock out a quick and easy Star Field Board for my X-Wing games. People are fed up of flying over the wooden table top!

Luckily i managed to produce this with only bits i had laying about so it was super cheap, and super easy, not to mention super fast!

Heres how i made it.

Firstly i Aquired 2 sheets of thin board that when laid together would provide a 36"x36" playing board which is the standard size for X-Wing games.

Two plain boards.

The two boards, when laid together look like this:

Potential playing board.

 I then dug out an old tin of cheap automotive spray paint!

Cheap and nasty aerosol.

 I used the spray to give each board a light dusting before going to town on them.

Hoping i had enough paint to last.

After that i thought it would be a good idea to spray round the edges first so they would be nice and covered.

Getting the edges right.
Again after that i gave each board another 3 layers of paint, 

After 2 layers of paint.

 After the third layer, and laying them together, i had this:

Three layers and looking solid.

Then it was time for more equipment! A Toothbrush (stole from the girlfriend) some white paint. and a pot for the paint.

Equipment for Stars, with added Girlfriend's Toothbrush.

Then i flicked the hell out of it, all over the place, It was GREAT fun! sadly it was all over too soon and i ended up with this:

The Finished Article.

Awesome don't you think!

Have you made an X-wing board yet? What boards have you made?



As always thank you very much for visiting the site, if you have any questions or comments please feel free to share them! You can help us out by liking us on FaceBook using the "Like" button, using the donate button or just browsing the site! Thanks for visiting from the SciFiWargamers team.

Interior of "Zero Dark Thirty" finished up


Well, the interior is all done!  I actually could have finished the entire thing today, but a tape accident, followed by an exacto accident, followed by some unseen cracking, destroyed all three of my damned boxes.  VERY upset with this.  They were all out at the store when I was there yesterday, and I have no idea when they'll get more... plus, that is like 20 bucks worth of damn boxes.  Very angry about it... hope I don't mess up the next one:(

I'll do a few photos of the lighting (which is all wired up) sometime in the near future.

Unboxing: Talisman, The Highlands Expansion.

 Unboxing: Talisman, The Highlands Expansion.
Hi Ladies and Gentlemen, i thought it was high time i got this unboxing done. ive had the photos on my hard drive for a good couple of weeks and feel i need to get it out there!


Talisman: The Highlands expansion
Talisman: The Highlands expansion (Photo credit: semihundido)
 Lets begin!


Here we can see the entire contents of the box. Dont ever forget you get the Fantasy Flight game mini catalogue! it shows more interesting games! Everythings really nicely packed in. even the inside of the box looks good with the purple monotone effect.
 

 Heres the extension board piece itself. For some reason blogger decides its a good idea to flip my phots vertically. today its done it a couple of times again.. If anyone can tell me why, and how to remedy it, i would be most appreciative. The board itself looks good, the artwork as per usual with this game is AMAZING.



 Here we have the 3 alternative ending cards provided with the game (Albeit upside down..) Theres the hand of doom, Battle Royale and the Eagle King. (hes weak)


Heres a shot of 3 of the new characters, theres the amazon here on the left, the Sprite in the middle and the Alchemist on the end. Look how tiny the sprite is!



 Another shiot of both the Alchemist and the Sprite, but also in the shot is another new character, the Highlander! (sadly not immortal) He's probably fighting for "His Freedom!"


More new characters here, the sculpts are quite good for their size, especially as they are just board pieces. On the left is the Vampiress. The middle is the Rogue. The one on the right is the Amazon.



Heres a little group shot of all the new characters from The Highland Expansion.



Here are two of the new character cards, both the rogue and the alchemist. The Alchemist gets to turn objects into gold. not fun if he starts doing it to talismans which are rare in the game!


Heres the Sprite and the Vampiress, two of the smallest models in the game.



Here he is again, The Highlander, and The Amazon. i',m not a fan of the Highlanders Kilt myself.



Here is the rule book for The Highland Expansion. Its a well laid out piece with lots of nice pieces of art. I would not recommend reading it upside down like this though!


There are cards in the expansion, this one has 4 new types. The Highland Deck, Relic cards, More spells, and more Adventure cards.


Heres some of the new spells. I always like looking at the well drawn art on each one.


Heres the new Highland deck, there is a huge wadge here!


And finally heres the board piece laid out with the main board itself. Looking rather massive there now! Cant wait to get some games in!

Do you play talisman? If not why not?

As always thank you very much for visiting the site, if you have any questions or comments please feel free to share them! You can help us out by liking us on FaceBook using the "Like" button, using the donate button or just browsing the site! Thanks for visiting from the SciFiWargamers team.
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