Author Topic: IWM BT Blister Design (Read 6772 times)

Daritus1988 · « **on:** 23 January 2022, 15:52:17 »

I know, it's a odd questions, but will the IWM Blisters for Battletech get a redesign with the newest BT-Logo?

Also the actual design seems to be from 2015.

Bedwyr · « **Reply #1 on:** 23 January 2022, 20:03:12 »

I have zero knowledge about this, but I guessed at one point that they printed so many backing labels that it'll take forever to work through them all before having to redesign it.

abou · « **Reply #2 on:** 23 January 2022, 21:15:01 »

As Bedwyr said, my guess is that they will redesign when they run out of current stock. Considering that many direct sales from IWM tend to just use baggies, it may be a while.

Still have a soft spot for the Atlas blueprints from the blue era. Might not be a bad idea to bring something similar back.

speck · « **Reply #3 on:** 24 January 2022, 14:06:12 »

Quote from: Daritus1988 on 23 January 2022, 15:52:17

I know, it's a odd questions, but will the IWM Blisters for Battletech get a redesign with the newest BT-Logo?

Also the actual design seems to be from 2015.

I do want to redesign the blister card, it’s a goal for this year.

Daritus1988 · « **Reply #4 on:** 25 January 2022, 01:28:19 »

I guess you will use the Cover from the AGOAC Boxed Set with the blue Battlemaster, or the green Atlas from the newest TW Cover?

Colt Ward · « **Reply #5 on:** 01 February 2022, 14:12:51 »

Newest TW cover is a retro cover I thought?

The re-appearance of the Warhammer might make it the cover.

Bedwyr · « **Reply #6 on:** 01 February 2022, 14:13:39 »

Quote from: Colt Ward on 01 February 2022, 14:12:51

Newest TW cover is a retro cover I thought?

The re-appearance of the Warhammer might make it the cover.

It's cycled through already; that was just for a limited print run I believe. They're back to new Atlas artwork.

Daritus1988 · « **Reply #7 on:** 15 February 2022, 15:29:02 »

Would expect one of those Covers.

Crackerb0x · « **Reply #8 on:** 16 February 2022, 13:06:47 »

Longshot here, but in talking with the locals around me, it would dramatically help selling in stores if there was a picture of the contained unit in the blister - even the picture of the website. Seeing a bunch of bits is neat, but is hard to understand what they make if you're unfamiliar with the model.

speck · « **Reply #9 on:** 16 February 2022, 23:11:32 »

Quote from: Crackerb0x on 16 February 2022, 13:06:47

Longshot here, but in talking with the locals around me, it would dramatically help selling in stores if there was a picture of the contained unit in the blister - even the picture of the website. Seeing a bunch of bits is neat, but is hard to understand what they make if you're unfamiliar with the model.

It would be nice, but just not practical with the number of model available. Even just doing what is available in distribution would be a lot.

Joel47 · « **Reply #10 on:** 17 February 2022, 12:35:31 »

What about printing a QR code alongside the name? Scan code, see picture. (Of course, a potential customer could just do a Google image search on the name, but this would be faster and more intuitive.)

Bedwyr · « **Reply #11 on:** 17 February 2022, 12:47:37 »

Speculation: the resources needed to investigate, track, and correctly print individual blister backs according to each model would not differ much. Requirements for a QR code would be the same as just printing the image itself.

cavingjan · « **Reply #12 on:** 17 February 2022, 18:26:01 »

Note the way the card backs currently are. It is the same back with the name and ID code added later. Small print runs would be expensive and you would need to store them all vs just taking a blank and stamping on the two things you need. I have no idea how many products are still in commercial line versus direct and using a baggie.

speck · « **Reply #13 on:** 17 February 2022, 20:56:55 »

Quote from: cavingjan on 17 February 2022, 18:26:01

Note the way the card backs currently are. It is the same back with the name and ID code added later. Small print runs would be expensive and you would need to store them all vs just taking a blank and stamping on the two things you need. I have no idea how many products are still in commercial line versus direct and using a baggie.

Plus, the cards are printed by an outside company in a large run to get a discount. IWM has a machine that prints the SKU and other info on the front of the blister card.

The QR code goes to IWM website.

Valkerie · « **Reply #14 on:** 18 February 2022, 00:05:29 »

For what IWM has to dedicate to Battletech, the simplest solution would be putting the IWM web address on the back, and directions on how to view the mini on the website. The alternative would be directing the customer to CamoSpecs for pictures of the mini (don't know if that would be kosher or not.) Not ideal, but maybe the best bet with the resources available.

GRUD · « **Reply #15 on:** 21 February 2022, 11:12:37 »

I don't think printing their website address on there a SECOND time would Help any. It's already printed on the back, at the bottom of the card. If people can't be bothered to type that in, or do a simple search for "Iron Wind Metals", how much more should IWM have to hold their hand? :-\

And I don't understand people just buying a blister full of bits without having ANY idea what the bits create. ??? Do people Really do that? Why?

Joel47 · « **Reply #16 on:** 21 February 2022, 12:42:52 »

Quote from: Bedwyr on 17 February 2022, 12:47:37

Speculation: the resources needed to investigate, track, and correctly print individual blister backs according to each model would not differ much. Requirements for a QR code would be the same as just printing the image itself.

My thought was that a URL (that is then encoded while creating the print job) is just another field like name and SKU, and can therefore be part of the mail merge when the local print job runs. While there would still be labor involved in the initial setup I think it would be much less than changing the print process to store and print a picture that looks good in such a small format.
I don't want to minimize that setup labor (I'm a software dev and am well aware of the "Oh, it's just a little tweak" trap) -- I'm just spitballing a way to implement Crackerb0x's suggestion.

Luciora · « **Reply #17 on:** 21 February 2022, 20:59:41 »

The advent of including variant parts means you end up with bits sometimes you have no idea why they are there unless you actually have the appropriate TRO or record sheet. The Enforcer ends up with holes in the legs if you build the torso jump version and it looks unpleasant to some if the builder doesn't fill them in for example. (I'm guilty of this 😅)

Quote from: GRUD on 21 February 2022, 11:12:37

I don't think printing their website address on ther
And I don't understand people just buying a blister full of bits without having ANY idea what the bits create. ??? Do people Really do that? Why?

Daritus1988 · « **Reply #18 on:** 25 April 2022, 03:30:25 »

You could pack a Paper with an exploded-view drawing in the Blister. GHQ is doing this for their WW1/WW2/CW Ships.

Any news about a new blister label?

GRUD · « **Reply #19 on:** 25 April 2022, 07:41:06 »

Quote from: Daritus1988 on 25 April 2022, 03:30:25

You could pack a Paper with an exploded-view drawing in the Blister.

Seems like they did that with the Omega when it was first released. I'm GUESSING they still do it now. Also, while I've got them all, I'm also NOT a painter (I'm a Collector), so I don't know if any of the Tripods have helpful diagrams included or not. But If EVER there were minis that Needed it, I'd think it would be the Tripods! :o

Prometheum5 · « **Reply #20 on:** 25 April 2022, 10:52:12 »

The tripods include a very well done assembly sheet that would be great to see applied to some of the more awkward minis. I recently assembled a Vulpes and an Antlion and both of those had me going for a bit.

speck · « **Reply #21 on:** 26 April 2022, 08:32:12 »

Quote from: Daritus1988 on 25 April 2022, 03:30:25

You could pack a Paper with an exploded-view drawing in the Blister. GHQ is doing this for their WW1/WW2/CW Ships.

Any news about a new blister label?

Some work has begun on it, but the supply of the current blister at IWM is not low enough to place a new order.

Quote from: Prometheum5 on 25 April 2022, 10:52:12

The tripods include a very well done assembly sheet that would be great to see applied to some of the more awkward minis. I recently assembled a Vulpes and an Antlion and both of those had me going for a bit.

This issue is on my to do list to get something for those two mechs and some other done and put in the download section of IWM website.

cavingjan · « **Reply #22 on:** 01 May 2022, 09:53:02 »

Could there be a subsection to the download section? It would future proof things a little more in the future.

BirdofPrey · « **Reply #23 on:** 01 May 2022, 14:37:51 »

Well now I am curious how much it costs to print stickers. Customize blisters that way.
Of course the couple seconds it would take a person to stick each one on adds up

klarg1 · « **Reply #24 on:** 05 May 2022, 12:02:11 »

Quote from: speck on 26 April 2022, 08:32:12

Some work has begun on it, but the supply of the current blister at IWM is not low enough to place a new order.

What I’m hearing is: “Fans can help along an exciting blister redesign by depleting IWM’s packaging stockpile through focused economic means”

8)

speck · « **Reply #25 on:** 05 May 2022, 21:13:48 »

Quote from: BirdofPrey on 01 May 2022, 14:37:51

Well now I am curious how much it costs to print stickers. Customize blisters that way.
Of course the couple seconds it would take a person to stick each one on adds up

I am assuming the more you by the cheaper the production run is. If many stickers then the price is higher then one sticker of the same quantity.

ph423r · « **Reply #26 on:** 27 July 2022, 15:16:27 »

On the stickers, the quantity would definitely influence the price. If IWM stock levels meant that 500 stickers per mech type lasted them a couple of years then you'd be looking at possibly $0.20-$0.25 per sticker, but if they could go through 20,000 of a single type of sticker then you'd be looking at possibly $0.02-$0.03 for the same type of sticker.

The cheapest solution would probably be wait until they run out of the current backs, and then make sure the current design has a spot to include a QR code or a shortened web address that points to that mech's page on IWM that would be included when they print the variant info onto the card. At that point I think your biggest issues are that you'll need to keep the addresses the same for the cards to work, and how much time and cost it adds to printing the link/code onto the card.