ActionKazimer
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I personally love the "throwback" color schemes. If I had an SNES in there, I'd love for everyone to know just by looking at the box.
Working on new product ideas, would like input...
- Thread starter wiggyx
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[quote name='Cthulhu']For the prototype you should realistically be doing whichever one looks the most like a modernized snes, right?[/QUOTE]
I should be doing whatever is the most appealing to you guys/gals, the potential customers. If red is what the people want, red is what the people get
[quote name='IanKazimer']I personally love the "throwback" color schemes. If I had an SNES in there, I'd love for everyone to know just by looking at the box.[/QUOTE]
That's my personal fav scheme, but I thought I'd check. In the end, any color option shouldn't be a problem, so it's not the end of the world if the proto gets painted bright pink or has zebra stripes LOL!
I should be doing whatever is the most appealing to you guys/gals, the potential customers. If red is what the people want, red is what the people get
[quote name='IanKazimer']I personally love the "throwback" color schemes. If I had an SNES in there, I'd love for everyone to know just by looking at the box.[/QUOTE]
That's my personal fav scheme, but I thought I'd check. In the end, any color option shouldn't be a problem, so it's not the end of the world if the proto gets painted bright pink or has zebra stripes LOL!
JasonTerminator
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I like the throwback scheme, and that's a pretty safe choice to go with for the initial prototype.
Just have those nice renders of the other colors on the Kickstarter and I'm sure people will get the idea.
Personally I like black. Also, on that render of the red, the side looks semi-transparent. That's pretty cool.
Just have those nice renders of the other colors on the Kickstarter and I'm sure people will get the idea.
Personally I like black. Also, on that render of the red, the side looks semi-transparent. That's pretty cool.
[quote name='JasonTerminator']I like the throwback scheme, and that's a pretty safe choice to go with for the initial prototype.
Just have those nice renders of the other colors on the Kickstarter and I'm sure people will get the idea.
Personally I like black. Also, on that render of the red, the side looks semi-transparent. That's pretty cool.[/QUOTE]
Haha, someone noticed the clear(ish) side panels
Yep, they are. Can't be for the proto, but could easily be done for a production part. Thought it might be a cool thing to toss in the mix
[quote name='KtMack23']Although I'm not in the market for this right now, I love the red one. But if I were you I'd design the prototype with the old color scheme.[/QUOTE]
The more I think about it, the more I realize that doing a more neutral scheme (like a light or medium gray) will honestly make photoshopping other colors a LOT easier versus a bright red, or pitch black unit. So, retro gray on gray may be what I do.
Just have those nice renders of the other colors on the Kickstarter and I'm sure people will get the idea.
Personally I like black. Also, on that render of the red, the side looks semi-transparent. That's pretty cool.[/QUOTE]
Haha, someone noticed the clear(ish) side panels
Yep, they are. Can't be for the proto, but could easily be done for a production part. Thought it might be a cool thing to toss in the mix
[quote name='KtMack23']Although I'm not in the market for this right now, I love the red one. But if I were you I'd design the prototype with the old color scheme.[/QUOTE]
The more I think about it, the more I realize that doing a more neutral scheme (like a light or medium gray) will honestly make photoshopping other colors a LOT easier versus a bright red, or pitch black unit. So, retro gray on gray may be what I do.
Crazy spaceship looking, high-design, or something else?
On a per-console level in terms of shape, something that is sleek and clean without the need for several surfaces. An abundance of nooks and crannies and ridges and the like is just annoying because it makes things difficult to keep clean and difficult to stack accordingly. Rounded edges and curves are nice, but tend to make things either larger than they should be or unnecessarily difficult to position in shelving (at least from my experience).
On an overall level, a unified look is hugely desirable. If I really had my way, everything would look like a cross between the audio equipment in the OP with maybe a touch of Apple inspired design, where it's boxy and clean but with a slightly futuristic look. If Frank Lloyd Wright was working for Apple and was their head designer today, what would he design? That's probably the best way to think about it - a 50's look but with an updated overall aesthetic. Marantz audio equipment comes to mind. Another way to think about it: what would game consoles look like if they were in a Mad Men set?
Silver cases are always nice since I find that to be a neutral color that has just enough "pop" to it, especially if you can manage brushed metal looks since this gives something a polished-but-not-glossy look. Simplehuman's designs tend to do this; it sounds silly but their trashcans are a good example. I could see every system being in the exact same case - same shape but different sizes - but with embossed logos to designate the systems themselves. Again, think Marantz, but without wooden accents/embellishments. Very clean mechanical look, but with something to distinguish which system is which. Like, maybe they are all the same, but the power switches are the only splash of color? So for the NES you can use red, the SNES can use purple, the N64 uses black? Basically a really understated way of identifying systems.
Wood grain can look equally great since it gives everything a texture without being gaudy about it, so definitely don't rule it out.
Apple type designs with a glossy plastic look nice, but I prefer matte stuff overall. Granted, you are not moving consoles around as much, so the threat of smudges and fingerprints are lessened, but I still prefer matte. This does help with dust not showing up as much.
If possible, doors that hide controller ports would be an extremely nice touch, especially if they can be opened without having to worry about space concerns. Something along the lines of this, where you can access everything but don't have to account for a door swinging open in such a way that you have to plan accordingly for it space-wise.
Wireless controllers, of course, would almost entirely negate this, especially with older consoles where I'd value simplicity and quick access versus having to worry about a bunch of cords. There's another CAG named shipalicious running around who was working on something called the "Awesome Controller," which would essentially allow you to use a PS3 controller with a receiver that could plug into different consoles since (I imagine) the Bluetooth stack can be modified to do that sort of thing. Not sure if this is the sort of thing you are suggesting.
[*]What consoles would you like to see re-shelled?
Almost every console if the shells look nice enough. The older ones are definitely the best place to start - NES, SNES, and N64 definitely. I'd push for a Sega Master System, but I'm thinking the incredibly large console would be annoying to work with. A Genesis Style 2 would be nice as well. More recent gen systems could come later (Dreamcast, Saturn, etc.).
[*]What price would you be comfortable paying for an item like this?
$100 is probably max, but it depends on how nice the final product looks and which system it is. Also depends on if I'm using my own console versus purchasing a console specifically for this.
[*]Do you want extra features or not? Things like lighting, custom paint, personal logos and whatnot, etc.
I imagine this would clash with the ideas proposed above (silver unified look, clean lines, etc), but I might be down for simple LED changes to different colors (using blue LEDs for power buttons).
Painting is a nice idea but unless it looks really professional, it might just end up looking cheap. (Probably another reason I tend to like brushed metal facades versus "this is clearly plastic with paint sprayed onto it.") Of course, if it looks like the plastic shell itself is the color - as in a "stain" versus a painted overlay - then that's much nicer.
[*]Do you want to re-case the console yourself, or have me provide a service?
Depends on how much technical capability is required. I like the idea of doing it myself, but also like the idea of paying for a service if I determine it's above my head. Although I've never done this kind of thing before so who knows if I'd screw it up.
[*]Do you want to preserve the original state of the internals? I.e. Do you want to be able to easily slap the guts back into the original shell, or are you interested in something that has been modified to fit into a vastly different casing, or has repositioned switches, or whatever?
Repositioned stuff sounds amazing if it can make cartridges front-face loading, so that I don't have to worry about vertical spacing (i.e., NES design versus SNES design). But I think you had mentioned this would be difficult to do without a lot of additional work. That said, being able to easily switch shells is a nice idea, but I doubt I'd need that since I can't envision many scenarios where I'd need to do that. Additional modifications - more modern A/V output for example - would be a HUGE plus.
[*]Are you even interested in this idea at all?
Oh for fu- you could have asked me about this at the beginning and saved me a LOT of time!
With regard to the prototypes being shown, they look really great. I semi-transparent side panels are a neat touch as well. The designs in post 11 are more my speed, but I'm liking everything.
Anyway, these responses are a bit late, but hopefully a bit helpful.
Good luck and keep us informed! I'm really liking this idea.
Edit: No problem/rush on the PM, I assume you are busy. :]
Prototype will be done tomorrow! Buuut, it's gonna be a week or two before it arrives. The company that's having the work done has another job that'll be done in a few days, so I'm gonna wait those few days to have it shipped (it's coming from China) in order to be lumped in with the other project to save some $$$ on shipping costs.
I'll probably have pics of the raw parts before they ship tomorrow or Friday. If they're worth showing, I'll post em up ASAP! I will also have a quote for tooling either today or tomorrow. One-off parts (CNC'd or additive rapid proto) are going to be far too pricey, so I'm gonna have to go with injection molded or possibly cast parts. For those of you that may want a more exotic material, wood, aluminum, or any other material that's soft enough to be CNC cut, that will still be an option. Once I'm a little closer to production I will gladly quote prices for one-off units. It's unlikely that I'll advertise prices for such things, since they'll all be one-off and prices will vary a great deal based on materials and finishes.
I should be able to get a kickstarter page up shortly after I get the quote for tooling and price-per-part. I'm pretty amped about the project still. I hope you guys and gals are still excited as well! Hopefully this will prove a viable product and we'll see a whole line of other products in the same vein
Still moving forward. Hang tight...
I'll probably have pics of the raw parts before they ship tomorrow or Friday. If they're worth showing, I'll post em up ASAP! I will also have a quote for tooling either today or tomorrow. One-off parts (CNC'd or additive rapid proto) are going to be far too pricey, so I'm gonna have to go with injection molded or possibly cast parts. For those of you that may want a more exotic material, wood, aluminum, or any other material that's soft enough to be CNC cut, that will still be an option. Once I'm a little closer to production I will gladly quote prices for one-off units. It's unlikely that I'll advertise prices for such things, since they'll all be one-off and prices will vary a great deal based on materials and finishes.
I should be able to get a kickstarter page up shortly after I get the quote for tooling and price-per-part. I'm pretty amped about the project still. I hope you guys and gals are still excited as well! Hopefully this will prove a viable product and we'll see a whole line of other products in the same vein
Still moving forward. Hang tight...
Well, here it is, in all it's raw pigment-less glory!
And just so you can see how blah and transparent icky, yellow raw ABS is, check this sucker out.
So, there are a few tiny adjustments that need to be made, but nothing of any real concern, which is great (obviously). So, I shold have tooling quotes tomorrow or Monday. Once I do, I can start working out a budget and get a kickstarter page up. Just gotta get this guy all painted up and looking good! Stay tuned...
And just so you can see how blah and transparent icky, yellow raw ABS is, check this sucker out.
So, there are a few tiny adjustments that need to be made, but nothing of any real concern, which is great (obviously). So, I shold have tooling quotes tomorrow or Monday. Once I do, I can start working out a budget and get a kickstarter page up. Just gotta get this guy all painted up and looking good! Stay tuned...
RedRingOfDeath
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It looks like that case was made on a rapid prototype machine. If you have ever seen one of those machines in action, its pretty neat. Imagine a 3D printer that prints plastic. Pretty neat stuff. I have designed parts and shells using CATIA and "printed" them out w/a rapid prototype machine. Looks just like that - kind of off-white and ugly looking when its bare. Its pretty cool to be holding something in your hands that you modeled on a PC.
[quote name='RedRingOfDeath']It looks like that case was made on a rapid prototype machine. If you have ever seen one of those machines in action, its pretty neat. Imagine a 3D printer that prints plastic. Pretty neat stuff. I have designed parts and shells using CATIA and "printed" them out w/a rapid prototype machine. Looks just like that - kind of off-white and ugly looking when its bare. Its pretty cool to be holding something in your hands that you modeled on a PC.[/QUOTE]
It does, but it's not an SLA. It's actually CNC'd ABS. I know exactly what you're talking about. Worked at Little Tikes for a while. We SLA'd crap like every day! That stuff is a blast
It does, but it's not an SLA. It's actually CNC'd ABS. I know exactly what you're talking about. Worked at Little Tikes for a while. We SLA'd crap like every day! That stuff is a blast
elessar123
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[quote name='RedRingOfDeath']It looks like that case was made on a rapid prototype machine. [/QUOTE]
Don't they come out with layers?
Also, isn't ABS relatively soft?
Don't they come out with layers?
Also, isn't ABS relatively soft?
Yes, it's an additive process (as opposed to subtractive like how my parts were built). That process requires a LOT of hand finishing in order for the parts to have a nice show finish.
ABS is what pretty much EVERY home console is made of. It's pretty tough stuff. Not the best stuff out there, but a lot of bang for the buck.
ABS is what pretty much EVERY home console is made of. It's pretty tough stuff. Not the best stuff out there, but a lot of bang for the buck.
anotherpoorgamer
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That's looks so awesome! If I wasn't making a high school student's fast food salary, I so would be a full financial supporter for this.
Maybe you could make one for the NES toploader and the Sega CDX.
From my understanding, there will be already made versions of these replica kits when it takes off?
I never owned a toploader NES or the Sega CDX. I wouldn't mind aftermarket clones that work great and look great!
Put this thing on Amazon and I'll find a way to muster the funds. I wish the best of luck to you!
Maybe you could make one for the NES toploader and the Sega CDX.
From my understanding, there will be already made versions of these replica kits when it takes off?
I never owned a toploader NES or the Sega CDX. I wouldn't mind aftermarket clones that work great and look great!
Put this thing on Amazon and I'll find a way to muster the funds. I wish the best of luck to you!
Is it possible to mod the Super NES to display component video? I know you can do that for some older systems. if so, I would've liked to see some better video ports like that in this sucker. Of course, the soldering involved might be outside of the scope of the project.
Anyway, it's certainly very pretty and I'm glad we get a front-row seat during the development process.
Anyway, it's certainly very pretty and I'm glad we get a front-row seat during the development process.
Yup, the plan is to do as many consoles as there is demand for. Hopefully that ends up being quite a few
It's possible to get S-vid and RGB via S-Cart out of a SNES, but the ability to pull component video is something we've only just started seeing as a pooibility and only then with certain, specific hardware revisions.
So i got it painted and assembled. I'm beat, so here are some quick cellphone pics until I get some better shots.$
Stay tuned...
It's possible to get S-vid and RGB via S-Cart out of a SNES, but the ability to pull component video is something we've only just started seeing as a pooibility and only then with certain, specific hardware revisions.
So i got it painted and assembled. I'm beat, so here are some quick cellphone pics until I get some better shots.$
Stay tuned...
galvatron2k1
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^Very nice. I'm in full support, let me know when you get some pricing down. I like the color scheme too, only one I think that was better was the black with purple buttons. Also, west side of Cleveland here. Check your PMs.
slowdive21
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I'll buy the prototype.
ZombieToast
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How the hell did I miss this thread? Fantastic work, Wiggy. You always make great things and this is no exception. I don't mind the look of my ugly old consoles and I detest the thought of uniformity (I'm one of the few people who actually likes purple Kinect cases and red PS3 cases among my other games), so I probably won't be a customer of yours unless you can come up with affordable front-loading consoles. But I'll likely back this when you get a Kickstarter going because it's a great idea.
Hopefully this will all work out and then you can donate thousands and thousands of dollars when I get my own Kickstarter set up. You know you want to.
Hopefully this will all work out and then you can donate thousands and thousands of dollars when I get my own Kickstarter set up. You know you want to.
[quote name='ZombieToast'] I detest the thought of uniformity (I'm one of the few people who actually likes purple Kinect cases and red PS3 cases among my other games)[/QUOTE]
WE CAN'T BE FRIENDS ANYMORE.
I'll leave your super soaker on your porch. And you're not coming to the beach with me next weekend.
WE CAN'T BE FRIENDS ANYMORE.
I'll leave your super soaker on your porch. And you're not coming to the beach with me next weekend.
LOL, thanks guys! The support is a good motivator.
Trust me, you don't want the prototype. It's been a pretty big headache between one small mis-measurement that I made and some boo-boos on the part of the folks who built it. It's painted, so of course you have to handle it as such, the bay doors were sanded down too much by the maker, so they have too much slack and don't line up nicely with the top surface, and you don't even wanna see the backside right now LOL! But, it looks pretty, and that's its job for right now
Will definitely give to your Kickstarter. What are you trying to kick start, if you don't mind my asking?
Just registered 2 new domains for my business and will file a couple of trademarks pretty soon (when the money is there for it). A friend who's in marketing and IT seems to want to partner up with me, which would be perfect because those are two areas where I have almost zero experience or training. Good things to come it seems. Keeping my fingers crossed.
P.S. I should have a quote for tooling tomorrow, so a Kickstarter should be up before too long
P.P.S. Separated at birth?
Trust me, you don't want the prototype. It's been a pretty big headache between one small mis-measurement that I made and some boo-boos on the part of the folks who built it. It's painted, so of course you have to handle it as such, the bay doors were sanded down too much by the maker, so they have too much slack and don't line up nicely with the top surface, and you don't even wanna see the backside right now LOL! But, it looks pretty, and that's its job for right now
Will definitely give to your Kickstarter. What are you trying to kick start, if you don't mind my asking?
Just registered 2 new domains for my business and will file a couple of trademarks pretty soon (when the money is there for it). A friend who's in marketing and IT seems to want to partner up with me, which would be perfect because those are two areas where I have almost zero experience or training. Good things to come it seems. Keeping my fingers crossed.
P.S. I should have a quote for tooling tomorrow, so a Kickstarter should be up before too long
P.P.S. Separated at birth?
Any color or combination of colors shouldn't be an issue as long as enough people want that specific color/combo.
Initially, I'm thinking Wii white and Piano black. Probably do muted purple throwback switches and maybe red or light gray too. I'll definitely be starting polls on various forums once I get to the point where choosing colors for the 1st batch becomes a reality.
Initially, I'm thinking Wii white and Piano black. Probably do muted purple throwback switches and maybe red or light gray too. I'll definitely be starting polls on various forums once I get to the point where choosing colors for the 1st batch becomes a reality.
Besides guys, Wiggy already said I could have the prototype. And three thousand dollars. And a moped. Yeah, he said all those things!
Or maybe that was just a weird dream I had...anyway, give me a heads up when the kickstarter begins and include a donating incentive for a complete system.
Or maybe that was just a weird dream I had...anyway, give me a heads up when the kickstarter begins and include a donating incentive for a complete system.
slowdive21
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I'm serious, I would buy the prototype. I can understand if you want to keep it though. Let me know if you need an investor. I have money and I'm bored. Please take it now and give me more later.
bigpimpin24
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Awesome. I'm sure this thing will go amazing with your wireless controller you posted in the other thread. You are truly one talented SOB if you don't mind me saying Keep up the good work!
Keep up the good work!
slowdive21
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Where's the other thread? I want to see everything. :shock:
ZombieToast
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[quote name='Strell']WE CAN'T BE FRIENDS ANYMORE.
I'll leave your super soaker on your porch. And you're not coming to the beach with me next weekend.[/QUOTE]
Aww, goldarnit, I really needed a trip to the beach! Unless it's on the east coast; their beaches are on the wrong side and that just does not fly with me.
[quote name='wiggyx']Trust me, you don't want the prototype.[/QUOTE]
Well, I don't know about anyone else, but I definitely want it, even if it's just for show. It looks fantastic and it's always nice to have something unique like that. Plus I would tell people that I made it and you stole the idea from me.
[quote name='wiggyx']Will definitely give to your Kickstarter. What are you trying to kick start, if you don't mind my asking?[/QUOTE]
Possibly a few things, depending on where all of the planning takes us/me. I'll put this in a spoiler because I talk too damn much and I don't want to distract from the main topic:
Right now, we're in talks to take over a pre-existing local craft business that sells stamps and related supplies online. I don't really know much about the stuff, but I'm going to give the web site a major overhaul and bring it into the current decade. Right now, it looks like an old Tripod site (I'm surprised it doesn't have webrings or an InsideTheWeb BBS) so I'm going to modernize it with XHTML Strict (HTML 5 is unnecessary for the majority of the current customers), PHP/SQL, new pictures, and all kinds of fancy stuff. This is going to be a joint venture with my wife, her brother, and her brother's wife. The plan is to not only buy the business outright, but to also possibly buy the current owner's house and workshop. We're also working on plans to expand the business into beads and other crafts and scrapbooking supplies, but more importantly, I'm working on various handmade crafts that will hopefully coincide with the mini recycling center I'm trying to set up. As is, the business brings in a good amount of revenue each month (enough to support the four of us without needing other jobs) and I hope we'll be able to increase that by at least 50%-70%. This is still in the early stages, however, so I'm not sure yet if we will even need a Kickstarter for it.
Additionally, I am working on a book that I might need some help with. But this is the least important project in the works right now because I've just begun and it will be a while before I finish. Plus, I'm not terribly creative nor do I enjoy anything that I've ever created, so this may or may not eventually be abandoned.
The most important thing going on right now is the bakery that we are trying to open. We've been baking things for a couple of years now and we have had a lot of success with that, but it's on a very small scale. My wife wants to open a full-on bakery so we can have a public storefront and greatly increase the potential customer base. And where we plan on operating, there is no dedicated bakery for 60 miles (unless you count the doughnut shop), so there is little competition. It also helps that my wife's family is very highly regarded in the community...it's a small community in which her dad is one of the best-known teachers and coaches at the only high school, her mom is a teacher's aide at the kindergarten, and her brother is also a coach and one of the most popular rafting guides (her dad and brother are also part of the local search-and-rescue). Everybody knows their family, so that will be a big help.
The bakery is just a start, though. We also have plans for batting cages and a Wonderland-themed miniature golf (possibly with an arcade, although we all know that can be risky). All of these things will be in the same plaza and they will hopefully provide much-needed ways for kids and families to get out and have fun. This is very important to us because it's a tight-knit community that has to the potential to be an incredibly good environment for raising children, but there is absolutely no entertainment besides the one-screen movie theater and tiny bowling alley. There is a lot to do if you like hiking and rafting, but weather can make these activities unbearable for a large portion of the year and most kids turn to drugs because there really is nothing else to do. Considering that many kids don't make the hour-long trip to the nearest city until they're near adulthood, they really need other local activities.
Anyway...this is all in the very early stages and we're still figuring out if it's even feasible and if we'd be able to get the necessary permits and whatnot. Real estate is insanely cheap (can easily get 80+ acres for $400,000) so that's a non-issue, but almost everything else is uncharted territory for us and we don't yet know how far we can take this. We may have to settle for just the bakery and batting cages, but hopefully we can take it much further. Depending on how things go, we may actually want to hire you to help with designing stuff (you'd be paid of course...and only if you'd be interested). I don't know how intricate you can get, but you've done great things for your own project and we'd just need some 3D scale models for wooden and fiberglass structures. But we'll cross that path if/when the time comes.
[quote name='wiggyx']Just registered 2 new domains for my business and will file a couple of trademarks pretty soon (when the money is there for it).[/QUOTE]
As I understand it, I don't think trademarks are actually all that expensive in the grand scheme of things. Should be something like $250-$350, but don't quote me on that; I haven't looked it up in a while.
I'll leave your super soaker on your porch. And you're not coming to the beach with me next weekend.[/QUOTE]
Aww, goldarnit, I really needed a trip to the beach! Unless it's on the east coast; their beaches are on the wrong side and that just does not fly with me.
[quote name='wiggyx']Trust me, you don't want the prototype.[/QUOTE]
Well, I don't know about anyone else, but I definitely want it, even if it's just for show. It looks fantastic and it's always nice to have something unique like that. Plus I would tell people that I made it and you stole the idea from me.
[quote name='wiggyx']Will definitely give to your Kickstarter. What are you trying to kick start, if you don't mind my asking?[/QUOTE]
Possibly a few things, depending on where all of the planning takes us/me. I'll put this in a spoiler because I talk too damn much and I don't want to distract from the main topic:
Right now, we're in talks to take over a pre-existing local craft business that sells stamps and related supplies online. I don't really know much about the stuff, but I'm going to give the web site a major overhaul and bring it into the current decade. Right now, it looks like an old Tripod site (I'm surprised it doesn't have webrings or an InsideTheWeb BBS) so I'm going to modernize it with XHTML Strict (HTML 5 is unnecessary for the majority of the current customers), PHP/SQL, new pictures, and all kinds of fancy stuff. This is going to be a joint venture with my wife, her brother, and her brother's wife. The plan is to not only buy the business outright, but to also possibly buy the current owner's house and workshop. We're also working on plans to expand the business into beads and other crafts and scrapbooking supplies, but more importantly, I'm working on various handmade crafts that will hopefully coincide with the mini recycling center I'm trying to set up. As is, the business brings in a good amount of revenue each month (enough to support the four of us without needing other jobs) and I hope we'll be able to increase that by at least 50%-70%. This is still in the early stages, however, so I'm not sure yet if we will even need a Kickstarter for it.
Additionally, I am working on a book that I might need some help with. But this is the least important project in the works right now because I've just begun and it will be a while before I finish. Plus, I'm not terribly creative nor do I enjoy anything that I've ever created, so this may or may not eventually be abandoned.
The most important thing going on right now is the bakery that we are trying to open. We've been baking things for a couple of years now and we have had a lot of success with that, but it's on a very small scale. My wife wants to open a full-on bakery so we can have a public storefront and greatly increase the potential customer base. And where we plan on operating, there is no dedicated bakery for 60 miles (unless you count the doughnut shop), so there is little competition. It also helps that my wife's family is very highly regarded in the community...it's a small community in which her dad is one of the best-known teachers and coaches at the only high school, her mom is a teacher's aide at the kindergarten, and her brother is also a coach and one of the most popular rafting guides (her dad and brother are also part of the local search-and-rescue). Everybody knows their family, so that will be a big help.
The bakery is just a start, though. We also have plans for batting cages and a Wonderland-themed miniature golf (possibly with an arcade, although we all know that can be risky). All of these things will be in the same plaza and they will hopefully provide much-needed ways for kids and families to get out and have fun. This is very important to us because it's a tight-knit community that has to the potential to be an incredibly good environment for raising children, but there is absolutely no entertainment besides the one-screen movie theater and tiny bowling alley. There is a lot to do if you like hiking and rafting, but weather can make these activities unbearable for a large portion of the year and most kids turn to drugs because there really is nothing else to do. Considering that many kids don't make the hour-long trip to the nearest city until they're near adulthood, they really need other local activities.
Anyway...this is all in the very early stages and we're still figuring out if it's even feasible and if we'd be able to get the necessary permits and whatnot. Real estate is insanely cheap (can easily get 80+ acres for $400,000) so that's a non-issue, but almost everything else is uncharted territory for us and we don't yet know how far we can take this. We may have to settle for just the bakery and batting cages, but hopefully we can take it much further. Depending on how things go, we may actually want to hire you to help with designing stuff (you'd be paid of course...and only if you'd be interested). I don't know how intricate you can get, but you've done great things for your own project and we'd just need some 3D scale models for wooden and fiberglass structures. But we'll cross that path if/when the time comes.
[quote name='wiggyx']Just registered 2 new domains for my business and will file a couple of trademarks pretty soon (when the money is there for it).[/QUOTE]
As I understand it, I don't think trademarks are actually all that expensive in the grand scheme of things. Should be something like $250-$350, but don't quote me on that; I haven't looked it up in a while.
You're right, they really aren't. I own a couple others already
I'll have to check that spoiler in the morning. Too much reading for me this late, plus I just had to doctor up a friend's 3DS that was sorta mucked up, and that gave me a serious case of crossed eyes. Holy tiny, itty bitty parts :/
I'll have to check that spoiler in the morning. Too much reading for me this late, plus I just had to doctor up a friend's 3DS that was sorta mucked up, and that gave me a serious case of crossed eyes. Holy tiny, itty bitty parts :/
ZombieToast
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Ha ha, no worries. I'm typically not a man of many words, but when talking about myself or anything dealing with me, I can go on and on, so I understand. I am most definitely my favorite subject.
SolidSnake86
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Nice stuff, loved the wood grain one.
ZombieToast, I wholeheartedly support ALL of those ideas! That is beyond ambitious! I would gladly throw down some $$$ on a kickstarter for any and all of em.
I've been trying to convince my mother and sister to open a bakery. They both hate their jobs, and both make incredible baked goods. Plus, that whole small, family-type shop that produces homemade goods is really big now, and HGTV and the food network have like a zillion bake-off type shows it seems. Huge sub-culture potential IMO. This would be the time to get into it I think.
As far as doing some work for ya, I wood GLADLY trade out for some site-building. I had a friend who was just about to partner up with me, but he was just offered a really great COO position at a local startup, so I lost my marketing/web hookup
I hope to hear about some progress with any of those projects sometime soon!
I've been trying to convince my mother and sister to open a bakery. They both hate their jobs, and both make incredible baked goods. Plus, that whole small, family-type shop that produces homemade goods is really big now, and HGTV and the food network have like a zillion bake-off type shows it seems. Huge sub-culture potential IMO. This would be the time to get into it I think.
As far as doing some work for ya, I wood GLADLY trade out for some site-building. I had a friend who was just about to partner up with me, but he was just offered a really great COO position at a local startup, so I lost my marketing/web hookup
I hope to hear about some progress with any of those projects sometime soon!
bread's done