Sunday, June 14, 2015

Print Your Own Games With MakerModel's Clever Designs

The cool thing about blogging is that it brings fun things into your life.  And, what I'm going to talk about in this blog article is at the top of the heap when it comes to fun.

Thanks to a Cube3 owner's (Don Oldham) creativity, cleverness and skill, anyone with a 3D printer can purchase, print and play some games that promise to be a lot of fun for children and grandchildren!

The web site is Maker Models

Maker Models Battle Fun

There are a number of games available. And, the designs are quite sophisticated.

Marble Run

Here is a short video that demonstrates Marble Run Motorized Chutes, one of two versions of Marble Run offering.

 


I love the reaction of the children.  My own grandchildren are teens now; but, I remember them at the age of the children in the video and that sound of shear joy remains a very happy memory for me.  

Not only do they offer the STL files to print the parts; but, the non-printed parts from a single source that makes it easy to get up and running fast.

The fun doesn't stop there.

Marble Race

Marble Race allows up to five players to race their own marbles around a track that actually allows passing.  Pretty clever!

Marble Race

This is pretty slick.

If my father were still alive, I can visualize him beating all challengers and creating an "All-Time All-Time Champion" badge that he wore proudly each time the game was played.  :)
Among my siblings and our friends, my father is legendary as the person ALL of us wanted to beat and rarely succeeded.  We didn't play Croquet.  We played Cutthroat Croquet were you knew for sure that sooner or later your ball (usually by Dad) would be driven deep into the most dense overgrowth!  :)
I wish there was a video of this game in action.  In its absence I can just visualize the gleeful chaos.  Providing the opportunity for marbles to pass each other is a stroke of genius.

Battle Fun

Soldiers, castles and towers.  This is Battle Fun.

Battle Fun

Not only does Maker Models offer the STL files for the game pieces; but, also make available a case for all those parts and STL files for the case dividers.  The cannons are even able to shoot rubber cannon balls which is my kind of fun.  :)

Fish Line Splicer

Along with the games, there is a useful tool for those that love to fish.  The Fish Line Splicer is a device that aids in the spicing of braided fishing lines.  Pretty clever.

Fish Line Splicing Tool


I love creative solutions to everyday challenges and this definitely qualifies.

The prices seem very reasonable to me.

I actually appreciate the fact that there is a small cost for the STL files.  That is because the lamentable fact is that free files don't provide the support for talented designers like Don Oldham that allows them to continue to design and that is a loss for the whole 3D printing community.  I WANT to see people like the designers being able to design more clever and fun games that all of us can enjoy!

Keep it up Don!










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