The moment the concept was first introduced, 3D printers changed the way we produce things. With special plastic filaments and the right renders, they are able to reproduce just about anything. From plastic guns that are rightfully forbidden to cool room décor, 3D printers can be used in many ways. Gamers love them, too, as they can create a pitch-perfect replica of gamepads, racing wheels, or simply tributes to games.
This plays into the fact that many gamers love painting figurines they produce on their own. For example, there’s a vibrant Warhammer figure collecting and painting scene where people buy blank Warhammer models that they color themselves. It’s a meticulous project that requires a steady hand and a good eye for details and takes hours, if not days. Still, Warhammer fans love painting figures, and instead of buying expensive uncolored models, many go for 3D printing.
3D printing is such a fantastic way to make replicas or unique models of your favorite game characters. You can also use it to produce legit gaming equipment ranging from gamepads to poker sets and everything in between and beyond.
How Do 3D Printers Work?
A 3D printer is a special device that works by extruding molten plastic through special nozzles moved around under computer control. The nozzle or nozzles ‘spray’ the molten plastic under computer control that has been fed with a model that the user is trying to print. These printers have been used for everything from printing poker cards and chipsets to houses. As long as you have the material and the model, you can print anything with it.
When it comes to the ‘ink’ 3D printers use, these are special plastic filaments that you can buy in hardware stores. There’s a great difference in the quality between the top brands and cheap knockoffs. Unless you want your game replicas to look bad, go with the better option. The great thing about these filaments is that the price has been pretty much watered down in the past few years, thanks to the popularity of 3D printing.
While 3D printers are still expensive, you can have your models printed at professional service. Check your local printer shops and bring the model to them if you don’t have a 3D printer at home.
What Can 3D Printers Be Used for?
Designers use 3D printers for the quick creation of prototypes and product models. They have a wide range of uses in many branches of science. Shoe designs, furniture, non-essential medical equipment, toys, guns, and a lot of other stuff can be 3D printed nowadays. Fabricating models is easy via computer tools, and those can be sent to the device for precise manufacture.
3D printers are also used in archaeology to reconstruct models of fragile artifacts. Dinosaur skeletons and fossils can also be produced using 3D printers, making it one of the greatest scientific discoveries of our time. Many use special and massive 3D printers to produce housing, and in the future, we’ll surely see great new ways of using this technology with limitless opportunities.
In most cases, though, 3D printers are used for hobbies. They can be bought for a reasonable price online and are a hit with gamers. They use them to produce various gaming paraphernalia, from models of their favorite game characters to chess sets, poker sets and even play for fun roulette wheels. The fact is that you can create cool gaming/gambling accessories with the 3D printer. If you need some ideas, take a look at the list below.
Poker Sets and Chess
Poker is, without a doubt, one of the most popular casino games in the USA. You can find plenty of variants to test your skills at one of the best online casinos in the United States. Whether you’re a Texas Hold’em fan, an Omaha player, or you want to try video poker, you’ll find them all at the gaming site.
However, with poker being a social game and all, most Americans prefer to play it at home. To do this, you need a good poker set, and to be perfectly honest, the best ones are expensive, and the cheap ones are not good enough. In that case, you can create a set of your own using a 3D printer (or a printing service) that won’t cost you a fortune. You can even customize your chips and cards so you’ll have a unique branded set of poker with your initials or a family sigil. It’s just an idea – you can come up with your own.
In the same way, you can also create a chess set with your favorite game characters. How about a Pokemon chess set? Or one with those scary Doom monsters? The possibilities are endless.
Game Accessories
3D printers are the real deal when it comes to various game accessories. For example, gamers have used them to print cute mini wheels for their Xbox controllers that will make racing games all the more exciting.
Trigger buttons and similar accessories can also be printed, as well as cases for your gamepads and mini devices such as Nintendo Switch cases. Or simply print out specific paraphernalia from your favorite games – a Mario plumbing pipe or the Assassin’s secret blades are just a few ideas.
Instead of looking for all these accessories that will make your life easier, why not find models or create them on your own and have them printed? Such accessories can be expensive to buy, so printing them sounds much better.
Controller Customization
Racing wheels for Mario Kart, new buttons for your controller, or new trigger – these can easily be handled by a 3D printer. Why stick with the default buttons and colors when you can change them in just a couple of minutes? Customizing your controller will add some ‘color’ to your life and make your gaming equipment all the better. Of course, changing the button will require you to strip the controller down first, which can void your warranty.
Only do so if you know what you’re doing. If you’ve already changed triggers or buttons previously, all you need is to find a good button model that will work great on your gamepad.
Simple Board Games
3D printer boards are filled with great ideas for simple board games that you can print at home. There are models available on the Internet that you can download and ‘feed’ to your printer for a cool board game. Why buy them when you can come up with your own? Many of these board games come with their own carrying case, so you can fold and pack them easily.
It’s all handled by the 3D printer, of course. If you’ve always had a great idea about a board game and you’re willing to put it to the test, 3D printing is the best idea.
Headphone Stand
Headphone stands are cool, but let’s be honest – many of them are simply too expensive. Especially those created by popular gaming equipment companies. They’re useful, and they can look cool with RGB lighting effects, but the fact is that you don’t need much of that – you just need a stand to put your headphones on.
With just a few parts, headphone stands are among the easiest stuff to print with a 3D printer. They will keep your desk and gaming room tidy, and there are plenty of cool designs you can find for free online.
Board Game Storage Boxes
Board games are cool and all, but you know what we hate so much about them? There’s no simple box to store them in – you just have to carry them around in the packaging or buy an expensive storage box that costs even more than the game itself. The solution to that problem might lie in 3D printers.
Find a good design for free online, customize it with the board game name if you want, and store all the pieces there. When you want to play with your friends at home or another one’s house, just pop the cover and enjoy. You can 3D print boxes with separate sections too. We love 3D printers specifically for these kinds of things. While it may not look like much, printing board game storage boxes will make your life way easier.
Replicas of Your Favorite Game Characters
Gamers can often identify with video game characters even when their stories don’t align. We mean, rarely anyone can jump buildings like Ezio Auditore, but connecting to characters on a personal level is the magic of gaming. That’s why studios often release high-quality models of the favorite characters, which can cost a pretty penny. For example, a bust of Ezio or a Mario figurine can easily set you back a few hundred bucks, which isn’t something every gamer could buy.
The cheaper solution is to find free models online and 3D print them yourself. Or have them printed by a professional service. Either way, it’ll be cheaper. Of course, it won’t have the official studio branding, but who cares? Many models can also be 3D printed uncolored, so you can have some fun coloring them later.
Thumbstick Caps
Both Xbox’s and Playstation’s controllers are great for any type of game. However, when it comes to shooters, it would help if the analog thumbsticks were a bit higher. The industry has higher thumbstick caps, but they are a bit costly. Since they are simply added to the thumbsticks and made of soft plastic or rubber, you can easily print them with a 3D printer.
Better yet, you can customize them the way you want to and set the height to whatever feels best. They won’t cost you a lot, and you’ll have your own caps with a cool logo or something – feel free to experiment.
Remote Holders
We have a remote holder for everything these days. The AC needs one, our TVs need one, there are special remotes for consoles, one for the audio system…that’s a lot of remotes in our living room. Wouldn’t it be great if you could put them all in one place? Remote holders are not available for every model, but that can easily be solved by 3D printers.
Just take the measurements of all your remotes and custom-tailor your brand-new holders. This is an easy project for everyone, including 3D printing beginners. These remote holders will be your new favorite accessory as you can finally solve the remote clutter at home and keep them all in sight.
Device Mounts
Device mounts can be costly, especially when talking about monitor stands and mounts. Even those car mounts for your smartphone or tablet can be expensive, which is insane considering how simple they are to be produced.
If you have a 3D printer or a 3D printing service near you, device mounts can come easily and cheap. You can start with a simple one for your Android or iPhone or design more complex mounts for your consoles and other stuff.
Fan Grill Covers
Fan grill covers are a great way for beginners to realize the potential of 3D printers. Covers usually do nothing more than collect dust (which is important), but they can make your PC case look much better. For example, you can design some fan grill covers in colors, or if you get more creative, you can add lighting strips to them for cool RGB effects.
Conclusion
3D printing has changed the game when it comes to the development and production of everything from tiny models to housing. If you have one at home for personal use and you still haven’t tried it, we hope these ideas have helped. The fact remains that 3D printers are fantastic for games. From busts of your favorite characters to device mounts, board game boxes, and whatnot, this is an impressive technology you can use to design nearly anything you set your mind to.
With prices of 3D printers dropping and plastic filaments already coming for cheap, it’s time to take it up as a new hobby.
