Industry: 3D Printing, Tabletop Role-Playing Game (TTRPG)
Use Case: AI-Generated Miniatures & Player Customization
Challenge: High production cost, long development cycle, and inability to scale custom miniature creation
Solution: Integrating Meshy's AI 3D generation and API workflow to automate character modeling and color-ready printing
Results:
- 98% reduction in production time (2 weeks → a few minutes)
- 80% reduction in per-model creation cost
- Seamless AI-to-print pipeline enabling full-color miniatures within 30 minutes
Why 3D Production Was a Bottleneck for TTRPG Studios
As a TTRPG industry pioneer, known for blockbuster Kickstarter campaigns and premium tabletop accessories, Thorns Tavern's creative vision was long held back by a “3D production bottleneck,” with four core pain points:
Slow, Labor-Heavy Workflow
Traditional miniature production relies on sculptors and mold casting — requiring 1-2 weeks per model and high labor costs.
Unattainable Customization
Customization was nearly impossible for average players due to the time and cost barrier of personalized models.
Limited Flexibility for Creators
Hand-painting and injection molding limited flexibility, slowing new project iterations and Kickstarter campaigns.
Need for Scalable Automation
The team needed an automated, scalable pipeline that could support mass customization without sacrificing artistic quality.
How Meshy AI Solved TTRPG 3D Customization Challenges
Meshy didn’t just boost efficiency—it restructured Thorns Tavern’s 3D production logic, solving problems across tool adaptation, technical optimization, and ecosystem building:
Workflow Integration: From Player Imagination to Printable Reality
Meshy is now a core engine in Thorns Tavern's daily production workflow, supporting key scenarios:
- Player Input: Players upload character illustrations or written descriptions to Thorns Tavern's website.
- AI Generation: The system calls Meshy's API to automatically generate a 3D model matching the player's character.
- Automated Printing: After confirmation, the system creates a printable file and sends it directly into the full-color 3D printing workflow.
Implementation: Embedding AI into the 3D Pipeline
Thorns Tavern integrated Meshy's AI capabilities directly into its production stack, enabling a fully automated, scalable workflow.
- Embedded AI Workflow: Meshy's AI tools are embedded as a core step in the production pipeline, transforming concept art into fully modeled miniatures.
- Technical Optimization: The Meshy API resolved technical challenges around lighting, topology, and texture mapping.
- Seamless Integration: Internal development teams leveraged Meshy's flexible endpoints for seamless integration with their web-based custom miniature platform.
"Meshy has now become a key part of our production workflow. Based on the design images uploaded by users, we quickly generate 3D models through Meshy—greatly shortening the time from concept to finalization."
Wenchao Yang
CEO
Collaboration: Co-Creating an Optimized Production Ecosystem
Close collaboration between Thorns Tavern and Meshy ensured precision, speed, and scalability throughout development.
- Continuous Technical Communication: ensured accurate alignment between Meshy's AI outputs and Thorns Tavern's 3D printing parameters.
- Rapid Iteration & Support: Meshy's fast update cycle and dedicated support team enabled quick testing, feedback, and optimization of the API workflow.
Transformative 3D Efficiency Gains for Thorns Tavern
By integrating Meshy's AI generation tools, Thorns Tavern fundamentally redefined its miniature production pipeline — turning a once manual, week-long process into a fast, automated workflow.
Drastic Time Reduction - 98% Faster Modeling
Modeling time was cut from one to two weeks down to just a few minutes through Meshy's AI automation.
Full Personalization - From Templates to Custom Models
Player customization leaped from limited presets to 100% AI-generated, fully unique characters.
Accelerated Painting - 10x Faster Finishing Workflow
Manual hand-painting that once took several hours now takes less than 30 minutes with AI assistance.
Cost Efficiency - 80% Lower Production Costs
Sculptor-based expenses were replaced by automated generation, dramatically reducing labor and material costs.
Faster Iteration - 4x More Frequent Launches
Production cycles moved from one or two projects per year to monthly iterations, enabling more creative Kickstarter campaigns.
Premium Print Quality - Industrial-Grade Full-Color 3D Printing
Thorns Tavern adopts industrial-grade full-color 3D printing technology that surpasses consumer-level devices in precision, color fidelity, and durability. Combined with Meshy's well-structured 3D models, it delivers lifelike, collectible-level miniatures.
Market Validation - Proven User Engagement
Early ad tests showed strong user interest and conversion, confirming high demand for AI-based customization.
Meshy-Powered TTRPG Custom Website
Launching soon, Thorns Tavern's new platform powered by the Meshy API enables TTRPG players to bring their imagination to life through a fully automated, AI-driven 3D creation experience. Players simply upload their character sketches or written descriptions to the dedicated website. Meshy's AI instantly transforms these inputs into detailed 3D models, which can be reviewed, customized, and ordered with a single click. Each model is automatically converted into a full-color printable format, streamlining the process from concept to tangible miniature.
Beyond creation, the platform fosters a vibrant community hub where players can share their characters, post stories, and team up for campaigns—building an ecosystem for creative collaboration among TTRPG enthusiasts. Although the website is still in internal testing, early pre-launch campaigns have already drawn strong attention from target users. Excited players have shared overwhelmingly positive feedback:
- “Amazing! You've really captured the spirit of the illustration—I'm so excited to share and be part of your launch!”
- “I'm very excited to see how the miniature comes out!”
- “I really love the way it turned out.”
Long-Term Collaboration: Building the Future of TTRPG 3D Creation Together
For Thorns Tavern, Meshy is a strategic partner in shaping the next generation of TTRPG creation and customization.
Thorns Tavern's near-term goal is to strengthen its leadership in the tabletop and miniature market while expanding into the global tabletop gaming arena. Its long-term vision is to deliver higher-quality original products and experiences for TTRPG enthusiasts, allowing players to enjoy superior craftsmanship and creativity at a more affordable price.
"With Meshy, we've turned what used to be a dream for TTRPG players into a practical, scalable experience. The technology, communication, and speed of iteration are all top-notch."
Wenchao Yang
CEO
As both teams continue collaborating, the platform is expected to form a self-reinforcing ecosystem, where a growing user base contributes more high-quality 3D models, creative campaigns, and player-driven stories—fueling innovation across the entire TTRPG community.
