Category Archives: Meta

META: Freshening up

I feel like the blog is in need of some fresh material or new blood or something. Are there feature ideas you'd like to see? Anything you are sick of and want to retire? How would you feel about my adding one or more additional co-bloggers to produce entertaining material for you all, and what sorts of things would you want to see them cover?

Basically I'm trolling for new ideas and plan on stealing your brilliance to present as my own. It's a win-win! Well, technically a win-lose, but ... look, squirrel!

META: Winning

I'm considering changing contests up around here so that there is no one "winner". I'll still pick out a handful of what I consider to be my favorites, but I won't single out one to receive a prize.

I think people are getting too hung up on that one thing, when in reality anyone who enters is a winner. And once there's just a handful of Finalists left, the selection of one person is pretty arbitrary. I mean, it's just my subjective opinion.

Thoughts?

dblade's Item Creation Poll Week 23: Energy Swords

It's another week of item creation! This time it's Fire Sword against Lightning Sword for a rare one-on-one battle for creation! The end result will be an Energy effect with the sword created wholly from energy. Great for creating auras for actual swords or just supplying your elemental blade fetishist with a weapon forged from the primal essence of the universe.

The Usual Disclaimer: Now's your chance to decide what artwork dblade will work on next. Whatever wins the vote will be completed the following week. This doesn't mean dblade won't work on other pieces. The winning piece will just be guaranteed dblade's attention.

[polldaddy poll="6317391"]

dblade's Item Voting Machine Week 22

Each week, dblade has a poll to decide which items he'll create for HM3. This week's poll is Headgear from the artist Skywarp.

Skywarp is an artist that you can find on deviantart in the following places:

http://skywarp-2.deviantart.com/

and

http://capitalcomicsstudios.deviantart.com/

Stop by and leave some comments! As you can see his drawing style is perfect for HeroMachine. He has a lot of cool designs that would be awesome to add to the ole asset bucket.

Now's your chance to decide what artwork dblade will work on next. Whatever wins the vote will be completed the following week. This doesn't mean he won't work on other pieces. The winning piece will just be guaranteed his attention.

[polldaddy poll="6286478"]

META: Forum software update

I just updated the Simple Press forums here to add the following functionality:

  • Uploads Viewer: The new Viewer gives you visual access to all of your previous uploaded images, media and files when editing or creating a new post - complete with automatic drop into your post content.
  • Post Preview: Allows you to preview your posts before you save them - as they will be displayed when published in the forum.

Holler if you have any problems with these.

META: Traveling and Open Thread

I'm winging my way to New York City today for a conference, so the Pop Quiz will remain open until this evening when I am safely ensconced in my hotel room and can get to judging. Behave yourselves!

Feel free to treat this as an open thread to discuss whatever you like.

Tutorials

We used to do a series of tutorials 'round these parts, which you can access here or here.

Since this came up in the contest thread, I just want to point out that anyone at all is more than welcome to put together one of these. Write it up however you like and email it to me, and if it seems like something helpful I'll post it.

If you'd rather not be that formal, I'd definitely encourage you to post them on the "Tips & Tricks" forum. That's open to anyone who's registered and you can do it up however you like.

META: Prizes

With the release of the Steampunk Bracelet, I am now completely caught up on "named" prizes! Well, except for a gun for Gene that's currently in limbo awaiting approval from the original artist.

Here are the people who have won a contest but who have not yet claimed either a specific prize or a "next item up" donation:

Continue reading

Final Contest Deadline TODAY!

This is your last day to get your submissions for the Super Omega Deathbattle Warzone Apocalypse Contest! The winners will get their characters painted in full color in a promotional piece for this new awesome game by professional artist Livio Ramondelli of “Transformers: Autocracy” and “DC Universe Online” fame.

Again, a perfectly valid strategy here is to pick out the nine most outstanding characters you've ever designed with HeroMachine and send them in as your entry. You're not limited to new characters only, folks, so go with your best. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity!

And as Woody the Judge says, you don't need crazy backgrounds or super amazing manipulations, all they are looking for is the character design itself.

Finally, remember to peruse the official rules before committing.

PS: If you sent yours in, you should have gotten an email back from me acknowledging their receipt. If you didn't get that reply but you sent yours in, please email me (afdstudios@gmail.com) ASAP.

Contest deadline looming!

Don't forget, you only have till Sunday night/crack of dawn Monday to get your submissions for the Super Omega Deathbattle Warzone Apocalypse Contest! The winners will get their characters painted in full color in a promotional piece for this new awesome game by professional artist Livio Ramondelli of “Transformers: Autocracy” and “DC Universe Online” fame.

Again, a perfectly valid strategy here is to pick out the nine most outstanding characters you've ever designed with HeroMachine and send them in as your entry. You're not limited to new characters only, folks, so go with your best. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity!

And please, remember to peruse the official rules before committing.

PS: If you sent yours in, you should have gotten an email back from me acknowledging their receipt. If you didn't get that reply but you sent yours in, please email me (afdstudios@gmail.com) ASAP.