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Scorp has approved the final version of the contest-winning Mideios' final illustration, so without further ado, here he is:
And just to refresh your memory, here was the contest entry itself, direct from the HeroMachine:
Many thanks again to all the entrants, and to Scorp for giving me such a fun character to illustrate.
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Posted in Challenge Prizes, Challenges, Cool Characters, News & Updates
Note, February 1, 2008: This contest is over, so comments on this post have been disabled.
I am pleased to announced the first ever HeroMachine Custom Character Portrait Contest! The winner will receive a free custom, hand-drawn digital illustration of their character by me, Jeff Hebert, professional illustrator and bald guy. Here's how it works:
You can see examples of HeroMachine creations turned into custom illustrations in the posts I've made previously about Kubota, Hangman, and Talena.
The final artwork will be created by me, Jeff Hebert, original HeroMachine artist whose work has been published in numerous super-hero gaming supplements and magazines. This is a real custom illustration just like those that would cost you hundreds of dollars at a convention or via an artist's commission.
So get busy with the HeroMachine and let your imagination run wild!
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Posted in Challenges, News & Updates, Super-Hero Stuff
I was wondering if there would be interest out there in making your own actual HeroMachine items, which would be Flash objects just like everything else -- colorable, selectable, and usable on any of the six bodies. The idea is that I would release the Flash source files (like m1-RightHand-Expansion1.fla for instance) and write up some instructions for how to create your own items. People would draw their own items and send me their versions of the source files, and I'd compile them up into further expansion pack releases for others to use.
The source file for the main engine, heromachine.fla, would not be released.
The thing is, you'd have to own Flash and know how to use it. The code on the item files is very simple, all you have to do basically is change the name of the item in three places and you're good to go. What I don't know is how many people would be interested in something like that, and then how many would follow through and actually do something.
Thoughts?
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Posted in News & Updates, Suggestions & Ideas
I am happy to announce that the new expansion items from Mark Shute are now LIVE in the first and second male, and first female, body templates! This update includes most of what you see in Mark's preview, for a rough new item count of 300 or so. All are located in the Expansion1 set of each component, usually at the end. We've got dozens of new guns, new shields, beard styles, gloves, you name it, so check it out today!
And as always, thanks to the nice people at UGO, these new Expansion items are yours absolutely free.
(01-21-08, edited to add)
The expansion items will be available for free download in the Desktop Edition once all of the items are available for all six bodies. Until then, there's no point in putting up a new 45+MB package that people are going to have to download over and over with each tweak. At this point the expansion is still in "beta"; once it's completely done, it'll be put into a downloadable format.
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Posted in News & Updates
In the next couple of weeks I'll be releasing some additional Expansion items, including a nice set of firearms by the invaluable Mark Shute. Since people seem to like guns and other assorted firearms, I thought I'd provide a preview of what they look like (click the image for a much larger version):
One of the things Mark does much better than I is creating drawings of mechanical items with clean, crisp lines that convey a sense of solidity. My Flash drawings tend to look like they were drawn with a brush, while Mark's are more like those rendered with a good set of technical pens. It works much better for these kinds of things, and I have to admit I learn something every time I work with his stuff.
This next expansion to the expansion is going to add several hundred items to the set, thanks to Mark, including some really nice shirts and belts, among many others. You can see the full set of items he's submitted here.
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Posted in News & Updates, Previews
One of the features I'm most excited about with the new site is the "poll" module in the right hand column. The current question involves matters nearest and dearest to my heart -- what do you want to see me and UGO spending our time on with the HeroMachine? I'm working on it full-time right now, so the possibilities are wide open. When you get a chance, register your preferences so I'll know what it is I ought to be doing!
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Posted in News & Updates, Suggestions & Ideas
Three middle-aged nerds (including yours truly!) review all of the MCU movies in chronological order. Short, funny, and full of good vibes, check it out and let us know what you think!
Nerdmudgeon.com