I've just updated the HeroMachine 3 Alpha with the "Standard" set of "Headgear" items. I have some items to note after the jump.
This set contains almost all of the HeroMachine 2.x Headgear-Standard items in one form or another, whether redrawn for the new perspective or disassembled like the knight helmet. A few were already contained in the Military or Zombie sets so I left some of those out. A couple were just kind of lame, so I left those out. I also included a number of items from the Headgear-Expansion1 2.5 set where it made sense.
This is NOT intended as the be-all, end-all of Headgear items. I still have the Headgear-Masks, -Aliens, -Fantasy, and all the rest from 2.x to convert over. I also need to add some support in Eyes and Ears to make the masks super flexible. Those sub-sets will have dozens and dozens of items specific to that general theme, so just because you only see a couple of medieval knight helmets in the Standard set doesn't meant that's all there will ever be.
Furthermore, the evolution of HeroMachine 3 and the nature of using multiple items has made it possible for you to create your own headgear items on the fly. For instance, in HM2 there were three helmets that were basically a metal cap, the same cap with hanging chainmail, and the same cap with Viking horns. In the new 3.0 set those items are broken out into separate pieces. Here's what I mean:
The top one is the basic pot helmet. The second is the same helmet, combined with the plain draped hood with a chain mail pattern applied to it. And the last is the basic pot helmet with two horns from the "Ears" slot added. I could have added the horns to the middle combination, too, to make a horned Viking helmet with chain mail.
I included a couple of helmet ridges so you could play around with that, and am happy to add more in the -FantasyArmor set down the road.
I also wanted to point out that in essence, the Head items are full-head masks. I want to add plain eye holes to the Eyes slot in different shapes so you can color the Head the costume colors, then apply the eye holes from the Eyes slot using your skin colors to make it look like you have a mask with holes letting the skin show through. You can then turn on Multiples for the eyes and put your regular eyes in. This layering technique would let you have a whole slew of different mask types with eye holes like Spider-Man's, or Batman's narrow triangular ones, or Captain America's big ol' round ones, etc. In the old version, you were stuck with however many full face masks I felt like drawing with umpteen eye holes, but now you can make your own.
Or at least, you will once I get those eye holes added.
Which brings me to the next question. What do you want me to work on now? I of course will add any good suggestions you come up with for the Headgear-Standard set (by which I mean general interest items that don't duplicate too much stuff that'll be in a sub-set and that seem like they' be of general use to lots of people). But I can then either a) add all the general eye and ear items for better mask support or b) move on to Hair or Insignia or whatnot, or c) continue working on Headgear and convert over one of the 2.x sub-sets (probably Masks).
So let me know what you think, and what you want me to work on next. I've got a doctor's appointment coming up in a bit so I'll be out til this afternoon, but I'll be sitting back down to draw then and will let your input decide what I do.
Nice job on the Headgear, Jeff. I like the addition of helnet visors.
I think i’d like to see you work on Hair/FacialHair next, to finish things for face making.
Hi Jeff
Quality again!! you are getting these out at such a quick rate, without losing any quality!
As for next items, hhmmmm if you could try and add a few swords and axes into weapons it really would be appreciated, (I am so close to finishing off a few characters, just missing the weapons!! lol).
I like the sound of A the eye and ear items next too.
Scorp
Jeff my vote is to have you work on adding more items to the item slots…there is a lack of generic swords, shields, axes, etc to go along with the wonderful fantasy gear.
I think this is great! Early on you had said you wanted this to be the best Hero Machine ever, and at first I was skeptical that this would even be as good as HM 2.5, but now I really couldn’t be more excited about seeing the final product.
Personally I think I would prefer to see the next step be either more headgear or more hair options. As far as the hair goes, I’d love if whenever there is a widow’s peak it would land in the center of the forehead (as the Hero’s created are always facing forward). So far this is fantastic. Keep up the good work.
Any word on a contract extension?
i also vote for weapons to be next.
Jeff,
Could you add either in Masks or the Standard section a full faced blank hlemet along the lines of DR. Fate? Or at least put in a plain mask without ear bumps?
Great idea on the eye holes.
jeff, can we have the cyclops tipe of visor?, i use it alot.
I don’t mean to make a million posts, but one thing I’d like to see in the hair options is a dreadlock type hair that doesn’t fall over the face, but is combed back. Both thin (like the Preditor) and thick (like Kit Fisto).
THX SSSo MUCH JEFF! but where are the Final Fantasy helmets and head gear along with the Greek headgear?
@hofter: There isn’t much need ATM for Jeff to draw a cyclopes style visor as you can easily make one yourself with the transformation tools like the one pictured below. It would be nice for him to add one later that is a little more nose friendly then this version is but for the time being it really isn’t a true necessity
http://s285.photobucket.com/albums/ll49/Kaldath/?action=view¤t=Visor.png
i still want steampunk gear man and a bat head hahaha
While we could spend hours working with just the face and head, I’d like to see more Items added. Medieval weapons yes, but also the mundane items like a book, briefcase, or lab equipment.
Also, is there a practical reason to have both Male-Standard and Male-Military bodies? Seems redundant.
i hope you are well and id say yes work on some other stuff
Oh, and I looove the ‘shadowy hood.’ That blew my mind when I saw it. I want to try putting eyes layered over it to make a ‘glowing eyes’ effect.
An interressant suggestion : headgears with grid.
Shadow hood technique has two problems:
1– Shows the background through it
2– Patterns applied to the item spread to non-shadow areas
Alternative is to use up to three objects for the effect. This way would appeal more to experienced users:
a. Item itself
b. Face shadow
c. Deep hood shadow
Related general issues. Seem to excerberate when going bouncing between genres and single-multiple selections:
• When selecting various “Items” in a genre, layer information is lost. Thus, person needs to reset to desired layer by going back-forth between Transform & Item tabs.
• (Less replicatable) When selecting various “Items” in a genre, the Alpha value and Pattern selection is lost.
Relevant image for post #17, items #1-#2:
http://i40.tinypic.com/1z5ngj8.jpg
I’d like to see legwear that matches the tops, particularly in spandex but also in standard. Getting a good streamlined look without using a belt is difficult because the legwear doesn’t continue the lines of the tops as of yet.
Oh, next item set to do (in no order):
• Auras (& energy effects)
• Companions
• Backgrounds (‘Standard’ and ‘New’ eqv from HM2)
Items is a huge category, but would pick the ‘Polearm’ sub-category (esp. ‘wizard’ staves).
As much as I’d really love to see more everyday hairstyles than we had in the previous version, I have to say that getting more masks into what is essentially a superhero maker is pretty important. So, C.
Also, two mask requests/suggestions, in case they weren’t in your lineup:
A bone mask like this. (http://images.buycostumes.com/mgen/merchandiser/18905.jpg)
And a simple classic, though fully covering the nose. (http://campinfinity.cs.luc.edu/Members/session1/group6/kristen/mask_pic)
OK, I’m back and still alive, whew. I’ll try to do this all in one post.
@Paul (#6): I thought about that, but wouldn’t the regular heads work better? They’re featureless, have no ears, and are shaded appropriately. If I make a full-head mask, it’s only going to fit one head unless you mask it. Hopefully the eye holes I’ll be adding here in a bit will help.
@Hofter (#8): I should have put that in, sorry. I’ll do so later today.
@Kaldath (#11): That’s cool! I think it’s worth putting in a pre-generated one, it seems like a popular item, but the effect you get there is really neat.
@violodon (#17): That’s definitely a problem. Feh. Probably separate items makes the most sense … kind of confusing for your average user, but maybe if I name it something like “Headgear-Hoods”, and then group them all together like I did for some of the shirts? So you’d have the regular item, the back for that item, the shade for that item, and then one that’s got all of that grouped together. I’ll have to think about that.
@Blue Blazer (#18): I do need to do that, yeah.
In general it sounds like most folks want me to do items next, so that’s what I’ll do. Plus it sounds like fun. Get ready for some neat build-your-own possibilities!
Before that, I’ll knock out the eyes of the animals (that sounds bad), add in eye holes to the Eyes slot, and a couple of featureless ears to help with the masks. And if I remember, I’ll try to add in the forgotten Legwear spandex stuff. Then it’s on to Items, I’ll make a separate post when I start on it for your specific requests.
Thanks for the feedback everyone!
Fantastic work on the headgear Jeff! I really love the various hoods most of all.
For the next set, I recommend working on some melee weapons next like swords, daggers, axes and such.
I’m conjuring up a list of all the items I wish to see added and I have a few weapon suggestions that I want to request ASAP.
Jeff,
Another couple other random suggestions:
Put in an American flag in the insignia category. Would probably have to pre-color it.
Add a Revolutionary War Jacket?
Just a quick thought Jeff. Any chance of a cape that’s blowing out to the side? Sort of like it’s being blown by the wind? I realize that it’s possible to rotate capes so it sort of looks like that but I’d like one that was already like that =)
@ Jeff & Anarchangel: Shakti Warrior has a Cap something like Anarchangel is asking about if you still have the files laying around for that Jeff maybe you can us that in HM3
I’d love to see new styles of glasses, especially rimmed ones.
Oh, I’d also like to see armbands in the gloves section.
Swords please!
I’d like to see a better version of a cutlass or sabre added to the mix. Maybe some Arabic inspired scimitar-like swords.
fwiw, on Post #17, it is a bit like the HM2 Back > Standard > trenchback — a nice add for experienced folks. Takes a while for new users to realize why it is there.
Alternatively, experienced users could use the basic geometric shapes of ‘Insignias’ for the interim.
Trenchback? Weren’t they the hunchbacks who fought in the trenches during the War?
I’d like to see double swords (eg lightsabres),and Eastern and Western martial arts weapons.
D, I’ll be working on Weapon items tomorrow, and plan to include the bits and pieces so you can manufacture your own double-headed whatevers as much as you like. Should be fun!