Monthly Archives: June 2009

The Mechanics of Creation 1: A DamienBlog

Jeff said I could start ANOTHER weekly column if I wanted, and I think this one is closer to the idea of what he wanted me to do in the first place anyway. So I give you Mechanics of Creation, an in-depth look with pretty pictures of how to do some really amazing things with HM3. I'll start off again with my recent winning entry, Fierra the Feyrune, since she took so dadgum much of my time to make look that good.

More after the jump. Continue reading

Random Panel: Why the statues in Metropolis are so disgusting

startling-comics-5-1941-superpoop

(From "Startling Comics" number 5, 1941.)

HM3: I will Brooke no Shields before their time

I've just uploaded the "ItemRightShields" set to the HeroMachine 3 Alpha for your protection. I am sure you will find something insane and creative to do with these beyond using them as a blocking device, of course. Here's a quick shot of the non-standard ones:

shields

After these are four sets of twelve matched shields in four different shapes. Each shape has the same set of twelve patterns for it, following Mark's example in the 2.5 Expansion -- shiny, vertical line, horizontal line, diagonal line, chevron, four quadrants, bordered, middle stripe vertical, middle stripe horizontal, middle stripe diagonal, cross, and diagonal quadrants. Hopefully that will give you all the variety you'll need to make that perfect Knight (do I smell a contest for that?!).

Let me know in the comments if you find any bugs with this new set.

I'll be moving on to Neckwear this weekend, after nailing down any problems with that last bunch, so by all means make any requests for specific items in that slot you'd want to see. As usual, I'll be converting over all the 2.x stuff for that slot, so you can skip those suggestions.

I've said this in comments before, but it's probably a good idea to lay out here explicitly as well. Your best shot at getting a specific item request into the program is to leave it in the comments to the post where I ask for them, ideally with a link to an image on the web somewhere of what you're talking about. If I'm looking for shield ideas, it's pretty much a waste of time for you to post a request for a helmet, because by the time I get back around to Headgear I'm going to forget what you said. Damien might make some difference on that score, but still, your best shot is to give me a link to what you want at the time I'm actually working on that slot.

Thanks as always for your suggestions in the past and I look forward to more great ones to come! Hope you like the shields, too.

HM3: Minor "TopsStandard" tweak

I just posted a slightly updated "TopsMaleStandard" set that fixes a patterning bug on one of the sleeveless items and on the ribbed t-shirt.

Random Panel: How Tim got the sidekick job

excitingcomics-13-1942-action

(From "Exciting Comics" number 13, 1942.)

Creating a Character, Part 1: Thought Processes

Now that I'll be more visible, I think I should do something worthwhile. So I'll be posting an occasional article or something on various subjects, and today's is on character creation in Hero Machine.

Now, just in case anyone wonders how I'm qualified to do that, let me tell you that I have half(ish) an associates degree in graphic design. So there. Continue reading

Random Panel: Meet the Confused Two-Fisted Racist

exciting-comics-20-1942-aryan

(From "Exciting Comics" number 20, 1942.)

BUGS!

At the urging of both Damien and Violodion, I've put up a HeroMachine 3 Bugs page, perma-linked over there in the right column. I and Damien will try to keep that updated with your reports so I can remember not to forget what's going on, and so you can quickly see if what's happening to you is "normal bad" or "unusual bad".

If only wraiths were invisible …

If you ever get down about your inability to create a cool looking character, just remember that people at DC got paid a lot of money to assemble THIS look:

wraith

First of all, if you're an intrepid adventurer for good or evil and you get the idea to dress up in a costume to hit the streets, let me offer you a quick word of warning from the dizzying heights of my years of super-costume experience:

Don't make your mask out of your initials.

Sadly, no one was there to help Wraith with that little tidbit, so he's forced to wear a giant purple "W" as a helmet. Since this character predates the ascension of George W. Bush to America's Presidency, we can safely assume that rather than some sort of political statement this is, instead, just a horrible fashion faux-pas. "Oh no," I hear you crying, "I am sure that was just an accident, that's not really supposed to be a W!" Riddle me this, then, O Defender of the Sartorially Challenged: why then does he have another W woven in similar clumsy style onto his top?

I thought so.

Not content with one assault on the senses, though, Wraith has gone a step further by making the offending piece of headwear out of purple and orange fabric.

Purple. And. Orange.

It's bad enough the thing looks like Batman's cowl is getting eaten by by an X-Wing Fighter without forcing it to deal with those two colors, each horrible in its own right and each made even worse by its proximity to the other. Throw in the "Cape With Only Three Notches" that looks like a leftover from the "You Too Can Make a Batman Cape" seminar and we have yet another in the long line of nemeses who tried to ape the Darknight Detective's fashion sense only to get an epic fail. I think the slightly-too-high-to-be-comfortable purple leg strip really seals the deal. It's like someone wanted a Rob Liefeld leg pouch but couldn't bring himself to actually do it. Maybe they blew their "Copycat" load ripping off Bruce's tailor and just couldn't get over the hump, but whatever the reason, we should all be thankful.

I also love how, in this illustration, he apparently has no idea how to carry a briefcase. "Hmm, I've got this bag of loot, but NOW what do I do with it?!! Curse these modern carryalls and their confusing handlery! If only my W Mask wasn't eating my face I could figure this out!"

I think we'd all be better off if this garter-wearing pinata-colored letter-masked no-briefcase-carrying buffoon would make like a real Wraith and just fade away ...

HM3: Two prize items

With thanks to Brambles and Mark Shute, I am happy to announce that I've just uploaded a version of ItemRightBladesTwo for the HeroMachine 3 Alpha that includes their contest winning prizes:

mark-brambles-prizes

Mark's stone dagger can be used either as a regular knife or, with a rotated handle, an axe head (that's what the extra bindings are for). And those of you who have wanted a scabbard for a while have Brambles to thank for at least this first one. The cavalry sword he submitted was pretty cool looking, I think both it and Mark's Neolithic weapon are fine additions.

Thanks to both of them and congratulations once more! If you've won a contest but haven't sent me your request, make sure you do so at some point.