Remember those triplets you imagined dating all at the same time, and how awesome that was? Or how about that triple-scoop sundae at the ice cream shop -- awesome, right? Good things come in threes, my friends, which makes this announcement even more fantastic:
Friday Night Fights 3 has arrived!
That's right, the time has come again for an all-out, knock-down, drag-out fight pitting your creativity directly against other HeroMachine faithful in a week-to-week slugfest.
Here's how it works.
You have two weeks to come up with five HeroMachine creations. Starting on Friday, September 23, I will post all of the "Play In" entries in one big cage-match poll. On Friday, September 30, the top 16 vote getters will face off in a series of head-to-head matchups in traditional tournament bracket fashion. On Friday, November October 7, the eight winners of each bracket will face off in another round of head-to-head matchups, and so on until we have one overall winner.
Everyone has a shot at getting into the tournament. Who actually does will be decided by the community at large, removing me as the gatekeeper.
Which brings us to the subject of "Theme". Your challenge in this Friday Night Fights is simple:
Create a Classic Five-Member Super Team With Unified Costume Designs
The concept here is that you're assembling a super team long the lines of the original "X-Men" or the "Domino Dynamo Five", but who should share some sort of identifying team identity. Maybe they all have the same colors, or share a logo on the belt or chest, or have some sort of common fashion design like a high collar. Something so that when you look at them in a group, you can clearly tell they're all on a team and not just super-powered people who happened to be caught standing next to each other.
In terms of the team members, they should fit into the following five broad character archetypes, all of which must be present on your team. I'll use the X-Men as examples.
- Gadgeteer (Forge, for example);
- Martial Artist (Beast, for example);
- Energy Blaster (Cyclops or Gambit, for example);
- Mentalist (Jean Grey or Professor X, for example);
- Brick (Colossus, for example).
That's also the order the contest will go in -- Gadgeteer is the play-in round entrant, followed in order by the rest, one per week.
Here are the rules:
- By the close of business on Thursday, September 22, you must provide to me via email (afdstudios@gmail.com) five character images created via HeroMachine 3, that meet the following criteria. Note that your entry must include all five characters; incomplete character sets will be disqualified and will not be eligible for entry later on.
- Characters must include a Gadgeteer; a Martial Artist; an Energy Blaster; a Mentalist; and a Brick;
- Images must be in JPG or PNG format;
- No outside manipulation by any image editor other than HeroMachine 3 except for basic cropping;
- Each submission must also include a brief description of the team name and concept the characters appear in, and a brief bio of each character.
- Please name the files with yourname-archetype-charactername.jpg/png. For example, Kaldath's Brick might be "kaldath-brick-Basalt.png". That just helps ensure that I get the right characters in the right week for the right person.
- On Friday, September 23, all qualified entries of the Gadgeteer archetype will be posted on HeroMachine.com in a single poll.
- On Friday, September 30, the top 16 vote-getters in the Gadgeteer poll will face off in a series of head-to-head match-ups featuring the Martial Artist entries, with the #1 vote getter being matched against the #16 vote getter, #2 going against #15, and so on.
- On Friday,
NovemberOctober 7, the eight winners of each Martial Artist contest will again face off in a series of head-to-head match-ups, this time featuring their Energy Blaster entries. Brackets will not be re-seeded at this time; we're going with a traditional bracket set-up this time around.The eight entrants who did not advance in the tournament will also have their Energy Blaster entries featured in an all-in cage match, with the winner receiving their choice of any HeroMachine 3 item they like.
- On Friday,
NovemberOctober 14, the four winners of each Energy Blaster match-up will face off again in a series of head-to-head contests, this time featuring their Mentalist entries. Brackets will again be re-seeded according to overall vote totals from the previous week.The twelve entrants who did not advance in the tournament will also have their Mentalist entries featured in an all-in cage match, with the winner receiving their choice of any HeroMachine 3 item they like.
- Finally, on Friday,
NovemberOctober 21, the last two contestants standing will clash with their Brick characters, with the top vote getting as of Friday,NovemberOctober 28 being the overall victor, joining the previous FNF winners Kaldath and Imp in the Ring of Honor, and receiving a custom color character sketch of whatever they like (within reason!) by Jeff Hebert. The runner-up will receive a custom black and white character sketch.The fourteen entrants who did not advance in the tournament will also have their Brick entries featured in an all-in cage match, with the winner receiving their choice of any HeroMachine 3 item they like.
Hopefully that makes sense. To clarify a bit, here is the bracket, along with each week's character (not including the "Gadgeteer" play-in round):
If you have questions, please speak up in the comments. And good luck!
(Image ©Marvel Comics.)
This is freakin’ awesome! Can’t wait….! Game on!!!!
Hmmmm, nice idea. Hope I come up with a good idea for this one.
BTW, love those copy-paste errors: “The eight entrants who did not advance in the tournament will also have their Little John entries…. ” 😉
One group entry per person right?
Awesomeness XD
To think I just logged in to finish my cosmic guy lol
Better put my thinking cap on
So, I suppose this is going to interfere with OCD?
Out of curiosity, why those particular character archetypes?
So, is the mentalist just a telepath/psychic, or could their powers include things like telekinesis?
Also, unrelated question, but what’s the schedule for Open Critique Day? I was expecting to see it today but I don’t. Is it only every other week?
I don’t have access to your e-mail, Jeff. Could I just put my team here?
Never mind. I figured it out.
YAY! Friday Night Fight, and this one I can sink my teeth into, count me in!
Lol, I already created something like this very recently. I only have to make a brick character and I’m set.
@Doornik: Open Critique Days alternate with Sharing Days. I think this week was Sharing Day, but since Jeff is on ‘Mancation’, as he put it, I’m guessing that’s postponed a week.
you want the actual files not links to the files on photobucket or etc.
I have e-mailed my team.
gadgeteers a not easy to come up with
Yikes, it is that time of year again. And I’ve felt so burnt out lately.
Of course, I felt pretty burnt out last time too, but at least back then I had an idea.
@Dino 12: Last week was a sharing (with cosplay as the subject), this week would have been critique. I think this contest annoucement is taking it’s place this week, though…
Speaking of which, I’ve finished my first team member, and good luck to everyone who’s entering!
Sorry i didn’t make it clear, but yes, this announcement took the place of the usual “Open Critique Day”, and FNF3 in general probably will do so for the remainder of the contest.
Thanks for catching the cut and paste error, Worf! Fixed now.
You can post the images to photobucket or whatnot and just send me the links, sure. I actually started with Gadgeteer thinking it would be the easiest one — you can do an Iron Man type, after all, and I see tons of those.
Ok now that the archetypes have been finalised, I’ve got a rough story idea for three characters, so now I can “arche them out” and add 2 others, sounds good.
Here is my first guy, the leader of the Alliance/League of Gifted Men(depend son the person that writes the news about them) Alexander Newton was gifted with superior intelligence then most of the Human Race, he was successfully able to invent a cure for AIDS getting the Noble Peace Prize. One day he witness a murder and was almost killed himself, managing to crawl up to his home in Chicago he quickly got out a gel he made that would heal him,t his gel was designed to help people grow limbs back and have them work like new, he however got a minimal healing factor from his invention. Using this temporary ability he used many new and dangerous tools to invent weapons and tools, by the time it wore off he created the Nano Suit, with a click of a button he can go invisible, fly or even shoot out a strand of Nano Bots. With his new found ability to save people he found others with other well known names. He soon created his alliance.
I will add them all in one post when I make the others, this is just a preview, also do they need to be in one pick? or can they be specific and separate picks?
Hunter631: Please do not post them here. As the rules above say, they must be emailed to me (afdstudios@gmail.com), named appropriately, and each in their own separate image file, not a composite. If you want to do a group shot, go for it, but I must also have each one as their own image. Otherwise it’s impossible for them to go head-to-head with the others.
I don’t have Gmail so would that still be possible to send them? If I do send them there will be no to email me, as long as you have them that is fine.
Hunter631: … You don’t have to have GMail. You can use any sending email program you like — afdstudios@gmail.com is MY address, the one you need to send the email TO.
a m a z i n g!!!! 🙂
im pretty sure, but rocketeer/adam strange type would count as gadgeteer
I do want to re-iterate that the idea here is to create a set of costumes with common elements, so you can tell at a glance they are all on one team. Like the early X-Men, not like the Justice League. All while making sure each individual’s personality and powers also shine.
2 done with same color scheme and logos
maniacmick(27): Yup, so might Cyborg from The Titans. In fact the Teen Titans cartoon probably best represents the above team archetypes, with Robin being the Martial Artist, Cyborg the Gadgeteer, Starfire as the Blaster, Raven is the team Mentalist (even if her powers are magic rather than psychic). And while Beast Boy’s power is fairly versatile, his tendency to pick animals known for their size and strength to transform into in battle best classifies him as the Brick. There is a bit of crossover of course. Both Cyborg and Starfire are capable of superhuman strength, Cyborg can fire energy blasts from his arm cannon, Robin has been known to use some gadgets from time to time, and Beast Boy occasionally transforms into animals that are physically weaker, but capable of quick and precise attack and evasions, conducive to a Martial Artist, but the primary archetype models hold up pretty well.
On the other hand, there is absolutely no visual cohesion between their costumes.
Do these have to be specific to superheroes? I’d love to do a fantasy adventuring party that fits this bill (including matching uniforms). I won’t participate if it has to be superheroes because I really dislike making them.
I just finished Anti Matter, he was my 4th Super Hero and I made when I was 5. This version is in his older days as a member of the LOGM. I have the Gadgeteer and Brick done, now I need like three more was it?
3 down, martial artist and mentalist to go
Okay, I just finished The Brick, Gadgeteer, and the Martial Artist.
All Three have their own unique Background that tells you their archetype and each have a unique look but same color scheme.
Okay, I just got done with The mentalist, just one more, the Blaster.
Okay, I just finished them all, what do I do know? I can upload them to Imageshack and then what do I do when I send them to the Gmail thing?
(Sorry first time doing this)
@Hunter631 send jeff the links to the individual images through the email
Hmm I will take time to make some pieces for this now that I got my three for the contest. I like that were not adding art here because then we can’t see each others work and just have to see what comes out of the grinder.
Am I imagining things, or is there a month-long break in between the 2nd and 3rd rounds?
I think you’re imagining things, Imp, but I’m so bad at math it’s possible I screwed something up. I don’t think so, though — should be just one week between each round.
And yes, Hunter631, just send me the links to that email account. It doesn’t matter that you don’t have gmail, just use your AOL mail to send the links and such to my email address. If you’re uncomfortable using email, you can use the “contact us” link up there at the top of the right column.
Personally I like how my team came out, I like the design and it fits my style.
@Jeff: I failed to notice it too the first time around, but The Imp is right about the dates. You have it going from September 30 with the martial artist match-up to NOVEMBER 7 with the energy blaster match-up… Is the month of October tabu for you? Plus November 7 is a Monday, not a Friday. 😉 😀
Shouldn’t it be Dynamo 5 rather than Domino 5?
Geez, you guys and your “standard” calendars.
Yes, I’m an idiot. It should be October. Changing that now.
Also, yes, it should be Dynamo Five.
In my defense I was in a rush. Also too I’m stupid.
Wow, I’m having a hard enough time coming up with a design for CC 72. Plus football season, work, this lady friend is single again…
Still, way cool. I’m in.
@Jake(31): You know, I thought the same thing. Why not a D&D-style team? FNF is a popular vote contest. I’m kicking around the idea except they would be baddies. I’ll even give you a spoiler. My team’s mentalist would be a Mindflayer (Illithid).
Speaking of Mentalists… I watched that show “The Mentalist”… I really want to punch that guy. What a waste of time.
“Leave Jeff alone! Leave him alone!”, weird that statement seems somewhat familiar, and a bit creepy if I do say so myself. Self “I concur.”. Ha, (*defense* I’ve learnt to laugh at my own jokes, no one else will *) anyways in Jeff’s defense he is still focusing on his Mancation, either way good catches guys.
quick question Jeff, I know it’s not that important, and probably has no bearing on you what so ever, but would you prefer we don’t post our finished character teams to our forums?
Oh, yeah, fantasy or sci-fi “teams” are fine. Might be very cool, actually.
You know, now that I think about this some more, I wonder if there’s not some way to have a “Grand Champion” kind of thing where you’re voting on the entire team in one big group shot. Thoughts?
MartianBlue, I think it’s probably fine to post them to the forums. I mean, a number of folks are going to be putting them on ImageShack or whatnot, so it seems to be the same difference.
I really like how my team came out. Hopefully it’ll make it in the fight and deep into it
I like the idea of a group shot/team vote. seems fitting with the theme
Jeff, you could probably predict that I’d be the one to ask this if anyone did, but can we enter more than one team? And if so, is there a limit?
Sorry Kaylin, one overall entry per person is the limit.
OK Jeff. I thought it would be that, just checking. I’m going to make more than one team anyway, but I’ll only enter one – the best one.
I’m going to sit this one out
2 out of 5 done. Zyping can be really time consuming.
Small question, Jeff. Probably a stupid one but I’ll ask it anyway. If we are doing separate files for each team member, can they be on different backgrounds? Or do they have to be the same background?
Also, can you please define “close of business” for September 22nd? I live in Canada and times are different depending on where you’re at.
Also, I would like to register my outcry of there not being a “female brick-type” body for some who want to do all-female teams? I know I nag about this but now I have to put a man on my team. Sigh.
Okay, another question (I know, I ask too many). Does an Energy Blaster have to be a traditional energy or can it be an elemental energy? For example, I notice in the ItemRight-Energy category that you have water energy, fire energy, etc. Can I use that for my Energy Blaster?
I need some clarification.
It says in the contest rules:
Note that your entry must include all five characters; incomplete character sets will be disqualified and will not be eligible for entry later on.
Does this mean all five characters have to be send with the same e-mail, but can have each their own picture. Or do you have to share a setting like they were posing for a group photo?
@Jessica: I think you should still do an all female team if that is your original concept. Don’t let the lack of a female brick-type body stop you. Some female powerhouses don’t necessarily look the part: Wonder Woman, Supergirl, Rogue,etc.
Jessica (56): Different backgrounds are fine, although really the focus for these ought to (in my mind at least) be on the character and the uniform.
Jessica (57): I’m in Mountain Time, but really that just means by the time I wake up on the 23rd, more or less. I was just trying to be clever with the wording.
Jessica (58): A brick doesn’t have to be thick and burly. They just have to be strong and capable of taking punishment. Colossus isn’t The Thing. And as dblade (61) said, a lot of female characters you’d think of as bricks don’t have that monstrous build.
Jessica (59): “Energy projector” is a generic term, it doesn’t have to be energy at all. For instance, in the example, Gambit throws cards (albeit infused with energy). Hawkeye would be an “energy projector”, even though he shoots arrows. The concept is someone who attacks from a distance. So yes, any of those effects you mentioned are fine, as would a bunch of other non-energy types of things.
Hyperanthropos (60): By “entry” in that sentence I meant the email you send in must have all five image files — I don’t want people sending in five separate messages that I have to keep track of . Each character must be in its own separate image.
As you want, I’m going to do every one seperate of course, but I’m thinking about making a team shot as well. As usual all with no backgrounds. In said shot, would it be ok to place the characters outside of HM3, possibly some slightly behind others as long as I don’t edit them in anyway? I would just do it in program, but five full characters, and if my first is any indication; exactly 236 layers, would bog the program like crazy, and their’d be alot of shift off screen work. Also, I know the group shot isn’t a requirement, but I just thought it’d be a nice addition.
Assembling a team shot outside of HM is fine, MartianBlue.
Jeff (62)
So for the “energy blaster” we could potentially do some sort of gunslinger or other gun-using character and it would still count?
Doornik: Absolutely, yes.
Also, may I ask why the Masking only works for certain hands? I have something the way I want it and it won’t grab the handle of the gun I want.
Jessica (67): Yeah, I had that problem. It’s the “trigger finger” hand with the palm facing you, isn’t it? That’s an annoying problem, but in some ways it’s good to know that someone else encountered it too – that way I know it’s a fault with the program, not the way I’m using it. Also, hopefully Jeff will sort it.
Jessica(67): Resizing and moving the item usuall works for me when I have that issue.
I meant “usually”.
I’m in: if my computers hold up: they have been going batty lately!
Now I need an idea…
Kaylin88100(68): So I figured out that if you use the Standard items instead of female that it works. Messed up and you need to resize it but it works. Evil Masking technique.
Also, Jeff, just a small suggestion but it seems like there are no pants that go with the squatting male legs. I tried positioning pieces every which way I could but could not get it to work. If anyone wins this, maybe they could put in for some pants that go with those legs?
Only the first male and first female pose in the Standard sets have items drawn specifically for them. Anything else, you’re on your own. I’ve tried to make that clear from the beginning.
PapaKrok, please do not post your contest entries here. The idea is to have them be (more or less) a surprise in each round. As the rules above state, please send me all five links (or image files) with descriptions to my email address (afdstudios@gmail.com).
Thanks!
[Original Content Deleted — Jeff]
Oh crap! Thanks for doing that Jeff !
@Jeff: Question about the character backstories. In the Robin Hood FNF, you posted the backstories with the images. Made for a really long page to read through. Any plans to change the format? I’m sure it’s a heck of a lot of work to put it all together as it is.
You know my format. I post a direct link to my personal website which features the character and any backstory. As with the Robin Hood FNF, I also have a preface that details their world.
When I decide on which group to enter, I will e-mail you the pictures and direct links to the pages. Do you also want a copy of the HTML? That way you already have the HTML tags for copy-paste. Or simply include the characters’ stories as text in the e-mail?
Whichever works for you. Thanks.
Atomic Punk: Good questions … I haven’t really thought through the formatting of the page yet in terms of backstory (shocking, I know!). But if you already have HTML I certainly wouldn’t say no to it!
Jeff i have a simple question. I enter with a picture in the last contest. I use that picture in the friday night fights?
It’s perfect for my group.
I think that’s OK, Tarkabarka, you can do that.
Thanks
@Jeff are there a lot of good entries this tim around
Ok, I have a question, can I make two separate files, where one holds description and other images of my heroes?
@Dimmortald: Why don’t you just copy and paste your descriptions into the body of the email text?
Okay, another question, Jeff. Do we only submit one picture for each character? For instance, I have standard, widescreen, and headshot taken for most of my characters. Should I choose one view or can I send all three? Thanks.
Jessica, one full-figure shot each, please. I don’t use the headshots at all. It’s easier for me to fit the standard dimension ones into a post, but if you want to go widescreen instead that’s fine too. I’ll make it work.
But, yes, just one image per character.
Okay, that’s what I thought, Jeff. Normally I put all three views into my posts but I figured that would be too much work and space for you with this one. Thanks!
Also, if I am reading this correctly, if we are the losing (ahem!) members of the matches from the Martial Artist category on, we are entered into the Brick cage match?
Correct, Jessica. I wanted to make sure that no one’s work would go unseen, so all eliminated contestants have their entries for the next round entered into the cage match.
Jeff,
I’d really like to see something like the Grand Champion contest you suggested, comparing whole teams. It seems quite possible that someone with a really strong team-wide look has a couple of individuals that are not in the top rank, but still have a team that when taken as a team is very cool. I’d like see how those comparisons work out.
Not sure how you’d want to run it, but whatever method you come up with would be fine with me. I just like the general idea.