I'm flying back to Durango today, so I'll be scarce 'round these parts.
I don't think the story telling thing is going to work after all, so let me know if you have any ideas for features you'd like to see regularly run here on the blog and maybe we can come up with some replacements.
Otherwise, this is an open thread, talk about whatever you like!
Just a thought Jeff. I wouldn’t mind seeing the return of the Power User Profiles. There are still some HeroMachinists that haven’t been profiled that I would like to get to know.
I’d like that, but I kind of ran out of people to ask. Who’d you have in mind?
Let’s think. Offhand, maybe…Dionne Jinn, Trekkie, TOOL, Nick Hentschel, FRM.
More Deadly Sins! Then we can do the Virtues.
Speaking of contest related stuff, have you seen your Consolation Prize?
http://forums.ugo.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=82348&d=1329599950
I made ice skates as well and plan on submitting the shoe part separately for increased color versatility.
Looks good dblade, the items are sure adding up. Have you submitted everything too Jeff so far? Its been a while since anythings been added.
Was wondering what happened with the Power User Profiles. I think the reason that storytelling isn’t moving along is because it moves at a slower pace. This third round, I had to pare down my entry. I have written an entire story for the contest. So, I already have the plot, characters, and conclusion mapped out.
That, and I keep writing my entries as a “Choose Your Own Adventure.” Which disappoints me personally. I like reading others’ entries. Just I have already hooked into a style that doesn’t fit the direction.
I think expanding Power User Profiles into “Featured Blogger” would create some buzz. Each week, showcase a different user in rotation. She or he can post a character, a story or seed, set the topic of discussion, etc. Of course, all blogs subject to Jeff’s approval (and maybe a suggested word count).
To me, the Hero Machine website is still the main attraction. I pop into the forums now and then. Some topics and HMers grab my attention. A “Featured Blogger” could increase activity in the forums. It would be an opportunity for users to promote their creations and HM in general.
Another idea for a feature would be on predictions, especially re-visiting early science fiction and Popular Science / Mechanics. Feel free to steal this: “The Future Is Now!” All those futuristic gadgets predicted from science fiction novels and books, their real-world equivalents, and why some were impractical if not plain silly. For example the videophone:
http://www.advertisingarchives.co.uk/assets/thumbnails/111/3/7c66b89e4a8b1ff43b3d9cd398682ecb.jpg
Yeah, seems quaint now given that you can Skype on a smartphone or tablet. That was considered cutting edge in the 1960s. Heck, after my dad had a heart attack, they did outpatient surgery. Cut his leg, ran a tube up his artery, planted a stent in his heart, closed the incision, and he was out of the hospital that evening! Even 20 years ago, they probably would have cut open his chest and he’d be bed-ridden for a month. Science!
@dblade: Awesome footwear! Can’t wait to try them on.
@ dblade: Mucho appreciado! Excellent work! Any idea when they’re getting into HM3?
At first I thought about suggesting the revival of RPG corner, where you pick a topic each week for us to discuss. But, I remembered that it didn’t do so hot last time it was around, and it occurred to me that maybe that was because it was limited to just RPGs.
What might work well would be a geeky meta-topic that we could discuss not just for RPGs, but for other outlets of that topic as well.
As an example, maybe one week the topic is “Swords”, and folks could discuss their favorite swords from RPGs, but also from movies, TV, video Games, art, literature, etc. They could post their stories of the time their character was possessed by an evil sword, or talk about the really good deal they got on a sword at a con, or mention the coolest sword they saw someone using at a LARP event, etc…
There’s all sort of topics that would appeal to geeks such as “Magic” (Which RPG magic system do you prefer? What are the coolest magic effects you’ve seen done on a TV show? Which video game has the coolest magic? etc.)
“Monsters” (Which RPG has the best monsters? Which is the scariest looking monster you’ve seen in a movie? Etc..)
“Cars” (What is the snazziest car one of your characters has ever driven? What car from what comic would you most like to have in real life? etc.)
I think a meta-topic would actually do more to stimulate conversation than just applying the topic to RPGers only. It’s a wide world of geeks out there, why not invite them all into the conversation? 😉
Not a bad idea, Kountkill!
I will have to prepare them for submission first than it’s up to Jeff when they get in the program. I have a few handfuls of submitted items waiting to be put in. I should get these done so when Jeff makes his move they’ll be ready to go.