Monthly Archives: March 2015

Power User Profiles: Candruth

So, I know on last weeks PUP I said I'd be alternating between PUP REDUX and Gallery Grabs each week and we should technically be having a Gallery grabs today rather than a PUP, plus this obviously isn't a REDUX anyway. But really, I would have felt bad if I'd have left this a week, especially as it is welcoming a new person to the Power User club. And I can already tell that a lot of people are going to be wondering why she hasn't done a PUP before (I'm an idiot ok, plus the PM system in the forums is gone so…), but y'all have my permission to kick my ass for not get one sorted out sooner. A consistent feature in the CDC polls (oh btw, this was done before the last CDC poll was closed, so I think we might need to add another to the Contest Win question answer 😉 ) as well as the COTW, if I had to use one word to sum up her output it would simply be; stunning. An expert shader with an eye for detail that puts most people to shame, it gives me great pleasure in presenting to you: Candruth.

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Feedback Wanted

Something happened today that has gotten me extremely disgusted and pissed off. A former member of this community has accused me of abuse of power and to paraphrase, in a nut shell has said I am being a bully here on the site. At this exact moment in time I am so angry that I am considering walking away and quitting my position as a moderator and blogger for Heromachine.

Now I know after I cool off and allow more rational thought to settle in I will realize just how foolish that line of thought is, especially considering the source of this accusation. Quitting will just be allowing him to win! But this does lead me to the point of this post. I want some honest feedback without any fear of reprisal on my part for what you have to say here. I need to know if any one else in the HeroMachine community feels I am abusing my power here?

I know I am not as friendly as JR or Linea24 I have not been known to go out of my way to greet new member like they do and I only tend to put up to handle technical issues or deal with rules violations, heck even I think Jr is the Current "Face" of Heromachine. My role has always been more in the background keeping the wheels turning,  even when it was just me and HammerKnight running things. Sure I am strict when it comes to enforcing our rules here on the site but I don't think I am unfriendly or that I  abuse my power, but maybe I'm wrong. SO I want your opinion on my performance here. I am not looking for a pity party or a pat on the back to cheer me up. I want to know what you honestly think good or bad, so please leave a comment below

 

Thank You!

 

HeroMachine 2 Desktop Edition Now Available!

download-screenshot

After way too long and a lot of requests later, I've finally bundled all of the most current HeroMachine 2 items and the larger-canvas, no-ad layout into a downloadable bundle! This used to be an option back in the day when the program was available on a very smart-looking CD. Now it's a digital-only download, making it possible to use HeroMachine 2 without an Internet connection on your local computer.

It will come as a ZIP archive, just extract it into whatever folder you want on your computer, then double-click heromachine2.html to launch it in your favorite browser to enjoy always-available, no-ad character creation.

Note that since it still requires the Flash Player plugin, it will not work on iPads or iPhones. Desktops and laptops and Android devices are of course fine.

Click here, just $9.95!

Character Design Contest ♯115- Ranger Danger

Ok, so this week sees the last of our Fantasy RPG classes contests, and we're focusing on the Ranger class. For those of you unsure about this one, because it is  probably the least defined of all of the classes, the Ranger is a huntsman, usually skilled in ranged weaponry (normally archery, though guns have been known) and setting traps, rather than close quarters combat of Paladins or Rogues. So that's what I want you guys to make. If you can create some interesting bow firing poses or inventive traps, you're likely to do well here.

As per usual, no limits on entries this week and the contest will close at midnight Saturday (blog time). Please read the contest rules before entering, have fun and good luck.

Rules for posts, contests, and challenges that I am hosting: Original characters only, no copyrighted characters, no characters based on copyrighted characters, no characters based on RPG’s or other games. The characters must be your own design and not based on any character that might be copyrighted in any way. I have the right to delete any post that I believe crosses this line without warnings. Only post characters that you have either created for this contest specifically or you know for certain have never been entered to a contest before. If you aren’t certain, don’t enter it, because I’m not going to go back through all of the contests and check.

Character Design Contest ♯114 (Rogues) Poll

[polldaddy poll="8765066"]

Honourable Mentions: Ubiquitous Pixel and Cliff

Character Design Contest ♯113 (Clerics) Winner

We didn't manage to quite get the turn out for this poll as we did last week, but we still managed to accumulate a fair number of votes. And it wasn't a steamroller victory, though our winner was comfortably in the lead for the whole week. And that winner is Candruth for her Healing Words. Congrats Candruth (it's been a while hasn't it?) and well done to all our other entrants.

113 Candruth- Healing-Words

Says the man with wings on his feet.

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New Policy On Contests!

Okay folks, I am going to say this just once. I will NO LONGER TOLERATE  complaints about how contests are judged on any of the comment sections of any post on this blog. If you feel you have a legitimate complaint then contact JR via email please. If you can not find his email address then contact me and I will forward it on.My email address (Kaldath@Heromachine.com) is rather easy to find as it is listed at the bottom of any of my blog posts just before the comment section.

I had a member of this community back when I first took the site over to run for Jeff that became a big problem when it came to contests and had to eventually Ban him from this site. He is the only person aside from Spam Bots that I have ever had to ban and I really would like to keep it that way so if you have a complaint take it up in private with Jr, myself, or as a last resort Jeff. Thank you!

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MODERATOR NOTE:

I Have closed the comments to this Topic and will be deleting all comments in it tomorrow ( Sunday March 29th ).

 

 

Open Critique Day #19

And it's another OCD! By the way, would you guys like me to do something special for the next OCD, seeing as that one is going to be the 20th I've done?

As for how this goes, you post a work of yours, finished or WIP (aka work in process, for those who are new to abbreviations), and then others give you critiques on your work.  I do not mind if you post the occasional non-HM picture or piece of writing. Just make sure that you only post pictures that are your own design and not any that copyrighted or based off of copyrighted characters. 

Also, if you post a work, it is highly recommended that you also give someone else a critique.

Character Of the Week……?

You know, it's an odd feeling when you're happy that you've got a group of people doing their absolute best to make life difficult for you. Because that's how I felt deciding this weeks COTW. Honestly. Just to give you an insight into how I do this post, on Thursday evening I sit down and go through all of the galleries that have been posted on in the forums from the week and open up all the pictures that I could do in new tabs, so I can just click through and compare them (plus then I can just copy the link into the Add Media box for the picture). Not including this tab, I've got 10 tabs open at the moment, each containing a COTW worthy picture. How am I meant to decide?

I mean, at the moment I'm so torn. Just looking through them all you've got the amazing block lighting from Yautja's FireAnt character which is just staggering and complements the flat, earthy colours of the costume so well. But then you've got Candruth with her standard, high, high standard in shading and attention to detail (just look at the reflection of the character in the blades). But then AMS comes along with some truly stunning shading of his own, plus some crazy body shaping and gorgeous water effects. And then we have Ubiquitous Pixel with one of the most intense action poses I've seen done in Heromachine. You've got cool costuming from Funkmachine and Son4, great shading from Linea and Anarchangel and horrifying creepiness from Lull-carae. Plus Jeimuzu seems intent on making me quit heromachine by being just too awesome to handle. So who do I choose?

*A long, long time later*

Dammit you lot why do you have to be sooo good.

I have reached a decision. Even though there's only one of me, the vote wasn't unanimous, but we're gonna go with it. I'm gonna say this weeks COTW is Spirit Of Spartacus by Ubiquitous Pixel. The chest may look a little odd and it might be a bit rougher round the edges than some of the other candidates, but I dunno, even amongst such distinguished company, this was the one I kept coming back to.

Gallery: My Collection of Creative Imagination

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