Category Archives: HeroMachine 3

At long last, I am pleased beyond words to announce that the female template is now available for the HeroMachine 3 Alpha. Included in this initial release are BodyFemaleStandard, HeadFemaleStandard, and HeadFemaleFace. All the standard options from the male template are there, along with a few bonuses (three separate sizes of breasts, along with a breastless torso to place and size them on, and then some surprise complete figures at the end).

Here are a couple of quickie portraits I did:

Without TopsFemaleStandard (next up on the drawing schedule), making a real character is still going to be a bit challenging, but at least now it’s easier than it was and we’re on our way to complete gender equality. Also, HairFemale is going to have to be a priority. Then probably breaking the face up into its parts (Eyes, Nose, Mouth at least, maybe Eyebrows).

Also, the hands and feet are not positioned or sized properly for use on the figure, so you’ll have to do that manually until I can get to female versions of those.

Let me know what you think in the comments, anything you do or don’t like, additions or subtractions you’d like to see, or pretty much anything else you think of in relation to the new template.

At the urging of a couple of comments in the previous post, here’s an updated version of the propose shoulders-square female figure. The new one’s on the left, with “more finishing details” like toenails, better hands, etc. and slimmer hips, along with arms more akimbo:

Let me know your thoughts on these, which you prefer, etc.

I’d like to get your feedback on two possible female templates. The image below has the two generic ones (with faces for reference) in the middle, then two sample characters with outfits on so you can see how they might look dressed.

The major change has been in the pose. We discovered that trying to put a female in the pose the male is in — arms akimbo, held out from the body, weight evenly distributed, feet on the same level — made her look very mannish, no matter what her body was like. At the end of the day, the point of this whole thing is to get a drawing that looks good, as if it were commissioned at a convention by a real comics artist, NOT to make my life easier. So I am probably going to have to abandon the concept that the poses would be exactly the same and that it would be up to the user to put it however they wanted. That’s still possible, but I have to make the default image, I think, the best it can possibly be for those who don’t want to go the extra mile.

I’m curious to get your input on that, as well.

Anyway, here goes:
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I’m working my way through a great usability study Mark Shute did (for which he got an outstanding A+ in a 700 level course — woot Mark!). Before I actually hack up the code, I wanted to present the basic layout and concept here for your input and feedback.

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