Monday, August 30, 2010

Executioner sketch

Requesting feedback
Please give a critique. This is still in the rough stage. I need to be sure the composition is good before I start painting and everything.

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Envision the Executioner

Contest on Deviant Art

The contest is for the upcoming move Resident Evil Afterlife.
My first sketch was too flat and not frightening enough.
The composition of the second sketch works better, I think.

Monday, August 23, 2010

Tomb of Horrors

D&D 4e level 8 campaign
I've heard of its infamy. One-hit kill traps from indeterminate origins. Acid pits. Gelatinous Cubes.
...Sounds like fun. I'll probably die horribly, but going into the game with that knowledge means that I will be entertained instead of frustrated when my character dies in a surprising, and probably creative, way.
Tomb of Horrors is based on a campaign with the same name from decades ago, in first edition. After rolling dice for a year and a half I've been looking for some real dungeon challenges. My only deaths so far have been from my not retreating. Which is real stupid on my part.
My character will be a Bugbear because I've been craving to use large-sized weapons, which deal one die-size more damage (meaning I roll two 6 sided dice instead of a twelve sided die for a Fullblade). I really wanted to use a mordenkrad with the Dwarven feat "Dwarven Weapon Training", but there's just no way I could create an oversized Dwarf capable of wielding large weapons.
I will also be Fighter class, because its simplicity matches my play style. I have trouble remembering lots of different features, especially the magic users. Also I haven't played a fighter before.
Our five person party have met to min/max our party together, making sure all the skills are covered, and the COA if somebody dies.

We're probably still going to die horribly, but we created some definite rules:
1. Never split the party
2. If a retreat is called, you must follow.
3. Don't do anything risky.

Friday, August 13, 2010

Goblin game art asset

I painted a goblin in Photoshop for an upcoming independent game from Scott Washington. http://scottwashi.com/
I started with brainstorming some dramatic attack poses. I knew I wanted a semi-stylized goblin with a simple blade.

 After choosing the pose, the appendages were shortened to fit the stature of a goblin.

This was the first monster I painted, and I was very rough with the coloring. I'm not happy with the Tarzan-style loincloth, but I had to crank out monsters faster so I moved on to worry about other things. I worked in the resolution of the picture to the left.


 Later after I had painted the bulk of the monsters for the game and level up my skills as an artist, I went back and tweaked the lighting, a few features like the nose, and added a shadow on the floor. The picture to the right is the size shown in the game.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Fury of Dracula

The Board Game
This game plays a little different in that one player (Dracula) is pitted against a team of four other players (vampire hunters).
Players hunt down Dracula across Europe, who usually frustrates the hunters by escaping when cornered/discovered. Dracula wins by hiding vampire brides in his trail and waiting a certain number of turns until his vampire track is full. Hunters win by killing dracula, who is even a challenge during the day.

This game is a lot of fun because of the twists each player can pull on the other side. I've probably played this over a dozen times. With new players Dracula usually wins, which makes the players want a rematch even though the game is pretty lengthy (around 4 hours).

Each game card has flavor text on it featuring bits from the book Bram Stoker's Dracula. I also enjoy the secrets whoever plays Dracula can keep from the other players. He can listen to the other players track him down and plot accordingly.

I suggest you play with pennies or something similar to mark places on the board Dracula may have gone to. ...You'll need lots of them.