You heard correctly! The 2nd DungeonCraft Media contest is now LIVE!

All the details can be found here :

http://home.earthlink.net/~dcvote/

Now everyone fire up those creative engines!

Can I post this over in Yahoo?

-manikus

Absolutely!

Also, if anyone cares...I've already received the contest's first entry. =)

Hello!

In my opinion, the Default Art of Dungeon Craft especially lacks of icons of weapons and spells used during combat. Wouldn't it therefore be an option for the art contest to include a "combat weapons and spells" category or something like that?
The most challenging graphics however are sprite pictures for the 3D window during an encounter (at least I think that), because it's very difficult to draw the proportions of approaching NPCs/monsters/missiles rightly. On the other hand these pictures give a special atmosphere to adventures, so perhaps it would make sense to have such a category, too.

Well, perhaps it's not ideal to have too much categories, but who wouldn't like to see an approaching black pudding during the game or a flying throwing axe during combat?

If you're interested in some spell effects, you should check out Kaltasura's, they are pretty darn cool.
http://www.angelfire.com/dragon/kalt...ll_Effects.htm
He's also got some cool missile icons.
http://www.angelfire.com/dragon/kalt...sile_Icons.htm

-manikus

Currently, the DC program is lacking so much art that any and every piece will be welcome. We have only 1 sprite (to my knowledge), and that is a hill giant or ogre looking character in the classic 3 step format. I also mention that I've only seen 1 alternative to the frame for the viewing window and likewise to the frame/border of the stats and text.

I don't know if I'll have time to make entry into this contest or not, but I hope so. But its good to see DC still going!!!

SilentThief :D

Dinonykos,

Your comments are something I wrestled with when organizing this (the 2nd) DC art contest. I decided to stick with the categories I did (and not every art category all at once) for several reasons :

1) each successive category requires much more work and mgmt, and I have only so much time.
2) DC is not by any means finished, and this contest is not meant to be the one that statically defines what the DC default art set is going to be.
3) I decided to focus on the 'showcase' items - Small pics, walls, combat icons, sounds - etc. that make up the bulk of the eye-candy in designs. I won't argue that the other items - borders, map art, etc. - add the ambience to a design, but those items can be tailored very specifically to a particular design and might not be as useful from a broader perspective. I cannot speak for everyone, but for me playing a design with a nice wallset/backdrop and cool icons is much more important than a fancy border around the text areas. So it was a bit of a personal choice when picking some of the categories.
4) I actually was planning to have another art contest for DC right after this one, which focused on all those other 'little' things which didn't make this one. I won't deny that they are important too. But because of the reasons stated in #1, I pulled it from this contest.

Hopefully I didn't offend anyone with those choices, but if you wanted to know why this contest is the way it is, well, now you know. ;)

I think the sprite that comes with DC is a conversion of the FRUA hill giant sprite. Now, I know what I can work on for DC contest #3. :D

-manikus

Tarlanon,

you have totally convinced me.
And it's good news that we all can hope for a third contest (with a hill giant sprite from manikus?)!

It won't be a hill giant, but I will definitely be ready with a sprite. :D but, I think that I may start working on a hill giant this week.

Now, I've just got to get on the ball and finish up my entries for this contest. (I'm about a third of the way done.)

-manikus

Don't know how long I will be :(Damn busy at the momment) but im getting there ;)

Yeah manikus!!! I have a neat little project that I'm working on right now where I need sprites (yes this makes like 6-7 that I have talked about, but this one is different. In fact, lemme explain: )

I was reading some oldschool info from the UANL (thats unlimited adventures newsletter, to the newb's), which is a great source for info, ideas, and they even have pics in them as well. Well some GENIUS discovered how to do looping with the controls given in FRUA (and they work just as well in DC) and this can open up some interesting possibilities for the designer. I remember a while back asking 'Spud if there was a way to do a series of events with choices and return to the middle of a chain (like a few choices that give similar results, without necessarily design/event/coding each choice, and with looping there is).

Now, what I need is some art that isn't out there and I cannot do (with just MS-Paint). If you (or heck, anyone... I need artwork help :( ) R interested in helping me out with some art, then this little project could show everyone what some creative event coding really can do!!! (and I only stress little to make a small but potent demo)

SilentThief

Sadly my time has been sucked up lately, but, I am planning to get at least one icon entered for the contest. I only hope I can get it done in time. I have the next two weeks off work however, so I should be able to fit it in during that period.

One quick question. On the contest site it has both Monster AND PC Icon sections. Does this mean we can enter one of each? Two icons total?

- Telwyn

Yep. Two icons per person, one in each category.

-manikus

I think I might have done a beholder sprite a while ago. It is probably just the same image x3, and I'm not sure how well it turned out. If and when I get some spare time I'll have a go at doing some sprites.

Also, I have a new series of icons for all 10 chromatic and metallic dragons, which I'll upload shortly on the Yahoo site (a little more tweaking is required to finish them off). Unfortunately I don't think any of my art actually meets the strict "originality" requirements for the contest. Unless there are copyright issues, etc, I would really like to see these relaxed a bit. I am no good at actually drawing but I do think it takes a bit of skill, and plenty of time, to convert professional TSR and Wizards of the Coasts artists' illustrations to DC formats so that they look good. That is especially so in the cases of icons and sprites.

I'm really glad to see there is some interest in this contest. I can't wait to see all of the entries.

Hiya Tarlanon.
How is the Media contest coming?

I'm still planning on entering some wall stuff if real life slows down for a little bit. :D

Have you been flooded with entries?

-manikus

The board must be so quiet b/c everyone is busy working on their contest entries. :D :D :D

-manikus

Well, I should have been working on DC, but I started playing the Krynn goldbox series again. (it's been about 13? 14? years since I have played Champions..and I never played Dark Queen)

So..as I sludge through Dark Queen of Krynn, I am thinking of ideas and stuff for a new mod.

I am putting the Sunless Citadel on hold..just too many role-playing variables for a first time design. But my art will be used in whatever design I make. As I get new ideas, I hopefully will find some good stuff to submit to the contest.

Are you thinking the new mod/project will be set in Krynn? If so, Steve McDonald will be very happy. :D He might also be able to help with some of the set-up type stuff...

-manikus

Hmm..that's an idea! (although I don't have any of my Dragonlance game books anymore)

But it's definately inspiring how the quests work, encounters, etc.
Actually I am rereading the Chronicles, so who knows!! Maybe not for my "first" project, but it is definately a possiblity for a future one.

Sounds like you've thought it out a bit more than I always do. [img]smile.gif[/img] I usually start these huge projects that get like 10% done b/c they are beyond my abilities and often beyond DC's.

-manikus

I know how you feel, manikus.

Yes, I am happy to help with any Dragonlance stuff - art, etc or any other help you'd like and, most happily, play testing.

Yes, I am not dead!

So far, I have received a number of submissions from 3 different artists. All pretty good stuff.

As a reminder to everyone... The contest is still open, so if you have something you want to throw in, please do!

hello,

I have been watching these forums for awhile, and finally decided to sign up. I'm just wondering if this is any good ? I dont know how to post image, so i'll link

www.members.iinet.net.au/~rathbone1/demon.bmp

Let me be the first to say, "Welcome". :D

Your demon is better than good, it's awesome! My only comments are not really about the demon, just about tradition in FRUA, DC and the Goldbox games, which can be totally ignored if you like. Your demon appears to be facing slightly to the left, when usually the creatures face to the right. (The combat walls are layed out in such a way that this seems to make sense for the default stance.) The only other thing is that your demon is missing a shadow (but for all I know, demons don't have shadows). The last thing is the picture format- .bmp is good because there is no loss of quality, but, .png offers the same at a much smaller file size. I realize this is not a big deal for an icon, but if you create any small pics or big pics, it will make it much easier for others to download. And by the quality of your work, I think I can safely say that people are going to want to download it. [img]smile.gif[/img]

I can't wait to see more of your work.

The picture is excellent! Welcome to DC!!!

SilentThief

Thank you!

I've got a few more to show, sorry i've been a bit slack and not got all the correct transparent green colour in one of them, i'll fix it up soon as i get some time.
I'm working with a mate on this project, dont know if it will ever be finished but i will try [img]smile.gif[/img]
So far I want to make a game based around the minotaur's (like the books, The Minotaur Wars).
Anyway here's some art -

http://www.members.iinet.net.au/~rathbone1/minotaur.png

Fighting minotaur.

http://www.members.iinet.net.au/~rat...trolattack.png

a 3d picture to be used maybe for a walking into fighting scene?

http://www.members.iinet.net.au/~rat...attackMAIN.png

Just a test what it looks like. Hehe backgrounds from Oblivion :|

Hope those images worked, I dont know html to well.

Edit- Oh and just another test what 3d monsters look like in fighting.

http://www.members.iinet.net.au/~rat...ttackSMALL.png

[ 05-09-2006, 07:24 AM: Message edited by: RockyMarciano ]

These are great pics. [img]smile.gif[/img] They whet my appetite, that's for sure. I'm not familiar with The Minotaur Wars, but I am a huge fan of minotaurs.
The 3d creature looks great. Do you intend to be a sprite? )with transparent background) The game can certainly use more sprites. But, it would be great as a small pic as well. For it's icon, you might want the shadow to fall the other directioin so that it seems that the light is coming from the front.
The minotaur icon is just awesome. I would love to see some more, especially a minotaur shaman and minotaur mage. :D :D :D
Keep up the great work, man. Are you going to have a website with your artwork on it? If so, I would love to have you join the DC webring, and if not, I could easily host your work for you if you would like.

Welcome. I agree with everything that has been said so far. This art is fantastic.

One further point - when the art is imported into DC, it only recognises a single transparent colour. Your images appear to be "anti-aliased" around the edges, meaning that there are several shades of green background at the edges of the icon. In order for these to look right in DC, you need the icon to just finish abruptly with the pure transparent colour in the next pixel.

I hope that makes sense, and that you are able to get the edges of these images looking right (this can be tricky).

Steve

Rocky,

You should bundle some of those up and make a formal submission to the contest.

Details can be found here :

http://home.earthlink.net/~dcvote/

I look forward to your entries!

Hey Tarlanon,

have you already received dozends of submissions? Or even hundreds? [Smile]