Dungeon Master Forum

quite the blinding sig there ven ra, but looks really cool once your eyes focus ^^

man-eating monster you say, i have no problem with that, since im a dragon, i eat man myself XD... but only in self defense or survival.

Quick thing about AOL Paul - I don't know if you know already but you can get online without using the EVIL AOL software - just set up a new connection in Control Panel -> Network Connections -> Create New Connection. Then choose 'Connect to the Internet -> Set Up Connection Manually -> Connect using a broadband connection that requires a username and password. Type anything into the 'ISP Name' box (Bastard AOL works well for me), then type in 'username@aol.com' (Where 'username' is your AOL Screen / Username) and type your password into the appropriate boxes. Then just connect your modem, choose connect and you're off!

That works for me and it also allows you to share your connection over a network (which AOL says you can't do. Blatant lie, they just want you to use their rediculously crappy software). This way, you need never install or indeed use, the AOL program ever again...

AO hell...

Thanks Pad, that has made a big difference! A lot quicker getting online and reconnecting... yes it still disconnects every few minutes.

Doing a little research, it seems possible that there might be a conflict between my USB modem (BT voyager 100) and my computer: ie the AMD chip and the Viatech USB gubbins. Basically it cannot supply enough power to the modem and momentarily fails and disconnects. Does this sound plausible? Sounds like I will have to get a new modem if this is so, but why this has become more of a problem now I do not know.

USB modems invariably suck.

This one doesn't suck, just frequently blows...

What do you suggest I do?

Marry it?

Can you get powered USB hubs that would boost the power?

Can you use a dedicated network card and ethernet cabling or is your connection through your normal phone socket?

I'm not sure the options if you can't use a proper netcard.

I am using a USB modem straight to the phone socket via a DSL filter. I am not sure of the alternatives, but it seems that a powered modem maybe the way forward.

I just wanted to let Ameena know that I like the avatar she drew for me so much that I use it in other forums as well. Here are two examples:

http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showthread.php?t=28867

http://www.zkforum.de/showthread.php?t=37841

Sera, before you say that my latest avatar was scary, check out Mandavar`s one in
http://www.zkforum.de/showthread.php?t=37841
forum
(unluckily I cannot put it here)
Trant, I used to play Magic The Gathering a lot 6 or 7 years ago (I had to sold them then). Are there a scans of all of these cards (how many of them are now?) anywhere on your forums? I would gladly look at them to remind my card-set...
plus, is it possible to play "virtual" cards online somewhere (when a system shuffles them all randomly)?

Actually, it's not that scary if you see the picture in its entirety:

http://www.wizards.com/magic/autocard.a ... ous_baloth


Adamo, there is a way to take a look at all cards that have been produced. Take a look here:
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=ma ... s/cardsets

Then click on the expansion you would like to look at, then click on "Sortable Spoiler". You will see all rules texts of the cards there and can see scans of them.

If you would like to play online, you have several possibilities. You can play via a free program called Magic Workstation:
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=ma ... s/cardsets

Another free program that lets you play online is called Apprentice:
http://www.magic-league.com/download/apprentice.php

The bad part about these "games" is that they don't know the rules, you have to do everything by hand. You can also play Magic Online, directly from Wizards of the Coast, but digital cards there will cost you just the same as real cards! I doubt this is something you are looking for, but you can still play a free trial version with Preconstructed Theme decks. Here is the link:
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=ma ... nloadlinks

That's cool about the Avatar Trant . Does anyone on those forums know where the pic is from though?

Not yet, and they haven't asked so far. If they do, I'll definitely tell them the whole story behind it and praise you as the artist who came up with it.

Lol I was just curious...well I suppose since it's a combo of Boris and the Trantor from that comic, I don't expect anyone would recognise it but you never know .

Indeed, I would be very surprised if someone really does recognize it. At least one member of this board did remember where the name Trantor comes from... I think it was Zoooom, but I am not sure.

yes, Trantor, your memory doesn't fool you.

you know what your drawing style reminds me of Ameena, one of my favorite shows. Dr.Katz. That was a fun show simple with lots of character. Ever seen it?

moo

No sorry, never heard of it. And I draw differently when I'm actually using a pen and not a mouse - I'm really shyte drawing with a mouse. Wouldn't mind a go at a tablet - that would probably be easier.

Ameena wrote:(...) I draw differently when I'm actually using a pen and not a mouse - I'm really shyte drawing with a mouse. Wouldn't mind a go at a tablet - that would probably be easier.

True Ameena and seconded! I thought that doing computer graphics was, well, not so difficult!! (so my respect for people that actually manage;)) The mouse goes zic zac which is horrible! I wonder how much different graphic tablets are compared to mice or pens...

Adamo: that avy is nowhere near scary o.O infact it looks fun ^.^

My friend has a tablet - she got it as a birthday prezzie from her parents the year before last. It's not very big but I don't think they cost very much, probably not much more than a mouse since you can use a tablet instead of a mouse if you want, or have them plugged in together.

I wouldn't suggest your computer art is horrible, Dr.Katz is a simple style but as I said there is a lot of character in it. Same with your work. Simple, but with lots of character. it's really the ideas that come across in your images that make them more appealing. That in itself is not easy to produce. Beyond that, it's simply "practice practice practice" and you have no choice but to improve on the other aspects like line quality, proportions etc..

I would definitely agree that working with a tablet is WAAAAAAY easier and feels more natural to me. I don't even use a mouse really for anything anymore.. I use it in my 3D programs, photoshop, and the rest of windows. There are a few games that don't support the pen, I'll use the mouse for those.

there is a little adjustment period in the way you work since the tablet doesn't work like a mouse.. though you can set it to act like it. I would never suggest it though.. get used to using it the right way or you're wasting it's potential.

I know a few people buying the wacom graphire 3 for about 140 canadian.. that'd be about 70 UK I guess. More expensive than a mouse but if you don't want carple tunnel and/or you like to draw on the computer.. it's worth while.

moo

Thanks for the info.. I guess it is time to get one. Drawing on the computer is,would be- with all the colour and stuff, quite interesting for me;
I found it was not easy to make pictures look clean, not smeared with a mouse. Don't know if a tablet cures that, but I will give it a try..!!

it's much like drawing on paper only if you didn't look at the paper but at a TV and the camera was pointing at the paper.. it takes a little bit to get used to.. but once you do.....

All my paintings have been done with tablet with the acception of one.. which was made pixel by pixel in Deluxe paint 4. I used to use the mouse to do it all back in amiga days and my first few PC paintings when I was first taking my 3D course. ... now.. I couldn't even begin to think of how to paint with it.. to unatural.

moo

I'm getting a little bonus this month of £200 and looking around at tablets -- I really need one as I'm doing a lot of graphics work these days in my spare time and finding the mouse quite horrible.

I like the look of the Intuos range but a bit expensive. I've previously used a graphire 1. Funnily enough the thing that bugged me the most about the graphire was having no easy way of scrolling windows, so I wrote to Wacom suggesting they have a panel for scrolling. I see they now have tis feature on the Intuos range. Not claiming I was the sole inventor or anything...

Cows, if you like my pics feel free to suggest stuff I can draw - those pics I did of DM-forum people probably took less than half an hour each and were just as a mess-around thing 'cause I was bored or felt like it or whatever. I do have Photoshop but never really done anything big and complicated in it past drawing/colouring...nothing too poncy with textures and anything like that lol.

Hye, Ameena, you moving 'oop north' today? Good luck with it! Hope all goes well with your flatsharing, and your ratties don't get scared during the journey!

if you want a suggestion for something to draw, how about.. hmmmm..

a look at blending the elements of starwars into DM.. there is already a few ties between them as well as ties to other literature and movies.. but it might be interesting to see a take on that..

moo

Lol Wuffy - it's not a flat, it's a house. The person we've moved in with (known as Rachel Westwood on here if you remember her from our story-spammage sessions in chat ) lived on her own and me and my other friend have come up from Medway with our boys (my rats and her cockatiel and African Grey) to TAKE OVER THE WOR...err I mean HOUSE, muahahahahahahaaa . Even as I write this it's about ten to two in the morning and I'm on her laptop in her room even though I was gonna go to bed about three hours ago lol.

Lol, I pm'd too soon! I have an aversion to calling houses houses for some reason...I keep saying flats, no matter how many stories it has! Drives one friend mad