E.P.O.C.H Newsletter #2 Discussion

wow, ok mate I'll have a hunt for a picture for you

Right, a list of the stuff that I need:

1) Guild news
2) Forum updates
3) Best Picture
4) Guild Comic

Deadline has moved up to the 20th. I will be absent from the 25th, so I need this lot in. See a couple of weeks to go but the earlier the better. Also, as a personal reminder, I still need to do:

1) Best of Bioware
2) Top Topics
3) Featured Story
4) Client Spotlight (Torgal still isn't back!)

We all have stuff to do and I won't hide the fact that I'm lagging behind as well. So that's Tando and Priory who have the deadline as well. Also, may the person doing the comic please identify yourself (PM or in public) so I know who you are and have your name down. Thank you.

H2Woah

P.S. The dreaded hounding-for-deadlines has started!

What the "best of BioWare"? TOR updates?

I don't think that comic we be coming anytime soon to be honest. We're all pretty rushed with our main projects as it is.

Oh and btw Harly, first draft of the guild backstory/introduction is complete but I'm working on some of the finer details at the minute. All I have to do after that is do a guild masters introduction and I'll be finished. About that actually.....shall I type it onto your "Slice" picture Tando or would you like to do it?

Yep, best of Bioware is the best TOR updates in the month. And ok, I'll scratch the comic out, but for acknowledgement's sake, I still need to know who to comic artist is...

I'll get my stuff to you Harl

Harlequin2 wrote:

Yep, best of Bioware is the best TOR updates in the month. And ok, I'll scratch the comic out, but for acknowledgement's sake, I still need to know who to comic artist is...

Still confidential at the minute I'm afraid but when I get some news on it you'll be the first to know.

By the way can we see a list of what you already have handed in?

Well, it's done! I can say that after putting in hours of work, the Newsletter looks very up to snuff! I didn't add a story in it, though I put in something that also looks good and I think that Lunarwolf's newscast more than makes up for it. I'm also calling this the first newsletter, as the previous one is a pilot (at least in my eyes). If Sureshot gives me the thumbs up here, I'll send it off to him and hopefully, it should be at your feet for the 30th.

In other news, I will be away for August and coming back with 8 days left will put me under a lot of stress that I just don't need going back to school. As such, I either want someone else to take over for the August project, or, get everyone together and send me articles when I come back. Thanks.

Aye I still have to write up the introduction and send it to Tando so he can put it on the "Slice" image of the Falleen. Also, as I've said before we've run into a few problems with the backstory so expect not to see that in the newsletter.

It has been sent off, enjoy Sureshot!

Ok, I should be having a week off from everything but that ain't gonna happen so I'll let you know what I'll be changing now:

• Skursir's introduction removed, as the guild masters introduction will be a regular feature.

• From the Top Topics section some things have been mentioned in there that are for guild eyes only so any allies, potential recruits won't be able to access them. They shall be removed.

• The comment about a rude officer from the GTC will be removed as anything that can be presumed as negative doesn't belong in a newsletter.

• The new special agent news will be updated to announce the winner and new officer of EPOCH.

• There hasn't been anything mentioned about Doom Amongst the Dunes in the RP section.

• The newsletter will now be adding Lunarwolf's awesome IHN piccie and the title of that section will be changed to "Intergalactic Holo News".

• I think the "Best of BioWare" title may need to be changed cause that could mean any BioWare game. Maybe someone could decide on a better title?

• I shall be adding the people that contributed to the newsltter at the bottom (or top) haven't decided yet.

• I'll write up the intro and send it to Tando so he can add it to the "slice" picture (if thats ok mate?).

.....and I think thats it!

Sorry for the double post guys but I've just realised something......we don't have a header banner for newsletter that says "The E.P.O.C.H Slicer" haha!

Anyone feeling a bit creative or have any free time next week to make one? I was gonna ask Mr. Red but he's pretty busy and I didn't want to hound you too much mate.

*steps back into the shadows to give the other creative-types a chance to shine*

All yours fellas..... why not make it a contest?

(Winner gets a night with Lilin, Zala and Ree. Loser gets a night with Xen and a set of sharp objects ^^)

Lunarwolf wrote:

All yours fellas..... why not make it a contest?

Because: A) As SS correctly surmises I've got too much on atm but my competitive streak would force me to submit a lame entry. 2) Said competitiveness comes with being a really bad looser. And D) I'd have to go about making a sworn rival of the winner, cutting myself to make the shame go away and then I'd have to make peace with the gods for my failure by stamping on thirteen live mice.

Redwatch wrote:

Lunarwolf wrote:

All yours fellas..... why not make it a contest?

Because: A) As SS correctly surmises I've got too much on atm but my competitive streak would force me to submit a lame entry. 2) Said competitiveness comes with being a really bad looser. And D) I'd have to go about making a sworn rival of the winner, cutting myself to make the shame go away and then I'd have to make peace with the gods for my failure by stamping on thirteen live mice.

I reply to your well-thought out comment with a happy little [ ]

Right, the final draft of the first proper newsletter has now been sent off! I both breathe a sigh of relief and salute you as this is the last post that I will make before going off to my holiday! I may make the occasional post and visit on my iPod Touch though, so it's not all over - yet! Any further changes that you want Sureshot have to be made by you, the programming on my Touch doesn't allow editing of documents of that calibre. In any case, au revoir! *Wave*

'Ave a good time away mate and although I've not seen it yet I'm guessing the Newsletter will be good, so thanks for doing it! *salute*

I threw something together, banner-wise:



I'm not entirely satisfied with the background/decoration under the text tbh, but let's say it's a first draft.
I'm always happy to hear feedback, so rip into it if you have any comments

Oh and my dark side kind of took over, so I sliced a republic trooper here he had it coming though, the arrogant goody-two-shoes!


version 1.1:



Just added a bit of smoke for atmosphere.

haha I like them but makes me feel it's a Sith/jedi banner.

Oh fox can we have a head inside that helmet?

This looks great but I'm not sure what the newsletter looks so maybe it won't match up with the style hmm

Was wondering about the style as well, but stuff like the colour-scheme and the fonts I can change in a few minutes.
I'm using a star wars font (the one from episode 1) and Impact for 'EPOCH' atm.

And I wasn't sure about a head inside lol, thought it might be too gruesome
but your wish is my command Agent! I'll see if I can wip something up.

Oh another way to go (if the other one is too darkside-ish for the republican tree-huggers amongst us ):

I'm sensing a fair amount of Anti-Republic negativity here.... You go ahead and build your moon-sized Super-weapon, see where it gets ya

Seriously though, although the imagery and detail is excellent on the first one, I personally prefer the second (and not just because its non-faction ). It has a clean, crisp professionalism to it.

As has been said already, seeing as Sureshot and H2 are the only two who have actually seen the newsletter, I have no idea whether it is the sort of thing they want or not, but it does look good!

Really nice work again, SF. As an image I personally like the one with the steam too for it's professionalism. I would say, however, that the theme you've chosen is a little off target, or rather too literal, in my opinion. Slicer in SW lore is another term for a hacker. And just as I don't think a hacked-at mangled [whatever] really represents a computer hacker, 'Slicer' in this context I don't believe should be represented by something split in twain. Indeed, if a slicer is doing her job right there should be no damage done and not a trace left of her passing.

Just my thoughts.

But not to take anything away from the imagery itself - I think it's marvellous!

Thanks for the comments guys

And yeah I remembered slicing from the KOTOR games, but I got a little 'writer-blocked' on that :/
So I copped out a little and went for the more visceral imagery.
I'm scanning the intrawebs for Star Wars images often though, so I hope I can find something to represent it more literally (I didn't draw that helmet or anything, my drawing skills are very rusty, so I steal/copy and photoshop )

Just had a look-see at the HoD site as well and it's awakened my competitive side!

oooops! by "the second" one, I meant the second design, as in the one with the word "E.P.O.C.H." getting sliced in two.

TheSweatyFox wrote:

Just had a look-see at the HoD site as well and it's awakened my competitive side!

Good! In an interview they've claimed they're full of creative types, so let's show 'em which guild holds the creative crown! lol

As for "image manipulation" vs "original painting", I don't think it matters that much tbh. These days there's so much availability of ready-made artwork to nick bits and pieces of that it almost seems a bit backward to go to the trouble of doing things from scratch (so long as folks are honest and don't lay claim to the source materials of montages as their own work). Besides, doing that sort of thing and doing it well are two very different things and half of being a digital artists is creating composite images anyway!

However you generate your work, it looks brilliant and I'm chuffed to bits to see that you're up for putting that talent at the guild's disposal!