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First thing I drew when I got my tablet was a pine tree.  A few years ago I wanted to make an RPG like Final Fantasy 3 (for the SNES) so buying the tablet was only cause I wanted to create sprites for that RPG.  Never did make it though.

I recommend playing with the pressure sensitivity.  Try shading with the brush.
Try making a smooth gradient with only the brush and the pressure sensitivity.  Which isn't recommended for only tablet experience, it's also recommended in art classes.  Keep doing it until it's smooth from side to side.  I think shading is a very easy way to learn how to control a pencil properly and help develop those motor skills.

But yes, you seem to have issues with your shapes.  Everything is all oblong and skewed.
I've also noticed that you like to use the pencil as the backing for the structure, then brush over top.  Which makes the two styles really awkward looking while combined together.

If you're using the brush to do anything on the background I recommend using only the brush (for now).  Mixing hard pixels with soft edges don't combine well.  I actually use the pencil ALL the time while painting backgrounds, but never at 100% opacity or any larger than 1 or possibly 2 pixels wide.  It's usually at 15% opacity or less and I use the pencil to usually only strengthen and define the edges of shapes.

Well the way I see it Progz, is that sometimes in life it's nice to just turn off your brain and sit down to a very relaxing and beautiful movie.  And this movie happens to be one of those that I enjoy fully.  I love space exploration, I love aliens and I love little blue titties and cool robotic things.

My top favourite movies happen to be Matrix, Fifth element, Back to the Future, Starship Troopers, and many others.  Most of those have a pretty decent storyline in my eyes, perhaps Fifth Element being the weakest and mostly just a shoot'em up, but the directing in it is absolutely astounding.

I also watch a movie for it's directing style.  I am Always watching how scenes are cut and merged together, the good ones are seamless, have a purpose and don't confuse the viewer.  I felt every cut, every camera shot, every scene in Avatar had a purpose and was well directed (It was a little hard to fully enjoy the movie in that aspect due to the incredible world I was exploring, which is another reason why I want to watch it again).

Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy movies with a good storyline.  But perhaps because of me always trying to understand the purpose of every scene and why the director did it that way, I usually predict the outcome of the movie near the beginning/middle long long before my family and friends do.  Sure, some of those movies aren't exactly what I'd call meat and potatoes for a storyline.  But not many movies can be done well with a storyline that you cannot predict, unless they just don't give you all the answers until the very end.

The Na'avi use their minds to control the actions of their mounts, therefore it's a link from the head of the native to the body of the animal.

I totally understand that it's supposed to be a link to their head, but what is the spine?  It's a direct channel to the brain, and the tail just happens to be an extension of the spine.  I think it would have made more sense, would have looked less awkward and weird, and would have had the same design as all the creatures.  Since all the creatures were capable of moving their connection node thingy, it seems like flawed imagination of evolution for the Na-avi to be different (except all the creatures nodes were attached to the upper spine, and seemed to have two of them. meh).

Unless perhaps in future movies they end up showing that the hair is only protecting a tail-like element that just dangles from their head, I'd be more willing to forgive that little inconsistency.  And when the Avatar bodies were created, the scientists actually hand braid the hair over the connection node just since it might be a custom for the Na-avi to do so.  But like I said, it's not insanely stupid so I don't mind it too much, but would have preferred it being the tail.  It also looked insanely awkward when they were on the horse creatures.

I just got back from the watching Avatar in 3D.  With all the hype the movie received I walked in believing it was going to be INSANE and absolutely incredible... well honestly, it was!

The first few scenes before they started using the avatars, I was immediately starting to think "wtf is this? why is this a $2 billion movie?".  Then suddenly I was sent on a crazy journey through the entire film.  Every time he left the avatar I waited anxiously for him to get back in.  Like when she was trying to force him to eat the food, or sleep, I just wanted him back in there.

I've now read through this whole thread and I am totally confused how some of you people find this movie to be utter shit.  Sure, I predicted Every moment of every scene, sure it had a cookie cutter story and characters.  But it was the experience that left me in awe.  I was completely blown away and want to go back to see it again (which I probably won't, I'm too tight with my cash).  I hate watching movies in the theatre, they're usually too blurry with over stretched images and I can never focus on what is happening.  With Avatar I did not experience that, unless you try to focus on the foreground/background elements.

Darth's expressions and Spire's are my exact words.

I'm also glad they didn't push the boundaries of the 3D element.  I've never actually watched a 3D movie before, took me about 5 or so minutes to wrap my brain around the fact that I can't and shouldn't focus on the things I am not meant to focus on.  I also had the 'get out of my face, bug' reaction.  I never actually swatted air or lifted my hand, but the instinct was still there and made me chuckle every time.

I noticed that there is a threshold of the 3D foreground and when it goes beyond that, it looks like poop.  Only a few scenes did this, where something was sticking in front of you.  But it looked really bad.  Like I said before, I'm glad he kept the 3D to a minimum.

The only two things I would have preferred him doing instead:

• Instead of their hair having those connection things, why didn't he just make it the tail?  They could move their tail, and it also fits better with the creatures since all their connection things were like tails. Why would he break the design for the humanoids?  Was it just to make it look less like a penis?
  
• The helicopter pilot, she had no reason to attack the humans.  I understand her not wanting to attack the natives since she more than likely joined the army only to fly, but she really had no reason to attack the humans.  Unless just her flying around and enjoying the world had given her enough of a connection to the planet to want to protect it at any cost.  Meh
  

Only two small issues really.


Anyway, excellent movie and I was totally excited reading a few of you posting that he's planning on making a sequel or even trilogy.  Freakin Excellent news.

Great movie.  Loved it. 
I believe it's now my favourite movie (I'll officially call it my fav movie once I watch it again, perhaps the second time around won't be as impressive?).

How can I get that fish you mentioned in the hint?

Spoiler

Have you checked the freezer in the basement?

[close]

Spoiler

It's a frozen block of fish, which needs to be melted.

[close]

Spoiler

Use the ice pack which is above the block of fish, and heat it in the oven.

[close]

I need to know where is the leather strap?

Clue 1

Spoiler

It's on the large person outside with the rioters.

[close]

Clue 2

Spoiler

This large person loves food, try talking to him.

[close]

Clue 3

Spoiler

After talking about food, the large person starts to hyperventilate. You need to give him a paper bag.

[close]

Big Clue 4

Spoiler

Stuff some fish in the paper bag, and the fat person passes out. You end up with the belt.

[close]

And where is that Harrow?

Clue 1

Spoiler

It's a combination of an item in the restaurant and the glockenspiel which is behind the restaurant by the tree and bushes, but it's only there while the rioters are there.

[close]

Clue 2

Spoiler

Combine the glockenspiel with the knives in the kitchen.

[close]

How can I get the carjack out from the car?

It's triggered once you:

Spoiler

Look at the tables in the basement, but only once you've found out you need to find the stones.

Looking at the tables prior to knowing you need to find the stones will mention something about the stones being under there, but won't set off the trigger. Very confusing and unneeded walk-around puzzle, IMO.

[close]

You should also keep an eye on the brace finger, it seems trigger happy or perhaps just a nervous twitch.

Woah, woah.. CJ action figure is using a thermos!!?? Traitor!

I'm 11, can I come if my mom lets me? 

My only guess is that I honestly do think, somewhere deep down that it's funny, but I don't know why.

It's because their pants are down to their knees, they call each other nigger (even though they're white), and listen to bad music with over powered subs that make their car body/trunks rattle more than you hear music.  Oh and their cars are worth less than the audio equipment in them.

I try to laugh as well, how can you not?

The thing that bothers me most about this image is that it's symmetrical to hell and back.  First, the camera is staring at the pillars and doors with complete symmetry on both sides.  Then to make it worse, you've got a cannonball that happened to land smack dab in the center of the poles and in the same direction as the camera and lines in the floor.

Unless your game is about the path of life, life's purpose or fate or whichever, the symmetry doesn't work for me.

So I played around with it quickly, I'm not a pixel artist so I've broken all rules.


Also took a quick stab at the light beam (didn't really want it to aim at the cannonball, but I said what the hell).


Edit: Don't get me wrong, I do like the circle of light around yours, I just wanted to play around with the light beam itself.

Ahh, you got a tablet Dual. Good stuff.

I'm curious why you're drawing with the pencil tool when you could be using the brush. That's where all the practice comes from. Using pressure sensitivity and such.

There is only one game I became really good at it, then suddenly sucked and couldn't kill anyone.  Which happened to be Gears of War multiplayer.
(oh DKH, I ALWAYS sucked at Star Craft lol)

I believe it's confidence, as you've sorta answered with your edit. Confidence which leads to being relaxed, which leads to less adrenaline and worse timing. I remember a few times in GoW my team mates for some reason all left the game, I believe we were 3 against 4 and that's why they left. So here I was only me against 4 pretty skilled players. I ended up winning like 2 or 3 battles, and they won the rest (but I still killed an opponent each round). You can't tell me a moment like that doesn't give you adrenaline.

But then later on, after playing the game day after day I started to suck. I think the confidence actually pushes you to advance in the map too quickly, running past your team. At least that's what I was doing.

I haven't played it online in a year-ish, perhaps I should.

*cough* it wasn't a problem until you posted in it.  :

It'd be better judged if you put it on a background, unless you've already done that.
Personally I like it more realistic with his head tilted forward (down).
With his head tilted towards the sky (camera/me) would constantly make me think he's a retarded character who is waiting for my every command.

Look at him... he's staring at me again!

Wouldn't prisoners be at the bottom of the list, or perhaps not at all?
I know from tv shows (I'm Canadian) that the US seem to have a list of what time you've registered. It runs down to the very minute.  But if a persons health suddenly worsens, they can be bumped up the list.  And honestly, I have no idea what it's like in Canada. 

Yeah that's why I was super confused.  One post made it seem like you were against it, and another made it seem like you weren't. (I get confused easily)

Gotcha.

I think Microsoft is going to have a tough time competing against Sony on the next consoles.  I know too many people that are joining the darkside (Sony) because their 360 had the red ring of death.  It's sad, really.

My 360 died the first 2 weeks I had it, so I had returned it to the store for another.  Luckily the new one has lasted this whole time with no failure (however long the 360 has been out for).

My brother had the red ring of death after almost a year of having his.  Microsoft replaced his for a refurbished one, and now he can't play a game without it freezing.  He had to unscrew all the casing and attach a fan to it and it usually stops the freezing.

If you want to be an organ donor, good for you. But if you feel that you should have the right to make demands about the organ recipient (being eg. a donor himself) then you should be on my side and decide that within the current system you can't be an organ donor (upon death) at all.

I'm super confused by this, Misj'.  Are you actually saying that you would like to selectively choose that the only people who get the organs from your dead body must also be organ donors?

If that's correct, all I can say is wow.  I understand it, sorta.  But you do realize that some people in life are actually born with the shit end of the stick when it comes to health, right?  Some people just have organs that can barely hold themselves together, or just bad health in general.  If you were in their body, would you sign up for organ donation so some poor bastard MIGHT get your faulty body parts? (I'm speaking of organ donation, not donating their body to research)

Edit: Obviously there are other things than just internal organs that their body can be useful for.  Skin, cornea, etc, fun stuff like that.
But like Calin said, I'd rather save a life no matter who it may end up being, a selfish non donor or not.  The odds of the person in need of an organ actually matching your blood/body/whatever, and you dying in the same area at the same time they need it can be pretty slim sometimes, there is no sense in narrowing the list down even further.

Misj': I meant the second thing. I'm a donor and would never consider denying them to people who aren't donors themselves.
Unless there'd be an opt-out system. Because then I'd consider people who deliberately chose to let their stuff rot as selfish assholes and wouldn't mind excluding them from the lists.
Edit for clarification: if they are aware when opting out that they don't get organs themselves, of course

Now this is different, I could easily agree with this.

But what you've done isn't correct though.

The back door has to be smaller than the other two doors. Otherwise it goes completely against perspective.
If it weren't 1am, I'd probably show you a perspective demonstration with that door.