Work Exchange

RaseCidraen
RaseCidraen
edited December 2011 in Player Lounge
Hello Portal! (Fellow Portaliers? I Can't remember what we decided on a year ago...)

There have been a lot of things recently that have got me a-thinking. (Gee, really? - Oh god, not with the parentheticals again). Arsheesh had mentioned earlier today that around a year ago, there was a Renaissance of sorts on the Portal - lots of folks were talking about their art projects, cartography skills and the like. There were some great threads and some even greater artists. I keep wondering why those dissapeared, but that's not important, because I'm determined to bring them back.

I was discussing this with gaaran tonight, while working on a project for AugustusGloop - he had asked for a banner for his campaign and I gladly agreed - if you catch me right I can be silly agreeable sometimes. I'm always willing to help out, but in certain moods I will take on absolutely rediculous projects. Gaaran resents me (in an amused sort of way, I hope) for it because I procrastinate on my campaign while I work on the other, new projects.

What I'm proposing here, I suppose I should get to the point sometime before people start mentally going tl:dr on me, is that I'd like to create a Work Exchange post, where the community can build on each other's strengths, people can have fun, check out each other's artwork, prose, and coding design. We always help each other out, and I dont think that will ever stop, but what I'm thinking is something more. Someone needs a banner design, but they cant work with photos for some reason. No problem! Post it here. Offer something in trade that you are good at as a gesture of goodwill.

I propose the following: Feel free to make requests, but try to keep in mind the complexity of the request, and offer up something in return of equal (approximate) value. Obviously this is just a first cut of how this might work (and I've seen it work very well in other places on the web), and I'm very open to suggestions here.

For example...

My primary strengths lie in:
Photo manipulation/image editing
Page Layout
Poetry (Just ask JonVolks - I can almost make Bon Jovi readable! :) )
Character motivation
Devious planning
Snark

My weaknesses:
Fluff creation

A perfect example is my campaign, "Dark Queen of the West":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaign/the-dark-queen-of-the-west/wikis/the-game

It is quintissential form, function, without meaningful content. I have space for content, but not the gumption to actually write something worth reading. I'd be willing to trade image editing work for some fluff pieces I could use in my campaign - fake news articles on covertly strange happenings, old legends found on scraps of paper, anything I can get. I can guarantee, if this kicks off, and anyone needs images put together, I will be VERY willing to volunteer my services. I mean, just look at the site gaaran and I have been working on. I think it's pretty spiffy :)

Thoughts? Requests?
«13

Comments

  • GamingMegaverse
    GamingMegaverse
    Posts: 2,998
    Ok, I will bite. Hit me with a pm for a fluff creation wish, and in exchange, I need some editing on my timelines.
    This is a great idea!!
    killervp
    "A God...Rebuilt":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/a-god-rebuilt
    Duskreign's "COTM for November 2011":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/wyrmshadow/wiki_pages/112011

    Just trying to help out.

  • Morrinn
    Morrinn
    Posts: 166
    Cool idea Rase.
    I'd be happy to help people out with some things.

    I'm a decent image editor, albeit a crappy artist. I can make some neat banners, icons and graphics.
    While I'm not a particularly good coder, I'd like to say I have a good design sense for layouts and site navigation.
    I love spending time making maps and cartography, but results may vary.
    I enjoy coming up with cool concepts for games, but when it comes to writing expeditionary fluff, I'm really no good.

    I'd propose you just take a look at "my campaign":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/tohe and see if there's either something you'd like to emulate for your own site, or think can be done better for me.
    I'm always open suggestions or requests, so just hit me up with a PM.
  • Pils
    Pils
    Posts: 149
    I will be happy to help too with my modest amateur abilities.

    You could take a look at my "Dark Sun campaign":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/dark-sun-a-trova to see what I can do (and undo !).

    For example, I made the video trailer, and the Characters & Items arts are mine.

    -Pils

    -Pils

    Dark Sun ● La Décade des Héros : Face the Fire of the Dark Sun... a World ravaged by Sorcery! (CotM - Dec 2012)

    Les Royaumes Oubliés : A D&D 5e old school style Forgotten Realms campaign!

    (And I'm so soooorry for my poor english...)

  • arsheesh
    arsheesh
    Posts: 850
    Great Idea Rase. Like the recent "Review of my Campaign" thread, this has the potential to become a Sticky. However, it makes much more sense to have this placed in the "Classifieds" section than in the "General Discussion" section so I've gone ahead and moved it.

    Cheers,
    -Arsheesh
  • TheMazeController
    TheMazeController
    Posts: 115 edited December 2011
    Absolutely count me in!

    I am:

    A great Idea Man.
    Strong researcher.
    Strong networker.
    Okay at Fluff.
    Fast talker.

    Basically I am "Face Man" from the A-Team plus the research angle.

    Morrinn I just cruised your site and got a cool idea you might be interested in for your campaign. Sending you a PM.

    P.S. Your name wasn't inspired by the "Short sword of Morin" was it? I LOVED THAT THING.
    Post edited by TheMazeController on
  • RaseCidraen
    RaseCidraen
    Posts: 890
    Dude, TheMazeController is Face? He is my second favorite A-Team member! It's hard not to love Hannibal the most. Esp. when played by Liam Neeson.

    Projects I am currently engaged with: TheMazeController, killerVP (Both in fact-finding stages)

    (thanks for moving this Arsheesh!)
  • gaaran
    gaaran
    Posts: 740
    I would like to take a little credit for this idea :). Rase and I were talking about how he was trading some work, and I insisted that he come to the forums and make it a thing, because it was such a great idea! I'm glad to see that people are really on board with the idea, and in typical OP fashion, everyone is offering to help, and asking little in return :).

    I will do the same:
    If anyone has any coding questions, check out "Melekar":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/melekar and "DQotW (a joint effort by Rase and myself)":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/the-dark-queen-of-the-west
    I've done a little video work, but that's a lot of work, so it would have to be worth my while :).
    I'm also something of a whiz in photoshop (editing, not creating). I created all the banners and headers and everything for my pages (the actual art is (C) their respective owners). Check out these banners: "Ember's Journal.":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaign/melekar/wikis/ember and "Solaren's Journal":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaign/melekar/wikis/solaren

    I'm very happy to help, but right now I don't need much assistance, unless people want to plan my game for me :P. However, I think Rase and I could use a little help on some fluff writing on DQotW, but I will need to discuss that with him first. If this thing really takes off, I think Arsheesh is right, this should become a sticky, as this is really the heart of what makes this community great :).
  • TheMazeController
    TheMazeController
    Posts: 115
    Gaaran I may have one of my players contact you about certain things regarding how to layout the site. I am unsure yet because he seems to know a hell of a lot more about coding than me so I may not need the assist.

    It's good to know there is someone I can ask tho!

    In the spirit of fair play before I do send my guy your way (may not need to) what can I work on for you?

    By the way you should have mentioned all coding needs to go back and forth via email as .txt files or something right? Perhaps it goes without saying but for anyone as nub as I am it doesn't. I had no idea about that problem when I tried asking questions via PM.
  • HurstGM
    HurstGM
    Posts: 205
    Im not relly sure at what im good at feel free to look at my campaings and decide for yourself. As far as help mostly i need general reviews (and yes I did post in the review my campain thread). Any specific coding ive never been short if help when asked. If anyone does need any help from something they like I did im more that willing to trade work. For the help I really want well I dont know whats missing so I dont know what to ask for.
  • gaaran
    gaaran
    Posts: 740
    Maze, feel free to send them my way. As far as trading code, what I normally do it create a page on one of my campaigns and make the code visible for copying. Otherwise, there are other ways of sending it too. .txt files work, but it's not the only way to go.
  • Ignus3
    Ignus3
    Posts: 6
    I am in need of help with the layout and organizing part of my site, and I am especially in need of a nice map. I have some basics, and a fairly well fleshed out continent, but I need some big blank areas to fill with ideas later down the road, plus some more interestingly shaped borders.

    In return I can offer my skills as a writer, especially in the area of content generation. I am very good at coming up with interesting ideas and expressing them well. Of course, it will be for your universe, so edit and tailor to fit, but I really like getting into the nitty gritty of how a society, faction, nation, or city functions and continues to function over time, and how to make it do so in the most fantastic ways possible.

    And I can write stories and the like fairly well, one of my strengths is descriptive writing.

    for examples of my writing style, check out my campaign:

    "Galoren":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/galor
  • HurstGM
    HurstGM
    Posts: 205
    Hey Ignus some time soon im going to PM you i think we can help each other out
  • KenSee
    KenSee
    Posts: 93
    Okay, I will lend a hand.

    I am not very good at coding and could use some help with layout ideas and general site navigation.

    I can fluff like nobodies' business and can have a quest for you in two days flat.
  • magavendon
    magavendon
    Posts: 112
    Here's my "stats" if you will:

    I'm a programmer by trade. I haven't messed with HTML or Textile a lot, but have no problems figuring things out (whether it's possible on the site or not) when I want to do something.

    I'm decent at editing pictures and moving things around and trying to decide what looks good or not (to me anyway), but I can't draw or create nice looking things myself.

    Once I have an idea I'm pretty good at expanding with it, but I sometimes have issues coming up with brand new ideas. For an example of that you can check out my site's "wiki":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaign/progression-into-the-stars/wikis/main-page for the background information that I've been trying to create for the whole campaign.

    I've messed around a little bit with creating maps so I can do that a little bit but I'm not pro at it.

    Pretty much the only thing I could think of that I'd actively ask for help with is drawing/creating pictures and other images for me (not that I need anything right now), but I'd still be happy to help someone that needs help with something I can do regardless.
  • Morrinn
    Morrinn
    Posts: 166
    Ignus: If Hurst hasn't already called dibs on the cartography job, send me a message and I'll be happy to draw something up for you.
  • GamingMegaverse
    GamingMegaverse
    Posts: 2,998 edited January 2012
    Ignus- Hurst is great, and Morriinn fixed my banner.
    Magavendon- hitting you with a pm late tonight- at Kings hockey game now.
    killervp
    "A God...Rebuilt":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/a-god-rebuilt
    Duskreign's "COTM for November 2011":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/wyrmshadow/wiki_pages/112011
    Post edited by GamingMegaverse on

    Just trying to help out.

  • Baalshamon
    Baalshamon
    Posts: 585
    Would anyone be willing to work with me and teach me how to use poser? I want to make my own art and poser is proving more challenging than I realized.

    -Steve
  • RaseCidraen
    RaseCidraen
    Posts: 890
    I wish I knew how to use poser. - By the by Stephen, I haven't forgotten about your project. I'm just trying to think of positions for all of the characters to be in. It's going to be a bit of work.. maybe I'll be able to do some work on it when I get home today.
  • Baalshamon
    Baalshamon
    Posts: 585
    Sounds great, I just figure you had been tied up with other things over the holidays. I look forward to seeing what you come up with. I cant even imagine undertaking the project you are on.
  • magavendon
    magavendon
    Posts: 112
    Actually I just thought of something. If someone could come up with a nice looking space type background that can still show text pretty well without just being black that would be much appreciated. Super extra awesomeness to you if it can repeat well, but doesn't have to be necessary.
  • GamingMegaverse
    GamingMegaverse
    Posts: 2,998
    Hey magavendon, are you looking for something like "this":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaign/a-god-rebuilt/adventure-log/much-of-nothing-about-a-dood
    The log background is what I am referring to...
    killervp
    "A God...Rebuilt":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/a-god-rebuilt
    Duskreign's "COTM for November 2011":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/wyrmshadow/wiki_pages/112011

    Just trying to help out.

  • HurstGM
    HurstGM
    Posts: 205
    So im not the best at HTML and Textile but i consider myself proficient and can make most things work., but im willing to trade some of that work for some help with "The Broken Road":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/private-while-under-construction What im looking for is some help with the story section (I feel its a little dry) and something with more humor. So if anyone is interested let me know, but fair warning I can be flaky right now as im working extreame overtime at my job and its hard to plan anything during the week. Weekends are best but not great. Yes i might shoot myself in the foot on getting help but its fair to warn up front.
  • Savannah
    Savannah
    Posts: 188
    Hey, Hurst, I was just glancing at your story section and I noticed you have some grammar/sentence structure issues that could be cleaned up. I could probably help prettying it up otherwise, as well.

    Come to think of it, I haven't posted in this thread because, while I love the idea, I've been thinking there's nothing useful I can do -- wrong. I'm a pretty good proofreader, both for grammar/sentence structure errors and whether the writing conveys what you're trying to convey. Spelling isn't my strongest suit, but I can usually spot errors and I can do all the tricky homonyms (there/their/they're, etc) with my eyes closed ;)

    At the moment, I'm not really in need of help beyond the occasional coding question, but I have no problem proofreading for free (as long as you're patent).
  • HurstGM
    HurstGM
    Posts: 205
    Dude 100% down tell me what you need and you got it. Im not in any hurry cant even get the players to post logs afterall
  • TheMazeController
    TheMazeController
    Posts: 115
    Savannah,

    Don't sell yourself short - you have a good eye for art / layout as well. Twice you have been helpful to me in the art dept.

    Hurst was extremely helpful to me tonight especially as I am a first time coder. KillerVP gave me some great foundation to work with, and Hurst helped me take things one step further. I should have my site laid out in quick succession now.

    I love how helpful everyone here is to one another.
  • magavendon
    magavendon
    Posts: 112
    Something like that Killer, I was kinda hoping for something with a bit more... stuff? I guess? But I don't know that adding more things wouldn't make it harder to read the text, unfortunately, lol. I could be happy with a background like that, though.
  • TheMazeController
    TheMazeController
    Posts: 115
    Magavendon

    Here is a "link":http://en.spaceengine.org/ to a free space exploration type game that will let you take all the space screen shots you like. You should be all set once you play with it a bunch.

    I dont play SciFi as my flavor of RPG action but I know I would use that if I did.
  • magavendon
    magavendon
    Posts: 112
    Thanks! I'll be sure to check it out!
  • Baalshamon
    Baalshamon
    Posts: 585
    that is a pretty awesome little program. I will be using it in my game. Wish I had seen uit a few months ago.

    -Steve
    "Star Trek Late Night":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/star-trek-late-night
    "Duskreign's CotM December 2011":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaign/wyrmshadow/wikis/122011
    "CotM January 2012":http://blog.obsidianportal.com/star-trek-late-night-januarys-cotm/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=star-trek-late-night-januarys-cotm
  • RaseCidraen
    RaseCidraen
    Posts: 890
    HOKAY! Steven, I present my work to you (also in an e-mail, as the file is quite large, and I didnt want the image site to compress the quality.)

    "The pseudo-final image for this iteration of the work-exchange":http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn274/apmunson/Projects%20for%20OP/Work%20Exchange/WIPBar.png
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